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There has been encouragement from funders, universities and academics to co-produce research. Co-production of research can be considered a methodology in its own right, or an underpinning set of principles for other methods. Co-production aims to reshape relations between the researched and the researcher. Yet, co-producing research rarely starts with a blank sheet, and is informed by antecedent power as well as prior experiences and expectations. Attention has been paid to practical barriers to co-production, such as time and resources, and there has been critical analysis of the claims made. The 'hidden politics' of co-production as a research approach have also been identified. This paper contributes to debates about such hidden politics of the co-production methodology in research. How leadership in research takes place matters, as it is a way of handling contestation over different aspects of methods, including the purpose and practices of research, and power differentials in co-production. This study was motivated by the experiences of the authors of a co-produced research project on participatory urban governance.

Online learning continues to evolve from computer-based learning to more focus on mobile learning. With this evolution comes the need to develop (and evaluate) instructional strategies effective in mobile learning. This work-in-progress features a description of four innovative instructional strategies adapted from approaches we developed, used, and evaluated successfully in computer-based online learning. These newly adapted strategies--poetweet, photo pairing, reflective mosaic, and the six-word story--all use arts-based approaches. In our past research we found similar strategies developed for online teaching encouraged interaction, enhanced social presence, and facilitated community. This paper features a description of these modified learning activities recreated for the mobile learning environment. We have completed preliminary testing of these newly revised learning activities in m-learning, and in the future we will formally study these to determine if arts-based strategies revised to suit m-learning create the same positive outcomes as were found when we used arts-based approaches in e-learning.

Using the analogy of children's building blocks, the reader is guided through the results of a research study that explored the use of three Artistic Pedagogical Technologies (APTs). "Building blocks" was the major theme that emerged from the data. Sub-themes included developing community, enhancing creativity, and risk taking. The discourse of the paper centers on how selected APTs stimulate interaction, create social presence, and help develop community in the online post-secondary classroom. Additional findings are discussed and implications are presented.

This study explores the effect of the artistic pedagogical technology (APT) called photovoice (PV) on interaction in the online post-secondary classroom. More specifically, this paper focuses on students' perspectives regarding the effect of PV on student to student and student to instructor interactions in online courses. Artistic pedagogical technologies are teaching strategies based on the arts (Perry & Edwards. 2010). APTs use music, poetry, drama, photography, crafts or other visual media as the basis of teaching activities. Photovoice is the purposeful use of selected visual images and affiliated refection questions as an online teaching strategy. Social Development Theory (Vygotsky, 1978) and Janzen's Quantum Perspective of Learning (Janzen, Perry & Edwards, 2011) provide the theoretical basis of the study. The convenience sample included 15 graduate students from the Faculty of Health Disciplines at an online university. Participants completed a 4 month master's course in which PV was used. Data were collected after final course grades were official. Data were gathered using an online questionnaire based on an adaptation (with permission) of Rovai's (2002) Classroom Cohesion Scale (CSS) and Richardson and Swan's (2003) Social Presence Scale (SPS). A follow-up focus group with 6 of the original 15 participants was held. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. This paper focuses on findings from the quantitative data with supportive qualitative comments. Data analysis of the quantitative data takes the form of descriptive statistics. Data analysis of the qualitative data used NVivo software. In sum, the majority of respondents did find that PV had a positive influence on course interactions, but also on their sense of community, comfort in the educational milieu, and on how well they got to know themselves, other learners, and the instructor. Questions for further research are posed. (Contains 1 figure.)

This paper builds upon a foundational paper (under review) which explores the rudiments of the quantum perspective of learning. The quantum perspective of learning uses the principles of exchange theory or borrowed theory from the field of quantum holism pioneered by quantum physicist David Bohm (1971, 1973) to understand learning in a new way. Bohm proposes that everything exists as wholes, rather than as parts, and that everything is connected. Similarly, the quantum perspective of learning proposes that individuals learn in holistic ways as they interact with temporal and in infinitely extending virtual worlds. Further, according to the quantum perspective of learning, learners have infinite potential. In this paper, the quantum perspective of learning is examined utilizing a combination of Schunk's (1991) and Ertmer and Newby's (1993) definitive questions for aligning learning theory with instructional design. These seven definitive questions focus on how learning happens, influential factors in learning, the role of memory, transfer of knowledge, modalities of learning that can best explain the quantum perspective of learning, applicable assumptions, and a discussion of how instruction can be organized to optimize learning. Examples of strategies that facilitate the quantum perspective of learning are provided. (Contains 1 figure.)

