My Most Popular Web Pages

Since I started blogging in May 2008, there have been 423,112 page views of my 4407 posts. Some of the most popular are:

• Shipping Container Apartment Building in Canberra, Oct 15, 2009
• The Science of Diagramming for ICT, Aug 29, 2012
• Maritime Operations Defence Research Summer Vacation Scholarships,  Jul 5, 2009
• Walter Burley Griffin Memorial Lecture2012, 2012 Sep 24, 2012
• E-learning to Reduce the Education Divide, Sep 21, 2012
• Birth of the National Broadband Network, Oct 14, 2009
• How the Google Online Courses Are Built, Sep 26, 2012
• Huawei Deuce U8520 Dual SIM Android Smart Phone, Sep 18, 2011
• NBN Symposium in Canberra, 9 October 2012 Sep 3, 2012
• On-line Professional Education for ANU, Sep 28, 2012

I am not sure if I can detect any pattern in these.

Most of the page views for my blog come from links withing the blog. The second most popular way to get to a posting is from a Google search. Most surprising is the third way: from the Whirlpool forum.

ps: While many people have read my posting about problems with my Huawei Android Smart Phone, Huawei do not appear to have. It is now eleven months since I returned the faulty Huawei phone and it has not been repaired, replaced or refunded. While the Australian Government may not want Huawei products used in the NBN for reasons of national security, I can see a more immediate reason to be cautious over the use of Huawei products: poor after sales service.

Australia's greatest inventions

The new book "Australia's greatest inventions and innovations" by Christopher Cheng and Linsay Knight (Powerhouse Museum, 2012) is written in language suitable for children but will be of interest to adults as well. In addition to the familiar stories of the Hills Rotary Hoist, there are some less familiar, such:

1. CSIRO's invention of WiFi: Few Australian realise that the technology in their wireless gadgets was invented in Australia by the Australian Government's research lab.
2. Integrated Communications Cap Lamp (ICCL): The ICCL is a belt worn battery pack to power the helmet light of miners. By using a compact and lightweight Lithium-Ion battery, the designers made room for extra communications and safety equipment on the same unit, such as an RFID tag, a radio, or a PED Text Pager. The PED Pager uses radio frequencies which penetrate rock and allow emergency messages to be sent to miners.

Unfortunately the book is not without problems. As an example, the entry on the PED pager refers to low frequency sound waves being used, when the device actually uses radio waves.

There is also a useful Wikipedia entry "List of Australian inventions".

Australia Purchasing Electronic Warfare Aircraft

In 2008 I suggested a relatively quick and easy purchase for Australian defence would be a dozen EA-18G Growler aircraft. The Australian government has now decided to do this, with twelve F/A-18F Super Hornets to be upgraded for electronic warfare.

It should be noted that while this is an upgrade of a proven aircraft, it is not simply a matter of bolting on some extra parts. The EA-18G electronic suite was derived from an older aircraft and is in need of upgrade. So the aircraft are likely to need an upgrade just about as soon as they are delivered. Also the receivers and transmitters of the aircraft need to be updated frequently with new signatures of the enemy equipment they are to detect and jam. This will require a local team of experts and access to their US counterparts to make the aircraft effective. The USA may be reluctant to provide the required sensitive information if Australia can't secure its on-line infrastructure.

Aldi $7.99 LED Lightbulbs

Aldi are listing LED Light Globes in their catalogue for sale from 6 October 2012 for $7.99 each. However, if these are only 3 Watt they are likely to give LED lights a bad name, as early dim compact fluorescent globes did. The 3 Watt globes are only bright enough for a small desk lamp or perhaps a chandelier.

In one of the photos in the printed Aldi catalogue I can see "Mueller Licht" printed on the globe. A web search showed this to be a German lighting company (although the globes are still likely to be made in China).

The Aldi catalogue has large and small Edison Screw and Bayonet globes, candle and spotlights. The Mueller Licht catalogue has these in 3, 7 and 10 Watt: 245, 500 and 850lm, equivalent to 16, 32 and 63W incandescent. There is no indication in the Aldi catalogue which wattage they are selling.

Also has GU10 and MR16 spotlights listed for $7.99, to replace Halogen down-lights.

The Aldi catalogue is expected to be on-line soon. Amazon.com also sell a large variety of LED Bulbs of variable quality.

On-line Professional Education for ANU

This is in response to a media report on proposed changes to the Australian National University (ANU) higher education portfolio  (Nairn, 2012). While supporting the changes, I suggest ANU could also continue to offer an education program.

As I understand it, ANU is considering phasing out its Graduate Certificate and Master of Higher Education. In their place e-learning would be used to improve staff skills in teaching, supervision and administration. Those staff wanting formal qualifications in these fields would  be encouraged to undertake programs at universities with specialist programmes.

In making these changes, I suggest ANU could continue to offer formal professional skills courses to retain its position as a leading university.

Professional Skills Modules for Staff and Students

The skills which ANU academics need, to be able to teach and to supervise research, are also required by professionals in the workplace. Professionals are required to take charge of their own learning, as well as mentor, teach and supervise staff. These are skills which do not come naturally, requiring formal training and testing.

In place of "teaching" courses for staff, I suggest ANU offer modules in professional skills to all postgraduate students in all programs. This will provide sufficient student numbers to make such training viable. The same modules can be undertaken by ANU staff and also used in formal courses.

As has been demonstrated with my course "ICT Sustainability" (offered by ANU as COMP7310), it is possible to bridge the divide between professional education and the requirements of higher education (Worthington, 2012). This shows it is possible to deliver quality education to professionals in the work place, in the same on-line class as postgraduate university students.

As well as being offered to computer science and engineering postgraduate students at ANU, COMP7310 is also available through ANU Graduate Studies Select. The flexibility of that program offers a way for ANU to continue to offer an education program.

Education Program via Graduate Studies Select

ANU Graduate Studies Select allows students to choose from courses across the ANU and allied universities. The ANU Graduate Certificate and Master of Higher Education could be replaced with Graduate Studies Select equivalents. Students would undertake some basic education courses at other institutions and advanced courses at ANU.

In anticipation of changes in ANU's education portfolio, in 2011 I arranged with my academic adviser to undertake the first half of the ANU Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, by distance education. I selected two on-line courses offered by the ANU's alliance partner, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ): Assessment and Online Pedagogy. These proved a good fit with ANU's own course in Research Supervision (EDUC8004). This custom program in Research-Led Education, could be a model for ANU.

Teach Students and Staff How to Manage Their Own Learning

The ANU already offers numerous on-line and face-to-face short training modules and development activities for staff and students. I suggest these could be incorporated into formal courses which teach students and staff how to manage their own learning. The courses would teach the use of tools such as e-portfolios, to assemble the evidence of skills gained, to obtain formal course credit.

ANU cannot simply rely on short courses and those of other institutions. To retain its status as a leading university, the ANU needs to continue its own research into how education and research are undertaken and to impart that new knowledge to ANU students and staff.

