Professor Andrea Chester has held the roles of Dean of the School of Education and Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, L&T at RMIT. She has 20+ years’ experience in tertiary education and for much of that time has taught in the discipline of psychology. Her research interests focus on social capital in academia, with explorations of how relationships can enhance learning. Recent studies include peer observation of teaching for staff, peer mentoring for students and engaging staff and students in mutually beneficial partnerships.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2013
ABSTRACT This article describes the process of implementing a teaching innovation, the interteach... more ABSTRACT This article describes the process of implementing a teaching innovation, the interteaching model, in a second-year psychology course. Interteaching is an evidence-based model that uses guided independent learning and reciprocal peer-tutoring to enhance student engagement and learning. The model shifts the focus from lectures to tutorials: lectures follow tutorials and focus on material identified by students as difficult. As such, the model reconceptualises the roles of students, lecturers and tutors. Qualitative data, analysed by thematic analysis and summarised in this article, suggest that this innovative model of learning has implications for staff workload, particularly in the first implementation, for staff perceptions of their roles, and for how staff renew their conceptualisation of their learning objectives and content. An iterative cycle of review is emphasised by staff who are continuing to revise the interteaching model to best meet the needs of both students and staff.
ABSTRACT As Australia endeavors to sustain growth of its international education industry, there ... more ABSTRACT As Australia endeavors to sustain growth of its international education industry, there have been major concerns regarding the experience of international students. This review examines the international student experience in Australia, particularly issues surrounding study?work?life balance (SWLB), acculturation, health, and well-being. The current university initiatives of pastoral care services and peer mentoring are evaluated and noted to be underutilized by students. Consequently, an internationalized, university-wide peer-mentor-embedded classroom initiative is proposed. While attempting to overcome the main methodological issues identified, future research is invited to test whether such an initiative is effective in producing positive acculturation, SWLB, health and well-being outcomes for both international and local students. http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/Z6PadIjEfpBSiwNwe55D/full
ABSTRACT Peer review of teaching is a collegial process designed to help academics reflect on and... more ABSTRACT Peer review of teaching is a collegial process designed to help academics reflect on and improve their teaching practice. Considerable research supports the value of peer review of teaching. However, uptake of voluntary programs is typically low. Few studies have examined the predictors of engagement in voluntary peer review. This study surveyed 221 (106 female, 115 male) academics in the first year of implementation of a peer review of teaching program at a large dual-sector university. Results supported the impact of four key variables on willingness to engage in peer review of teaching: the perceived benefits of the program, an individual's perceived need for support around teaching, perceived drawbacks of the program and career-related benefits. Level of teaching experience was related to willingness to engage: staff with moderate levels of teaching experience were most willing to participate in the program. Limitations of the study are noted and recommendations for peer-review programs are provided.
Design/methodology/approach Students enrolled in a course on the psychology of cyberspace inter... more Design/methodology/approach Students enrolled in a course on the psychology of cyberspace interacted for 12 weeks in a MOO. The experience of being online, navigating around the space and interacting became the content of the course. Students kept a journal reflecting on ...
Recent research suggests that use of social networking sites can be addictive for some individual... more Recent research suggests that use of social networking sites can be addictive for some individuals. Due to the link between motivations for media use and the development of addiction, this systematic review examines Facebook-related uses and gratifications research and Facebook addiction research. Searches of three large academic databases revealed 24 studies examining the uses and gratifications of Facebook, and nine studies of Facebook addiction. Comparison of uses and gratifications research reveals that the most popular mo- tives for Facebook use are relationship maintenance, passing time, entertainment, and companionship. These motivations may be related to Facebook addiction through use that is habitual, excessive, or motivated by a desire for mood alteration. Examination of Facebook addiction research indicates that Facebook use can become habitual or excessive, and some addicts use the site to escape from negative moods. However, examination of Facebook addic- tion measures ...
