Professional Education Using E-Simulations: Benefits of Blended Learning Design - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1613501897 ISBN 13: 9781613501894

Publisher: Business Science Reference, 2011

Synopsis

The use of digital, Web-based simulations for education and training in the workplace is a significant, emerging innovation requiring immediate attention. A convergence of new educational needs, theories of learning, and role-based simulation technologies points to educators' readiness for e-simulations. As modern e-simulations aim at integration into blended learning environments, they promote rich experiential, constructivist learning.

Professional Education Using E-Simulations: Benefits of Blended Learning Design contains a broad range of theoretical perspectives on, and practical illustrations of, the field of e-simulations for educating the professions in blended learning environments. Readers will see authors articulate various views on the nature of professions and professionalism, the nature and roles that various types of e-simulations play in contributing to developing an array of professional capabilities, and various viewpoints on how e-simulations as an integral component of blended learning environments can be conceived, enacted, evaluated, and researched.

About this title

About the Author

Dale Holt, Associate Professor, is Associate Director of the Institute of Teaching and Learning at Deakin University, Australia, with active participation in Educational Design, Professional Development and Research. Dale has coordinated major academic professional development programs and his responsibilities see him heavily involved in supporting staff applying for University and national teaching awards and development grants. He was awarded a national Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in 2007, 'For longstanding leadership and support for the professional development of teaching staff to advance student learning in the field of flexible, online and distance education'. Dale was Project Leader of the 2007 Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) funded project, 'Strategic Leadership for Institutional Teaching and Learning Centres: Developing a Model for the 21st century' and a project member of the recently completed 2008 ALTC Competitive Grants project, 'Building academic staff capacity for using eSimulations in professional education for experience transfer' and a 2008 ALTC Leadership project, 'Coalface subject co-ordinators the missing link to building leadership capacities in the academic supply chain' nearing completion. He has recently secured an ALTC grant for a project titled, 'Building distributed leadership in designing and implementing a quality management framework for Online Learning Environments'.

Stephen Segrave is an Academic Education Designer for the Institute of Teaching and Learning, Deakin University, Australia. Having lectured in Instructional Design and Educational Technologies, he now consults with academic staff to improve teaching and learning through innovative designs. Stephen is recognised for design excellence through Vice-Chancellor's awards in 2000 and 2002 for 'Excellence in Teaching' and in 2008 for 'Outstanding Achievement in Teaching and Learning'. In 2002 the award for the suite of simulations: ': a virtual newsroom' (Allen & Unwin, 2003) also won the Ascilite award for Best Software Project demonstrating 'Exemplary use of electronic technologies in teaching and learning in tertiary education' and the Australian Institute of Training and Development (AITD) award for 'Innovation in Learning'. In 2004, Stephen received a Deakin Teaching Explorer Grant culminating in the strategic project: 'Experiential Learning Through Simulations: Enhancing education in the professions through interactive computer simulations online' creating five simulations in different disciplines. During 2008-2010 he was a member of the leadership team for the Australian Learning and Teaching Council competitive grants project: 'Building academic staff capacity for using eSimulations in professional education for experience transfer'. Stephen has published on eSimulations, eLearning environments and academic professional development in several national and international journals.

Jacob Cybulski, Associate Professor, is a member of the School of Information Systems at Deakin University, Australia. His research interests include Information Systems theory and research methodology, Information Systems strategy, as well as ICT education. Jacob also works as a consultant to organisations willing to investigate their business processes, develop their technology strategies or align their IT and business practices. Jacob's past projects range from engineering and telecommunications applications to developing software productivity environments and toolkits. His recently commissioned work includes work on e-commerce, Web development and contents management, educational video and simulation. In his free time Jacob engages in competitive fencing and fine arts.

Review

This book is state of the art. And I don't mean Star Trek style holodecks (which are coming) or Matrix style knowledge-downloads (good luck with that). Rather, this is where the pioneers of the industry really are. The papers gathered here honestly and thoroughly show today's risk taking, brainstorming, and realistic compromises. Here are the processes that others will be following shortly, and likely the techniques that will get formalised in the authoring tools of the future.

--Clark Aldrich, Managing Partner of Clark Aldrich Designs, United States of America

This work presents 21 chapters authored by 33 scholars and practitioners, mostly from Australia. Organized into three sections, the volume addresses theorizing the nature of design for authentic learning and e-simulations, e-simulation learning designs in action, and developing knowledge and building capacities for e-simulations. The emphasis of this book is on the effective leadership and management in the use of e-simulation, specifically in blended-learning environments in a range of professional fields, from health to business and law, from arts to engineering and science, from education and social and behavioral sciences to workplace training. Presenting both theoretical and case-based research, this volume will help all academics, trainers, and leaders in the provision of training and education to best determine how and why to use e-simulations, particularly in a blended setting.

-- Sara Marcus

Edition details

• Publisher: Business Science Reference
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1613501897
• ISBN 13: 9781613501894
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 454
• Editor: Holt Dale, Segrave Stephen, Cybulski Jacob L