Disclaimer

These views are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the ANU, or any other organisation.

Tom Worthington FACS CP
Consulting Computer Professional, and
Adjunct Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science, The Australian National University

References

Nairn, J. (2012, 2012-09-18T14:23:03+1000). More jobs to go as ANU cuts courses, Current, ABC News. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-18/anu-cuts-more-courses/4268038?section=act

Worthington, T. (2012). A Green computing professional education course online: Designing and delivering a course in ICT sustainability using Internet and eBooks. Paper presented at the Computer Science & Education (ICCSE), 2012 7th International Conference on, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6295070&isnumber=6295013

Procedures for a Higher Degree by Research Supervision

The Deakin University Higher Degree by Research Supervision Procedure details how academic staff supervise candidates for higher degree by research (HDR) awards:

1. Qualifications for HDR Supervision
2. Code of Good Practice in HDR
3. Role of HDR Coordinators

These procedures also call up the NHMRC Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. There are more details of Deakin's website on Higher Degrees by Research for:

• Masters by Research
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Professional Doctorates

General John Cantwell on War in Afghanistan

Greetings from the Australian National University in Canberra,  where retired General John Cantwell is speaking on  Australia’s military involvement in the Gulf and Afghanistan. This is to launch his book   "Exit wounds: one man’s war on terror" (with Greg Bearup). There are around 500 people in the audience, including senior current and former military officers. General Cantwell recommended "The General's regrets: John Cantwell" (Melanie Sim with Alex Sloan, ABC Radio, 27 September, 2012 12:55PM AEST).

The book excerpts and some of the interviews have given a very depressed impression of the General, but he was a lively and entertaining speaker (he should do well on the US speaking circuit). The talk got more serious as he talked about his experience in the first gulf war, when attached to US forces.

The technique used by the US 1st Infantry Division
for the Iraqi breakthrough was to use tanks equipped dozer blades to fill in trenches, burying the enemy troops in them alive. This is a valid and lawful military tactic, but appears to have affected the General deeply. He made the point that as well as being a soldier he is a person and the experience of war takes a toll.

General Cantwell traces his "demons" to this experience and points out that any normal person would naturally be effected. Returning to Australia, the General was one of few in the ADF who had experienced combat. There was little sympathy or understanding of behaviour such as jumping at noises.

I have some understanding for this, after the Canberra 2003 Bushfires. On that day I was at the Belconnen Library when a state of emergency was declared and made my way home seeing water bombing helicopter against a sky which looked like one of the lower levels of hell. Some weeks later thinking I was fine, I went to the library but had an attack of sheer panic when the PA was used to announce the normal closing time. this may sound silly, to anyone who has not had the experience.

General Cantwell explained that he went back to Iraq, despite his condition, as he thought he could make amends for the destruction of the first gulf war. Unfortunately this coincided with more sectarian violence. The General was head of operations in a headquarters much of the time, but receiving detailed graphic reports of the causalities. The situation was made worse by the casual attitude to violence by many involved. He also described in graphic detail witnessing the effects of improvised explosive devices on the civilian population. He described the agony of having to make decisions over the allocation of resources which resulted in deaths.

After his Iraq experience the General wanted to command in Afghanistan. A professional soldier, he explained that this is what soldiers live to do. He explained that he thought he could be "tough", bury his demons and do his job. He described how Australian soldiers went out every day, in the face of casualties.

After twenty years General Cantwell was admitted to hospital to be treated for posttraumatic stress disorder and is still recovering. He explained at question time that those who operate remote pilot-less aircraft (UAVs) and other remote equipment can also be affected by the experience.

One of the privileges, perhaps obligations, of former solders is to point out the cost of war and General Cantwell does that well. However, potential enemies of Australia should not take this as weakness. He does not advocate a rushed withdrawal of Australian forces from Afghanistan and supports those who are ready to step forward to risk wounds, both physical and physiological, to defend their country.

General Cantwell received a standing ovation at the end of his talk, which I have not seen at ANU before.

Public Lecture

Exit wounds: one man’s war on terror by Major-General John Cantwell with Greg Bearup

Canberra Times / ANU Literary Event: Meet the Author Series 2012
Australia has been at war for the past twenty years and yet there has been no stand-out account from these conflicts. The Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts have constituted major Australian military involvements since the Vietnam War. In the case of Afghanistan, Australia has paid much in blood and treasure. This lecture elucidates Australia’s military involvements in the Gulf and Afghanistan from a practitioner’s perspective. Major-General John Cantwell’s book Exit Wounds is his searing story of the realities of Australia’s recent wars and the enduring scars they leave on our armed forces.
Major-General John Cantwell AO DSC retired from the Australian Army in early 2012 after a unique career spanning almost 40 years. Starting as a 17-year-old Private in 1973, he rose through the ranks in a career that included Commanding Officer of the Royal Military College at Duntroon, Commander of a brigade of around 3,000 troops, the Deputy Chief of the Army, and Head of the Force Structure Review as part of the 2009 Defence White Paper. He was also Interim Head (and later, Chief of Operations) of the Victoria Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, coordinating all Commonwealth, State and non-government efforts to recover from the deadly Black Saturday fires in 2009.
Major-General Cantwell served in three distinct wars: combat duty in Operation Desert Storm in 1991; as the Director of Strategic Operations in the US-led coalition headquarters in Baghdad in 2006; and as the Commander of all Australian forces in Afghanistan and the wider Middle East area of operations in 2010. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership in action in Afghanistan, has been made a Member of the Order of Australia and an Officer of the Order of Australia, and received the United States Legion of Merit.
Book sales and signings will follow the lecture. 

Presented by The Canberra Times and ANU Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies

Knowledge and the real world

A shortened version of my post "Employability of Higher Degree Research Graduates", without the references, appeared in The Australian Newspaper's Higher Education section, 19 September 2012, with the title "Knowledge and the 'real world'":

EVER since Plato set up The Academy in an olive grove 2000 years ago, employers have complained that academia is not producing graduates suitable for work in the real world. Some university courses are vocational, but that is not the primary purpose of a university. If employers want staff with vocational skills then they need to select those applicants who have the right qualifications and then train them on-the-job. 

Do not be fooled by claims from some educational institutions of generic skills and graduate attributes. 

Ask to see where the skills you want are in the curriculum and how they are assessed. If the skills are not taught and tested, they probably don't exist, except in the minds of the marketing department. 

At the highest levels, university is about research to create new knowledge. There are two other types of masters degrees that can include professional practice: the coursework masters and the extended masters. A doctoral degree is about new knowledge, which can include professional practice, but not all do. If you want a researcher then hire anyone with a masters or PhD in research, but otherwise look for graduates with vocational qualifications and work-relevant research.

