Annotated Bibliography on E-learning in Australian Tertiary Education

This annotated bibliography explores the effectiveness of e-learning in Australian tertiary education, drawing on four peer-reviewed journal articles. The articles investigate various aspects, including the challenges faced by students transitioning from vocational education, the role of checklists in evaluating online learning, the impact of technology on students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and the use of 3D immersive virtual worlds in higher education. The analysis highlights the importance of adapting e-learning support, evaluating courseware, addressing financial and academic challenges for LSES students, and leveraging the potential of virtual worlds to enhance learning outcomes. The studies emphasize the need for institutions to provide comprehensive support, effective teaching practices, and innovative technologies to ensure the success of e-learning initiatives in the Australian higher education context. The bibliography offers valuable insights into the current state and future directions of e-learning in Australia, with a focus on enhancing student learning experiences and outcomes.

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Topic: Effectiveness of E-learning in tertiary education in Australia
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Article 1
Yang, D. F., Catterall, J., & Davis, J. (2013). Supporting new students from vocational education
and training: Finding a reusable solution to address recurring learning difficulties in e-
learning. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 29(5).
The article, published in Australian Journal of Education Technology discusses about the
elevated interest in Australian universities into the transition events of Vocational Education and
Training (VET) pathway students. The paper draws attention to the fact that while few students
have adopted online learning, over 20% of newly admitted VET students have experienced
immense anxiety and apprehension while learning online. Authors focus on the competence of
learners to acclimate to noteworthy transition shifts of learning that is of great concern. The
article made good use of previous studies, which conducted research on mature age students
engaged in VET sector who encounter challenges to balance between study, family and work.
Additionally, the article can be considered as informative as it highlights that improved
flexibility provided by digital learning is not supposed to be more comprehensive for various
groups of students in comparison to traditional teaching approaches. Article offers information
on the way Education Technology Preparation (ETP) program has acknowledged needing of
students by focusing on prior technical knowledge deficit and expertise of students to adapt e-
learning. Article reasons claims of other scholars by asserting that all new learners do not
necessarily possess required aptitude to adapt e-learning in the first year of their university.
Furthermore, article offers feedback data by conducting study, which sheds light on the
assumption that learners not only enhanced their e-learning experience and approaches but also
attains improved skills which tend to facilitate them benefit more of flexible learning. This
article acknowledges well-developed support framework intended for students taking admission

2INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
in university based on VET studies specifically during preliminary stage of educational course.
While concluding the study, article draws two inferences stating that it is highly imperative to
offer students entering university with advanced e-learning support program. Furthermore,
considering institutional policy, it is vital to guarantee sufficient means and resource for the
support program.
The article can be considered appropriate for my subject, as it has offered comprehensive
insights related to diverse online experiences encountered by students on VET pathway during
their first year of course. Authors throughout their research have recommended on students’
improved competence of adapting digital learning. I have been highly enlightened as a reader to
the fact that educational institutions currently require determining expected expense of these
avenues and must effectively offer these learning methods to students through practically
orientated sessions to help these newly admitted students adapt e-learning skills and
competencies.
Article 2
Hosie, P., & Schibeci, R. (2005). Checklist and context‐bound evaluations of online learning in
higher education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(5), 881-895.
Article conducts a close study on documentation made by several commentators on
assessment of educational courseware in the domain of higher education. It explores the role of
checklists, which have been used to examine digital courseware irrespective of recognized
limitations. The paper acknowledges importance of Technologically Mediated Learning in
providing cost-beneficial collaborative learning methods for learners in distance learning courses
while preserving effective outcomes. Additionally, this article can be considered as informative

3INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
as it provides data of estimated Internet users, which reached up to 605.60 million in 2002.
Authors undertook insights of former studies, which estimated that online student population
would rise up to 80 million across the world by next 5-6 years. Furthermore, article investigates
that despite of the accuracy of this projection; major population has Internet access in recent
times and will eventually elevate demand of digital learning for higher education. Additionally, it
delves into implication of information exchange through Internet, which will shortly develop as
sustainable international distance online education provisions for students worldwide. Article
offered inclusive information regarding pedagogies utilized in viable learning resources. By
emphasizing on attributes and assessment framework, article revealed constructivist learning
values designed for possessions as well as learning support that has been presented in Teaching
and Learning Management Plan of the Edith Cowan University Quality. Article identifies link of
attributes and assessment framework with constructive perspective and further accentuates on the
importance of student’s goals, experiences as well as cognitive approaches.
The article can be viewed as well- structured one as it not only discusses pedagogies,
generations of distance learning. It further explores factors related to base of distance education,
Edith Cowan University Quality checklists that have been considered as effective pointers of the
areas where distance education resources are effectual as well as recognize areas of shortages
and recommends framework for evaluating courseware for other universities. Furthermore,
article focuses on limitations of using checklist method for assess educational courseware.
While, concluding article recommends emphasizing on value of instructional design for
evaluating courseware. This article discusses the outcome of persistent comments and conflict on
excellence of contextual assessments of educational courseware in order to strengthen arguments

4INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
on suitable approaches of assessing online courseware that would deliver supportive information
for higher education.
This article is applicable to my topic as it effectively discusses the importance of
checklists and context-bound assessments on digital learning in tertiary education. Throughout
the article, authors explored typical explanations for understanding various types of ‘onlineness’.
Moreover, description provided by the Australian Federal Department of Employment Training
as well as Youth Affair’s latest edition of survey mechanism focused on three modes of
onlineness related to Supplemented, Web Dependent and Fully Online. My topic on
Effectiveness of E-learning in tertiary education in Australia can successfully relate to definition
of online and understand effective starting point meant for postulating, articulating, and pursuing
online approaches used by universities.
Article 3
Devlin, M., & McKay, J. (2016). Teaching students using technology: Facilitating success for
students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds in Australian universities. Australasian
Journal of Educational Technology, 32(1).
Article aims to examine the expediting achievements for students engaged in Australian
tertiary education sector belonging to low socio-economic status backgrounds. This article
highlights the growing demand on seeking success by students entering university at significant
rate. The paper efficiently draws evidences from an Australian research investigation and found
robust subject linked to use of technology in successfully teaching as well as aiding students
from low socio-economic position backgrounds. The article can be considered as informative
one for readers as it critically contextualises subject and presents the evidences with particular
focus on encouraging effective teaching practice in addition to notifying associated institutional

5INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
policy. Article have made constructive usage of studies of other scholars and noted that LSES
learners tend to encounter financial issues affecting on their higher education experience. This
article includes information regarding study conducted by Universities Australia, which found
that over 75% of students belonging to LSES backgrounds encountered monetary distress and
apprehension related to their finances. Research findings reveal that in the interior the subject of
offering tractability, diversification and alternatives for learners of LSES families in addition to
facilitated personalized learning and guaranteeing high academic principles have been viewed as
vital contributors for LSES students achieving success. The paper further offers comprehensive
explanations regarding criterion and factors constituting teaching efficiency in higher education
sector. With semi-structured interview data collection of 89 participants, the paper highlights
strong subject related to the advanced technology usage in successfully teaching as well as
supporting LSES students. This article further explores the use of array of evidences and media
information thus enabling interactive and associated learning along with acceleration of
personalised learning, which can be considered as vital determinants for LSES students’
educational achievements. Authors made effective use of previous study written by Devlin and
Samarawickrema, which explain that the mutual consideration of experienced, specialized and
effective education needs to incessantly progress to precisely reveal as well as react to the
circumstances in which teaching and learning tends to occur. Lastly, study proposes the use of
additional norms of effective learning which identifies precise and confronting pressures on
educators while implementing long-term pedagogies by realizing and taking advantage of
advanced technologies to align with new learner generations.
This article is highly relevant to my chosen topic as it explicitly discusses about changes
recently implemented in the Australian higher education segment in support of LSES students.

6INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Since the Australian education sector is bombarded with number of students, there has been
witnessed growing interest in understanding most effective ways of enabling achievements for
LSES students. The article is effective in various ways for my selected topic.
Article 4
Dalgarno, B., Lee, M. J., Carlson, L., Gregory, S., & Tynan, B. (2011). An Australian and New
Zealand scoping study on the use of 3D immersive virtual worlds in higher
education. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27(1).
Dalgarno, Lee, Carlson and Gregory investigate current and organized applications of 3D
immersive virtual worlds at tertiary education sector in Australia as well as New Zealand. This
article fundamentally seeks to distinguish and observe processes in which technology has been
used for learning and education across educational agencies and self-controls. Authors have
categorized the paper by offering summary of primary extant literature prior to the focusing on
background and general drive for the scoping study project. Authors critically evaluate cases of
3D immersive virtual world usage in education with focus on mutual collective characteristics of
the enabled learning actions. Data generated from questionnaire survey revealed that there has
been significant increase every year where 3D immersive virtual worlds tend to be utilized since
the past few decades. Furthermore, data suggested an evident proportion of higher education
teaching faculty as well as institutions across Australia and New Zealand, which are currently
practising and encouraging virtual worlds as well as introducing them on institutions’ personal
servers and networks thus interested to consider advanced expenses and assurance involved in
discussion for superior levels of functionality, resilience and regulation. The paper highlighted
significance of 3D immersive virtual models along with additional desktop virtual realism

7INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
environments, which have been used by majority educational institutions since two decades.
Authors gathered insights from previous studies, which asserted that 3D immersive virtual
models and additional desktop virtual realism settings have been assess and used prior to the
introduction of Second Life in 2003. This has been occurring irrespective of emergence of multi-
user virtual worlds, which have been supporting the recovery of awareness in the expertise and
enhanced its interest in tertiary education sector. Authors concludes by focusing on the
importance of using distinctive competencies and affordances of 3D immersive virtual worlds in
order to deliver pedagogical advantages and results in ways it would be challenging or unfeasible
to attain devoid of the technology. The paper highlights importance of knowledge development,
dialogue and specialized growth on effective strategies, methods and tools, which will be most
effective to attain anticipated learning results.
This article is effective for my chosen topic as it explicitly refers to strategic applications
of 3D immersive virtual worlds in higher education. As a reader, I found that the article not only
offered information regarding New Zealand and Australia but also provided data consistent with
global findings. The paper will be effective for my topic in understanding perceptions regarding
3D immersive virtual worlds for learning as well as education in addition to current and planned
usages of the technology.
Reflecting on the Articles
Considering the use of internet in tertiary education sector of Australia, the
aforementioned four articles have offered inclusive insights, which will aid me to comprehend
the effectiveness of e-learning in higher education sector. While evaluating the research of
Dalgarno, Lee, Carlson and Gregory (2011), I learned that the Australian and New Zealand 3D
immersive virtual worlds scoping study has accentuated the need via systematic review as well
as environmental analysis that align with and complements researches conducted predominantly

8INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
in the UK and USA. This will act beneficial to me for understanding use of technology in
teaching in universities worldwide. Findings of Devlin and McKay (2016) is advantageous for
me in understanding the topic as it explored the learning experience encountered by employees
and LSES students in the present tertiary policy context. However, I realized that the authors
should do further research, as its sample size is not specifically significant thus limiting readers
to make prospective investigations to take account of larger sample in addition to a sharper
emphasis on LSES apprentices and their connection and perceptions regarding use of technology
in learning. However, I identified certain areas mentioned in the article of Hosie and Schibeci
(2005), which I agree regarding essential limitations using the checklist approach to assess
educational courseware. Article emphasizes on the value of objectives, which has been present
apart from the learner. Considering the challenges of conceptual development and use of
courseware assessments, article suggests importance of scholarly contributions to insignificant
amount of literature focusing specifically on context-bound assessments of learning courseware
meant for higher education.
Meanwhile, the article by Yang, Catterall and Davis (2013) is highly perceptive and
discerning for my research topic as it principally focused on VET project, which explored the
change events faced by students during their first year to determine strategic framework for
surpassing challenges with digital learning. Its well-structured analysis has helped me to
comprehend varied perspectives of students and staffs and their personal experiences, which can
lead me to correct path and help me to conduct further research on this topic. This article is
effective for my topic of learning as it enabled me to reason the broad scope of e-learning as well
as challenges and benefits associated with it. Furthermore, though the four articles have different
stands, it has led me to seek questions such as; Will use of Internet and other advanced

9INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
technologies in higher education result in students’ ensured educational success? What are the
additional methods through which Universities can recognize proper use of Internet by learners
and staffs? How effective are Checklist and context‐bound evaluations to apprehend usefulness
of e-learning?

10INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
References
Dalgarno, B., Lee, M. J., Carlson, L., Gregory, S., & Tynan, B. (2011). An Australian and New
Zealand scoping study on the use of 3D immersive virtual worlds in higher
education. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27(1). Retrieved from:
https://ajet.org.au/index.php/AJET/article/viewFile/978/251
Hosie, P., & Schibeci, R. (2005). Checklist and context‐bound evaluations of online learning in
higher education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(5), 881-895. Retrieved
from:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/46567211/Checklist_and_context-
bound_evaluations_20160617-24015-1f1gjpb.pdf?response-content-disposition=inline
%3B%20filename%3DChecklist_and_context-bound_evaluations.pdf&X-Amz-
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Signature=41a1a6b16c68d7f2302cb30434b7d5c714c2a7f20ce280702ad84834d6e08144
Hosie, P., & Schibeci, R. (2005). Checklist and context‐bound evaluations of online learning in
higher education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(5), 881-895. Retrieved
from:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/46567211/Checklist_and_context-
bound_evaluations_20160617-24015-1f1gjpb.pdf?response-content-disposition=inline
%3B%20filename%3DChecklist_and_context-bound_evaluations.pdf&X-Amz-
Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-

11INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Credential=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A%2F20190827%2Fus-east-
1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20190827T101131Z&X-Amz-
Expires=3600&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-
Signature=5d043e75fff0efa32456e210af500087a7b9794f63306379e340c0f7c3ad047a
Yang, D. F., Catterall, J., & Davis, J. (2013). Supporting new students from vocational education
and training: Finding a reusable solution to address recurring learning difficulties in e-
learning. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 29(5). Retrieved from:
https://ajet.org.au/index.php/AJET/article/viewFile/196/754