Title: Innovative ICT to improve student learning support: the case of an Austral-Asian University

Authors: Hartmut Hoehle, David J. Pauleen, Eusebio Scornavacca

Addresses: School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand. ' School of Management (Albany), Massey University, Private Bag 102 904, North Shore Mail Centre 0745, Auckland, New Zealand. ' School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract: This paper investigates the influences of information and communication technologies (ICT) on student learning advisers in their jobs and communication with students at an Austral-Asian University. The findings indicate that emergent technologies such as e-mail, instant messaging applications, mobile technology and VoIP have had a significant impact on student learning advisers| jobs, positively influencing the communication between students and learning advisers. It was also found that each communication channel has inherent capabilities that fit with certain types of learning tasks – and clash with others. This study concludes with a discussion of the findings, considers implications for practice, and suggests directions for future research.

Keywords: ICT; information technology; communications technology; student communication; learning support; student support; innovation; Austral-Asian universities; Australia; Asia; higher education; learning advisers; emergent technologies; electronic mail; e-mail; instant messaging; mobile technology; VoIP; voice protocols; internet; world wide web; communication channels; inherent capabilities; learning tasks; learning technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLT.2010.037308

International Journal of Learning Technology, 2010 Vol.5 No.3, pp.289 - 309

Published online: 02 Dec 2010 *

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