From: Knowledge and the 'real world', Torn Worthington, ANU, The Australian, Higher Education section, 19 September 2012

Statement of Supervisory Expectations V1.3

Thanks to those who provided comments on my "Statement of Supervisory Expectations V1.2.1".   Further comments are welcome. Here is a slightly updated version with:

1. An extra photo (Inspecting military systems for the Department of Defence), as people seemed to like the photos,
2. Added a requirement for the student to do a skills audit to identify the skills they have and the extra ones they will need,
3. Mentioned the I have added mention of the Australian Qualifications Framework, which requirements for programs.
4. Added a reference to the ANU's  "Standard milestones for full-time PhD candidature" and summarised this as "In general, you can expect to have provide evidence of progress (a paper, progress report, or present at a seminar) at least every three months in a PHD program.".
5. Put more emphasis on research: I originally wrote the document with the intention of having it apply to coursework students, as well as research ones. But that turned out to be too confusing, so it now concentrates on university research.
6. Removed "being purely for your own benefit" about optional courses, as that sounded silly: what courses are not for the student's benefit? Instead I added "As well assisting with your research these courses add skills which employers value.".
7. Clarified that I would help the student find extra courses.
8. Expanded on my approach to student feedback and provided a reference:  "My approach to feedback is informed by research on what has proved to be effective: timely, brief and directed to helping you complete (Flint and Johnson, 2011)."
9. Extra section on "Quality and Participation", saying work must be suitable for publication, students must participate in discussions, but they don't have to come to meetings, provided they deliver on time. Also I referenced the ANU's "Responsible Practice of Research Policy". 

Statement of Supervisory Expectations

Tom Worthington

Research School of Computer Science & Climate Change Institute, The Australian National University (ANU)

Philosophy of Research Supervision

The purpose of this document is to outline of my approach to the supervision of research and projects for those considering a graduate program at the ANU College of Engineering & Computer Science (CECS). When not teaching at ANU, I work as a Certified Computer Professional (Von Konsky, 2008) consulting to industry and government around the world (see my background for details).

With Senator Kate Lundy, after receiving the ACT 2010 ICT Education Award.

A successful higher degree requires a blend of research and coursework, honed on real world experience. Research shows that  ‘hands on’ supervision leads to faster completion (Sinclair, 2004). I will help guide you through the process of setting milestones, obtaining resources, preparing presentations and publication. To do this I use an award winning technique of mentoring and collaboration developed for professionals, to progressively build your skills (Worthington, 2012).

Even if your focus is exclusively on research, you will be engaged in a learning process. You will need to audit your current skills and identify gaps. Most students will require additional courses in the advanced research and communication, needed for postgraduate research. The optimal blend of research and coursework will depend on your individual requirements and the program you enrol in.

Under the The Australian Qualifications Framework (July 2011) and the University's accreditation policy, those in a research program can spend up to one third of their time undertaking coursework (ANU, 2012). Professional practice students will have more coursework, but still need to spend at least one third of their time on research. Graduate coursework students will spend most of their time on coursework, but can expect to undertake a one or two semester supervised project.

As one of a team of supervisors, my job is to help you to decide what skills and experience you would like from your studies and guide you on the path to achieve these. Also I can help with the topic you are studying, where it falls within my experience (see my background for details).

Setting Goals

Inspecting military systems for the Department of Defence.

You will need to assess your current skills, compare this with your ambitions and what your university program requires. The university has a "Tool for Online Assessment of Skills and Training" to help you identify the  useful transferable skills you already have and what you need to be built up (Schaffarczyk & Connell, 2012). I can help you to map out your individual path to the goals using off-the-shelf courses, your research program and specialist custom training.

Before deciding on the details of your study, stop and consider why:

1. Are you planning a career in academia?
2. Do you want to advance in your profession?
3. Are you simply curious to learn more?

Depending on your answer, different programs might suit. Many embark on a higher degree by research, when coursework might be more suitable. Keep in mind that modern university postgraduate courses are not like school: you can study on-line, in small groups, with work and research integrated learning.

Setting milestones

Time management is essential to university work (and is a skill highly valued by employers). Your program will have some milestones set by the university to monitor your progress. The university has "Standard milestones for full-time PhD candidature" (ANU, 2011). In general, you can expect to have provide evidence of progress (a paper, progress report, or present at a seminar) at least every three months in a PHD program.

A research student will normally aim to complete a literature review one quarter the way through their program, then a thesis proposal after the first third and have conducted the research ready to write up two thirds through. Students undertaking a professional doctorate, or a Masters, will be spending less time on research, but with similar proportions for a literature review, thesis proposal, research and write up. Coursework masters students will undertake the same process in as little as twelve weeks.

The targets set for graduate programs are broad and designed to be flexible. You will need to set further detailed targets, where you will aim to have achieved measurable, useful tasks.

University research is not a matter of sitting waiting for inspiration. A good university program is designed like a computer program: top-down. You need to start by thinking about what you want to have achieved by the end of your studies and work back to see how to get there. You will be encouraged to use tools such as the Graduate Information Literacy Skills Audit, to see what skills you have and what is needed. Your supervisors will help you map out the detail of courses and activities will be needed to achieve your goals. Your time and resources are limited and need to be applied most efficiently to reach the goals.

As a computer professional, I will emphasize the use on-line facilities to keep in touch with you. You may never need to visit the campus, but most students will be on-campus for at least part of their time. In any case personal contact is important, face-to-face, or on-line.

Success rarely comes from sitting alone. You will be encouraged to team up with other students in your own discipline and across the university.

Narrow technical skills are of little value if you are unable to communicate with colleagues and clients. The university offers extensive optional courses in formal writing, presenting and in business skills. I will be encouraging you to make full use of these courses, to make your coursework and research more productive.

Quality and Participation

Your work must be of a quality suitable for publication in an international refereed journal or conference. I will be encouraging you to submit a paper for publication, at least twice per year during a PHD program.

You will be required to comply with the"Responsible Practice of Research Policy" of the University (ANU, 2010) and any codes specific to your area of research.

Expect to be actively involved in discussions on-line or in person with your supervisors, your peers and others around the world, constantly. Provided you deliver at every milestone on time, to the required standard, you will not need to attend formal meetings.

Documenting Your Progress

Employers will want evidence from you of what you did at university and this is more than just a copy of your degree. You will need to collect evidence of the skills you have gained at all stages of your study. Higher degree students will normally prepare a thesis. While not required for most programs, I will encourage you to also produce a portfolio of work undertaken, often called an "e-Portfolio" where you list all courses undertaken, with samples of work (Manathunga, 2004). The milestones set provide a useful starting point for this portfolio.

Also in your portfolio I will encourage you to  include extra-curricular activities relevant to "generic" skills, such as oral presentation, teamwork, and leadership. Examples could be materials produced in non-assessed courses, awards for presentations, certificates from a university sporting team, or your commission in the university regiment.

Writing and Other Skills

In supervising your research I will not be alone. There will will be at least three supervisors: a senior academic, myself and another. In addition there are educational and technical specialists to assist. But in the end a successful university higher degree depends on you. One of the most important skills is academic writing. It is not the job of your supervisors to teach you how to write, this is a skill which has to be learned in formal coursework and by practice.