We describe the development process and completed structure, of a self-help online intervention f... more We describe the development process and completed structure, of a self-help online intervention for bipolar disorder, known as MoodSwings (www.moodswings.net.au). The MoodSwings program was adapted as an Internet intervention from an efficacious and validated face-to-face, group-based psychosocial intervention. The adaptation was created by a psychologist, who had previously been involved with the validation of the face-to-face program, in collaboration with website designers. The project was conducted under the supervision of a team of clinician researchers. The website is available at no cost to registered participants. Self-help modules are accessed sequentially. Other features include a mood diary and a moderated discussion board. There has been an average of 1,475,135 hits on the site annually (2008 and 2009), with some 7400 unique visitors each year. A randomised controlled trial based on this program has been completed. Many people with bipolar disorder are accepting of the Internet as a source of treatment and, once engaged, show acceptable retention rates. The Internet appears to be a viable means of delivering psychosocial self-help strategies.
This paper describes our experience as tertiary teachers (and learners) in cyberspace. A brief ev... more This paper describes our experience as tertiary teachers (and learners) in cyberspace. A brief evaluation of the literature on computer-mediated communication (CMC) is presented, together with a review of the major theoretical positions explaining online interaction. The filtered-...
Education for primary care : an official publication of the Association of Course Organisers, National Association of GP Tutors, World Organisation of Family Doctors, 2015
Traditional face-to-face learning opportunities for Australian GP registrars are complemented by ... more Traditional face-to-face learning opportunities for Australian GP registrars are complemented by the use of e-resources. The current study aimed to investigate GP trainees' use of e-resources and their preferences for sourcing clinical information to inform the prospective direction and design of e-resources for the GP education and training sector. One-hundred and nineteen registrars completed a custom online survey measuring the type and frequency of use of e-resources, and preferences for their design and content. Results indicated that for the majority of registrars e-resources were the first preference for obtaining clinical information (77.3%). The most frequently used e-resources included non-medical search engines, medical journals and prescribing software. Factors relevant to registrars' selection and use of e-resources included the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the information. It is concluded that the use of e-resources provides a valuable supplement to regist...
Scholars have suggested that there are multiple pathways to problematic Facebook use, and each ar... more Scholars have suggested that there are multiple pathways to problematic Facebook use, and each are linked to the types of activities that users engage in. However, these concepts have yet to be empirically explored. The present paper addresses this gap in the literature by presenting a pilot study based on a sample of 59 (50 females, 9 males) problematic Facebook users. Closed and open-ended data were collected using an online survey. Cluster analysis was then used to identify three types of problematic Facebook users: those with high engagement in social activities and browsing, those with low engagement in social activities but high engagement in browsing, and those with low engagement in both social activities and browsing, but moderate engagement in gaming. This paper presents an in depth discussion of the patterns of behavior identified within these clusters. In addition, four potential pathways to problematic Facebook use are proposed: online social enhancement, social monitoring, procrastination, and entertainment. This study contributes to the development of a much-needed theoretical framework of problematic Facebook use, and provides direction for future research.
Background and aims: Recent research suggests that use of social networking sites can be addictiv... more Background and aims: Recent research suggests that use of social networking sites can be addictive for some individuals. Due to the link between motivations for media use and the development of addiction, this systematic review examines Facebook-related uses and gratifications research and Facebook addiction research. Method: Searches of a large academic database revealed 23 studies examining the uses and gratifications of Facebook, and nine studies of Facebook addiction. Results: Comparison of uses and gratifications research reveals that the most popular motives for Facebook use are relationship maintenance, passing time, entertainment, and companionship. These motivations may be related to Facebook addiction through use that is habitual, excessive, or motivated by a desire for mood alteration. Examination of Facebook addiction research indicates that Facebook use can become habitual or excessive, and some addicts use the site to escape from negative moods. However, examination of...
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2013
ABSTRACT This article describes the process of implementing a teaching innovation, the interteach... more ABSTRACT This article describes the process of implementing a teaching innovation, the interteaching model, in a second-year psychology course. Interteaching is an evidence-based model that uses guided independent learning and reciprocal peer-tutoring to enhance student engagement and learning. The model shifts the focus from lectures to tutorials: lectures follow tutorials and focus on material identified by students as difficult. As such, the model reconceptualises the roles of students, lecturers and tutors. Qualitative data, analysed by thematic analysis and summarised in this article, suggest that this innovative model of learning has implications for staff workload, particularly in the first implementation, for staff perceptions of their roles, and for how staff renew their conceptualisation of their learning objectives and content. An iterative cycle of review is emphasised by staff who are continuing to revise the interteaching model to best meet the needs of both students and staff.
