This chapter examines empirical data to address the rhetoric of the digital native as a competent and digitally literate learner. The chapter also questions the reality of the notion that a digital delivery platform is easy to navigate and facilitates positive learning experiences. Data from surveys of students studying both on-campus and via distance education (or online) at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), a regional Australian university, provides useful insights into the literacies of digital natives and will help to debunk the myth about digital learning being quick and easy. The findings indicate that most distance education students identified concerns about how technology supported their learning and were frustrated by information and communication technology (ICT) issues. For example, while those classified as digital natives did display high levels of digital literacy, this result was not confined to a particular age group. Interestingly, the students in this sample who could be classified as "digital natives" (under 30 years of age) did not prefer the distance or online mode of study; they preferred to study on-campus (60%). In contrast, the "digital immigrants" (those over 30 years of age) preferred the distance/online mode of study (57%). Both groups showed a high degree of experience with, and confidence in, their ability to engage with the various digital technologies. Evidence presented in this chapter will help universities to put in place appropriate and timely interventions to enable students to develop and apply digital literacies to support their learning. Specifically, guidelines for educators on how best to embed digital literacies into an online pedagogy, and recommendations for establishing effective learning management systems to support online education, are provided. IntroductionTwo interrelated myths arise from Australian higher education's responses to an increased emphasis on technological delivery. One myth stems from the view that tertiary education students are digital natives who have universal and uniform digital experiences. This myth presumes that the technological experiences of these students are homogeneous and linked to a sophisticated knowledge and understanding of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The second myth emanates from the idea that the internet is a panacea for the issues of increasing costs of higher education and increasing demand by students for authentic and interactive learning opportunities. The assumption here is that technology underpinning online learning is quick, easy to use, can be accessed by everyone, and is appropriate for all learning activities.

This paper reports outcomes of a study focussed on discovering qualitatively different ways students' experience problem-based learning in virtual space. A well accepted and documented qualitative research method was adopted for this study. Five qualitatively different conceptions are described, each revealing characteristics of increasingly complex student experiences. Establishing characteristics of these more complex experiences assists teachers in facilitating students engagement and encouraging deeper learning.

The IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference is the second of a series of conferences that will rotate among central locations in IEEE Region 8, Europe, Middle East and North Africa. The theme of this second EDUCON2011 conference will be "Learning Environments and Ecosystems in Engineering Education". It will be hosted by Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Jordan in the period 4

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I n t e r n a t i o n a l P r o g r a m C o m m i t t e eAl-Zoubi A., Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Amman, Jordan Abstract: Practical or laboratory-based learning activities are an important part of engineering and surveying education. Offering such activities to distance education students is both difficult and expensive. Remote Access Laboratory (RAL) concepts and systems are gaining popularity to provide students with access to on-campus rigs or hardware. Such RAL systems are equally versatile in providing on-campus software access to distance students. In the discipline of Surveying and Spatial Science, the RAL system is being used as an avenue for providing GIS software access to distance students. In this study, the effectiveness of RAL based software activities in supporting student learning is investigated as part of a larger study. This project investigates the research question whether RAL-based software activities can address the same learning outcomes as face-to-face practical classes. Data were collected from students' discussion forum and via interviews with teaching staff members. This project provides a clear case in which the use of RAL philosophy and technology has provided more inclusive educational opportunities more efficiently. The key outcomes include that scaffolding the learning journey is essential in the context of RAL activities. The general results that are presented in this paper are transferable to experiments that involve physical hardware. Abstract: Engaging school children early in STEM activities plays an important role in their choice to study engineering in later years. This paper describes a pilot project where Remote Access Laboratory technology at a university is employed in an inquiry-based learning activity with elementary school children in Japan and Australia. Investigation into how RAL technology facilitated collaborative learning in the K-12 demographic was then examined. Children in Japan designed a track that was constructed by their peers in Australia. The Japanese students then navigated the track in Australia with remotely controlled robots using the RAL system. A number of camera feeds allowed the students to observe the robots and the track. Both groups of students, as well as the participant researchers, took part in coconstructed focus group discussions after the event. A thematic analysis indicates that these activities provide students with opportunities for rich learning experiences in science, math and technology. Engaging young children in STEM activities provides a strong pathway to a better understanding of science concepts and ultimately a career in engineering.