As well as the usual university formal courses in your topic, there are more general courses on skills to help your study and in your future career. These are usually available to enrolled students at no extra cost. As well assisting with your research these courses add skills which employers value. I will be encouraging you to round out your more formal studies with in this way.

The university provides a "How to Learn: Student guide to Free training at The ANU", detailing free courses and services for students of the university. The services offered go beyond the usual how to use a computer and include topic design, thesis writing and supervision, project management. There are also podcasts and the Postgraduate and Research Students' Association (PARSA) has additional "Resources for Distance Students".

The ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre provides courses of value to coursework and research students. There is also the ANU Pro Vice-Chancellor (Innovation) Graduate Program and Innovation ACT, for learning to turn your ideas into products. I will help you select suitable programs for your work plan.

Providing Feedback

You will receive formal feedback on the milestones set for your program and feedback from individual supervisors. The long term nature of postgraduate research, in comparison to self-contained semester courses, requires a different form of feedback (East, Bitchener & Basturkmen, 2012). My approach to feedback is informed by research on what has proved to be effective: timely, brief and directed to helping you complete (Flint and Johnson, 2011).

What you must do

The college has a detailed  Self Assessment Guide to help you determine what is the right program for you. Also there is a college Pre-application Process to make the formal application the with the Application Manager a little easier.

The Research School has a database of project topics. You don't have to choose one of these, but it might help with choosing an area of interest and give some ideas. Your topic will be refined over the course of your studies.

References

East, M., Bitchener, J., & Basturkmen, H. (2012). What constitutes effective feedback to postgraduate research students? The students’ perspective. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 9(2), 7. Retrieved from http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol9/iss2/7/

Flint, N., & Johnson, B. (2011). Towards Fairer University Assessment: Recognizing the Concerns of Students: Taylor & Francis. Retrieved from  http://www.amazon.com/Towards-Fairer-University-Assessment-Recognizing/dp/0415578132

Manathunga, C., Lant, P., & Mellick, G. (2007). Developing professional researchers: research students’ graduate attributes. Studies in Continuing Education, 29(1), 19-36. doi: 10.1080/01580370601146270 Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01580370601146270

Schaffarczyk, S., & Connell, L. (2012). Graduate Research to Research Career: Transferable Skills Training Models. 2012 Quality in Postgraduate Research Conference, 111.  Retrieved from http://goo.gl/zowTN

Sinclair, M. (2004). The pedagogy of'good'PhD supervision: A national cross-disciplinary investigation of PhD supervision. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20060828062332/http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/07C6492B-F1BE-45C6-A283-6098B6952D29/2536/phd_supervision.pdf#page=7

The Australian National University. . (2010). Responsible Practice of Research: The Australian National University. Retrieved from http://policies.anu.edu.au/policies/responsible_practice_of_research/policy

The Australian National University. . (2011). Code of Practice - Supervision in Higher Degrees by Research: The Australian National University. Retrieved from http://policies.anu.edu.au/policies/code_of_practice_supervision_in_higher_degrees_by_research/policy#_ftnref1

The Australian National University. (2012). Academic Programs and Courses Accreditation. Retrieved from http://policies.anu.edu.au/policies/academic_programs_and_courses_accreditation/policy

Von Konsky, B. (2008). Defining the ICT profession: A partnership of stakeholders. Paper presented at the 21 s t Annual Conference of the National Advisory Committee on Computing Qualifications, Auckland, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.naccq.ac.nz/conferences/2008/15.pdf

Worthington, T. (2012). A Green computing professional education course online: Designing and delivering a course in ICT sustainability using Internet and eBooks. Paper presented at the Computer Science & Education (ICCSE), 2012 7th International Conference on, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6295070&isnumber=6295013

How the Google Online Courses Are Built

Google have released a software toolkit for creating on-line courses called "Google Course Builder". There is a demonstration course using the software "Power Searching with Google", so I signed up to see what a Google course looks like.

I received an invitation to join the course and found a very plain looking web page, much in the style of the Google search page. The page has a very simple menu with: Announcements, Course, Forum and My Profile. Also on the page is a photograph of a person sitting in from of a computer. This appears to be a still taken from a video and may well be the teacher, but there is no caption, making it very impersonal (contrary to what I have learned about on-line pedagogy).

Starting with "My Profile" I was surprised to find this did not contain a place to put a description of me, which other on-line courses have. Apart from my name and e-mail address, this just as details of the course I am enrolled in.

"Announcement" confusingly had two different welcome messages. One message invited me to take a  pre-class assessment before the "first class". The use of the term "class" was confusing, as I would normally think of this being for a real-time event (as far as I know the course has not real time events). The other message had an overview of the course. I don't know which message was first, as they did not have the time of posting on them.

The pre-class assessment presented some difficulties as the text overlapped on my Firefox 15.0.1 browser. This is not as bad as Blogger (which is now unusable on Firefox) and I was able to fill in the pre assessment test. The test used multiple choice and text boxes much like other e-leaning courses. One surprise was that there were no results after filling in the test, just a "thank you" and instruction to start the first class.

Attempting to join the forum resulted in the error message: "You must be a member of this group to view and participate in it." This is difficult to understand given I am enrolled in the course and so should have access to the forum. It is not clear if this is just a Google Group, or part of the course.

Class 1 is, naturally enough an "Introduction". There are six topics (about right for a course module), each with one activity. However, there is then just a video frame and no more explanation. Clicking on "next" I expected to find the content of the introduction, but instead this skipped to the first activity. To get the text of the lesson I have to go back and click on "Text Version". This produced a page of well formatted HTML text. At this point I found the name of the presenter and other details which were missing from the home page. Also a "Slides" button opened a PDF document with slides in it.

This approach of having three different documents, with the course outline, text notes and slides allows for maximum flexibility, but is cumbersome. The slides could have been incorporated in the same document with the text notes. It was also surprising to see some spelling mistakes in the notes, such as "avaialble".

Overall the Google online course breaks no new ground, being like many on-line courses from the last decade. This plain format is efficient and easy to use. But it is surprising that Google have not produced a more polished looking product.

Gandalf Approach to Research Supervision

I asked some senior academics about the process of research supervision. They emphasised that each student is different and the approach has to be tailored to them. Also the posited that the approach would be difference for experimental and theoretical areas. With a theoretical area the supervisor could be expected to know the theory and be guiding the student, whereas with experimentation, the supervisor may have little knowledge of the details of the experiment (as by definition it will be unique) and so only be able to help with general experimental methodology.

What I found of most interest was one senior academic who paused and said: "What my supervisor told me 30 years ago was: "Have a plan and stick to it".

I suggest this  might be called the Gandalf Approach to Research Supervision, in reference to J. R. R. Tolkien's character in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In the latter book Gandalf says to Bilbo: "Stick to your plan – your whole plan, mind – and I hope it will turn out for the best, for you, and for all of us.".