How can students in an online classroom of one, often sitting in solitude in front of a computer, experience community? The authors suggest that in part, the answer lies in creating invitational online educational spaces through the use of Artistic Pedagogical Technologies (ATPs), particularly Photovoice (PV) a teaching strategy. A Zen paradox (or Zen koan) discussion is undertaken utilizing Palmer's (2007) six paradoxes of pedagogical design as a framework for understanding how PV creates invitational classrooms through the presence of paradox. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

This descriptive study explored online graduate students' perceptions of effective instructor feedback. The objectives of the study were to determine the students' perceptions of the content of effective instructor feedback ("what should be included in effective feedback?") and the process of effective instructor feedback ("how should effective feedback be provided?"). The participants were students completing health-related graduate courses offered exclusively online. Data were collected via a survey that included open ended questions inviting participants to share their perspectives regarding effective online instructor feedback. Thematic analysis revealed five major themes: student involvement/individualization, gentle guidance, being positively constructive, timeliness and future orientation. We conclude that effective instructor feedback has positive outcomes for the students. Future studies are warranted to investigate strategies to make feedback a mutual process between instructor and student that supports an effective feedback cycle. (Contains 1 table.)

Creating a sense of community in the online classroom is a challenge for educators who teach via the Internet. There is a growing body of literature supporting the importance of the community construct in online courses (Liu, Magjuka, Curtis, & Lee, 2007). Thus, educators are challenged to develop and implement innovative teaching technologies that help create virtual communities. The purpose of this exploratory research project was to document and analyze the students' perceptions of an original interactive teaching technology called photovoice (PV) (Wang, & Burris, 1997). PV was trialed as a teaching strategy in a graduate course on change management. Following the completion of the course, qualitative data was collected from students regarding their experiences with PV. Three key themes emerged from the data: (a) support for course engagement, (b) enhancement of the learning environment, and (c) development of social connectedness. These findings are discussed within the context of an online learning community as described by Rovai (2002a) and the Community of Inquiry Model proposed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000). Finally, research questions that arise from this study are outlined.

Why do nursing and health studies graduate students who are enrolled in online programs decide to withdraw? The qualitative study reported in this paper investigated students' self-identified reasons for withdrawing from an online graduate program in nursing and health studies. The focus of the study was Athabasca Universities' Centre for Nursing and Health Studies (CNHS) online graduate program. Data were collected from program students who initiated withdrawal between the years 1999-2004. Using Rovai's (2002) Composite Persistence Model as a framework for analysis, themes identified from withdrawing students' notice of withdrawal letters are discussed. The major reasons for leaving can be placed into two categories, personal reasons (often related to life or work commitments) and program reasons (usually related to learning style and fit with career). These findings, and the resulting analysis, have implications for online program design and delivery and student support programs. With a better understanding of student reasons for leaving a program of studies, it will be possible to explore which program elements might be altered to improve the experience of online learning. (Contains 1 table.)

As more university courses are offered online educators have much to learn regarding how to use this technology to facilitate effective learning. Some educators have mastered online teaching and are regarded by their students as highly effective. Researchers in this study consulted graduate students who had completed their degrees by online distance learning and asked them describe what they found made certain professors exemplary. Findings reveal that highly effective online instructors challenge and affirm learners. As well, the exemplary online educators establish a clear presence in the virtual classroom and are regarded by students as persons of influence. When the "Community of Inquiry" (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, n.d.) model is used to situate the findings, elements of social, cognitive and teaching presence are evident in the approaches used by exemplary online educators. These study results have implications for the recruitment and selection of new faculty members and for the ongoing coaching and development of current faculty with the overall goal of enhanced quality of online education. (Contains 1 figure.)