Theora

Published Research Studies

Current Studies at research.zagami.info

Educational Technologies

Educational Gaming

Computer Science Education

Concept Development

Dr Zagami's primary research interest is in understanding and improving how people learn, with a particular focus on how new technologies can assist learning and how they can better enable us to understand the learning process. While he has a general interest in all educational technologies, his current studies include tracking innovations in educational technologies and identifying emerging trends in how they change educational processes, the uses of computer games in education (including virtual reality, augmented reality and virtual worlds), student co-creation of secondary worlds through computer games, and the measurement of neural activity to track cognitive development.

With an enduring interest in K12 Computer Science Education, Dr Zagami is involved in curriculum development and studying how schools are implementing curriculum changes, examining the tension between scripted instructional processes and higher order thinking skill development, how concept development can be improved using visualisation and manipulation approaches, supporting concept development through the use of manipulables (Robotics, Drones and IOT), and approaches to overcome the challenges for female participation in Computer Science education.

Podcast on Dr Zagami's research

Wednesday, 22 November, 2023

Self-Study Methodology Applied to Research Practice

Zagami, J. (2023). Self-Study Methodology Applied to Research Practice  [Conference session] Education Research Conference. Brisbane, Australia. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cogoEVQ4GolTzORilrbkkUvW66FN0CaYirSlJQbYoJQ/edit?usp=sharing

Self-Study Methodology Applied to Research Practice

Wednesday, 26 July 2023

Preschool children's engagement with a social robot compared to a human  instructor

Neumann, M., Koch, L., Zagami, J., Reilly, D., & Neumann, D. (2023). Preschool children's engagement with a social robot compared to a human  instructor. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65, 332-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.07.010 

Young children are exposed to new digital technologies, such as social robots. Limited research exists on how children engage with social robots and their role in the preschool classroom. This study observed 35 English-speaking children (M age = 4.60 years) participating in two tasks (Simon Says and iPad drawing) under the guidance of a social robot or human instructor. Children's engagement was measured across behavioural, emotional, and verbal domains. Results showed higher behavioural and positive emotional engagement with a human instructor than a social robot instructor across both tasks. Children uttered more words with the human instructor than the social robot instructor for the iPad drawing task, although there were no differences for the Simon Says task. Children's engagement and utterances were positively correlated during the social robot and human instructor conditions. The findings suggest that child engagement was overall higher with a human than with a social robot and such differences may be important for teachers to consider when using social robots in the preschool classroom.

Monday, 27 February, 2023

Zagami, J. (2023). Cognitive Influences on Learning Programming. In: Keane, T., Fluck, A.E. (eds) Teaching Coding in K-12 Schools. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21970-2_26 

A theoretical exploration of cognitive load to guide the teaching of computer programming by tailoring the use of different programming language types (visual vs textual) to the developmental needs of students relative to the complexity of the cognitive concepts being taught so that the cogitative processing capacity of students is not exceeded.

Wednesday, 23 November, 2022

An approach to investigating trends using a collection of systems research methods

Zagami, J. (2022). An approach to investigating trends using a collection of systems research methods  [Conference session] Education Research Conference. Sanctuary Cove, Australia. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQP0Bn8t1w6ankPm6ovIOSGJ1cicEaHd1TXg9tgMhZoQ8_AY8QP71vmhVstlFNIGFm4Lt3d-sfh1IQ5/pub

Systems Research

Saturday, 30 July, 2022

Zagami, J. (2022).  Cognitive Influences on Learning Programming. In T. Keane & A. Fluck (Eds.), Teaching Coding in K-12 Schools: Research and Application (pp.389–399). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21970-2_26

This is a preprint of the following chapter: Zagami, J., Cognitive Influences on Learning Programming, published in Teaching Coding in K-12 Schools: Research and Application, edited by Therese Keane and Andrew Fluck, 2022, Springer Nature reproduced with permission of Springer Nature. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21970-2_26

Cognitive Influences on Learning Programming

Friday, 27 May, 2022

Computer Education in Australian schools 2022

Zagami, J. (2022). Computer education in Australian schools 2022. Australian Computer Society.

An examination of the state of computer education in Australian schools informed by the Australian Computer Society’s survey response to the 2020/21 Australian Curriculum review.


ACS Press Release 30 May 2022

ACS, the professional association for Australia’s technology sector, has launched its new report on the state of Digital Technologies education in Australia: Computer education in Australian schools 2022: Enabling the next generation of IT professionals. The report looks at the current state of computer education in schools, and builds upon data from a survey of schools across Australia covering the practical implementation of computer education in Australian primary and secondary schools. The report also provides a set of recommendations for schools, government and the education sector to improve outcomes for Australian students. “It’s no secret that Australia has a significant deficit when it comes to IT professionals,” said ACS President Dr Nick Tate. “Along with healthcare it’s the fastest growing sector in the Australian economy. Every year for the next five years businesses and government will be demanding more than 50,000 new IT professionals. “In 2019, there were less than 7000 ICT graduates from Australian universities, not nearly enough to meet the needs. We cannot continue to rely on overseas workers to make up the shortfall.” The Digital Technologies curriculum, introduced in 2014 and progressively rolled out across Australian states, was designed to help students pursue careers in technology. But as the survey results show, the implementation of the curriculum varies wildly from school to school and state to state. Some of the elements the report notes the need to address include: 

Teacher training, with many teachers having to teach a subject that they did not learn in school.

School systems need to support their upskilling. A lack of understanding about the distinction between Digital Literacy (using computers) and Digital Technologies (creating with digital tools). 

Poor reporting on Digital Technologies outcomes to parents. 

Equitable access to both teaching talent and equipment across all areas of Australia. 

“Addressing the shortage of IT workers in Australia means addressing IT education in Australia,” noted Dr Tate. “There’s a lot that can and needs to be done to get us to a place where we can really say we’re the clever country.” 

The full report can be downloaded from the ACS website. 

Computer Education in Australian schools 2022.pdf

Friday, 20 November, 2020

Machine learning for human learners: opportunities, issues, tensions and threats

Webb, M. E., Fluck, A., Magenheim, J., Malyn-Smith, J., Waters, J., Deschênes, M., & Zagami, J. (2020). Machine learning for human learners: opportunities, issues, tensions and threats. Educational Technology Research and Development, 1-22.

Machine learning systems are infiltrating our lives and are beginning to become important in our education systems. This article, developed from a synthesis and analysis of previous research, examines the implications of recent developments in machine learning for human learners and learning. In this article we first compare deep learning in computers and humans to examine their similarities and differences. Deep learning is identified as a sub-set of machine learning, which is itself a component of artificial intelligence. Deep learning often depends on backwards propagation in weighted neural networks, so is non-deterministic—the system adapts and changes through practical experience or training. This adaptive behaviour predicates the need for explainability and accountability in such systems. Accountability is the reverse of explainability. Explainability flows through the system from inputs to output (decision) whereas accountability flows backwards, from a decision to the person taking responsibility for it. Both explainability and accountability should be incorporated in machine learning system design from the outset to meet social, ethical and legislative requirements. For students to be able to understand the nature of the systems that may be supporting their own learning as well as to act as responsible citizens in contemplating the ethical issues that machine learning raises, they need to understand key aspects of machine learning systems and have opportunities to adapt and create such systems. Therefore, some changes are needed to school curricula. The article concludes with recommendations about machine learning for teachers, students, policymakers, developers and researchers.

Webb2020_Article_MachineLearningForHumanLearner.pdf

Wednesday, 12 August, 2020

Learners and learning contexts: New alignments for the digital age

Webb, M. E., Fluck, A., Magenheim, J., Malyn-Smith, J., Waters, J., Deschênes, M., & Zagami, J. (2019). Thematic Working Group 4. Learners and learning contexts: New alignments for the digital age, 127.

This paper was born from a meeting of experts in Quebec, Canada in October 2019. Through a  pre-meeting  process  of  collaborative  writing,  intensive  literature  review  and  critical  reflection, the meeting was able to synthesize and analyze previous research. In so doing, the group  has  generated  a  new  and  creative  approach  to  machine  learning  in  education.  The  paper summarises  the  expert  group  findings,  and  provides  strategies  and  actions  for  policymakers,  practitioners,  students,  researchers,  and/or  developers  of  machine  learning  systems in education.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anneke_Smits/publication/339442192_Thematic_working_group_8_Pedagogical_Reasoning_and_Reflective_Practice_A_Framework_for_Teaching_in_a_Digital_Age/links/5e529a6fa6fdcc2f8f5a2ba1/Thematic-working-group-8-Pedagogical-Reasoning-and-Reflective-Practice-A-Framework-for-Teaching-in-a-Digital-Age.pdf#page=31 

edusummit2019_ebook (2).pdf

Wednesday, 30 October, 2019

Thematic Working Group 4. Thematic Working Group 4 - State of the Art in Thinking About Machine Learning: Implications for Education

Webb, M., Fluck, A., Deschenes, M., Kheirallah, S., Lee, I., Magenheim, J., Malyn-Smith, J., Pare, G., Trippe, R., Onderwijs, L., Waters, J. & Zagami, J. (2019). Thematic Working Group 4 - State of the Art in Thinking About Machine Learning: Implications for Education. In F. Petra & M. Phillips (eds), Learners and learning contexts: New alignments for the digital age, EDUsummIT 2019 Canada (pp. 114).