Tolkien was a University of Oxford Professor and perhaps there is an autobiographical aspect to the books, with Gandalf as the supervisor and Frodo and Bilbo sent on fieldwork, which they then wrote up (both books end with the characters writing a large manuscript about their adventures). ;-)

Research Supervision Self-Assesment Questionnare

Anne Lee's book "Successful Research Supervision: Advising students doing research" (Routledge, April 2012),  includes a set of questions for research supervisors to help evaluate their approach.
Lee evaluated questions on groups of supervisors in the UK and Scandinavia. The supervisors were asked to rate different approaches to supervision, considering their value, current use and desired skills. The rating was done with a five point Likert scale: unimportant to important.
A refined set of twenty questions for supervisors is included opposite  page 160 of the book [Table 8.15a Academic version - a questionnaire to enable greater understanding of the framework of approaches to research supervision (adapted from Lee 2008a)].  A typical question is the first one: "I always allocate time well ahead for preparation, teaching and marking work for my postgraduate students".
The numeric scores are then added up in five categories, corresponding to the framework proposed by Lee:

1. Functional
2. Enculturation
3. Critical Thinking
4. Emancipation
5. Relationship development

I answered the questions myself and the results were:

Priorities As a Supervisor

Approaches	Score	%
Functional	20	29%
Critical Thinking	15	22%
Relationship development	12	18%
Emancipation	11	16%
Enculturation	10	15%

Obviously these questions are intended for self reflection by the supervisor, not an objective score. One problem was that in attempting to answer the questions, it was not clear if I was to assess what I was the current situation, or what was desirable. For example, did I prepare ahead, or did I think it was important?
There is also there a set of corresponding questions for students opposite page 163.
It would be interesting to interrogate the university records system and see of there is any correlation between the supervisor and student perceptions and the records of what the students and staff actually did. In addition to the official university records of meetings, reports and submissions, any Learning Management System used would have detailed records of staff and student actions.

ps: The cover of Lee's book shows a student at their laptop with a plie of books. What is unrealistic are the shelves of books behind the student. Modern unviersity libraries have moved books to the basement, to make more room for student "learning commons".

Reference

Lee, Anne Dr (2012). Successful research supervision : advising students doing research (1st ed). Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon

Meeting the needs of part-time research students

McCulloch and Stokes (2008) address a neglected issue: the needs of part time research students in a brief and readable 37 page booklet (one of the SRHE Guides on postgraduate issues). As well as the needs of part time students, the authors address the different motivations of these students, which effect what type of program they need.

However, in my view the whole view of university needs to be "flipped", from one where an on-campus full time student is considered normal, with special allowances made for others. The assumption should be that the average student is part time and off campus most of the time with  work and family commitments.

This would be much like the change of approach for disabled access on campus. It is no longer acceptable to assume that students with a disability are an exception who can be catered for on a case by case basis: disabled access must be planned for in advance and failing to do so is unlawful.

Similarly universities can't honestly claim special efforts to be inclusive, when the standard programs exclude most of the population.

ps: Unfortunately, I could not find the booklet online and got a paper copy from the University of Canberra Library (also at La Trobe University).

References

McCulloch, Alistair & Stokes, Peter. Silent majority & Gough, Martin Dr & Society for Research into Higher Education (2008). The silent majority : meeting the needs of part-time research students. Society for Research into Higher Education, London

Data Centers Can Save Vast Amounts of Energy

In "Power, Pollution and the Internet",  JAMES GLANZ (New York Times, September 22, 2012) reports that data centres have low efficiency and high pollution levels due to the need to be ready to respond to peak loads. It is true that data centres use a lot of power, but some centre operators, such as Google (mentioned in the article), are making efforts to run more efficient centres.

Canberra Data Centres, which is used by several government agencies, has implemented several power saving features.

Also the "cloud" server approach with a large data centre can be more efficient than having many smaller servers spread out in companies. The servers can share a load, whereas a small server dedicated to one task will spend most of its time running at near full power doing almost nothing.

As I commended recently at a digital record-keeping conference in Canberra, "cloud" computing has similarities to bureau computing systems used decades ago. There are efficiency measures which can be used to reduce the load on the system and to balance it.

For more on how to measure and reduce the environmental impacts my book "ICT Sustainability: Assessment and Strategies for a Low Carbon Future".

Successful Research Supervision

Anne Lee's new book "Successful Research Supervision: Advising students doing research" (Routledge, April 2012), provides an up to date, scholarly but readable look at supervising university research in the 21st century. While clearly focused on supervision of doctoral degrees by research in the UK, the book is also useful for other programmes and places.

At times Lee's analysis can get a little too academic, such as in discussion of the feminist post-colonial critique of teaching as a process of self-transformation (page 21). Lee's stated aim is to help the "good enough" supervisor. But learning is not an easy process and I find myself on an personal odyssey, to become a better higher education teacher. At times this has come close to the original Odyssey, with visits to ancient and modern places of learning around the Aegean, from Turkey to Greece.

Lee tries to tackle all the big issues of teaching and supervision in the first chapter "A Framework for Analysing Approaches to Teaching and Supervision". This starting with the biggest question: the nexus between teaching and research. The origins of research degrees are traced back to Wilhelm von Humboldt in 1810 (I recommend a visit to Humboldt University of Berlin), through Oxford 1917 (also interesting for a visit but avoid the food in college).

Cronulla Street Exhibition in Canberra

I dropped into the University of Canberra’s Inspire Centre today and had a tour of the "Cronulla Street Exhibition" by James Steele. The work is a series of photographs showing changes in the Sydney suburb of Cronulla, as documented by photographs by the same photographer, at the same places, forty years apart. The work is on display until 28 September 2012. Also on display on the the large screen in the Inspire main space is a multimedia work, in collaboration with centre staff.

Secure Mobile Strategy

Mark Winter sent an invitation to "Mobility Fertility: Learn How to Grow a Secure Mobile Strategy", which is on in Australian capitals cities in October.  The 8:30 am start is a bit early for me, but others mat be interested in hearing about products for making Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) more secure.

Topics covered will include:

• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Governance

• Mobility policy development and deployment

• Simplifying Wi-Fi in a BYOD environment

• Sharing files and content on any mobile device

• Improving mobile productivity without compromising security

• Mitigating mobility risk and protecting corporate resources

• Managing corporate-owned and employee-owned devices

• Providing mobile access to file servers, SharePoint & NAS devices

• Anywhere, anytime, any device access

• Going cross platform; reducing investment while enhancing capabilities

Who should attend: IT Managers, CIO's or Business Unit Executives responsible for policies, structures, and processes to maximise potential value from mobile technologies.

Catering:
Arrival tea and coffee will be provided along with morning tea.

Register

• Brisbane, 15th October

• Adelaide, 17th October

• Perth, 19th October

• Canberra, 22nd October

• Sydney, 24th October

• Melbourne, 26th October

Walter Burley Griffin Memorial Lecture 2012

Ms Lucy Turnbull OA LLB MBA, an independent member of the Sydney Metropolitan Development Authority, will present the Australian Institute of Architects 2012 Walter Burley Griffin Memorial Lecture in Canberra, 10 October 2012.

