Project Name: Innovative Assessment Using Xero Accounting Software in ACCT605
Project Description: The "Innovative Assessment Using Xero Accounting Software in ACCT605" initiative, piloted in Semester 1, 2024, enhanced learning outcomes and employability for accounting students. By integrating Xero, a leading cloud-based accounting software, students completed online modules and exercises, culminating in the Xero Certified Advisor certification. This process provided both theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential in the accounting profession. Based on the positive outcomes and feedback from the pilot, we plan to extend this initiative to ACCT305 in Semester 1, 2025. This expansion aligns with ACU's Strategic Plan by incorporating technology to foster practical, real-world skills and improve employability. Goals/Targets: Develop Practical Skills: Enable more students to master Xero, enhancing workforce readiness. Enhance Employability: Extend certification to a larger student base, increasing their attractiveness to employers. Improve Learning Outcomes: Use real-world software to deepen understanding of accounting concepts in multiple units. Support ACU's Strategic Plan: Broaden the use of innovative technology in teaching. Achievement of Targets: Practical Skills: Pilot students successfully completed modules and applied skills in simulated scenarios. Certification: Many ACCT605 students achieved the Xero Certified Advisor status. Feedback: Positive pilot feedback highlighted increased confidence and understanding of accounting practices. Time Frame: Pilot Implementation: Semester 1, 2024 Extension to ACCT305: Semester 1, 2025 Assessment and Feedback Collection: By the end of Semester 1, 2025 Continuous Improvement: Ongoing, incorporating feedback for future iterations. This project sets a precedent for innovative, technology-driven learning methods within ACU's accounting programs, aiming for continuous improvement and broader implementation.
Name(s): Adam Arian
Project Name: Developing Innovative Authentic Assessments, which Incorporate Industry and Collaborative Perspectives, Facilitate Active Learning, and Foster Academic Integrity
Project Description: An important aspect of teaching practice is industry relevance. In teaching finance at Griffith, Flinders and ACU, I have identified a strong need for students to engage with real-world problem scenarios from the finance industry. Therefore, in the second semester of 2024, I plan to develop and introduce a Valuation Case Study (VCS) in BAFN204. In the VCS, students will be given selected items from the most recent financial statements of a real Australian company and will be required to value this company using the valuation methods and financial ratio analysis covered. The VCS will reflect collaborative and industry perspectives as it will be developed and adapted to the relevant context in consultation with colleagues from ACU, Flinders and Griffith Universities. Once the draft VCS is completed, I plan to present it at a conference and consult with investment professionals. One of the key learning outcomes (LO1) of BAFN204 is to develop students' ability to 'identify and analyse the different investment options available to investors for both Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) and conventional (non-SRI) investments'. A VCS format is the appropriate way to measure this outcome. By creating the VCS, I will ensure that teaching and assessment lead to the desired learning outcome. The VCS, as an authentic assessment, fits perfectly with Focus 1 and 2 of ACU's Strategic Plan 2033 - "to provide a learning environment that emphasises the growth of the whole person" and "to offer a range of educational opportunities that lead to future-ready career outcomes".
Name(s): Jak Kakhkharov
Project Name: Enhancing Work Integerated Learning through ChatGPT for Undergraduate students
Project Description: This project proposes the use of ChatGPT to support underprivileged students in programming courses, particularly Python, to enhance their learning outcomes and academic success. In alignment with the ACU's Strategic Plan 2024-2028, focusing on adaptive education and high-impact research, the initiative aims to level the educational playing field by providing personalised, accessible support to students who may lack resources. ChatGPT will be integrated into programming curricula to offer real-time assistance, s feedback, and additional learning resources. This AI-powered tool can help students understand complex programming concepts, debug code, and receive instant feedback on their assignments, thereby improving their comprehension and skills. By providing 24/7 support, ChatGPT ensures that all students, regardless of their background or schedule, have access to high-quality educational resources. The project will also focus on maintaining academic integrity by identifying approaches how to monitor and prevent misuse of generative AI in student submissions. The research will ensure that while students benefit from the educational support provided by ChatGPT, their work remains authentic and reflects their true abilities. This initiative aims to improve the academic performance of underprivileged students in programming courses, enhance their engagement and confidence in learning, and uphold high standards of academic integrity. Success will be measured by analysing improvements in student performance, engagement metrics, and the effectiveness of the AI detection tools. The project will be implemented over six months, beginning with a pilot phase in selected programming courses. Feedback from students and educators will be used to refine the approach, followed by broader implementation based on the pilot's success. This initiative not only supports ACU's mission to foster innovation and inclusivity but also positions the university as a leader in equitable education practices.