This paper was born from a meeting of experts in Quebec, Canada in October 2019. Through a  pre-meeting  process  of  collaborative  writing,  intensive  literature  review  and  critical  reflection, the meeting was able to synthesise and analyse previous research. In so doing, the group  has  generated  a  new  and  creative  approach  to  machine  learning  in  education.  The  paper summarises  the  expert  group  findings,  and  provides  strategies  and  actions  for  policymakers,  practitioners,  students,  researchers,  and/or  developers  of  machine  learning  systems in education.

10 pager - State of the art in thinking about machine learning – implications for education v3a.pdf

Sunday, 8 December, 2019

Vision - A space for digital learning and exploring pedagogies: Virtual world education

Gregory, S., Gregory, B., Jacka, L., Lierse, S., McDonald, M., Ellis, D., Hearns, M., Sukunesan, S., Irwin, P., John, B., Butler, D., Zagami, J. & Gaukrodger, B. (2019). Vision - A space for digital learning and exploring pedagogies: Virtual world education. In Y. W. Chew, K. M. Chan, and A. Alphonso (Eds.), Personalised Learning. Diverse Goals. One Heart., 130. ASCILITE 2019 Singapore (pp. 130-138).

The Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group (VWWG) was established in 2009. Members of the group have written papers for ASCILITE conferences since 2010. Each paper’s intention is to provide an overview on using virtual worlds in higher education, especially the practical aspects of incorporating 3D worlds to enhance student learning. This VWWG’s paper looks at a virtual world as a space for digital learning and exploratory pedagogy – meaning, that the authors perhaps do not perceive virtual worlds as ordinary. However, they do acknowledge that those who do not regularly engage in virtual worlds may see it as new and innovative, perhaps even untested ground, but still with a degree of unfamiliarity. A survey was sent to the members of the VWWG in which the narratives have provided rich data for in depth understanding. The themes focused in the survey were ‘disruptive thinking’, ‘emerging ideas’ and ‘lateral connections’, from the perspective of the respondents’ experiences in the implementation of virtual worlds in education. They discuss the idea of a virtual world used in education as a new treasure, or perhaps it has been in use for some time and now classified as traditional.

Virtual worlds, Second Life, disruption, emerging ideas, lateral connections

Vision - A space for digital learning and exploring pedagogies- Virtual world education.pdf

Friday, 3 August, 2018

Creating Future Ready Information Technology Policy for National Education Systems

Zagami, J., Bocconi, S., Starkey, L., Wilson, J., Gibson, D., Downie, J., Malyn‑Smith, J. & Elliott, S. (2018). Creating Future Ready Information Technology Policy for National Education Systems. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 23(64) 1–12.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-018-9387-7.

 

With  the  increasing  relevance  of  information  and  communication  technologies (ICT)  and  the global transition  towards  the  knowledge  society,  school  systems  and higher  education  now face increasing challenges involved in preparing students for successful participation in the knowledge society. In many countries, this is leading to manifold efforts and changes in national policies concerning ICT integration into education systems. This paper outlines four challenges concerning the design, implementation, and evaluation of national policy: (1)  creating  future  ready policy, (2) achieving  systemic  perspectives in stakeholders, (3) promoting commitment to learning from policy, and (4) developing and implementing supportive processes. The paper shares an international perspective on these four major challenges  and proposes strategy  perspectives and solutions,  as  well  as  tactics  that  could  be  applied to advance a nation’s educational system empowered by technology.

Keywords  Educational policy leadership, Technology enhanced learning, ICT in education, Future ready citizens

Zagami_et_al-2018-Technology%2C_Knowledge_and_Learning.pdf

Monday, 4 December, 2017

Curating the curriculum with digital games

Dezuanni, M. & Zagami, J. (2017) Curating the curriculum with digital games. In C. Beavis, M. Dezuanni, & J. O'Mara. (Eds.). Serious Play : Literacy, Learning, and Digital Games. Routledge, New York. (pp. 67-82). doi: 10.4324/9781315537658.

Serious Play is a comprehensive account of the possibilities and challenges of teaching and learning with digital games in primary and secondary schools. Based on an original research project, the book explores digital games’ capacity to engage and challenge, present complex representations and experiences, foster collaborative and deep learning and enable curricula that connect with young people today. These exciting approaches illuminate the role of context in gameplay as well as the links between digital culture, gameplay and identity in learners’ lives, and are applicable to research and practice at the leading edge of curriculum and literacy development.

Monday, 4 December, 2017

Negotiating pedagogical transformation and identity performance through gameplay in statecraft X

Thompson, R., Beavis, C., & Zagami, J. (2017). Negotiating pedagogical transformation and identity performance through gameplay in statecraft X. In C. Beavis, M. Dezuanni, J. O'Mara. (eds), Serious play : literacy, learning, and digital games, Routledge, New York, N.Y. (pp.55-66). doi: 10.4324/9781315537658.

Serious Play is a comprehensive account of the possibilities and challenges of teaching and learning with digital games in primary and secondary schools. Based on an original research project, the book explores digital games’ capacity to engage and challenge, present complex representations and experiences, foster collaborative and deep learning and enable curricula that connect with young people today. These exciting approaches illuminate the role of context in gameplay as well as the links between digital culture, gameplay and identity in learners’ lives, and are applicable to research and practice at the leading edge of curriculum and literacy development.

Monday, 18 September, 2017

Learning from national policy experiences

Gibson, D.,Downie, J., Starkey, L., Zagami, J., Bocconi, S., Dewar, J., Malyn‐Smith, J., Elliott, S. (2017). Thematic Group 7: Learning from national policy experiences. In K. Lai, J. Voogt, & G. Knezek (eds.), EdusummIT 2017: Rethinking learning in a digital age. (pp. 59-63). Bulgaria, UNESCO. 

This ebook is a collection of outcome reports by the thematic working groups (TWGs) of EDUsummIT 2017. EDUsummIT (International Summit on ICT in Education) is a global knowledge building community of researchers, educational practitioners, and policy makers committed to supporting the effective integration of research and practice in the field of ICT in education. EDUsummIT was founded in 2009 to extend and further develop the work undertaken by the authors of the International Handbook of Information Technology in Primary and Secondary Education, edited by Joke Voogt and Gerald Knezek (2008). Since its inception, EDUsummIT has been held five times, firstly in the Hague (2009), then Paris (2011), Washington D.C. (2013), Bangkok (2015) and most recently in Borovets (2017). Between 70 and 140 participants from six continents have attended each of the EDUsummIT meetings. While EDUsummIT participants meet biennially, thematic groups focusing on pertinent research topics in ICT and education are formed prior to the Summit to prepare discussion papers. These papers are further developed during EDUsummIT. After each EDUsummIT, TWG findings are published in international journals and presented at major conferences.

Learning-from-national-policy-experiences (1).pdf

Tuesday, 1 August, 2017

Computer Science in the school curriculum: issues and challenges

Webb, M., Bell, T., Davis, N., Katz, Y., Reynolds, N., Chambers, D., Syslo, M., Fluck, A., Cox, M., Angeli, C., Malyn-Smith, J., Voogt, J., Zagami, J., Micheuz, P., Chtouki, Y. & Mori, N. (2016). Computer Science in the school curriculum: issues and challenges. In A. Tatnall & M. Webb (eds.). Tomorrow's Learning: Involving Everyone. Learning with and about Technologies and Computing. WCCE 2017. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 515. Springer, Cham. ISBN 978-3-319-74309-7.

Analyses and discussions were undertaken over several years by researchers, policymakers and practitioners from a range of countries that vary in their approaches to the curriculum in relation to Computer Science. These analyses were undertaken predominantly within the International Federation of Information Processing (IFIP) by the IFIP Curriculum Task Force and at EDUsummIT 2015 and were motivated by a need to examine the rationale, issues and challenges following some concerns across the globe about the position and nature of Computer Science in the school curriculum. We summarise our findings and focus specifically on challenges for the computer science education community in communicating, clarifying needs and promoting curriculum change in order to encourage Computer Science in the curriculum both theoretically and practically.

Monday, 13 October, 2016

Computer Science in the school curriculum: issues and challenges

Webb, M., Bell, T., Davis, N., Katz, Y., Reynolds, N., Chambers, D., Syslo, M., Fluck, A., Cox, M., Angeli, C., Malyn-Smith, J., Voogt, J., Zagami, J., Micheuz, P., Chtouki, Y. & Mori, N. (2016). Computer Science in the school curriculum: issues and challenges. In Proceedings of ISSEP 2016. Poster presented at the Informatics in Schools: Improvement of Informatics Knowledge and Perception conference in Munster, Germany. (pp. 64). ISBN 978-3-319-46747-4

ISSEP2016_Webb_poster (1).pdf

Monday, 11 July 2016

A K-6 Computational Thinking Curriculum Framework: Implications for Teacher Knowledge

Angeli, C., Voogt, J., Fluck, A., Webb, M., Cox, M., Malyn-Smith, J., & Zagami, J. (2016). A K-6 Computational Thinking Curriculum Framework: Implications for Teacher Knowledge. Educational Technology & Society, 19(3), 47–57. Retrieved from http://www.ifets.info/journals/19_3/6.pdf

Adding computer science as a separate school subject to the core K-6 curriculum is a complex issue with educational challenges. The authors herein address two of these challenges: (1) the design of the curriculum based on a generic computational thinking framework, and (2) the knowledge teachers need to teach the curriculum. The first issue is discussed within a perspective of designing an authentic computational thinking curriculum with a focus on real-world problems. The second issue is addressed within the framework of technological pedagogical content knowledge explicating in detail the body of knowledge that teachers need to have to be able to teach computational thinking in a K-6 environment. An example of how these ideas can be applied in practice is also given. While it is recognized there is a lack of adequate empirical evidence in terms of the effectiveness of the frameworks proposed herein, it is expected that our knowledge and research base will dramatically increase over the next several years, as more countries around the world add computer science as a separate school subject to their K-6 curriculum.

