Research work completed by two CQU Bundaberg undergraduate students focussing on collaborative learning has been accepted at prestigious Australasian conferences.

CQU Informatics lecturer Tim Roberts said it was quite unusual for this to occur, highlighting the great work completed in regional universities. The first paper on online collaborative learning, by Lissa McNamee, was submitted to the Australian Society Educational Technology conference in Melbourne; the second, by Sallyanne Williams, was submitted to the International Conference on Computing in Education, in Auckland, New Zealand. Both were accepted as full papers.

“Sallyanne Williams, a third year Information Technology student, is to be congratulated, as this is her first ever publication. To have her paper accepted in full following a full blind refereeing process at such a prestigious international conference is a wonderful achievement,” Mr Roberts said.

Entitled “Computer supported collaborative learning strengths and weaknesses” Ms Williams’s paper examines how learning, communication and interaction can be encouraged and the advantages and disadvantages of this mode of learning.

Ms Williams’s online learning interest stems from direct experience. She has completed the majority of her studies in this mode and said she believed it is the way of the future.

“There have been many studies completed on online learning, but the issues surrounding collaborative online learning really haven’t been looked at a great deal so I have incorporated my experiences and it is great to think others will learn from that,” Ms Williams said.

She currently uses her skills to assist adults in their learning ambitions.

Tim Roberts, Sallyanne Williams and Lissa McNamee have developed a unique online site focussing on their topic, which can be accessed at http://musgrave.cqu.edu.au/clp/.

Photo: CQU Bundaberg Informatics lecturer Tim Roberts and undergraduate student Sallyanne Williams.