Dr Nicola Parker

Riley, S., Li, G. & Parker, N.J. 2011, 'Student Diversity: Widening Participation by Engaging Culturally Diverse Non-Law Students in Law' in Kift, S; Sanson, M; Cowley, J; Watson, P (eds), Excellence and Innovation in Legal Education, LexisNexis, Sydney, Australia, pp. 337-362.
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Parker, N.J. & Berryman, J.M. 2007, 'The Role of Affect in Judging "What is enough?"' in Diane Nahl & Dania Bilal (eds), Information and Emotion: The Emergent Affective Paradigm in Information Behaviour, Information Today, Medford, New Jersey US., pp. 85-95.
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The concept of enough is central to productivity and success in an information-saturated world. In the face of information abundance, the continuous question of "What is enough?" moves beyond a series of quantitative judgments to complex negotiations, which are fluid, highly contextually and personally embedded, and intertwined with affect. This chapter reports on an Investigation that explored enough in information seeking-a concept described by Kuhlthau (2004) as fundamental but under-researched. The role of affect in this Important judgment is highlighted. Empirical findings from the interpretive study indicate that practised information seekers experience enougn in five qualitatively different ways, and show a picture of enough. as generative and exploratory. The findings extend our understanding of the concept beyond Its status as a barrier associated with difficulties, gaps, and stopping, and reveal the importance of affect in information interactions. The research is a useful step toward clarifying a key concept for information seeking in context and exploring the role of affect.

Housego, S.C. & Parker, N.J. 2009, 'Positioning ePortfolios in an integrated curriculum', Education & Training, vol. 51, no. 5/6, pp. 408-421.
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Purpose - This paper discusses the potential and the challenges of successful integration of ePortfolios and graduate attributes into the curriculum. Design/methodology/approach - An argument is presented about the positioning of ePortfolios, and their links to graduate attributes, that draws upon the experiences of working with teachers to design, implement and support effective teaching practices to inform the challenges and opportunities that ePortfolios present for institutions, teachers and business curricula. Findings - The potential of ePortfolios for supporting student learning must be balanced against the difficulties of embedding the necessary curriculum changes. Institutions expecting to see take-up of ePortfolios by their teachers will need different strategies than those that accompanied the introduction of Learning Management Systems. Research limitations/implications Ô++ Based on experiences in an Australian context and a small-scale trial. The limited availability of studies of student learning and the longitudinal use of ePortfolios in the social networking Web 2.0 context. The practicality of implementing the approach suggested when resources are constrained. Practical implications Ô++ A range of potential uses of ePortfolios is considered with a particular focus on seeing their use from the whole-of-program viewpoint, with discussion of the limitations for curriculum if decisions about ePortfolio use are left entirely to teachers to decide. Originality/value Ô++ The papersÔ++ value is in its argument about the potential for linking ePortfolios to an integrated curriculum by addressing a common problem with the process of embedding of graduate attributes, and in suggesting a role for changed assessment practices to make this possible.

Harvey, M., Luzia, K., Brown, N., McCormack, C., McKenzie, J.A. & Parker, N.J. 2012, 'Connecting quality learning and teaching with sessional staff standards: the BLASST project', Research and Development in Higher Education: Connections in Higher Education, 35th HERDSA Annual International Conference, Hobart, Australia, July 2012 in Research and Development in Higher Education: Connections in Higher Education, ed Brown, N ; Jones, S, Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Incorporated (HERDSA), http://conference.herdsa.org.au/2012/.
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Abstract of short conference presentation Research and Development in Higher Education: Connections in Higher Education