Keywords: Computational thinking curriculum, Pedagogical content knowledge, Technological pedagogical content knowledge, Teacher preparation, K-6

A K-6 Computational Thinking Curriculum Framework- Implications for Teacher Knowledge.pdf

Monday, 11 July 2016

Arguing for Computer Science in the School Curriculum

Fluck, A., Webb, M., Cox, M., Angeli, C., Malyn-Smith, J., Voogt, J., & Zagami, J. (2016). Arguing for Computer Science in the School Curriculum. Educational Technology & Society, 19(3), 38–46. Retrieved from http://www.ifets.info/journals/19_3/5.pdf

Computer science has been a discipline for some years, and its position in the school curriculum has been contested differently in several countries. This paper looks at its role in three countries to illustrate these differences. A reconsideration of computer science as a separate subject both in primary and secondary education is suggested. At EDUsummIT 2015 it was argued that the major rationales for including computer science as a subject in the K-12 curriculum are economic, social and cultural. The paper explores these three rationales and also a beneficence matrix to assist curriculum designers. It also argues computer science is rapidly becoming critical for generating new knowledge, and should be taught as a distinct subject or content area, especially in secondary schools. The paper concludes by looking at some of the key questions to be considered when implementing computer science in the school curriculum, and at ways its role might change in the future.

Keywords: Computer science, Curriculum, K-12, Rationale, Primary school, Secondary school

Arguing-for-Computer-Science-in-the-School-Curriculum.pdf

Sunday, 10 July 2016

Bebras Australia computational thinking challenge

Schulz, K., Hobson, S., & Zagami, J. (2016). Bebras Australia computational thinking challenge - tasks and solution 2016. Brisbane, Australia: Digital Careers.

Computational Thinking activities in the Bebras an international initiative whose goal is to promote computational thinking for teachers and students (ages 8-18; years 3-12).

2016 Bebras Solution Guide AU.pdf

Wednesday, 15 June 2016

Communique: Queensland Digital Technologies Summit 2016: Initial Teacher Education

Finger, G., Pendergast, D., Zagami, J., Brown, R., Jamieson-Proctor, R., Kinnane, A., Jorgensen, M., Thompson, K., & Reynolds, J. (2016). Communique: Queensland Digital Technologies Summit 2016: Initial Teacher Education. Queensland Digital Technologies Summit 2016, 15th June 2016, Pulman Hotel, Brisbane, Australia.

Outcomes from the 2016 Queensland Digital Technologies Summit developing a consensus on the priority digital technologies challenges in initial teacher education, a shared initial teacher education digital technologies philosophy and framework, and actions and strategies to support improvements to initial teacher education.

Qld-Digital-Technologies-Summit-2016-Communique (2).pdf

Monday, 30 November 2015

Girls and Computing: Female participation in computing in Schools

Zagami, J., Boden, M., Keane, T., Moreton, B., & Schulz, K. (2015). Girls and computing: Female participation in computing in schools. Australian Educational Computing, 30(2), 1–14. Retrieved from http://journal.acce.edu.au/index.php/AEC/article/view/79

Computer education, with a focus on computer science, has become a core subject in the Australian Curriculum and the focus of national innovation initiatives. Equal participation by girls, however, remains unlikely based on their engagement with computing in recent decades. In seeking to understand why this may be the case, a Delphi consensus process was conducted using a wide range of experts from industry and academia to explore existing research and interventions, recommending four key approaches: engaging girls in the Digital Technologies curriculum; addressing parental preconceptions and influences; providing positive role models and mentors; and supporting code clubs for girls. Unfortunately, all of these approaches have been widely implemented, and while individually successful at the scale of their implementation, have failed to systemically improve female participation in computing. The only discernable difference between initiatives to improve female participation in computing and the successful approaches in other fields such as science, has been the availability of a compulsory developmental curriculum beginning from the start of school, that may provide a scaffold that sustain female engagement over critical periods such as adolescence, when participation in computing begins to dramatically decline.

September, 2015

Teaching and Digital Technologies: Big Issues and Critical Questions

Zagami, J. (2015). Digital technologies in the curriculum: national and international. In M. Henderson & G. Romeo (Eds.), Teaching and Digital Technologies: Big Issues and Critical Questions (pp. 169–181). Boston, MA: Cambridge University Press.

To fully engage with the teaching of the digital technologies curriculum, it is helpful to undertake a critical examination of Australian national and state computing curricula within a global context. This chapter includes a commentary on 21st- century skills and digital literacy. There is a case study that looks at the way in which the computational thinking concept has grown in international markets with its own agendas and how this is now shaping the Australian computing curriculum. Confusion over terminology and challenges to teachers and curriculum developers are discussed.

Monday, 20 July 2015

An analysis of 27 years of research into computer education published in Australian Educational Computing

Zagami, J. (2015, July).An analysis of 27 years of research into computer education published in Australian Educational Computing. Australian Educational Computing, 30(1). Retrieved from http://journal.acce.edu.au/index.php/AEC/article/view/63

Analysis of three decades of publications in Australian Educational Computing (AEC) provides insight into the historical trends in Australian educational computing, highlighting an emphasis on pedagogy, comparatively few articles on educational technologies, and strong research topic alignment with similar international journals. Analysis confirms the cyclical nature of educational research, and the topics of study that have waxed and waned in research popularity, with author contributions and citation rates providing an acknowledgement of the key contributors to computer education research over the past 27 years.

Monday, 2 December 2014

Rhetoric and Reality: Critical perspectives on education in a 3D virtual world

Sue Gregory, Brent Gregory, . (2014, December).Rhetoric and Reality: Critical perspectives on education in a 3D virtual world. Paper presented at the ascilite2014 Conference, Duneden, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://ascilite2014.otago.ac.nz/files/fullpapers/231-Gregory.pdf

The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations about its potential for transforming pedagogical practice and improving student learning outcomes. A critique of the rhetoric accompanying the evolution of 3D virtual world education reveals a similar pattern, with the initial hype based more on rhetoric than research demonstrating the extent to which rhetoric matches reality. Addressed are the perceived gaps in the literature through a critique of the rhetoric evident throughout the evolution of the application of virtual worlds in education and the reality based on the reported experiences of experts in the field of educational technology, who are all members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. The experiences reported highlight a range of effective virtual world collaborative and communicative teaching experiences conducted in members’ institutions. Perspectives vary from those whose reality is the actuation of the initial rhetoric in the early years of virtual world education, to those whose reality is fraught with challenges that belie the rhetoric. Although there are concerns over institutional resistance, restrictions, and outdated processes on the one-hand, and excitement over the rapid emergence of innovation on the other, the prevailing reality seems to be that virtual world education is both persistent and sustainable. Explored are critical perspectives on the rhetoric and reality on the educational uptake and use of virtual worlds in higher education, virtual worlds.

231-Gregory.pdf

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Teachers’ Beliefs about the Possibilities and Limitations of Digital Games in Classrooms

Beavis, C., Rowan, L., Dezuanni, M., McGillivray, C., O’Mara, J., Prestridge, P., Stieler-Hunt, C., Thompson, R. & Zagami, J. (2014). Teachers’ Beliefs about the Possibilities and Limitations of Digital Games in Classrooms. E-Learning and Digital Media, 11(6), 569-581. doi 2014.11.6.569. Retrieved from http://ldm.sagepub.com/content/11/6/569

Teachers’ beliefs about what it is (or is not) possible to achieve with digital games in educational contexts will inevitably influence the decisions that they make about how, when, and for what specific purposes they will bring these games into their classrooms. They play a crucial role in both shaping and responding to the complex contextual factors which influence how games are understood and experienced in educational settings. Throughout this article the authors draw upon data collected for a large-scale, mixed-methods research project focusing on literacy, learning and teaching with digital games in Australian classrooms, to focus explicitly on the attitudes, understandings and expectations held about digital games by diverse teachers at the beginning of the project. They seek to identify the beliefs about games that motivated teachers’ participation in a digital games research project while focusing, as well, on concerns that teachers express about risks or limitations of such a project. The authors’ aim is to develop a detailed picture of the mindsets that teachers bring to games-based learning environments, and the relevance of these mindsets to broader debates about the relationship between games, learning and school.

teacherbeliefs.pdf

Friday, 3 October 2014

Secondary Worlds and computer gaming in Education

Zagami, J. (2014, October). Secondary Worlds and computer gaming in Education. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Adelaide, Australia. Retrieved from http://acec2014.acce.edu.au/sites/2014/files/attachments/

ACEC2014%20Secondary%20Worlds%20and%20computer%20gaming%20in%20Education.docx

Zagami, J. (2014Secondary Worlds and computer gaming in Education [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/secondary-worlds-and-computer-gaming-in-education

Fantasy worlds have long enthralled and engaged our imaginations with Tolkien defining those of sufficient detail as Secondary Worlds, distinct from the Primary World of our everyday experience. Within such worlds we can imaginatively explore beyond the narratives provided us and by combining such worlds with the interactivity of games, particularly computer games, extending this ability to explore persistent Secondary Worlds that we can influence and change, share experiences with others, and contribute to the mythologies of these worlds. This rich exploration provides opportunities to learn by enhancing the mental models constructed by our explorations of Secondary Worlds and transferring this learning to the mental models held of similar concepts in the Primary World. Two case studies are briefly detailed to clarify the concepts presented, firstly the use of a Year 8 Social Studies simulation of the world of StatecraftX in which empire building, resource management, and refugee dilemmas provided a context for student engagement with a Secondary World and transfer concepts developed in world to those under study; and secondly, the use of the Secondary world of the Simpsons, particularly the Springfield Primary School, as a familiar Secondary World setting in which to explore teacher education situations and transfer learning to real world practice.