Australian cities before and after Walter Burley Griffin

DATE: Wednesday 10 October
TIME: 5.45 arrival for a 6pm Start
COST: FREE PUBLIC LECTURE 

Register

The annual WBGML has been delivered in Canberra since 1961. Over that time it has been given by a number of distinguished individuals from many fields of expertise, including Gough Whitlam, Professor Manning Clarke and Romaldo Giurgola. This year it is our pleasure to host Lucy Turnbull and Alastair Swayn to present the 2012 Walter Burley Griffin Memorial Lecture.

Lucy Turnbull's title for the paper will be 'Australian cities before and after Walter Burley Griffin'. 

Lucy is a former Australian politician and former Lord Mayor of Sydney, is a prominent Australian business leader and company director. Turnbull was the first female Lord Mayor of Sydney, between 2003 and 2004 and was Deputy Lord Mayor, between 1999 and 2003. She was the first woman to hold both offices. As Lord Mayor, in 2003 Turnbull awarded laurete Aung San Suu Kyi the keys to the city of Sydney. 

With a background in commercial law and investment banking, Turnbull is a Director of Turnbull & Partners Pty. Ltd, a private investment company. Lucy has a longstanding interest in cities and their planning, governance and management. as well as the importance of technological innovation to the national economy. She is an independent member of the Sydney Metropolitan Development Authority which is charged First Government Architect for the Australian Capital Territory with the urban renewal and revitaltisation of several precincts in Sydney, including Redfern-Waterloo. 

On 26 January 2011, Turnbull was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia for her distinguished service to the community, particularly through philanthropic contributions to, and fundraising support for, a range of medical, social welfare, educational, youth and cultural organisations, to local government, and to busines. 

DATE: Wednesday 31 October 
TIME: 5.45 arrival for a 6pm Start ... 
COST: Free Public Lecture
Register

Online Student Readiness Assessment

Open Universities Australia (OUA) offer online tools to help students with Career Advice  and Readiness Assessment for Study.

The readiness assessment asks students to rate themselves using a five point Likert scale (Strongly disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly agree).  The first eighteen questions, headed "Goals", address the student's attitude to studying online, level of  motivation and time available for study. A second fourteen questions ask if the student has suitable technology for on-line study.

Curiously, one question asks if the student has Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, or Mac OS X. Apparently students using Linux, Google Android or iOS on an Apple iPad are excluded from study. Having undertaken several online courses, I have had some difficulties using Linux and there would appear to be too small a user base to cater for. However, tablet computer and web appliance operating systems Google Android and Apple iOS would see a large enough potential market.

The student is also asked if they are using a dial-up internet connection and they have a high speed internet connection. Dial-up and 3G connections are apparently considered too slow. I found a 3G wireless connection more than adequate for most online courses (both as a student and tutor). For real time video and audio conferencing careful setting of the system to minimise bandwidth was needed, but most online courses will not require video.

The student is asked if they have a recent version of Microsoft Office. I found that OpenOffice/LibreOffice was an adequate alternative.

The third set of twelve questions asks about the student's approach to study and in particular their writing skills. One problem with the questions is that this is an opinion survey, that is the student is asked if they know what plagiarism is, there is no text of this knowledge administered.

The tool presents the student with an assessment (mine was "Almost Ready", which is curious given I have successfully passed online courses, as well as designing one) and then makes recommendations for first units. In my case PREP03 "Preparing for University Learning Intensive", was recommended. Also Bridging units are offered, which is particularly relevant for those who would not have previously considered university.

It would be interesting to apply this technique to higher degree and research students.

General John Cantwell on Afghanistan War

Retired General John Cantwell will speak about  Australia’s military involvement in the Gulf and Afghanistan at the Australian National University in Canberra,  27 September 2012. This is to launch his book   "Exit wounds: one man’s war on terror" (with Greg Bearup). The event is free, but bookings are required.

Public Lecture

Exit wounds: one man’s war on terror by Major-General John Cantwell with Greg Bearup

Canberra Times / ANU Literary Event: Meet the Author Series 2012
Australia has been at war for the past twenty years and yet there has been no stand-out account from these conflicts. The Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts have constituted major Australian military involvements since the Vietnam War. In the case of Afghanistan, Australia has paid much in blood and treasure. This lecture elucidates Australia’s military involvements in the Gulf and Afghanistan from a practitioner’s perspective. Major-General John Cantwell’s book Exit Wounds is his searing story of the realities of Australia’s recent wars and the enduring scars they leave on our armed forces.
Major-General John Cantwell AO DSC retired from the Australian Army in early 2012 after a unique career spanning almost 40 years. Starting as a 17-year-old Private in 1973, he rose through the ranks in a career that included Commanding Officer of the Royal Military College at Duntroon, Commander of a brigade of around 3,000 troops, the Deputy Chief of the Army, and Head of the Force Structure Review as part of the 2009 Defence White Paper. He was also Interim Head (and later, Chief of Operations) of the Victoria Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, coordinating all Commonwealth, State and non-government efforts to recover from the deadly Black Saturday fires in 2009.
Major-General Cantwell served in three distinct wars: combat duty in Operation Desert Storm in 1991; as the Director of Strategic Operations in the US-led coalition headquarters in Baghdad in 2006; and as the Commander of all Australian forces in Afghanistan and the wider Middle East area of operations in 2010. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership in action in Afghanistan, has been made a Member of the Order of Australia and an Officer of the Order of Australia, and received the United States Legion of Merit.
Book sales and signings will follow the lecture. 

Presented by The Canberra Times and ANU Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies

Total Quality Management For Improving University Education

In reading the research literature about how to measure the quality of research supervision at universities, the descriptions of what quality is seemed very vague. So I looked for papers citing formal quality standards.

Basir (2012) argues that Malaysia can lift the quality of their universities to the level of western countries by use of the ISO 9000 Quality Management Standards (ISO 2008). While that may seem ambitious, the Japanese car industry used similar standards to overtake western car makers within a few decades. By use of on-line technology, the same may be possible in education in less than a decade.

Formal quality assurance in higher education is suggested by Basir (2012) as being a way to to assist planning and drive reform at the national level, increasing  competition between universities and in particular to improve the oversight and quality of private institutions.

The Total Quality Management (TQM) process of continuous improvement was developed for manufacturing, but is suggested by Basir (2012)  as being applicable to universities. There has been considerable interest in this topic by academics, with Amazon.com listing more than 150 books on the topic of "Total Quality Management in Higher Education" and Google Scholar listing more than one thousand document on the topic so far for 2012.

The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) has developed a set of guidelines, although these appear to be targeted at coursework, not research and to not explicitly mention formal quality processes.

Quality processes depend on having a repeatable processes. By its nature, research supervision produces one off unique products, as every research student is required to make a unique contribution to knowledge. However, these processes could at least be used for other parts of the higher degree processes, such as imparting generic skills. But there would be a danger this would distract from the primary product: researchers.

