IMAC Education

Professor Ian Macdonald

Current research projects.

“Coalface subject co-ordinators – the missing link to building leadership capacities in the academic supply chain.” This Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) funded ($220k) project examines and documents the complexities of the subject coordinator leadership role, and will design, trial and evaluate a selection of multi-faceted, integrated professional development program interventions within partner institutions to enhance leadership capacity in the role.

“Workplace embedded higher education” While working with the Shell Learning Centre in the Hague I developed a model of learning for students engaged in careers, which embeds the learning into the workplace using a “blended learning” approach. This remains an ongoing area of research.

“Communication and professional development in the Department of Transport”. Currently working with the DoT (Victorian Government) to investigate pathways for improvement of internal communication, community building, and professional development, by integrating electronic learning technologies.

Recent research projects

“Strategic leadership for institutional teaching and learning centres: developing a model for the 21st century” ALTC funded project ($218k) to investigate the ways in which institutional structures and distinctive organisational cultures are being shaped by strategic leadership stakeholders to enhance teaching and learning quality, and to develop a Teaching and Learning Strategic Leadership Framework for professional development purposes for capacity building of leadership groups of institutional centres for teaching and learning. VU is one of seven universities that led the project.

“Recognition, development and enhancement of the contribution of sessional teachers to teaching and learning: a suite of resources for policy-makers, professional developers, faculty, and sessional teachers” member of the CADAD team funded by Carrick Institute ($200k) to research the issues relating to sessional teaching staff in Australian Universities, and develop appropriate responses. There are six “lead” universities. Report and resource package published June 2008.

“Developing our staff: An eight university collaboration for mapping and delivery of a shared professional development programme for tertiary educators” A Carrick Institute funded project ($220k) to develop a shared Graduate Certificate of Higher Education across a number of universities. I am a member of the project team (my Deputy Director at UNE is the lead academic).

“Workplace embedded higher education” While working with the Shell Learning Centre in the Hague I developed a model of learning for students engaged in careers, which embeds the learning into the workplace using a “blended learning” approach. This is now being piloted at UNE. see paper

“Off shore campuses” Every aspect of my job at RMIT Vn and at Curtin university deals with ways of coordinating learning in remote campuses, both formally at the University’s remote campus, and informally through the relationship with Shell. There are some complex issues relating to offshore campuses, particularly in recruiting and developing the academic staff. see paper.

“Investigation of questionable work practices by students”. Academic staff within the School Information Technology Swinburne University were concerned about the incidence of cheating and plagiarism within its courses. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the problem is widespread amongst the undergraduate and postgraduate students. In collaboration with a similar study at Monash University, this project looks at students' perceptions of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and what practices are acceptable to them in this context. It will help clarify the motivation and factors that influence cheating behaviour. The longer term aims of the project is to assist in determining measures that can be taken to address this problem and will facilitate the development of an informed policy on student plagiarism and cheating, and assist in the review of teaching and assessment practices across the university system.

"Teaching Communities in the School of Information Technology". The School of Information Technology has a number of large intake undergraduate subjects (which are also used in some post-graduate programs). These are taught by a small number of full time academic staff supplemented by a large number of sessionally employed staff - many of whom are students studying later years of the same degree.

The Teaching Community structure is a system for continuous improvement in teaching which has been progressively refined in ongoing action research.

This project brings the entire teaching group within a number of subjects into individual Subject Teaching Communities. All members attend an introductory workshop dealing with small group teaching situations, and attend ongoing reflective meetings which have teaching support. Interview data is continuously collected from tutors. It is an ongoing project, with no set finish date.

"Sessional Staff". Sessional staff are more and more prevalent in tertiary teaching. They are seen as a cheaper and more flexible alternative for small group teaching requirements, and even for lecturing in subjects. There are a range of associated problems with such use. This project investigates the most effective and efficient support mechanisms to improve the value of sessional teaching.

"Indian Student Transition". Swinburne has a very large intake of Indian students to its IT degrees. Anecdotal accounts suggest that there are a diverse set of transition problems that hinder their academic progress, and limit enjoyment of their experience. Systematic data collection and collation will guide interventions to assist their transition to Swinburne.

"Developing Teaching & Learning Communities in First Year Engineering". As Education development leader in Engineering at Swinburne University, the process of engaging staff in reflective practice leading to the re-assessment and modification of curriculum content and teaching practices (and these changes' impact on student learning and the promotion of student learning communities) is an absorbing and significant research project in its own right. The staff professional development aspect has been supported by a large CUTSD grant, and an internal Swinburne Curriculum Development grant to assist in the employment of Teaching Fellows.

"Project for Enhancing Effective Learning" (PEEL) Originally stemming from the Masters research of Dr Ian Mitchell this project has, over the last 16 years, become a revolution in Secondary education that has spread internationally. Based on the promotion of reflective practice and networking of teachers it has become an important model for professional development, become a sub-culture in dozens of secondary schools around Victoria, and generated a wide range of new teaching procedures that have led to a dramatic improvements in the quality of learning in PEEL classrooms. PEEL runs its own conferences and has a publishing arm. As a member of the coordinating team I facilitate PEEL teacher meetings, analyse data collected against research literature, advise teachers on alternative data collection, teaching or researching methods, and assist in promoting and developing PEEL in schools through visits. It is also my most valuable learning environment.

"Perspective And Voice Of the Teacher" (PAVOT). An ARC funded research project linking to PEEL that supports teachers engaging in action research projects based in their own practice, and helps them report and publish their work in the academic community. Prof. Jeff Northfield, Dr Ian Mitchell and Assoc Prof John Loughran are the nominated academics. I have taken a research/support role advising teacher researchers on data collection and analysis, and assisting them to write-up and publish their work.

"Rural and Isolated students: Easing the Transition into Tertiary Education" I conducted a 12 month study into the factors that particularly affect students moving from rural or isolated areas to study at Swinburne University, and ways of mitigating those factors. Funded by the Swinburne Equity unit from DEETYA funds.

"Study skills in schools": An extension of the work of the Building Independent Learning Skills project, this project is attempting to collate the various ways 19 secondary schools in and around Melbourne prepare their students for VCE and Tertiary study. The project is both researching what happens, and collecting a "best practice" manual of methods and materials. This data will be matched with other research being conducted by Dr Mark Peel (Monash University) into the transition problems of students entering tertiary study. I am the academic in charge with the part time assistance of two research assistants. The link from the title is to a paper on the outcomes.

"Transition from Secondary to Tertiary: A Performance Study": A DETYA funded study of transition problems and potential solutions. This is a joint project with Monash and Melbourne University. Dr Mark Peel, Associate Professor Merran Evans and I form the Monash academic team. We have conducted questionnaire surveys of all first year students, compiled the results and matched against an extensive literature search to identify the key indicators for transition related problems. A major report on this work has just been released by DETYA.

"Improving the Teaching of Science at Tertiary Level": a three year ARC funded project in collaboration with the Physics department of Monash University to develop new ways of teaching tertiary physics for better learning. Professor R.T. White (Dean) & Professor (of Science Education) R. Gunstone were the chief researchers. I had particular responsibility for the design, conduct and interpretation of staff and student interviews, and contributed to the general analysis of all data from my student learning perspective.

"Building Independent Learning Skills": a 12 month intervention at Monbulk College (a Victorian State Secondary College) to improve the learning skills of the year 10 students as they move into year 11 and beyond. Funded by Monash Research Fund ($50,750). I was the sole academic with total responsibility running a team of 5 research assistants.

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