ACEC2014 Secondary Worlds and computer gaming in Education.pdf

Thursday, 2 October 2014

Is computer gaming the new ICT to be integrated into school curriculum?

Zagami, J. (2014, October). Is computer gaming the new ICT to be integrated into school curriculum?. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Adelaide, Australia. Retrieved from http://acec2014.acce.edu.au/sites/2014/files/attachments/

ACEC2014%20Is%20Computer%20Gaming%20the%20new%20ICT%20to%20be%20integrated%20into%20school%20curriculum.docx

Zagami, J. (2014). Is computer gaming the new ICT to be integrated into school curriculum? [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/is-computer-gaming-the-new-ict-to-be-integrated-into-school-curriculum

Just as the integration of ICT into the curriculum took time and faced initial obstacles, so too does the integration of computer games into the curriculum. Emerging from a mixed methods research project focusing on learning and teaching with digital games in Australian classrooms, four distinct approaches to educational games are developed: Game Play as a process, Game Building as a process, Game Play as a context, and Game Building as a context. The SAMR model was applied to consider these as progressive adoptions of computer gaming that achieve increasingly transformative learning processes. Then within the use of games as contexts for learning, a Secondary Worlds model was used to then consider these contexts at Philosophic, Epic and Naïve levels. Finally, the TPACK model was extended to include computer games as a GPACKS evaluation model of the appropriate use of computer games for various curriculum content, pedagogical approaches, and student gaming preferences.

ACEC2014 Is Computer Gaming the new ICT to be integrated into school curriculum.pdf

Thursday, 2 October 2014

Redefining Education for the Digital Age: A Snapshot of the State of Play in three Queensland Schools.

Jamieson-Proctor, R., Redmond, P., Zagami, J., Albion, P., & Twining, P. (2014, October). Redefining Education for the Digital Age: A Snapshot of the State of Play in three Queensland Schools. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Adelaide, Australia. Retrieved from http://acec2014.acce.edu.au/sites/2014/files/attachments/ACEC14_QLD%20paper_final.pdf

Jamieson-Proctor, R., Redmond, P., Zagami, J., Albion, P., & Twining, P. (2014). Redefining Education for the Digital Age: A Snapshot of the State of Play in three Queensland Schools [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Vbwc04iGqzQ0pqX1RaSTZuNUk/view?usp=sharing

As curricula change, so must the tools used by learners and teachers and the plethora of mobile digital devices will likely play a major role in redefining education. The Digital Education Revolution (DER), with funding of more than $2 billion, was intended to provide Australian students with a world-class education system underpinned by the effective use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In Queensland, DER funding provided 141 000 laptops to students in Years 9-12. However, now that DER funding has ended, the Queensland government and schools are considering BYOD options, in order to maintain a 1:1 ratio of computers to students. This paper reports the progress made by three Queensland schools with the use of mobile digital devices, whether supplied by the schools or the students themselves, and outlines significant positive outcomes and challenges experienced by these schools as a guide to other schools when embarking on mobile digital initiatives. Further, the study is framed within the methodological context of the Vital Case Studies undertaken in England (http://edfutures.net/Research_Strategy) and draws comparisons between the results of those studies and other schools across Australia involved in the Australian Snapshot Studies.

ACEC14_QLD paper_final.pdf
QLDschools1to1.pdf

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

2014 Brisbane Serious Play Symposium

Presentation contributing to a symposium of researchers and educators on the use of games in education.

Zagami, J. (2014). 2014 Brisbane Serious Play Symposium [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/serious-play-symposium

Monday, 2 December 2013

Virtual worlds in Australian and New Zealand higher education: Remembering the past, understanding the present and imagining the future

Sue Gregory, Brent Gregory, Torsten Reiners, Ali Fardinpour, Mathew Hillier, Mark J.W. Lee, Lisa Jacka, Des Butler, David Holloway, Scott Grant, Merle Hearns, Kim Flintoff, Jay Jay Jegathesan, David Ellis, Marcus McDonald, Frederick Stokes-Thompson, Belma Gaukrodger, Jason Zagami, Chris Campbell, Xiangyu Wang, Jamie Garcia Salinas, Swee-Kin Loke, Sheila Scutter, Christine Newman, Ning Gu, Stefan Schutt, Helen Farley, Anton Bogdanovych, Tomas Trescak, Simeon Simoff, Caroline Steel, Penny Neuendorf, Matt Bower, Lindy McKeown Orwin, Tom Kerr, Ian Warren, Denise Wood, Charlynn Miller, Shane Mathews, Dale Linegar, Vicki Knox, Yvonne Masters, Ross Brown, Grant Meredith, Clare Atkins, Angela Giovanangeli, Karen Le Rossignol, Andrew Cram, Eimear Muir-Cochrane, Arin Basu, Michael Jacobson, Ian Larson. (2013, December).Virtual worlds in Australian and New Zealand higher education: Remembering the past, understanding the present and imagining the future. Paper presented at the ascilite2013 Conference, Sydney, Australia. Retrieved from DOI:http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/sydney13/program/proceedings.pdf https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Vbwc04iGqzZGlYc2poc3VUMHM/view

3D virtual reality, including the current generation of multi-user virtual worlds, has had a long history of use in education and training, and it experienced a surge of renewed interest with the advent of Second Life in 2003. What followed shortly after were several years marked by considerable hype around the use of virtual worlds for teaching, learning and research in higher education. For the moment, uptake of the technology seems to have plateaued, with academics either maintaining the status quo and continuing to use virtual worlds as they have previously done or choosing to opt out altogether. This paper presents a brief review of the use of virtual worlds in the Australian and New Zealand higher education sector in the past and reports on its use in the sector at the present time, based on input from members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. It then adopts a forward-looking perspective amid the current climate of uncertainty, musing on future directions and offering suggestions for potential new applications in light of recent technological developments and innovations in the area.

2013asciliteVWWG.pdf

Saturday, 2 February 2013

Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration

Zagami, J. (2013). Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration. Australian Educational Computing, 27(3) 143-149. Retrieved from http://acce.edu.au/journal/27/3/social-ecological-model-analysis-ict-integration

ICT integration of teacher preparation programmes was undertaken by the Australian Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) project in all 39 Australian teacher education institutions and highlighted the need for guidelines to inform systemic ICT integration approaches. A Social Ecological Model (SEM) was used to positively inform integration support efforts of individual academics through their personal, institutional, professional, societal and temporal perspectives on ICT integration. A pre-post test analysis using the SEM framework categorised the influence factors on each academic, determined the factor most likely to affect change in the integration of ICT in their curricula, and provided a dynamic measure of the likelihood of successful integration to inform the application of support measures and maximise institutional integration outcomes. Initial results suggest that the applied SEM model can be used to guide institutional ICT integration efforts.

AEC27-3_Zagami.pdf

Friday, 1 February 2013

Introducing SMART Table Technology in Saudi Arabia Education System

Almalki, G., Finger, G. & Zagami, J. (2013). Introducing SMART Table Technology in Saudi Arabia Education System. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 4(2) 46-52. Retrieved from http://thesai.org/Publications/ViewIssue?volume=4&issue=2&code=IJACSA

Education remains one of the most important economic development indicators in Saudi Arabia. This is evident in the continuous priority of the development and enhancement of education. The application of technology is crucial to the growth and improvement of the educational system in Saudi Arabia. Introducing SMART Table technology in the Saudi Arabian education system is argued in this paper as being able to assist teachers and students in the process of accommodating both technological changes and new knowledge. SMART Tablesalso can enhance the level of flexibility in the educational system,thus improving the quality of education within a modern Saudi Arabia. It is crucial to integrate technology effectively and efficiently within the educational system to improve the quality of student outcomes. This study will consider the potential benefits and recommendations associated with the adoption of SMART Tables in Saudi Arabian education system.

Keywords - ICT; Smart Table; education; barrier; implementation

Paper_7-Introducing_SMART_Table_Technology_in_Saudi_Arabia_Education_System.pdf

Sunday, 1 July 2012

Augmented Reality and Geography: The New Frontier

Jorgensen, M. & Zagami, J. (2012). Augmented Reality and Geography: The New Frontier. Queensland Geographer, 47(2), 4. 

AR and Geography are destined to become more intertwined, especially through the growing proliferation of mobile devices. The combination of computer, internet and mobile technologies gives teachers so many more opportunities to engage geography students, as well as develop rich understanding and knowledge. Testing the technology before implementing is vital, as is a willingness to take calculated risks and handing the power of learning over to the students. humanities-based subjects like Geography and history are fertile pastures ready to be traversed with this technology; virtually, figuratively and literally.

gtaq_Journal_July 4.pdf

Thursday, 4 October 2012

Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration

Zagami, J. (2012, October). Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Perth, Australia. Retrieved from http://acec2012.acce.edu.au/sites/acec2012.acce.edu.au/files/proposal/232/ACEC2012-SEM.pdf

Zagami, J. (2012). Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from 

http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/sem-ict-integration-site2012

ICT integration of teacher preparation programmes is being undertaken by the Australian Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) project in all 39 Australian teacher education institutions and highlighted a need for guidelines to inform systemic ICT integration approaches. A Social Ecological Model (SEM) has been used to positively inform integration support efforts of individual academics through their personal, institutional, professional, societal and temporal perspectives on ICT integration. A pre-post test analysis using the SEM framework categorised the influence factors on each academic, determined the factor most likely to affect change in the integration of ICT in their curricula, and provided a dynamic measure of the likelihood of successful integration to inform the application of support measures and maximise institutional integration outcomes. Initial results suggest that the applied SEM model can be used to guide institutional ICT integration efforts.

