"Online E-Journal: A Web-based Teaching Methodology"

The E-Journal methodology has been developed to enhance the link between theory and its application to technical skills-development within the design and engineering disciplines.

The online E-Journal adopts the metaphor of a technology journal and approach, offering a fortnightly release of six discreet issues throughout the semester.

Each E-Journal issue comprises a unique theoretical topic and related set of activities to help contextualise the learning. Alternate weeks comprise face-to-face tutorials and development of group-based case studies in which student groups develop their own unique virtual reality worlds.

Each issue of the E-Journal contains a front-page summary matrix linking to the following issue-specific features and activities:

Article: Students read article summaries and full PDF articles (including links to further research information).

Editorial: Students research topical question posed in the Editorial cell of the matrix, and contribute reflective submissions to the Editorial page of site.

Tutorial: Students undertake the online tutorial to gain technical skills in the relevant technology for application in the case studies (e.g. utilising virtual reality software: Cosmo World).

Case Studies: Students work either individually or in small groups to develop their own unique case study projects - integrating theoretical knowledge from Articles/Editorial and practical skills gained from both online and face-to-face tutorials. Works-in-progress are submitted to the Case Studies page of the relevant E-Journal issue, along with reflective comments and insights.

The E-Journal methodology utilises a constructivist learning environment, offering a problem-centred, activity-based approach that encourages cooperative group learning and reflection. Theoretical learning is contextualised to the students' unique case study projects and disciplines. The E-Journal also offers both horizontal and vertical learning perspectives. That is, the navigation has been designed to allow quick access to the progression of outcomes across the full spread of issues, or conversely, the ability to drill down into each specific issue.

This exemplar has been selected for inclusion for the following reasons:

• It represents a learning design that is underpinned by a constructivist perspective, encouraging students to construct their own knowledge via an activity-based approach that supports cooperative group learning and reflection.
• It illustrates the use of an interesting teaching and learning approach in the design and engineering disciplines.