Parker, N.J. 2012, 'Connecting Postgraduate Coursework StudentsÔ++ Experiences of Research Learning with Success', Research and Development in Higher Education: Connections in Higher Education, 35th HERDSA Annual International Conference, Hobart, Australia, July 2012 in Research and Development in Higher Education: Connections in Higher Education, ed Brown, N ; Jones, S, Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Incorporated (HERDSA), http://conference.herdsa.org.au/2012/program_full.html.
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Discusses two longitudinal case studies of highly achieving postgraduatesÔ++ experiences of learning through their own research and enquiry processes in an information and knowledge management subject. This learning involved an interplay and Ô++balancingÔ++ of personal research processes and boundary decision making throughout

Parker, N.J. & Waite, K. 2010, 'ATN Assessment Conference 2010 - Assessment: Sustainability, Diversity and Innovation', UTS, Sydney, November 2010.
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The Annual Assessment Conference for the Australian Technology Network of universities Included International Keynote Speaker, non-refereed and refereed papers, and conference proceedings - ISBN 978-0-646-54662-9 Electronic location: www.iml.uts.edu.au/atnassessment Nicola Parker and Katrina Waite were co-convenors. Proceedings

Anderson, T.K., Parker, N.J. & McKenzie, J.A. 2009, 'Assessing Online Collaboratories: A Peer Review of Teaching and Learning', ATN Assessment Conference, Melbourne, Australia, November 2009 in Assessment in Different Dimensions: A conference on teaching and learning in tertiary education (ATN Assessment Conference, RMIT University), ed Milton,J., Hall, C., Lang, J., Allan, G. and Nomikoudis, M., Learning & Teaching Unit, RMIT, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 7-16.
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This paper presents action research informed by Peer Reviews of innovative assessment in a `fully blended+ undergraduate Communications subject. The assessments, the teachers+ intentions for student learning and the process and outcomes of two rounds of review will be discussed. Assessment is the crux of a subject for students and teachers, and the paper will show how `conversations about teaching+ as part of a Peer Review process can enhance assessment. The assessment that was the focus of the review involves collaboratories in which students use wikis to build on collaborative knowledge production about emerging technologies. Peer Reviews focused on the strategies used to encourage greater student-directed and managed participation in the construction of the wikis and associated student-moderated online discussions. The first round identified ways that the assessment criteria could be more specific and distinct in relation to the subject+s themes and practices. The second round specifically focused on the assignments that flowed from the collaboratories. One motivation for this teacher to engage in the project was the need to make the assessment more sustainable.

McKenzie, J.A., Pelliccione, L. & Parker, N.J. 2008, 'Developing peer review of teaching in blended learning environments: Frameworks and challenges', Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, Melbourne, Australia, November 2008 in Hello! Where are you in the landscape of educational technology? Proceedings ascilite Melbourne 2008, ed Atkinson, R. and McBeath., C., Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 622-627.
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The growth of blended learning environments in higher education has emphasised the need for better ways of describing and recognising good teaching that promotes student learning in these environments. Although the affordances of e-learning technologies have long been discussed, there has been little emphasis on developing systematic processes for recognition of good teaching in blended learning environments and developmental feedback for academics. This paper reports on work in progress on a two year ALTC project in which teams across the ATN universities are developing a scholarly framework and a sustainable process for peer reviews through a co-productive, action research approach.

Parker, N.J. 2004, 'Assignment information processes: what's 'enough' for high achievement', ISIC 2004: the 5th Information in Context Conference, Dublin Ireland, March 2004 in ISIC 2004: the 5th Information in Context Conference, ed Wilson, T; Rodriguez, J;Macevicuite, E;Hepworth, M, Prof Tom Wilson, Uni of Sheffield, internet, pp. 1-2.
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Summary of a research note delivered at the conference

McKenzie, J.A., Parker, N.J. 2011, 'Peer review in online and blended learning environments', Australian Learning and Teaching Council, pp. 1-75.
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This is the report of a project which used an action research approach to develop and test a scholarly framework for peer review in online and blended learning environments in higher education. The report includes a literature review, methodology, framework description, description of trialing and analysis of themes from interviews with trial participants. It draws conclusions about possible approaches to using peer review for promotion.