ACEC2012-SEM.pdf
Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration

Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Serious Play

Zagami, J. (2012, October). Serious Play. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Perth, Australia. Retrieved from http://acec2012.acce.edu.au/sites/acec2012.acce.edu.au/files/proposal/232/ACEC2012-Serious%20Play.pdf

Zagami, J. (2012). Serious Play [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TmKpiNjF8kR6cucIpENldlk04kbM9o7lVX4TInixu4k/edit#slide=id.g1ce79edd_3_13

Preliminary results from a planned three year Australian study into the use of computer games in F-12 classrooms. This study is exploring the processes used by schools seeking to use games to improve student outcomes across subject areas, and aims to generate new knowledge about how students and teachers approach computer games, how games foster new literacies, and what happens with curriculum, pedagogy and assessment when computer games are introduced into a school to support teaching and learning. Initial findings show that teachers as a population may have less awareness of computer games than the general population and their students, teachers have a need for a model for the selection of games for use in the classroom, and the reframing of computer games as a genre within digital literacy may be sidelining their place in computer studies.

ACEC2012-Serious Play.doc
Serious Play

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Teacher education and online communities

Zagami, J. (September 2012). Teacher education and online communities [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BqxxslKjw2MAlMIoOn6UW4Ht-N3Ln41uJMPW2ycJEQo/edit

Presented at the MLTAQ Biennial Conference at Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.

Teacher education and online communities

Thursday, 13 September 2012

Google

Zagami, J. (September 2012). Google [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VcadCq7IYbLoXV78-Yn3mn1NmmfUOZ1lvnWpPjyvMKM/edit

Presented at the Sixth National Leading a Digital School Conference at Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Australia.

Google

Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Seeing Is Understanding: The Effect of Visualisation in Understanding Programming Concepts

Zagami, J. (2012). Seeing Is Understanding: The Effect of Visualisation in Understanding Programming Concepts (2nd ed.). Brisbane, QLD: EduTechPress. ISBN: 9781621546825

Seeing is Understanding details a four year research study into how visualisations can support learning. It reports on a qualitative instrumental collective case study in which five computer programming languages supporting differing degrees of visualisation were used as cases to explore the effectiveness of software visualisation to develop fundamental computer programming concepts. Cognitive theories of visual and auditory processing, cognitive load, and mental models provided a framework in which cognitive development was tracked and used to explain failures in previous software visualisation studies, in particular the study demonstrated that for the cases examined, where complex concepts are being developed, the mixing of auditory (or text) and visual elements can result in excessive cognitive load and impede learning. This finding provides a framework for selecting the appropriate instructional programming languages based on the cognitive complexity of the concepts under study.

Available from Lulu Marketplace for $30 in English, 327 pages, perfect-bound paperback, black & white, 8.26 x 11.69 inches

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Teaching Teachers for the Future: Building the Educational Technology Capacity of Pre-service Teachers in Australian Universities, Part 2

Campbell, C., Albion, P., Kearney, M., Maher, D., Pressick-Kilborn, K. & Zagami, J. (2012). Teaching Teachers for the Future: Building the Educational Technology Capacity of Pre-service Teachers in Australian Universities, Part 2. In P. Resta (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2012 (pp. 2241-2248). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/39918.

The Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) project is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) through the ICT Innovation Fund and is an $8.8 million project involving all 39 universities that are involved in teacher education. This symposium involves presenters from four of these universities who are working in various ways in the project. The first paper involves an overview of the project and a summary of some of the projects currently being conducted using the TPACK framework at the various universities. The second paper is on the evaluation strategy and provides a preliminary analyzes. The third paper explores the benefits of prospective teachers creating and sharing new media in their professional learning activities. The final paper is about a Social Ecological Model (SEM) has been used to positively inform integration support efforts of individual academics through their personal, institutional, professional, societal and temporal perspectives on ICT integration.

83788_1.pdf

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Teaching Teachers for the Future: Building the Educational Technology Capacity of Pre-service Teachers in Australian Universities, Part 1

Campbell, C., Albion, P., Kearney, M., Maher, D., Pressick-Kilborn, K. & Zagami, J. (2012). Teaching Teachers for the Future: Building the Educational Technology Capacity of Pre-service Teachers in Australian Universities, Part 1. In P. Resta (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2012 (pp. 2241-2248). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/39919.

The Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) project is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) through the ICT Innovation Fund and is an $8.8 million project involving all 39 universities that are involved in teacher education. This symposium involves presenters from four of these universities who are working in various ways in the project. The first paper involves an overview of the project and a summary of some of the projects currently being conducted using the TPACK framework at the various universities. The second paper is on the evaluation strategy and provides a preliminary analyzes. The third paper explores the benefits of prospective teachers creating and sharing new media in their professional learning activities. The final paper is about a Social Ecological Model (SEM) has been used to positively inform integration support efforts of individual academics through their personal, institutional, professional, societal and temporal perspectives on ICT integration.

83788_1.pdf

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

SLQ ADE Augmented Reality workshop

Presentation contributing to a workshop conducted with Wes Warner and Dr Michael Bulmer on Augmented Reality and the iPad / Mac at the State Library of Queensland as part of an Apple Distinguished Educators seminar series on iOS

Zagami, J. (2012). SLQ ADE Augmented Reality workshop [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/slq-ade-augmented-reality-workshop

Wednesday, 22 February, 2012

Seeing Is Understanding: The Effect of Visualisation in Understanding Programming Concepts

Zagami, J. (2012). Seeing Is Understanding: The Effect of Visualisation in Understanding Programming Concepts. Morrisville, NC: Lulu Press. ISBN: 978-1-4716-0746-2

Seeing is Understanding details an exploration into the use of visualisation to support the development of cognitive mental models. It demonstrates that when complex concepts are being learnt, the mixing of auditory (or text) and visual elements can result in excessive cognitive load and impede learning. Seeing is Understanding also extends the use of mental model theory to track the learning process for computer programming languages and forwards an explanation for failures in previous software visualisation studies. Finally, the findings contained in Seeing is Understanding provide an example framework for selecting the most appropriate instructional programming language based on the cognitive complexity of the concepts under study.

Available from Barnes & Nobel and iBookstore as an ePub for $0.99 or download a copy 

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration

Zagami, J. (2012). Social Ecological Model Analysis for Institutional ICT Integration Efforts. In P. Resta (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2012 (pp. 1301-1306). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/39760.

Zagami, J. (2012). Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration. [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/sem-ict-integration-site2012

ICT integration of teacher preparation programmes is being undertaken by the Australian Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) project in all 39 Australian teacher education institutions and highlighted a need for guidelines to inform systemic ICT integration approaches. A Social Ecological Model (SEM) has been used to positively inform integration support efforts of individual academics through their personal, institutional, professional, societal and temporal perspectives on ICT integration. A pre-post test analysis using the SEM framework categorised the influence factors on each academic, determined the factor most likely to affect change in the integration of ICT in their curricula, and provided a dynamic measure of the likelihood of successful integration to inform the application of support measures and maximise institutional integration outcomes. Initial results suggest that the applied SEM model can be used to guide institutional ICT integration efforts.

proceeding_39760.pdf
Social Ecological Model Analysis for ICT Integration

Saturday, 11 February 2012

What will the C2C mean for IT in the classroom?

Keynote Presentation at the Broadbeach SS ICT Conference at Jupiters Casino, Gold Coast, Australia.

Zagami, J. (2012). What will the C2C mean for IT in the classroom? [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/what-will-the-c2-c-mean-for-it-in-the-classroom

Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Dynamic EEG Mapping as artistic expression

Zagami, J. (2011). Dynamic EEG Mapping as artistic expression. Paper presented at the Apple Universities Consortium Australia CreateWorld Conference, Brisbane, Australia. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iRLsLQBQdxWn6H-OC-EA9ekFB2VqlC32N3bJ5TfJ-7Q/edit

Zagami, J. (2011). Dynamic EEG Mapping as artistic expression. [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/dynamic-eeg-mapping-as-artistic-experience-cw11

Use of encephalographic (EEG) signals of brain activity to generate dynamic representations of emotion and feelings as artwork. Works were produced from emotional stimuli, reaction to existing artworks and forms (images, music, dance and tactile examination), reaction to existing EEG artworks, and recursive reaction to the dynamic representation of the artists own EEG artwork. Amplification of artistic experiences through EEG augmentation, provided a complementary visual experience in which the observers neural reactions to an artwork formed an additional component of the work. Subconscious reactions were made visual and a complex interplay of the observed artwork, reactions to that work, reactions to reactions to that work, and the visual EEG representation itself as an artwork, combined to produce a complex and nuanced artistic experience. The attitude of 68 primary preservice arts education students to arts education was surveyed pre-post using the Teaching With the Arts Survey (TWAS) instrument and compared to an 82 student control group in the same course. Improved responses to the reflective application of the arts and motivation to incorporate arts education into teaching was shown.

Dynamic EEG Mapping as artistic expression CW2011

Monday, 5 December 2011

How are Australian higher education institutions contributing to change through innovative teaching and learning in virtual worlds?

