Networked participatory online learning design and challenges for academic integrity in higher education

• Published in: International journal for educational integrity Vol. 12; no. December 2016
• Main Author: Judy O'Connell
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01.12.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic conduct; Barriers; Case Study; Charles Sturt University; Cheating; Computer Games; Cooperative Learning; Digital technology; Distance learning; Education; Educational Games; Electronic Learning; Ethics; Foreign Countries; Game Based Learning; Global Approach; Graduate Students; Higher Education; Informal Education; Information ecology; Information Science Education; Instructional design; Integrity; Interdisciplinary Approach; International and Comparative Education; Learning Experience; Masters Programs; Networks; Online Courses; Online learning; Pedagogy; Program Descriptions; Shared Resources and Services; Social Media; Student engagement; Teacher Education Programs; Teaching Methods; Australia; Participatory culture; Information ecology; Academic integrity; Online learning; Game-based learning
• DOI: 10.1007/s40979-016-0009-7
• ISSN: 1833-2595

A new multi-disciplinary degree program in education and information studies was developed to uniquely facilitate educators' capacity to be responsive to the demands of a digitally connected world. Charles Sturt University's Master of Education (Knowledge Networks and Digital Innovation) aims to develop agile leaders in new cultures of digital formal and informal learning. The co-construction of knowledge through interpersonal discourse creates a pedagogical tension between a focus on knowledge-based instruction and outcomes, and on praxis-based instruction. This digital context draws attention to academic integrity issues in online learning environments. Through the new subject Game-Based Learning, students engaged in theory, practice, trends in game designs and immersive aspects of game, utilizing the technology and pedagogical affordances of a range of online tools. The subject builds on the keystone subject and incorporates reflective participation and a culture of participatory learning through integration of social media, social scholarship and open sharing of ideas, resources and experiences online within the broader education community. Subject engagement and assessment design incorporated academic integrity strategies, and needed individual and group collaboration to be fully integrated into the learning experience of the students, thus modeling practices relevant to the student's own processional practices. This paper also considers the contribution of global connectedness to the success of the pedagogic processes used for embedding academic integrity through social scholarship into the curriculum and learning experiences. [Author abstract]