Before using technology in learning and teaching it is important to establish the motives of why it should be used and to investigate how it will better achieve the needs. With the push for integration of technology into courses, it is important that it is used to address problems in learning and teaching, that there is evidence that the change will be for the better and it is not simply being used because it is the trendy thing to do. In some cases technology may not be the best answer.

The following are some motives for "Why use education technology?"

1. Technology has become an integral part of science.
In the field of science, technology plays an important role in: searching and accessing information; data collection and analysis; scientific research; simulations; and modelling complex systems. It is important that our students have the opportunity to gain experience and understanding of the applications that computers have in science. Integration of technology which students would use in the course of employment or in research can be a powerful tool for their education as it enables them to develop skills for future work.

2. Solving problems in learning and teaching
The concept of learning and teaching is undergoing a major change, with a greater emphasis being placed on the process of "learning" rather than "teaching". Thus the role of the academic is changing to being more of a facilitator or guide, rather than teacher. The academic is now required to explore new ways of enhancing student learning, introduce innovative teaching practices and apply new technologies, that are more engaging to the student. Technology can be integrated with current learning and teaching methods to more effectively achieve desired student learning outcomes.

3. Development of graduate attributes
With the explosion of new information being available there is the need for a constant upgrading of knowledge, thus learning is becoming a life-long experience. While promoting student centred learning, technology can assist in the development of skills required for life-long learning such as higher order thinking, problem solving, critical thinking, reasoning, communication and management skills. Skills such as these have been termed graduate attributes and they are being seen as increasingly essential by employers.

A working party of the Committee on Education with the Office of the PVCEd, asked the UNSW Faculties to nominate the attributes they would expect their students to develop through their undergraduate career at UNSW. These lists were collated and formed the basis for the draft list of unsw Graduate Attributes.

Graduate attributes which have been specifically identified for the Faculty of Science have been developed and can be seen in the Science Learning and Teaching section. LINK

4. Changes in student needs The use of technology in education is also motivated by the changing needs of our students. Today's students are much more diverse in terms of their learning styles, motivations, age, experience, socio-economic status, work commitments, cultural backgrounds, abilities and disabilities. Thus flexibility is required to accommodate the changing student population.

Many students have jobs, families and other commitments so can not always attend all lectures or tutorials. Acdemics can provide a variety of representations of the content, alternatives for assessing knowledge and an assortment of methods for engaging students in learning, thus making it accessible to all students. Technology makes this possible by improving the access to multiple learning resources. (For further information on accessibility issues refer to EDTeC accessibility link.)

Students come to the university with increasingly higher skills in technology. They have been brought up in a technological age with video games, computers, CD-ROMs and DVDs being the norm, thus have the expectation that technology will be integrated into their courses. The increase in the cost of education means that students are also demanding greater quality in their courses.

Conclusion
Regardless of the motivation for using education technology it is essential that academics are an integral part of the development and delivery of the material and that the technology is used to supplement the experience, not replace the academic.

The Faculty of Science has made numerous developments in the use of education technology. To demonstrate Why educational technology was used to solve problems in teaching? a series of case studies are available.

For technology to be effectively used in courses it is essential that a sound learning and teaching pedagogy be followed. The approaches to learning and teaching described below are not specific for education technology. They can be utilised whether technology is or is not used. Technology can assists in the delivery of many of these approaches.

The principles of learning and teaching (From Michele Scoufis Office of PVC(ED) (Ramsden 1992, Gibbs 1992, Brookfield 1986)) state that an effective learning experience:

By using approaches to learning and teaching, either individually, in combination or in conjunction with traditional teaching, an effective learning experience can be achieved. With the innovative use of technology it is hoped that it will lead to the re-evaluation of learning and teaching practices. The following outlines some of the approaches to learning and teaching which is in current literature. Many resources are available from the Office of PVC (ED). A more detailed reference list and links for further information on each of these will be available shortly.

Approaches to Learning and Teaching

Teacher centred learning:
This involves the "traditional" teaching situations such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories, field excursions etc, and this can still be the most appropriate form of deliver of some material. It is best used where the teacher can present the expert view, correct misconceptions which students may have on in depth topics and can be used to demonstrate thinking processes essential to the discipline. Often students do not take an active role in this process so the challenge is to retain their attention and engage them.

Student centred learning:
Student centred learning focuses on what the student does rather than the teacher. It requires the student to take responsibility for their own learning, allowing them to learn independently and from one another. They develop skills in researching, problem solving, self management and critical thinking.

Well structure SCL environment should involve:

Collaborative learning:
Students work together on a common project or problem. This aims to develop communication skills, team work, negotiation skills and to promote higher motivation to learn and to assist others.

Cooperative learning:
Students work with each other to cooperate on a problem or project. In this model each student usually takes a different role.

Problem based learning:
Students assume responsibility for their learning, thus need to acquire, understand and apply the concepts. They are required to develop the procedures to solve the problem thus developing problem solving abilities, skills in knowledge acquisition, critical thinking and self directed learning. Students are presented with complex problems which replicate problems encountered in life or professional contexts. With this relevance comes more motivation to learn. This may be done individually or is in small groups. The teacher's role is as a guide, facilitator, resource and evaluator. They should provide appropriate scaffolding and advice when needed, but not the solutions to the problems. This is especially useful in the delivery of science material as science is based on solving problems. Further information can be obtained at Samford University

Action learning:
Involves, individual members working individually on their own problem, who meet regularly with a group to discuss their individual objectives, difficulties and solutions. The process is reflective and group members are able to draw upon the knowledge and experience of the group to find new approaches to their problems.

Jigsaw Technique: (crossover groups)
This is similar to action learning where students work in groups, each on their own individual task. Secondary groups are then formed, consisting of a member from each of the existing groups. This second group may be made up of students all playing a similar role or task in their primary group. For further infromation refer to the Jigsaw website.

Role playing:
This involves activities where students are required to assume the role of a character. They are usually based around problem settings and tend to be problem solving.

Case Studies:
Involves presenting a story about a particular situation, which requires the students to perform analysis of the probelm, suggest procedures for solving the problem and application of principles. They may be used for individual or group tasks.

Peer Teaching:
This involves student to student interaction to learn material. When done effectively it enables students to build on their knowledge by hearing different interpretations.

Peer Mentoring:
Students are given the opportunity to work with mentors or more experienced students.

Learning Portfolios:
These are used to document the students progress in learning and understanding of material they have been presented with or acquired during the course.

Reflective Diaries:
Encourages students to reflect on their new knowledge, experiences, progress and learn from this reflection.

Graduate attributes are the attributes which have been identified as being valued in a field of study and which we expect our graduates to be able demonstrate. These can be classified as knowledge in the field of study, skills or personal attributes. It is not intended that students will obtain all attributes in an individual subject. They will be developed during the course of the degree. When developing material for learning and teaching, it essential to consider how the graduate attributes can be developed.

Faculty of Science Graduate Attributes:
The following is a draft of the Faculty of Science graduate attributes at UNSW.

* Material for this table was provided by Michele Scoufis and Stephanie Wilson - Office of PVC (ED).