Gregory, B., Gregory, S., Wood, D., Masters, Y., Hillier, M., Stokes-Thompson, F., Bogdanovych, A., Butler, D., Hay, L., Jegathesan., J.J., Flintoff, K., Schutt, S., Linegar, D., Alderton, R., Cram, A., Stupans, I., McKeown Orwin, L., Meredith, G., McCormick, D., Collins, F., Grenfell, J., Zagami, J., Ellis, A., Jacka, L., Campbell, J., Larson, I., Fluck, A., Thomas, A., Farley, F., Muldoon, N., Abbas, A., Sinnappan, S., Neville, K., Burnett, I., Aitken, A., Simoff , S., Scutter, S., Wang, X., Souter, K., Ellis, D., Salomon, M.,Wadley, G., Jacobson, M., Newstead, A., Hayes, G., Grant, S., Yusupova, A. (2011). How are Australian higher education institutions contributing to change through innovative teaching and learning in virtual worlds? In G. Williams, N. Brown, & B. Cleland (Eds.), Changing Demands, Changing Directions. Proceedings ascilite Hobart 2011. Presented at the ascilite2011, Hobart. 2011 (pp. XXX-XXX). http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/hobart11/procs/bgregory.pdf

Paper collectively presented at the 2011 Ascilite conference in Hobart, Australia. The paper summarises Australian tertiary use of virtual worlds in education at 28 institutions by 47 academics. 

How are Australian higher education institutions contributing to change through innovative teaching and learning in virtual worlds?

Friday, 30 September 2011

Augmented Classroom

Presented at the Queensland Society for Information Technology in Education (QSITE) conference at St Aidan’s AGS, Brisbane, Australia.

Zagami, J. (September 2011). Agmented Classroom [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/augmented-classrooms-qsite

Friday, 30 September 2011

Google in the Classroom

Presented at the Queensland Society for Information Technology in Education (QSITE) conference at St Aidan’s AGS, Brisbane, Australia.

Zagami, J. (September 2011). Google in the Classroom [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dgfkp8nj_2053gtzr5fcn

Google in the Classroom

Thursday, 29 September 2011 

Where is ICT education going in Australia?

Presented at the Queensland Society for Information Technology in Education (QSITE) conference at St Aidan’s AGS, Brisbane, Australia.

Zagami, J. (September 2011). Where is ICT education going in Australia? [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/where-is-ict-education-going-in-australia

Friday, 2 September, 2011

Technology and the Arts

Zagami, J. (2011). Technology and the Arts. In C. J. Klopper & S. Garvis (Ed.), Tapping into classroom practice of arts education: From inside out. Brisbane: Post Pressed.

Digital technologies are increasingly intrinsic to all forms of art and hence arts education. This chapter presents justification for this inclusion, a process for minimising the misapplication of technology to arts education, and a set of examples of the use of digital technologies in the arts: robotics, virtual worlds, and augmented reality.

Technology and the Arts in Tapping into the classroom practice of The Arts

Friday, 26 August 2011

Challenges in Education

Zagami, J. (2011). Challenges in Education [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/st-johns-anglican-college-keynote

Presentation to St John’s Anglican College ICT Forum. 26 August, 2011

Saturday, 18 June 2011

Brain Mapping Your Students

Zagami, J. (June 2011). Brain mapping your students [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/brain-mapping-your-students-2011

Presented at the Interactive Teaching and Learning (ITL) Master Class at Twin Waters, Sunshine Coast, Australia.

Friday, 17 June 2011

Augmenting your Learning Environment

Zagami, J. (June 2011). Augmenting your learning environment [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/augmenting-your-learning-environment-itlmc2011

Presented at the Interactive Teaching and Learning (ITL) Master Class at Twin Waters, Sunshine Coast, Australia.

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

Augmenting Education

Zagami, J. (2011). Augmenting Education [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/augmenting-education-isq

Presentation to Independent Schools Queensland Virtual PD network. 4 May, 2011 [Online]

Thursday, 14 April 2011

Augmenting Education

Zagami, J. (2011). Augmenting Education [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/augmenting-education

Zagami, J. (2011). Augmenting Education[Screencast]. Retrieved from http://connectpro52594655.adobeconnect.com/p84292259/

Presentation at Follow the Sun Conference. 14 April, 2011[Online]

Saturday, 19 March 2011

Augmented Reality and Digital Storytelling

Zagami, J. (March 2011). Augmented Reality and Dgital Storytelling[Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/augmented-reality-and-digital-storytelling

Presented at the Griffith University Centre for Continuing Professional Learning Teachers Strategic Network at Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School, Brisbane, Australia.

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Informing the Design of Teacher Education Programs: The Need for Developing Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Finger, G., Klieve, H., Lang, W., Prestridge, S. & Zagami, J. (2010). Informing the Design of Teacher Education Programs: The Need for Developing Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Technology Education, Proceedings of the 6th Biennial International Conference on Technology Education Research, pp. 124-135, 8-11 December 2010, Crown Plaza, Surfers Paradise. Retrieved from http://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/10072/36550/1/66472_1.pdf

Presentation at The Sixth Biennial International Conference on Technology Education Research. December, 2010 Gold Coast, Australia.

INFORMING THE DESIGN OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS: THE NEED FOR DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGICAL PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Saturday, 14 August 2010

Neural Interfaces

Zagami, J. (August 2010). Neural Interfaces [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/neural-interfaces

Presented at the Seventh National Interactive Teaching and Learning Conference at St Stephen's College, Upper Coomera, Australia.

Saturday, 14 August 2010

Neural Interfaces

Zagami, J. (August 2010). Neural Interfaces [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/neural-interfaces

Presented at the Seventh National Interactive Teaching and Learning Conference at St Stephen's College, Upper Coomera, Australia.

Friday, 13 August 2010

Augmented Reality 

Zagami, J. (August 2010). Augmented Reality [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/augmented-reality-4972353

Presented at the Seventh National Interactive Teaching and Learning Conference at St Stephen's College, Upper Coomera, Australia.

Wednesday, 30 June 2010

The Australian Digital Education Revolution

Zagami, J. (2010, June). The Australian Digital Education Revolution. Seminar presented at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference, Denver, USA. Retrieved from http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/2010/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=49957285&selection_id=59495889&rownumber=2&max=2&gopage= 

Zagami, J. (2010). The Australian Digital Education Revolution [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/national-curriculum-presentation 

Members of the Australian ACCE Study Tour describe and compare the Australian Digital Education Revolution with Canadian and U.S. initiatives. Recommended by ISTE's SIGTE

Wednesday, 30 June 2010

Second Life as an environment for education 

Zagami, J. (2010, June). Second Life as an environment for education. Paper presented at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference, Denver, USA. Retrieved fromhttp://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/2010/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=49957160&selection_id=59495889&rownumber=1&max=2&gopage=

Zagami, J. (2010). Second Life as an environment for education [Presentation slides]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/iste2010-secondlife-4679801

Can virtual environments effectively support learning? Three studies into online discussions, collaborative design and co-construction, and primary years arts teacher education. Recommended by ISTE's SIGVE

Saturday, 24 April 2010 

Implications and applications of educational technologies

Zagami, J. (April 2010). Implications and applications of educational technologies [Presentation slides]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/implications-and-applications-of-educational-technologies-ii

Griffith Education Teachers’ Strategic Network First Mini-Conference

The challenge of staying on top of advances in technology is now fundamental to sustaining success in every field of human endeavour. For educators and educational administrators, it is specifically educational technologies that present unique challenges, opportunities and expectations. This seminar highlighted a range of emerging educational technologies being researched at Griffith University that forecast paradigm changes in educational practice. Within the TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge) framework of understanding the role of educational technologies in the teaching and learning process, the educational application of 1:1 computing, mobile devices, serious games, virtual worlds, and neural interfaces was explored.

Thursday, 8 April 2010

iPrac - Twittering to survive practicum 

Zagami, J. (2010, April). iPrac - Twittering to survive practicum. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from http://acec2010.info/proposal/268/iprac-twittering-survive-practicum

Zagami, J. (2010). iPrac - Twittering to survive practicum[Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/twittering-to-survive-practicum

This study reports on a project that provided 25 pre-service teachers with iPhones to maintain a strong social network during their practicum placements. As Graduate Diploma students, initial practicum placement can be particularly intense and emotional experiences. Using the twitter micro blogging service and iPhone mobile devices, students were encouraged to share the 'trivia' of their placement experience and through this sharing of seemingly mundane experiences, reduce the isolation and uncertainty of the experience.

ACEC2010 iPrac - twittering to survive practicum

Thursday, 8 April 2010

iPrac - Use of Spontaneous recording devices to enhance digital portfolios

Zagami, J. (2010, April). iPrac - Use of Spontaneous recording devices to enhance digital portfolios. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from 

htto://acec2010-iprac-use-spontaneous-recording-devices-enhance-digital-portfolios.pdf

Zagami, J. (2010). iPrac - Use of Spontaneous recording devices to enhance digital portfolios [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/acec2010-portfolios 

25 pre-service teachers were provided with iPhones for use while on practicum placement to capture artifacts for their digital portfolios and compared with the digital portfolios generated by 20 pre-service students who did not have access to mobile recording devices. The ease and immediacy of access to mobile devices to record spontaneous events increased the number and scope of multimedia artifacts created. This then supported the development of narratives to student digital portfolios and supported improved reflection on the practicum learning experience.

