In this paper we explore and identify emerging patterns of synchronous digital discourse trajectories between dyads of native (NS) and non-native speakers (NNS), with a particular focus on (absence of) negotiated interaction. We will present a new model of L2 learning interaction that is a schematic representation of two main types of hearer…

There is widespread agreement that collaboration, teamwork and intercultural competence, among others, are essential 21st century skills. Higher education teaching and learning initiatives tend to have a significant focus on developing these skills through assessments and other in-class activities, and yet often do not take advantage of…

In this article we present a case study of a school community engaging in what we describe as educational praxis--a form of committed learning to meet the needs of poor and refugee students in a disadvantaged community in Australia. The school, part of the Catholic systemic school sector in Australia, shares its site with the local Catholic…

The diverse range of academic, social and cultural challenges experienced by Asian students when studying at Western universities is well documented. This research involved a pre-departure curriculum designed to ease the intercultural transition and adjustment for Chinese international students to a new learning environment in Australia. Moving…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is one of a suite of strategies based on the premise that placing students at the centre of the learning process ultimately improves skills, knowledge and understanding. To date, however, there remain relatively few reports on the application of PBL within geography curricula. This paper traces the evolution of a PBL…

The Plato Program is an innovative and dynamic subject that was introduced to explore "learning how to learn" in Year 7. In response to observations by staff that students lacked critical thinking and research skills, it has metamorphosed into a vehicle for the delivery of information literacy within the curriculum, with a particular…

Victoria University, like many other educational institutions, has recently nominated workplace learning as an essential feature of all its courses. As a contribution to the framing of this shift in an educationally responsible way, this article explores the question: How can tertiary education organisations design on-campus work-based experience…

This article will explore the centrality of narrative in both the process and the content of enquiry-based learning, as a formative process which does not predetermine either its starting point or its outcome. Rather, it takes as its starting point the agency and life narrative of the learner and builds from this to a formally assessed outcome. It…

Purpose: This paper aims to introduce an enterprise-wide Web 2.0 learning support platform--SNAP, developed at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. Design/methodology/approach: Pointing to the evolution of the social web, the paper discusses the potential for the development of e-learning platforms that employ constructivist, connectivist,…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe research into the requirements, practice and prospects for the field of learning design and provide the findings of this study to date alongside early recommendations for furthering the profession in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: The paper describes the findings of a review of the literature…

Professional learning communities among teachers and schools have been envisioned as a mechanism for development, knowledge building and implementation. However the formation of an effective learning community is more complex than giving teachers a project and asking them to share a room. This paper reports a synergistic interaction between a…

An Australian distance-learning college course for women uses problem-based learning to refresh their study skills, since many are rural adults that have been away from school for some time. Metacognitive and reflective cycles activate student thinking patterns, and assigned activities complement and reinforce awareness of those skills. (TD)

Discusses the three-year Spanish program in a mixed ability environment at a Western Australia university. In order to capitalize on the wealth of the instructor's linguistic and cultural knowledge, opportunity is given for group work where advanced students are de facto language tutors. Concludes that this unique learning environment is a…

The literature review is an academic genre that has a natural place in theses, dissertations, and other genres such as the lab report. The typical final (fourth) year project in the engineering curriculum is an example where such an extensive review can take place (Krishnan & Kathpalia 2002). Second language students may have special…