Connecting the Community to Spatial Sciences Education through Elearning

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Connecting the Community to Spatial Sciences
Education through E-learning

• Bert Veenendaal
• Graciela Metternicht
• Rob Corner
• Department of Spatial Sciences
• Curtin University of TechnologyB.Veenendaal_at_curti
  n.edu.au

16-17 September 2003
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Higher education and the community

• Higher education is continuing to grow
• Demand for distance flexible education is
  increasing

• Communities are requiring more flexibility
• Number of students in universities in Australia
  doing external mode has doubled in the last 5
  years
• 19.1 of all students were studying externally in
  2002
• Where do we develop the learning environment?
• Centers of learning in large cities?
• Communities?

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Western Australian community

• A vast expanse ofwith lt 1 person/km2
• Diverse communitiesusing spatial data
• Mining
• Aboriginal
• Towns and services
• Agriculture
• Oil and gas
• Health/community workers
• Harbour and fishing
• Offshore platforms

?
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Marketplace for Spatial Sciences Education

• People in the rural/regional communities often
  have need of skills in the spatial sciences
• Particularly true of adult and postgraduate
  education
• Many of the professions in the rural region are
  increasingly using spatial data
• People with existing qualifications seeking to
  acquire new skills without having to give up
  employment
• Increasing pressure on employers to up-skill
  their employees and maintain competitiveness

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Higher education for the community

• Traditionally, the campus has been the hub and
  center of higher learning
• It has seconded members of the community to the
  main and regional centers for the duration of
  their learning program

?
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Higher education TO the community

• Rather than displace learners from their
  environment, why not bring education TO them?
• Less focus on the campus in favour of more focus
  on the community and how they learn

?
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Changing nature of learning

• More links from schooling to community
  (education/ workplace)
• Lifelong learning parallel paths of
  learning/work
• Greater integration between education community
• Greater flexibility required from both sides

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Factors supporting change in HE

• Barriers and distinctions between on-campus and
  distance learning are coming down
• Online learning technologies are commonplace and
  advancing
• Increasing focus on relevant, applied,
  learner-centered and authentic learning
• Focus on education and training in the Spatial
  Information Action Agenda
• National focus on SI education via Cooperative
  Research Center initiatives
• Spatial Information Postgrad coursework and
  research
• Australian Biosecurity Collaborative Masters
  program

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What are the learning options?
On-campuslearning
Distancelearning
Openlearning
Increasing independent study and inititative
Flexible learning

• On-campus learning- tends to be more
  classroom-focussed
• Distance learning - doesnt require students
  attendance as lectures are broadcast or delivered
  via print or online
• Open learning emphasises independent study
• Flexible learning covers range of activities
  from on-campus to open learning

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What do students do?
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Advantages of taking HE to community

• Just as internationalisation adds cultural
  diversity, regionalisation adds regional
  diversity
• Increased opportunities for regional/rural
  students
• Greater flexibility for regional/rural students
• Rethinking and refocussing the way education is
  delivered

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Changing nature of teaching

• Greater reliance on multimedia and online
  technology
• Less focus on the classroom
• More emphasis on learning experiences
  interactive, virtual, animated, simulated
• Greater flexibility for AT/AP any time, any
  place
• Not only enhances distance learning, but also
  on-campus learning
• Increasing convergence between on-campus and open
  learning ? flexible learning

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Study plan - outcomes
Work guide - activity
Panorama- orientation
Chat room- discuss
Students flexible learning journey
Study guide- explanation
Discussion forum- exchange ideas
Study guide- understand
Virtual fieldwork
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Learning object framework
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Flexible learning activity - example

• Virtual vegetation sampling leads students
  through a range of virtual and interactive
  activities that prepare students for either the
  real (on-campus) or virtual (distance) experience

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Preparation

• Problem definition obtain, understand, research
  the problem and requirements

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Preparation

• Problem definition obtain, understand, research
  the problem and requirements

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Preparation

• Problem definition obtain, understand, research
  the problem and requirements

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Preparation

• Problem definition obtain, understand, research
  the problem and requirements

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Preparation

• Problem definition obtain, understand, research
  the problem and requirements

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Preparation

• Problem definition obtain, understand, research
  the problem and requirements

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Preparation

• Problem definition obtain, understand, research
  the problem and requirements
• Orientation use the Virtual Online Panorama to
  virtually view and explore the study area

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Preparation

• Problem definition obtain, understand, research
  the problem and requirements
• Orientation use the Virtual Online Panorama to
  virtually view and explore the study area
• Identify methods and alternatives and make
  decisions

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Field work

• Students can virtually
• Practise sampling using the B-B measurement scale
• Compare samples with a hidden layer of real
  vegetation data
• When confident of the procedure, perform actual
  sampling

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Analysis and reporting

• Download the sample results into a spreadsheet
  and GIS
• Analyse within the GIS and report on procedures
  and results within an assessment

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Conclusions

• Online and interactive e-learning provides a
  means to connect higher education and the
  community
• The demand for distance and open learning is
  increasing
• Changes in teaching and learning are providing
  the means to facilitate regional and national and
  beyond, requirements and directions
• The national climate in the spatial sciences
  fields are right to develop the opportunities
  bringing together government, industry,
  professionsand the community!