ACEC2010 iPrac - use of spontaneous recording devices to enhance digital portfolios

Teaching and Learning Opportunities: Possibilities and Practical Ideas

Zagami, J. & Finger, G. (2010). Teaching and Learning Opportunities: Possibilities and Practical Ideas. In M. Lee & G. Finger (Eds.), Developing a Networked School Community (pp. 199-213). Camberwell, Victoria: ACER Press.

Chapter 13 31 August 2009 - Jason Zagami & Glenn Finger

Wednesday, 7 April 2010

Second Life as an environment for higher education

Zagami, J. (2010, April). Second Life as an environment for higher education. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from http://acec2010.info/proposal/256/second-life-environment-teaching-technology-education

Zagami, J. (2010). Second Life as an environment for higher education [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/acec2010-second-life

Students are engaging with online 3D virtual environments as creative social spaces but virtual environments such as Second Life also provide opportunities to facilitate education in a flexible, connected and creative medium. Using a Second Life environment developed for Griffith University this study compared the BlackBoard online chat system with the Second Life chat system, the use of collaborative online design processes compared with individual online design processes, and the development of arts education concepts in a virtual environment. It finds that some educational concepts and processes are supported by the use of virtual environments, particularly online discussions, collaborative design, and Drama Education concepts.

ACEC2010 Second Life as an environment for higher education

Friday, 12 March 2010

TPACK and the future of ICT in schools

Zagami, J. (2010). TPACK and the future of ICT in schools [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/site-2010-agm-keynote

Tuesday, 23 February 2010

Implications and applications of educational technologies 

Zagami, J. (February 2010). Implications and applications of educational technologies [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/implications-and-applications-of-educational-technologies

Griffith University Professional Learning Seminar

The challenge of staying on top of advances in technology is now fundamental to sustaining success in every field of human endeavour. For educators and educational administrators, it is specifically educational technologies that present unique challenges, opportunities and expectations. This seminar highlighted a range of emerging educational technologies being researched at Griffith University that forecast paradigm changes in educational practice. Within the TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge) framework of understanding the role of educational technologies in the teaching and learning process, the educational application of 1:1 computing, mobile devices, serious games, virtual worlds, and neural interfaces was explored.

Tuesday, 1 December 2009

Twittering to survive practicum

Zagami, J. (2009). Twittering to survive practicum. Paper presented at the Apple Universities Consortium Australia CreateWorld Conference, Brisbane, Australia. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B9Vbwc04iGqzODFkNmQ2MTktNmM4NS00YmYwLWIyYmEtMGRlMGY4MDQ5NTkz&hl=en_GB

Zagami, J. (2009). Twittering to survive practicum [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/moodle-on-a-shoestring

This paper reports on student use of iPhones to maintain a strong social network during work integrated learning placements. Using the twitter micro blogging service and iPhone mobile devices, students were encouraged to share the 'trivia' of their placement experience and through this sharing of seemingly mundane experiences establish a supportive learning environment. The play associated with the use of mobile devices for social networking reduced inhibitions in student sharing of their work integrated learning experiences and promoted shared learning experiences that reduced individual perceptions of isolation and uncertainty.

Createworld - iPrac - twittering to survive practicum.doc

Thursday, 3 September 2009

Inspirational Teaching

Zagami, J. (2009). Inspirational Teaching [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/second-life-as-an-educational-technology#

Presentation at The Third National Leading a Digital School Conference. September, 2009 Gold Coast, Australia.

Thursday, 3 September 2009

Second Life as an Educational Technology

Zagami, J. (2009). Second Life as an Educational Technology [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/inspirational-teaching-3698328 

Presentation at The Third National Leading a Digital School Conference. September, 2009 Gold Coast, Australia.

Monday, 4 May 2009

Online course discussion through Second Life

Zagami, J. (2009, May). Online course discussion through Second Life. Paper presented at the EDUCAUSE Australasian Conference, Perth, Australia. Retrieved from http://www.caudit.edu.au/educauseaustralasia09/assets/papers/monday/Jason-Zagami.pdf

Zagami, J. (2009). Online course discussion through Second Life [Presentation slides]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/online-course-discussion-through-second-life

Zagami, J. (Speaker). (2009, May 4). Online course discussion through Second Life [Audio podcast]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.caudit.edu.au/educauseaustralasia09/assets/audio/monday/Simulations-Jason_Zagami.mp3

The Griffith University Virtual Learning Environment was created using the Second Life application in 2007. Now in its third year of development and implementation, the effectiveness of the Second Life environment to support postgraduate online course discussions is compared to the online text chat tool available to the Blackboard Learning Management System. In a study involving two postgraduate courses, each of 14 students, the group using the Second Life environment was found to more effectively support small group online text based discussions through three effects generated by the use of avatars to represent physical presence within the environment. Firstly, participants could automatically telegraph their intention to contribute to discussions through animated typing simulated by their avatar while preparing a contribution. This provided pauses in discussions as participants waited for contributors to present their textual contribution before conversations progressed. This process was not evident in traditional text based chat systems where participant contributions would frequently be included after the discussion had moved on and this limitation was found to be an inhibiting factor to the participation of slower contributors. Secondly, participants were strongly encouraged by the second life environment not to multitask during discussions. When the second life environment was not the focus of their activity or they left their computer inactive for any significant time, their avatar would animate as asleep. This indicated to all participants that the owner was absenting him or herself from the conversation and provided strong social pressure to remain active or at least attentive to conversations. Finally, the Second Life environment encouraged ancillary conversations between participants to a greater extent than the Blackboard chat system. The Second Life environment enabled participant avatars the ability to cluster and physically move apart from the main group to conduct private or smaller group discussions. The physical separation of avatars within the environment, beyond the distance they send and receive typed messages, provided an effective sense of privacy while retaining the perception of remaining part of a larger group through the retained ability to observe clusters of avatars without receiving or contributing to their conversations. Second Life presents an innovative online course discussion environment but as an emerging technology is subject to significant technical disruption and system requirements. However, the Second Life environment was found to support intuitive processes afforded by the Second Life environment that could not be replicated in a purely text based system.

Thursday, 16 April 2009

Inspirational Teaching

Zagami, J. (2009). Inspirational Teaching [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/inspirational-teaching

Presentation at ACE Digital Fair April 2009 Geelong, Australia

Wednesday, 11 March 2009

State High School Study

Zagami, J., & Grootenboer, P. (2009, March). State High School Study. [Report]. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ENlFOOqjtbpMUNqzyi2TYEIhnvY-TpxQROZBSzAr1_Y/edit?hl=en_GB

Downward trends in annual satisfaction survey results at XXXXX State High School were analysed and focus groups and individual interviews conducted with (N=115) students, staff and parents to identify possible underlying causes. While there have been recent improvements to annual survey data as a new school administration has settled into its role, long term processes in the development of the school, particularly in relation to its size and evolving management structure were identified and three recommendations presented. The recommendations are 1. Work towards the development and enhancement of a ‘collective school spirit’, 2. Strengthen the relationship between the Leadership Team and the Heads of Departments, and 3. Develop greater consistency in whole-school behaviour management practices.

XXXXX SHS LONGITUDINAL STUDY 2008.doc

Thursday, 29 January 2009

Seeing is understanding: The effect of visualisation in understanding programming concepts

Zagami, J. (2008). Seeing is understanding: The effect visualisation in understanding programming concepts. (Doctoral Dissertation, Queensland University of Technology). Retrieved from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/28482/2/Jason_Zagami_Thesis.pdf

How and why visualisations support learning was the subject of this qualitative instrumental collective case study. Five computer programming languages (PHP, Visual Basic, Alice, GameMaker, and RoboLab) supporting differing degrees of visualisation were used as cases to explore the effectiveness of software visualisation to develop fundamental computer programming concepts (sequence, iteration, selection, and modularity). Cognitive theories of visual and auditory processing, cognitive load, and mental models provided a framework in which student cognitive development was tracked and measured by thirty-one 15-17 year old students drawn from a Queensland metropolitan secondary private girls’ school, as active participants in the research. Seventeen findings in three sections increase our understanding of the effects of visualisation on the learning process. The study extended the use of mental model theory to track the learning process, and demonstrated application of student research based metacognitive analysis on individual and peer cognitive development as a means to support research and as an approach to teaching. The findings also forward an explanation for failures in previous software visualisation studies, in particular the study has demonstrated that for the cases examined, where complex concepts are being developed, the mixing of auditory (or text) and visual elements can result in excessive cognitive load and impede learning. This finding provides a framework for selecting the most appropriate instructional programming language based on the cognitive complexity of the concepts under study.

Jason_Zagami_Thesis.pdf

Sunday, 7 December 2008

Second Life as an Arts Education Environment

Zagami, J. (2008). Second Life as an Arts Education Environment. In M. Docherty & D. Rosin (Ed.), CreateWorld 2008: The Art of Serious Play. The Serious Art of Play (pp. 3-8). Brisbane, QLD., Australia: Apple University Consortium Australia. Retrieved from http://www.auc.edu.au/myfiles/uploads/Training/CW08/CW08_Proceedings.pdf 

Zagami, J. (2008). Second Life as an Arts Education Environment [Presentation slides]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/moodle-on-a-shoestring

Carrington, A. (Producer). (2008, December 7). Second Life and Arts Education [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://createworld2008.edublogs.org/

While some students are engaging with online 3D virtual environments as creative social spaces, Virtual environments such as Second Life also provide opportunities to facilitate arts education in a flexible, connected and creative medium. Using a Second Life environment developed for Griffith University this study explored the use of a Second Life virtual environment to support the development of primary school arts education concepts. The study found that for some concepts, such as drama and dance, a virtual environment could assist in the development of these concepts, while for other concepts, such as visual arts; a more traditional environment achieved greater understanding of the concept.