ABSTRACT As Australia endeavors to sustain growth of its international education industry, there ... more ABSTRACT As Australia endeavors to sustain growth of its international education industry, there have been major concerns regarding the experience of international students. This review examines the international student experience in Australia, particularly issues surrounding study?work?life balance (SWLB), acculturation, health, and well-being. The current university initiatives of pastoral care services and peer mentoring are evaluated and noted to be underutilized by students. Consequently, an internationalized, university-wide peer-mentor-embedded classroom initiative is proposed. While attempting to overcome the main methodological issues identified, future research is invited to test whether such an initiative is effective in producing positive acculturation, SWLB, health and well-being outcomes for both international and local students. http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/Z6PadIjEfpBSiwNwe55D/full
ABSTRACT Peer review of teaching is a collegial process designed to help academics reflect on and... more ABSTRACT Peer review of teaching is a collegial process designed to help academics reflect on and improve their teaching practice. Considerable research supports the value of peer review of teaching. However, uptake of voluntary programs is typically low. Few studies have examined the predictors of engagement in voluntary peer review. This study surveyed 221 (106 female, 115 male) academics in the first year of implementation of a peer review of teaching program at a large dual-sector university. Results supported the impact of four key variables on willingness to engage in peer review of teaching: the perceived benefits of the program, an individual's perceived need for support around teaching, perceived drawbacks of the program and career-related benefits. Level of teaching experience was related to willingness to engage: staff with moderate levels of teaching experience were most willing to participate in the program. Limitations of the study are noted and recommendations for peer-review programs are provided.
Design/methodology/approach Students enrolled in a course on the psychology of cyberspace inter... more Design/methodology/approach Students enrolled in a course on the psychology of cyberspace interacted for 12 weeks in a MOO. The experience of being online, navigating around the space and interacting became the content of the course. Students kept a journal reflecting on ...
Recent research suggests that use of social networking sites can be addictive for some individual... more Recent research suggests that use of social networking sites can be addictive for some individuals. Due to the link between motivations for media use and the development of addiction, this systematic review examines Facebook-related uses and gratifications research and Facebook addiction research. Searches of three large academic databases revealed 24 studies examining the uses and gratifications of Facebook, and nine studies of Facebook addiction. Comparison of uses and gratifications research reveals that the most popular mo- tives for Facebook use are relationship maintenance, passing time, entertainment, and companionship. These motivations may be related to Facebook addiction through use that is habitual, excessive, or motivated by a desire for mood alteration. Examination of Facebook addiction research indicates that Facebook use can become habitual or excessive, and some addicts use the site to escape from negative moods. However, examination of Facebook addic- tion measures ...
We describe the development process and completed structure, of a self-help online intervention f... more We describe the development process and completed structure, of a self-help online intervention for bipolar disorder, known as MoodSwings (www.moodswings.net.au). The MoodSwings program was adapted as an Internet intervention from an efficacious and validated face-to-face, group-based psychosocial intervention. The adaptation was created by a psychologist, who had previously been involved with the validation of the face-to-face program, in collaboration with website designers. The project was conducted under the supervision of a team of clinician researchers. The website is available at no cost to registered participants. Self-help modules are accessed sequentially. Other features include a mood diary and a moderated discussion board. There has been an average of 1,475,135 hits on the site annually (2008 and 2009), with some 7400 unique visitors each year. A randomised controlled trial based on this program has been completed. Many people with bipolar disorder are accepting of the Internet as a source of treatment and, once engaged, show acceptable retention rates. The Internet appears to be a viable means of delivering psychosocial self-help strategies.
This paper describes our experience as tertiary teachers (and learners) in cyberspace. A brief ev... more This paper describes our experience as tertiary teachers (and learners) in cyberspace. A brief evaluation of the literature on computer-mediated communication (CMC) is presented, together with a review of the major theoretical positions explaining online interaction. The filtered-...