Two requirements for quality management given by Basir (2012) are:

1. Engagement with the total quality management system,
2. Strong leadership rather than more administrative process

These requirements have proved difficult in other service industries, such as IT, with the quality management system being gamed by staff, who see it as an imposition, with more forms to fill in.
The use of ISO 9000  in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs) is traced back to 1996 by Basir (2012), focusing on management and "academic activities". The aim was professional excellence and efficiency. It is important to note the emphasis on professional excellence, as unlike production line manufacturing, higher education is dependent on the performance of a a few individuals.

Quality management 

As noted previously quality management systems were developed for manufacturing processes. The main sections of ISO 9001:2008 Quality management systems — Requirements  (ISO 2008) cover:

• Quality Management System
• Management Responsibility,
• Resource Management
• Product Realization
• Measurement, analysis and improvement

The aim of this is to produce a satisfied customer. However in the case of higher degrees, who the customer is may be a matter of some debate: the student, their future employer, the government or society?

QM emphasises documentation and measurement. This would appear to be a good fit with academia, which has an emphasis on writing and research. However, academics themselves may be less enthusiastic when they are the subject of the measurement and reporting.

Reference

Basir, S. A. (2012). Complying Quality Management System ISO 9000 Requirements Within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Muslim Countries. World J. Islamic History & Civilization World, 2(1), 30-43.  Retrieved from http://idosi.org/wjihc/wjihc2(1)12/5.pdf

ISO (2008). Quality management systems : requirements (4th ed). International Standards Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland Retrieved from http://www.saiglobal.com.virtual.anu.edu.au/PDFTemp/osu-2012-09-23/1490418021/9001-2008(+A1).pdf

Evaluating University Research Supervisors

Recently I have been looking at how to evaluate the quality of the supervision provided to research students at university. Some questions are:

1. Quality Assurance measures at the institutional level: What are these measures?
2. Individual practice: Supervision is a teach activity, so how are the views of the individual supervisors assessed? Are the also assessed as a group?

Readings

The examination of evaluation of supervision in Australian universities by Aspland, Edwards, O'Leary,  & Ryan (1999) is still relevant to today's conditions. Australian higher educational institutions were consolidated into larger universities with campuses which were previously independent teacher's colleges. Staff from these vocationally orientated institutions were under pressure to undertake research and supervise research students.
Now universities are under regulatory pressure to meet new new national standards and financial pressure to have higher degree students complete faster and more reliably. Student dissatisfaction with supervision, delays with feedback would seem as relevant in 2012 as they were in 1999.

 Aspland, Edwards, O'Leary,  & Ryan (1999) cite literature on the value of feedback on postgraduate supervisory practices and note that such feedback was not a routine part of postgraduate programs, in contrast to standard undergraduate coursework feedback surveys. Those postgraduate evaluations which were conducted tended to be for clinical work, rather than research. This would seem reasonable, as professional programs are attempting to produce graduates with a standard set of skills, much like an undergraduate coursework degree, but at a higher level of skill.

To investigate the topic Aspland, Edwards, O'Leary,  & Ryan (1999) surveyed Australian universities and carried out focus groups. These groups seem to have come up with the obvious: supervisors and their students need to agree what each will do, early in the student's program. The authors then produced a booklet containing guidelines for discussions between supervisor and student, plus evaluation tools to rate progress during the student's program (the tools appear to have been paper based). The authors claim that the pilot program with 75 students and supervisors contributed to the learning environment.

One curious aspect of this research, and much in this field, is the lack of discussion of the supervisor's formal qualifications and training in the field of research supervision and teaching more generally. If one booklet can make a significant improvement in the quality of research supervision, it raises the question as to what training and formal qualifications the supervisors had previously.

The paper by Boud and Costley (2007) does not appear to be on the topic of research supervision, as it instead talks about "project advising". They argue for a new relationship between the student and staff, derived from work-based learning (WBL) as applied in professional programs. The paper goes on to discuss short undergraduate projects and the value of having the student take on more of the management of these. I had assumed that the paper would go on to discuss how the techniques for these short projects could be applied to higher degree research programs, but the paper just seems to end after discussing short projects.

In my own supervisory practice I have found that short, one semester projects by undergraduate, honors and Masters students have been very successful. Examples are "Semantic Web for Museums" and "Evaluating Emergency Management Websites". The process for these involved negotiating refinements to a topic the student has selected from a list, setting deadlines for deliverables, having the student do a short literature search or user requirements (for software) the research (or software design), writeup and a seminar presentation. The practical and current topics provided to the students keep their interest during the projects. Essentially the same approach should work for longer masters and doctoral projects.

Being a supervisor

The "Being a supervisor" notes shared between ANU, Oxford and McGill Universities, provides a section on "Evaluation", which lists three kinds:

1. formative
2. summative
3. quality assurance
   

The use of these terms for research supervision seems to differ from coursework pedagogy, where formative and summative refer to assessment of the student, whereas quality assurance is used to refer to evaluation of the course. It is not clear from this document how all three terms are used for evaluation of research supervision.

Formative Evaluation

The section titled "Formative evaluation & reflective practice" unfortunately does not actually use the word "Formative" in the body of the document and seems to confuse reflective practice, which is something undertaken by an individual and mediated discussion between student and supervisor. It may be that the author, in summarizing concepts from source documents has missed some key points. As it is, it was not clear what the author had in mind. Unfortunately the section on summative evaluation was no clearer.

Institutional quality assurance

The Institutional quality assurance (QA) section describes QA in terms of evaluation of:

"... whole of Faculty, or whole of institution performance on standardized (often national) survey instruments.  ..."

This analysis could benefit from a more rigorous definition of quality assurance (QA), contrasting it with quality control (QC). QA is concerned with improving the production process, whereas QC is concerned with individual products. As the section fails to use these terms correctly, it is difficult to understand what is intended.

References

Aspland, T., Edwards, H., O'Leary, J., & Ryan, Y. (1999). Tracking new directions in the evaluation of postgraduate supervision. Innovative Higher Education, 24(2), 127.

Marsh, H. W. (2002). PhD students' evaluations of research supervision. The Journal of Higher Education, 73(3), 313-348.

Statement of Supervisory Expectations V1.2.1

One of the assessment items for the course on "Research Supervision" I am currently undertaking is a "Statement of Supervisory Expectations". This is essentially an advertisement to attract research students. As such it seems to require an difficult mix of scholarly understatement and  marketing hype.
One thing I noticed with the dozen or so such statements I examined, was a lack of images. The inclusion of images has been shown to make documents more credible, so I have put some in. Also I have included formal references, to make the document more scholarly. Here is a draft. Comments would be appreciated:

Statement of Supervisory Expectations

Tom Worthington

Research School of Computer Science & Climate Change Institute, The Australian National University (ANU)

Philosophy of Research Supervision

The purpose of this document is to outline of my approach to the supervision of research and projects for those considering a graduate program at the ANU College of Engineering & Computer Science (CECS). When not teaching at ANU, I work as a Certified Computer Professional (Von Konsky, 2008) consulting to industry and government around the world (see my background for details).