Saturday, 29 November 2008

Exploring the Curriculum Benefits of Advanced Microprocessor Programming and Robotics in Primary School.

Finger, G., Zagami, J., & Scott, A. (2008, November). Exploring the Curriculum Benefits of Advanced Microprocessor Programming and Robotics in Primary School. Paper presented at the 5th Biennial International Conference on Technology Education Researcher, Gold Coast, Australia. Retrieved from https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/10072/22672/1/53392_1.pdf 

This paper provides a summary of research undertaken of a project which aimed to build professional knowledge and understanding of classroom teachers to support learning by students in upper primary classes in the area of microprocessors and robotics through the provision of PikBlok resources; to communicate and share learnings of project teachers; and, to generate data to inform Curriculum Branch to ensure that Queensland is well placed to respond to emerging opportunities in microprocessors and robotics. The project, implemented by Education Queensland, Australia, involved nominated teachers and students from 17 schools located in 3 Education regions. Key findings are reported, as well as recommendations to inform more widespread introduction of microprocessor programming and robotics in schools.

ExploringtheCurriculumBenefitsofAdvancedMicroprocessorProgrammingandRoboticsinPrimarySchool.pdf

Friday, 28 November 2008

Technology Education through online virtual environments

Zagami, J. (2008). Technology Education through online virtual environments in Technology Education, in Proceedings of the 5th Biennial International Conference on Technology Education Research, 28-29 November 2008, Crown Plaza, Surfers Paradise. Retrieved from http://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/handle/10072/24216 


techedve.pdf

Sunday, 13 July 2008 

QSITE response to STEM discussion paper

Lloyd, M.;, Zagami, J., Coleman, K., and O'Kane, C. (2008). QSITE response to STEM discussion paper. QUICK, 106. pp. 14-19.

Report was submitted to the Queensland Government Department of Education, Training and the Arts to address the concerns of QSITE members to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) discussion paper.

170696.pdf

Wednesday, 9 July 2008

Teacher education through online 3D virtual environments

Zagami, J. (2008). Teacher education through online 3D virtual environments [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/j.zagami/teacher-education-through-online-3d-virtual-environments 

Zagami, J. (2008, July). Teacher education through online 3D virtual environments. Paper presented at the Australian Teacher Education Association National Conference, Maroochydore, Australia. Retrieved from http://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/10072/24281/1/52213_1.pdf

Students are engaging with online 3D virtual environments as creative social spaces but virtual environments are foreign to many educators. Second Life is a popular virtual environment and is being evaluated for its potential in facilitating online education. This paper describes the range of educational applications being explored within the Second Life environment and highlights the issues involved in the development and implementation of a virtual environment at Griffith University. Presented are findings of a trial of the environment comparing the effectiveness of the Second Life environment with the BlackBoard environment to support small group discussions. Findings suggest a substantial difference in participant discussion during online tutorials between the two environments. While individual responses were less considered and detailed from students using Second Life than those in using BlackBoard, the interplay of ideas and collaborative contribution to discussion threads resulted in an overall increase in the depth and breadth of discussions using Second Life. Both prompted and unprompted contribution to discussion were greater in the Second Life group and this was attributed to the sense of physical presence providing pressure on participants to respond to points raised in discussions.

52213_1 (1).pdf

Sunday, 15 April 2007 

Educational information technology standards for our students, who will decide?

Zagami, J. (2007). Educational information technology standards for our students, who will decide? QUICK, 102. pp. 5.

Educational information technology standards for our students, who will decide?

Technology advances. As does our expectations of what students should know and be able to do effectively. Our students live in an increasingly digital world and our role as educators is to prepare them for it. 

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has developed NET•S, the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (1998) to guide US education. No equivalent exists in Australia, though some work has been done on an information literacy standard (Bundy, 2004) and we also have the national Technology - a curriculum profile for Australian schools (1994) and state curriculum such as the Technology - Years 1 to 10 Syllabus’(2003) and the Information and Communication Technology Education (2005) subject area syllabus.

However, as curriculum documents they do not have the same effectiveness as an accepted standard. Standards are developed for a variety of reasons: supporting innovation, linking us to the rest of the world, and making us more competitive (Standards Australia Limited, 2007). Standards can also be a powerful catalyst in encouraging educational leaders to provide learning opportunities that prepare students for an increasingly digital world.

Industry groups such as the Australian Computer Society (2005) recognise this and have proposed ‘developing a national ICT literacy standard and model that is applied to all students including assessment of ICT literacy at all levels of schooling.’ and advising ‘state, territory and federal governments to develop policy to give direction and intent to schools, develop specific KPIs associated with ICT literacy standards and expectations, provision of appropriate resources to support schools and evaluation and appraisal feedback mechanisms.’ This has an understandably strong IT industry bias, and does not necessarily reflect the standards that would be supported by information technology educators, particularly within the school sector.

With renewed discussion on a national curriculum and wide ranging changes proposed to the Queensland senior schooling curriculum, it is timely to reflect on the current NETS•S Technology Foundation Standards for Students. NETS•S contains six strands, each of which is elaborated upon and outcome statements provided for K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12.

In 2006 ISTE began a review of these standards and proposes (ISTE, 2007) to make a number of changes to the previous standard. This draft can currently be found at http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/NETS_Refresh_Forum_Meetings/ISTENETS_ Refreshed_S4Jan07.pdf or http://tinyurl.com/264wxs and we can expect the release of the new NETS•S in June, 2007.

While there are a number of changes and amalgamations, of special notes is a new strand, ‘Creativity and Innovation’. In this strand, students are challenged to think creatively, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products using technology. Specifically students will be expected to apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas and products, use technology for creative self-expression, use systems thinking to explore complex issues, and identify trends and forecast possibilities. Reprinted in this edition of QUICK, Anita McAnear elaborates on the proposed Digital Citizenship strand and explores how this has evolved from social, ethical, and human issues.

While developed for a US curriculum, NETS•S provides a starting point on which to discuss standards. In the next edition of QUICK, we will further explore the development of ICT standards, please utilise the QSITE discussion lists, pen a letter to the editor, or submit a paper on this issue. Without such discussion, we risk the imposition of educationally undesirable standards; QSITE represents members but can only do so effectively with a clear understanding of your views.

References

Australian Computer Society. (2005). Policy statement on computer literacy. Retrieved 29 March, 2007, from http:// www.acs.org.au/acs_policies/docs/2005/ComputerLiteracy.pdf

Bundy, A. (Ed). (2004). Australian and New Zealand information literacy framework principles, standards and practice (2nd ed). Retrieved 29 March, 2007, from http://www.anziil.org/resources/Info%20lit%202nd%20edition.pdf

Curriculum Corporation. (1994). Technology — a curriculum profile for Australian schools. Melbourne: Author.

ISTE. (1998). National Educational Technology Standards for Students. Retrieved 29 March, 2007, from http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_stands.html

ISTE. (2007) Draft National Educational Technology Standards for Students. Retrieved 29 March, 2007, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/NETS_Refresh_Forum_Meetings/ISTENETS_Refreshed_S4Jan07.pdf

QSA. (2005). Information and communication technology education subject area syllabus. Retrieved 29 March, 2007, from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/yrs1to10/subject-areas/ict.html

QSA. (2003). Technology years 1 to 10 syllabus. Retrieved 29 March, 2007, from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/yrs1to10/kla/technology/syllabus.html

Standards Australia Limited. (n.d.). What is a standard? Retrieved 29 March, 2007, from http://www.standards.org.au/cat.asp?catid=2

Monday, 2 October 2006

Enabling pedagogy and learning through the capacity of school network

Jackson, G,. Rablin, A., Rogers, B., Whitehouse, P., Williams, M., & Zagami, J. (2006, October). Enabling pedagogy and learning through the capacity of school networks. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Cairns, Australia. Retrieved from http://acce.edu.au/conferences/2006/papers/enabling-pedagogy-and-learning-through-capacity-school-networks

QSITE in conjunction with the Australian Computer Society and James Cook University conducted a study during 2005 which led to the development of a position paper on the capacity of school networks to meet new curriculum agendas and to enable to students to work digitally in schools (and homes and workplaces and other institutions), in the future. This symposium outlines the progress of a group of QSITE members, led by Michelle Williams, in the construction of templates and guides that can be used by the ICT coordinators in schools as tools when they are developing, enhancing and sustaining school networks. The resources developed will assist with decision making and planning in schools. The session will involve discussion and debate regarding the key ideas that affect ICT integration and innovation in schools. These key issues include - ICT leadership in schools, encouraging innovation, policy development, pedagogical drivers, physical access, communication, collaborative decision making, performance indicators, professional learning and bridging the technicians and teachers communication gap.

conf_P_472_Enabling pedagogy and learning.doc

Monday, 2 October 2006

Software visualisation to support cognitive development.

This presentation reports preliminary work in a study into the use of software visualisation systems to support student cognitive development of fundamental programming concepts. The ALICE programming language is utilised as a software visualisation system to assist students develop progressively complex understanding of the programming concept of sequence. Preliminary results suggest tracking of cognitive development utilising mental model theory may provide assistance in verifying student understanding of fundamental programming concepts and a framework in which to provide tailored remedial intervention.

Zagami, J. (2006, October). Software visualisation to support cognitive development. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education Conference, Cairns, Australia. Retrieved from

http://acce.edu.au/conferences/2006/papers/software-visualisation-support-cognitive-development


conf_P_630_RESEARCH PAPER ACCE CONFERENCE 2006.doc