Education for primary care : an official publication of the Association of Course Organisers, National Association of GP Tutors, World Organisation of Family Doctors, 2015
Traditional face-to-face learning opportunities for Australian GP registrars are complemented by ... more Traditional face-to-face learning opportunities for Australian GP registrars are complemented by the use of e-resources. The current study aimed to investigate GP trainees' use of e-resources and their preferences for sourcing clinical information to inform the prospective direction and design of e-resources for the GP education and training sector. One-hundred and nineteen registrars completed a custom online survey measuring the type and frequency of use of e-resources, and preferences for their design and content. Results indicated that for the majority of registrars e-resources were the first preference for obtaining clinical information (77.3%). The most frequently used e-resources included non-medical search engines, medical journals and prescribing software. Factors relevant to registrars' selection and use of e-resources included the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the information. It is concluded that the use of e-resources provides a valuable supplement to regist...
Scholars have suggested that there are multiple pathways to problematic Facebook use, and each ar... more Scholars have suggested that there are multiple pathways to problematic Facebook use, and each are linked to the types of activities that users engage in. However, these concepts have yet to be empirically explored. The present paper addresses this gap in the literature by presenting a pilot study based on a sample of 59 (50 females, 9 males) problematic Facebook users. Closed and open-ended data were collected using an online survey. Cluster analysis was then used to identify three types of problematic Facebook users: those with high engagement in social activities and browsing, those with low engagement in social activities but high engagement in browsing, and those with low engagement in both social activities and browsing, but moderate engagement in gaming. This paper presents an in depth discussion of the patterns of behavior identified within these clusters. In addition, four potential pathways to problematic Facebook use are proposed: online social enhancement, social monitoring, procrastination, and entertainment. This study contributes to the development of a much-needed theoretical framework of problematic Facebook use, and provides direction for future research.
Background and aims: Recent research suggests that use of social networking sites can be addictiv... more Background and aims: Recent research suggests that use of social networking sites can be addictive for some individuals. Due to the link between motivations for media use and the development of addiction, this systematic review examines Facebook-related uses and gratifications research and Facebook addiction research. Method: Searches of a large academic database revealed 23 studies examining the uses and gratifications of Facebook, and nine studies of Facebook addiction. Results: Comparison of uses and gratifications research reveals that the most popular motives for Facebook use are relationship maintenance, passing time, entertainment, and companionship. These motivations may be related to Facebook addiction through use that is habitual, excessive, or motivated by a desire for mood alteration. Examination of Facebook addiction research indicates that Facebook use can become habitual or excessive, and some addicts use the site to escape from negative moods. However, examination of...
This LTIF project took a positive psychology approach to improving wellbeing amongst RMIT student... more This LTIF project took a positive psychology approach to improving wellbeing amongst RMIT students. - with co-authors Dr Kitty Vivekananda and David Towl
Increasing evidence suggests that providing students with both support and academic challenge is ... more Increasing evidence suggests that providing students with both support and academic challenge is important to engagement, achievement, and retention. Effectively engaging and supporting first year students however is an ongoing tension, particularly when cohorts are large and diverse. This session describes a model of peer tutoring embedded in the curriculum addressing both social transition and academic engagement. The peer-to-peer (P2P) model brings later year students into first year classes with the explicit aim of working on key assessment tasks in a context of social support. Data will be presented from a randomised controlled trial evaluating P2P in three disciplines: Psychology, Civil Engineering, and Industrial Design. Results suggest the value of P2P in increasing retention, enhancing academic achievement and improving psychological adjustment in both Psychology and Civil Engineering, but not in Industrial Design. Explanations for different outcomes will be explored. Session outline Presenters (10 mins): Explanation of the P2P model and summary of the outcomes of P2P in Psychology, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design. Group discussion (5 mins): Making sense of the patterns and discrepancies across disciplines-a consideration of qualitative and quantitative data. Paired discussion (10 mins): How could the P2P model be applied in my institution? What cautions are needed? Presenters + Group (5 mins): Drawing together the major themes.
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Peer Reviewed Publications by Andrea Chester