With Senator Kate Lundy, after receiving the ACT 2010 ICT Education Award.

A successful higher degree requires a blend of research and coursework, honed on real world experience. Research shows that  ‘hands on’ supervision leads to faster completion (Sinclair, 2004). I will help guide you through the process of setting milestones, obtaining resources, preparing presentations and publication. To do this I use an award winning technique of mentoring and collaboration developed for professionals, to progressively build your skills (Worthington, 2012).

Even if your focus is exclusively on research, you will be engaged in a learning process and will need courses to acquire essential research and communication skills. The optimal blend of research and coursework will depend on your individual requirements and the program you enroll in.
Under the University's accreditation policy, those in a research program can spend up to one third of their time undertaking coursework (ANU, 2012).

Professional practice students will have more coursework, but still need to spend at least one third of their time on research. Graduate coursework students will spend most of their time on coursework, but can expect to undertake a one or two semester supervised project.

As one of a team of supervisors, my job is to help you to decide what skills and experience you would like from your studies and guide you on the path to achieve these. Also I can help with the topic you are studying, where it falls within my experience (see my background for details).

Setting Goals

You will need to assess your current skills, compare this with your ambitions and what your university program requires. The university has a "Tool for Online Assessment of Skills and Training" to help you identify the  useful transferable skills you already have and what you need to be built up (Schaffarczyk & Connell, 2012). I can help you to map out your individual path to the goals using off-the-shelf courses, your research program and specialist custom training.

Before deciding on the details of your study, stop and consider why:

1. Are you planning a career in academia?
2. Do you want to advance in your profession?
3. Are you simply curious to learn more?

Depending on your answer, different programs might suit. Many embark on a higher degree by research, when coursework might be more suitable. Keep in mind that modern university postgraduate courses are not like school: you can study on-line, in small groups, with work and research integrated learning.

Setting milestones

Time management is essential to university work (and is a skill highly valued by employers). Your program will have some milestones set by the university to monitor your progress.

A research student will normally aim to complete a literature review one quarter the way through their program, then a thesis proposal after the first third and have conducted the research ready to write up two thirds through. Students undertaking a professional doctorate, or a Masters, will be spending less time on research, but with similar proportions for a literature review, thesis proposal, research and write up. Coursework masters students will undertake the same process in as little as twelve weeks.

The targets set for graduate programs are broad and designed to be flexible. You will need to set further detailed targets, where you will aim to have achieved measurable, useful tasks.

University is not a matter of sitting waiting for inspiration. A good university program is designed like a computer program: top-down. You need to start by thinking about what you want to have achieved by the end of your studies and work back to see how to get there. You will be encouraged to use tools such as the Graduate Information Literacy Skills Audit, to see what skills you have and what is needed. Your supervisors will help you map out the detail of courses and activities will be needed to achieve your goals.

Your time and resources are limited and need to be applied most efficiently to reach the goals.
As a computer professional, I will emphasize the use on-line facilities to keep in touch with you. You may never need to visit the campus, but most students will be on-campus for at least part of their time. In any case personal contact is important, face-to-face, or on-line. Success rarely comes from sitting alone. You will be encouraged to team up with other students in your own discipline and across the university.

Narrow technical skills are of little value if you are unable to communicate with colleagues and clients. The university offers extensive optional courses in formal writing, presenting and in business skills. I will be encouraging you to make full use of these courses, to make your coursework and research more productive.

Documenting Your Progress

Employers will want evidence from you of what you did at university and this is more than just a copy of your degree. You will need to collect evidence of the skills you have gained at all stages of your study. Higher degree students will normally prepare a thesis.

While not required for most programs, I will encourage you to also produce a portfolio of work undertaken, often called an "e-Portfolio" where you list all courses undertaken, with samples of work (Manathunga, 2004). The milestones set provide a useful starting point for this portfolio.

Also in your portfolio I will encourage you to  include extra-curricular activities relevant to "generic" skills, such as oral presentation, teamwork, and leadership. Examples could be materials produced in non-assessed courses, awards for presentations, certificates from a university sporting team, or your commission in the university regiment.

Writing and Other Skills

In supervising your research I will not be alone. There will will be at least three supervisors: a senior academic, myself and another. In addition there are educational and technical specialists to assist. But in the end a successful university higher degree depends on you. One of the most important skills is academic writing. It is not the job of your supervisors to teach you how to write, this is a skill which has to be learned in formal coursework and by practice.

As well as the usual university courses in your topic, there are courses on skills to help your study and in your future career. These are generally not-assessed, being purely for your own benefit and available to enrolled students at no extra cost. I will be encouraging you to round out your more formal studies with these courses.

The university provides a "How to Learn: Student guide to Free training at The ANU", detailing free courses and services for students of the university. The services offered go beyond the usual how to use a computer and include topic design, thesis writing and supervision, project management. There are also podcasts and the Postgraduate and Research Students' Association (PARSA) has additional "Resources for Distance Students".

The ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre provides courses of value to coursework and research students. There is also the ANU Pro Vice-Chancellor (Innovation) Graduate Program and Innovation ACT, for learning to turn your ideas into products.

Providing Feedback

You will receive formal feedback on the milestones set for your programa and feedback from individual supervisors. The long term nature of postgraduate research, in comparison to self-contained semester courses, requires a different form of feedback (East, Bitchener & Basturkmen, 2012). At times your supervisor's feedback will seem frustratingly cryptic, this is not done out of a lack of interest, but based on years of experiencing and research which shows that too much "help" does not help the student.

What you must do

The college has a detailed  Self Assessment Guide to help you determine what is the right program for you. Also there is a college Pre-application Process to make the formal application the with the Application Manager a little easier.

The Research School has a database of project topics. You don't have to choose one of these, but it might help with choosing an area of interest and give some ideas. Your topic will be refined over the course of your studies.

References

East, M., Bitchener, J., & Basturkmen, H. (2012). What constitutes effective feedback to postgraduate research students? The students’ perspective. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 9(2), 7. Retrieved from http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol9/iss2/7/

Manathunga, C., Lant, P., & Mellick, G. (2007). Developing professional researchers: research students’ graduate attributes. Studies in Continuing Education, 29(1), 19-36. doi: 10.1080/01580370601146270 Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01580370601146270

Schaffarczyk, S., & Connell, L. (2012). Graduate Research to Research Career: Transferable Skills Training Models. 2012 Quality in Postgraduate Research Conference, 111.  Retrieved from http://goo.gl/zowTN

Sinclair, M. (2004). The pedagogy of'good'PhD supervision: A national cross-disciplinary investigation of PhD supervision. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20060828062332/http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/07C6492B-F1BE-45C6-A283-6098B6952D29/2536/phd_supervision.pdf#page=7

The Australian National University. (2012). Academic Programs and Courses Accreditation. Retrieved from http://policies.anu.edu.au/policies/academic_programs_and_courses_accreditation/policy

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