Introduction:
Dr. Reeves is my major professor and the research project I will be working on is entitled Authentic activity as a model for web-based learning. This project is in collaboration with Jan Herrington and Ron Oliver from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia. It is partially funded by the Australian Research Council.

Theoretical/Research Background:
Based on research on situated learning, case studies, and problem based learning, researchers have been developing a model of authentic activity by which to guide student learning. Herrington and Oliver (1999) proposed that there are 9 essential elements that comprise an authentic learning activity:

• a single-complex task;
• real world relevance;
• can be integrated across subject areas;
• integrated with assessment;
• ill-defined;
• requires students to define task and sub-tasks;
• provides the opportunity to examine tasks from different perspectives;
• enables students to detect relevant and irrelevant info; and
• provides collaboration opportunities.

The underlying assumption is that authentic learning activities are key to providing students with context-situated, meaningful learning opportunities. This pedagogical approach is believed to provide students with knowledge and skills more robust than provided by direct instruction approaches.

Research aims:
1. Determine if authentic activity is an effective alternative model for web-based university courses (alternative to the traditional instructional information-delivery approach).
2. Identify specific characteristics of authentic activity that facilitate a whole course unit of study that is formulated around a single complex task.
3. Identify factors that contribute to successful use of activity-based online courses.

Methodology:
Fifteen existing web-based courses that meet the at least 6 of the 9 criteria for authentic learning activities will be identified. Interviews will be conducted with authors of the courses, instructional designers, online teachers/tutors, students, university administrators and professional development personnel. The course web sites will be examined in detail to analyze the pedagogy in relation to the authentic learning characteristics. In addition, 10 experts and practitioners will be interviewed on their use of non-web based authentic learning activity.

Data analysis:
Qualitative data analysis will be used for the audio-taped interviews. Case studies will be analyzed individually, and then cross-case analysis procedures will be used to determine similarities between cases and to find common elements.

My role:
In the research project, I will be assisting with the following tasks:
1. Help identify current web-based courses that conform to at least 6 of the 9 characteristics of authentic learning activity.
2. Help collect data in the form of conducting interviews with participants (as defined above).

References:
Herrington, J., & Oliver, R. (1999). Using situated learning and multimedia to investigate higher-order thinking. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 10(1), 3-24.

Web site:
Authentic activity as a model for web-based learning