Events

Culminating NATA Event

NATA project leaders and project manager hosted a final event for the NATA project at the USQ Toowoomba campus on Firday the 12th of December 2014. Those unable to attend in person were invited to participate via blackboard collaborate. The seminar highlighted the work done by the NATA and the key outcomes of the project. Specifically the seminar explored:

• Understanding different networks in higher education – what is available to you and what benefits do they offer?
• Strategies for making networks work - maintaining momentum and member engagement by creating a dynamic and sustainable network
• Understanding how to lead networks - research-informed principles and strategies
• Taking on a leadership role in your network - why you should consider doing this, and
• Practical resources on networking and network leadership – access to guides and other resources (guides & other resources).

Dr Shelda Debowski was a guest presenter and discussed leading academic associations and her HERDSA Guide on the topic compiled as part of her involvement in the NATA.

The presentation slides from the event can be accessed on SlideShare here

Good Practice Report eResource Launch

A preview (Webinar) for the eResources was held on Tuesday 10th of December 2013 running for one hour. All members of the Australasian Tertiary Sector were invited to participate in the Webinar  hosted by Netspot. GPR authors Professor Mike Keppell and Professor Janice Orrell were key speakers at the launch and the first GPR eResource was showcased. The completed GPR eResources can now be found here on the NATA website. 

 

Presentation at Lilly Conference, Newport Beach, California

Friday 21st February, 2014

Presentation Abstract: Effectively disseminating the outcomes and experiences of funded learning and teaching projects is a challenge in any learning context. The development and dissemination of 11 Good Practice reports commissioned by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) and the Australian Government’s Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) between 2004 and 2011 illustrate this issue. The reports, written by topic experts collated funded learning and teaching projects, providing findings and recommendations back to the sector. Whilst offering great potential to influence practice through the evidence-based findings, dissemination issues highlighted the problematic nature of sharing learning experiences in a dispersed educational environment.

 

NATA Symposium Presentation

ascilite, Wednesday 4th December, 2013

Symposium Overview

• About NATA
• NATA Activities
• Emerging Themes
• Importance of Communication
• ACODE Project Overview
• ascilite Project Overview
• Network Leadership
• Key Resources

NATA Project Event

The NATA Project Event happened on the 6th of November at the University of Queensland in Brisbane with the first one hour session streamed online.

The day had three key objectives:

1. Improve the understanding of NATA and its possible relevance to the work and professional practice of attendees
2. Improve awareness of key challenges and success factors for effective network leadership
3. Stimulate discussions about sustainability and how NATA may be able to return future benefit to the sector

The day was facilitated by the NATA project leaders, Professor Mike Keppell, Executive Director of the Australian Digital Futures Institute and Gordon Suddaby, Higher Education Consultant. Representatives from the NATA partner associations, including ACODE, ascilite, CADAD, HERDSA, ODLAA, AARNet and Netspot attended and contributed to the days proceedings. Anne Flynn, Director of Awards and Networks and Lindy Baker from the OLT also attended the day.

The event began at 11:00am and concluded at around 3:30pm in the afternoon with lunch provided for those who attended. The day was broken down into three key sessions.:

Session 1 - NATA Activities & Achievements
This session focused on providing a brief overview of the development and journey of the NATA before exploring some of the Key Activities engaged in by NATA. These included the promotion of the Good Practice Reports, research in the area of Network Leadership and the development of Projects led by NATA Partner Associations.

Session 2 - Exploring Emerging Themes & Issues
In this session Anne Flynn provided a short address about the history of OLT's support for networks such as NATA. This was followed by a group discussion based around the followig 4 themes:

1. Leadership: How do you support good leadership within your association?
2. Dissemination: Is dissemination a barrier to good practice in tertiary education?
3. Network Communication: What are the key challenges to network communication?
4. Member Engagement: How is member engagement best supported?

Session 3 - Future Possibilities
This session was rather unstructured but began with an overview of the NATA project evaluation approach as well as some of the key findings that have emerged through that evaluative process. A facilitated discussion about the future and sustainability of the network explored the following questions:

1. How could our association potentially benefit from on-going collaboration?
2. What are the possible forms of on-going collaboration? Learning from the experiences of other networks.
3. What would members like to see from further collaboration?
4. In what ways could a continuing NATA provide value back to the sector?

Q-PEN Forum

Q-PEN Forum,  September 25th, 2013. Gordon Suddaby represented NATA in a discussion about network leadership and lessons for network leaders as part of the Q-PEN Forum.
HERDSA Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 1-4 July (Showcase Presentation).

Gordon presented a Showcase Presentation titled 'A space for discussion, collaboration and advocacy in tertiary education' on behalf of the NATA team. Feedback indicated low awareness of the Good Practice Reports within the sector. However, one attendee from an Australian University did say that they had used the principles from the Technology-enhanced Learning and Teaching Report as the basis for the development of their University's new media/technology strategy.