Name(s): Walayat Hussain
Project Name: Teaching Cybersecurity Using LEGO Blocks to First-Year Students
Project Description: Lego Serious Play (LSP) has been used as a tool for creative learning and team building, facilitating brainstorming and discussion of complex ideas through storytelling and metaphors (Asprion et al., 2020). Although LSP has been successfully utilised to teach many technical subjects, its applications in the cybersecurity domain are limited. This project aims to incorporate LSP into cybersecurity education to create a dynamic and interactive learning environment for first-year students. The goals are as follows: 1. Hands-on Learning Experience- LSP offers a hands-on learning experience, beneficial for students who find abstract cybersecurity concepts challenging. Students can use Lego blocks to create a model of a computer network, showing how data flows between different components and where potential vulnerabilities might exist. 2. Active Engagement- LSP encourages active participation and engagement crucial for retention. Instead of passively listening to lectures, students actively construct and discuss models, fostering a deeper understanding of the theoretical concepts. 3. Enhanced Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills- By constructing and manipulating models, students explore various solutions to cybersecurity problems in a creative and non-linear way. 4. Improved Communication Skills- LSP helps students articulate complex ideas through storytelling and metaphors, improving their communication skills. 5. Team Building and Collaboration- LSP fosters collaboration and teamwork, as students often work in groups to build models and solve problems. 6. Increased Retention- Students who enjoy building and discussing models of cybersecurity systems are more likely to remember the concepts and feel motivated to delve deeper into the subject matter in future units.
Name(s): Kamanashis Biswas
Project Name: BIPX301 Global Collaboration Professional Experience Project
Project Description: The innovative initiative relates to embedding an innovative work-integrated learning experience for 3rd year students of BIPX301 Professional Experience unit. The innovation relates to engaging with international organisations via a work-based learning platform - Riipen enabling collaboration between educators, organisations, and students on real industry projects. This initiative was undertaken over a 12-week period during Semester 1 2024. BIPX301 students had an opportunity to work with two organisations, Eleu Health from Canada and NPD Marketing from US to develop a business strategy for each, following a critical analysis of their business environment and business goals. Those organisations provided an opportunity for students to gain real-life work experience and strategic management skills. This initiative aimed to build students' employable skills by allowing them to apply what they have already learned in their degrees and by adding real value to organisations in different industries. This enabled them to put themselves on a fast track to a thriving career upon graduation by gaining real industry experience and making a positive impact on real-world organisations. It also allowed them to add real value to those organisations by contributing unique ideas to their complex problems, while expanding their own field of study. This initiative fits with ACU's 2033 Strategic Plan and particularly with the objective of pursuing Adaptive Education - one of the drivers of future success that will enable ACU graduates to be career-ready, with networking opportunities, work-integrated learning and twenty-first century skills built into their learning as part of industry-immersed education approach.
Name(s): Marzena Baker
Project Name: Carbon Floor project
Project Description: This project used the Riipen, an innovative global virtual collaboration platform introduced by A/Prof Bhavani Sridharan, to establish partnerships with international industry partners and create WIL-based learning projects. In semester 1 2024, using Riipen, I was able to create and successfully run two WIL-based student projects for 4 BIPX301 students with Carbon Floor (https://carbonfloor.com/), a Canadia-based, carbon consulting and ESG advisory company that helps corporates meeting their carbon market strategies and achieving Net Zero goals. In their final reports, students show evidence of deep learning resulted from multiple factors: being exposed to real-world projects, a totally new and challenging international and online work environment, and a totally new carbon credit industry. All students passed the unit, some with DI and HD grades, and Carbon Floor expressed their wish for continual partnership with us. This project shows that Riipen can be used not only as an innovative tool to facilitate partnerships with international companies but also allows academics to design UNSDG-oriented assessments for students.
Name(s): Thuy-Linh Nguyen