Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B PSYCHOLOGY IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND: Innovation in distance education & flexible delivery Lucy Zinkiewicz School of Psychology, Deakin University, Australia

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B SETTING THE SCENE Deakin University: a large regional university with campuses in Melbourne, Geelong and Warrnambool 47,000 students, of whom 17% are international students, & 13% study entirely via distance/online Can study u/g psychology through various degrees with various entry requirements Three 11-week trimesters so students can complete psych major in 2 instead of 3 years Students not restricted to face-to-face or online but can choose either, & in psych can be full- or part-time Most Aust unis share at least some of these features 2

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B THE CHALLENGES Multiple offers of units: – All u/g psych units offered online, & face-to-face on 2 or 3 campuses, though not always in same trimester – All core units offered in at least 2 trimesters including T3 (summer ) Servicing large numbers with diverse levels of ability Tight timelines yet require several pieces of assessment & cannot use online exams Need for equivalent experience for online & face-to-face students Push from APAC for more skill development Need to foster employability especially for weaker students 3

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B SOME SOLUTIONS: TEACHING Blended learning used for all students, based on customised D2L learning environment (‘CloudDeakin’), available on mobile phones using DeakinMobile app Most lectures are live streamed & all are automatically recorded in multiple formats Tutorials are available both face-to-face & online, & recorded Online tutorials run on Blackboard Collaborate, with 24/7 student access to each unit’s space, & access via mobile phone & desktop Discussion boards – can be restricted to particular subgroups Optional Facebook sites, wikis 4

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B SOME SOLUTIONS: LEARNING RESOURCES Standardisation of structure of CloudDeakin All materials except textbooks are online Access to resources can be contingent on students accessing previous materials, or released selectively Many units use pre-recorded lectures, staff-produced videos (eg., illustrating difficult concepts/professional situations), which can be downloaded in various formats (eg, ipod, ipad) Student ePortfolios: store evidence of learning, in multiple formats, across units, & even beyond graduation – contents can be shared with peers & employers 5

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B SOME SOLUTIONS: ASSESSMENT Online forms for extension applications & submission of documentation Online submission & marking of assignments, with automatic Turnitin plagiarism checking Online quizzes for formative or summative feedback (max value 10%) Various formats used for more authentic assessments – eg, video journals, recording of simulated counselling sessions, ePortfolio presentations, self-help guides & leaflets, policy briefs, concept maps, simulations 6

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B SOME CHALLENGES OF THE SOLUTIONS Some students resent having to participate at a specific time – expect total flexibility & asynchronicity 24/7 access to discussion boards lead to expectation of immediate responses from staff, including after hours Urge for instant gratification leads to thoughtless, repetitive posting on discussion boards – needs close staff management On-campus students are likely to not attend classes unless compulsory, especially when assessments due Some assessments /compulsory learning activities cannot be utilised if can’t deliver online Change fatigue in staff due to constant upgrading of tech, worsened by reduction in educational support staff 7

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B CONCLUSIONS Innovations & flexibility valued by students But can be burdensome to staff, especially if not carefully thought through & set up Staff need to avoid temptation of using all options if no educational benefits to them Need for rigorous evaluation of the educational benefits of these innovations, though roll-back unlikely even if innovations aren’t as effective as traditional approaches Also need rigorous evaluation of the costs to staff, & research on how to minimise staff change fatigue & stress 8