Ascilite webinar - Good Practice in Technology-enhanced Learning and Teaching, 26th February, 2013

An opportunity to talk with the ascilite community (approx. 20) about the ALTC Good Practice Reports with particular attention on the Technology-enhanced Learning and Teaching Report that we developed together in 2011.We also discussed the development and value of the report as well as providing an overview of the NATA and its relationship with ascilite.

Evaluation Meeting, 19th February, 2013

 Met with Tom Prebble to discuss the development and progress of the NATA.

Ascilite Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, November 25-28, 2012 

Mike and Gordon presented a symposium at the ascilite Conference in Wellington, New Zealand. The symposium titled 'Exploring the Challenges of Network Leadership in Australasian Tertiary Associations' attracted a small but engaged audience who provided some critical feedback on the project.

NATA Member F2F Workshop, Sydney, October 16 & 17, 2012

Evaluation Meeting, 5th September, 2012

Met with Tom to discuss key ideas, assumptions and suggestions about the project that Tom had shared with us.

Evaluation Meeting, 9th July, 2012

Meeting with Tom Prebble - Project Evaluator to discuss evaluation role and activities. 

HERDSA Conference, Hobart, Tasmania, July 2-5, 2012

• Participate in Roundtable Discussion with PENS, Wednesday 4th July, 10am-11am, Federation Ballroom, TATAL 3 - Chancellor Room,
• Meet with HERDSA executive members to discuss the NNI strategy.

European Distance and E-Learning Network - Eden Conference, Porto, Portugal, 6-9 June, 2012

• Keppell, M.J., Suddaby, G. & Hard, N. (2012). Assuring Best practice in technology-enhanced learning Environments. European Distance and E-Learning Network, EDEN Conference, Porto, Portugal, 6-9 June. (Paper and Presentation).
• Keppell, M.J., & Suddaby, G. & Associates (2012). Engaging Academics in Learning and teaching: The National Networking Initiative. European Distance and E-Learning Network, EDEN Conference, Porto, Portugal, 6-9 June. (Poster Presentation).

DEANZ Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, April 11-13, 2012

• Keppell, M.J., & Suddaby, G. (2012). Engaging academics in learning and teaching: The National Networking Initiative, Distance Education Association of New Zealand, DEANZ Conference, 11-13 April, Wellington (Paper and Presentation).

• Keppell, M.J., & Suddaby, G., Hard, N. (2012). Operationalising good practice in technology-enhanced learning and teaching, Distance Education Association of New Zealand, DEANZ Conference, 11-13 April, Wellington. (Workshop).

59Mins@FLI, Charles Sturt University Webinar, April 20, 2012

Mike Keppell introduced the NNI to the CSU community, explaining its establishment, operations and objectives for the sector (Presentation).

National Networking Initiative Sydney Symposium, January 23 & 24, 2012

• Presidents of Peak Higher Education Professional Associations met to discuss issues of collaboration, sustainability and role of the NNI to engage more strongly with members in the higher education professional associations.
• Proved to be valuable in ‘getting all partners onto the same page’ and created a trustful, transparent and conducive working basis for the NNI. Partner organisations were enthused with the possibilities of the network and were motivated to devote time and resources to the project. In particular the vision, mission and objectives were refined as well as strategies to achieve the objectives. The collaborative principles were also refined. All aspects of the project were discussed including the involvement of partners, communications strategy and budget.
• Attendees: Mike Keppell (Project co-leader and CSU) Gordon Suddaby (Project co-leader and Massey), Helen Carter (ACODE), Caroline Steel (ascilite), Kim Edgar (Netspot), James Sankar (AARNET), Trish Andrews (ODLAA), Denise Chalmers (CADAD), Shelda Debowski (HERDSA), Lindy Baker (OLT) (Mon 9.30am-3.30pm; Tues 9.30am-3.30pm) Marguerite de Sousa (OLT) (Mon 9.30am-3.30pm), Suzi Hewlett (OLT) (Tues 11.30am-12.15pm), Karen Halley (ACODE), Maree Potter (NNI operational team and CSU)

National Networking Initiative Teleconference, December 19, 2011

• The meeting provided an overview of the role of the NNI including the draft vision, mission and objectives. 
• From this initial teleconference a series of action items were established to move the Network forward to the face-to-face meeting in Sydney.
• Attendees: Mike Keppell (CSU), Gordon Suddaby (Massey), Stanley Frielick (HERDSA), Ian Solomonides (CADAD), Caroline Steel (ascilite), Helen Carter (ACODE), Rod Sims (ODLAA), Alan Christie (Netspot), James Sankar (AARNET), Karen Halley (ACODE), Maree Potter (NNI operational team).

ACODE Executive Meeting, Sydney, December, 2011 

Engaged with the ACODE Executive about the NNI, providing and overview of the project and its role.

Ascilite Conference, Hobart, December 4-7, 2011

• Engaged with Ascilite executive regarding the NNI in a pre-conference Executive Meeting.
• Keppell, M.J., Suddaby, G. & Hard, N. (2011). Operationalising Good Practice in Technology-Enhanced Learning and Teaching. ascilite 2011 Hobart, Tasmania (Workshop).