CoCo Research Centre

CoCo, The Centre for Research on Computer-supported Learning and Cognition is an education research centre within the University of Sydney that carries out research into the sciences and technologies of learning.^[1]

CoCo is co-directed by founder, Peter Goodyear and Michael Jacobson. Staff include: Peter Freebody, Peter Reimann, Chun Hu, Lina Markauskaite, Kate Thompson, Agnieszka Bachfischer and Dorian Peters. The Centre leads a graduate program in Learning Science and Technology.

Research Areas

Key focus areas for the centre’s research include:

• The Learning Sciences
• Educational Technology and Networked learning
• Complexity and Systems Thinking
• Meta-literacies
• Pedagogical design and design patterns
• eResearch

History

CoCo was launched in 2004 by professors Peter Goodyear and Peter Reimman. Goodyear was previously Professor of Educational Research at the University of Lancaster and Reimann was previously Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Heidelberg.^[2] The centre has grown from 5 to 40 team members since its inception and includes approximately 70 members including affiliates and externals. Co-director Peter Goodyear was named a Laureate Fellow by the Australian Research Council in July, 2010. This was the first of these fellowships to be given to a researcher in the field of Education.^[3]

Professional Activities

• The centre holds an annual symposium known as the “Learning Technology Research Fest” which offers a forum for presenting new and ongoing research in the sciences and technologies of learning.
• The centre will host the International Conference of the Learning Sciences in 2012.^[4]
• The centre is a member of the Institute for Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education (IISME)^[5]
• Co-director Peter Goodyear is Senior-Editor-in-Chief for the journal Instructional Science ^[6]

Books

CoCo’s contributions to research include a number of books in the field. These include:

• Goodyear, P. & Retalis, S. (Eds.). Technology-enhanced learning: design patterns and pattern languages, by: (2010) Rotterdam, Sense Publishers.
• Jacobson, M. J., & Reimann, P. (Eds.). Designs for learning environments of the future: International perspectives from the learning sciences. (2010). New York: Springer-Verlag
• Ellis, R., & Goodyear, P. (Eds.). Students experiences of e-learning in higher education: the ecology of sustainable innovation. (2010). First published in the Taylor & Francis e-library, (2009); New York: Routeledge
• Freebody, P. Literacy Education in School Research perspectives from the past, for the future. (2007). Camberwell, Victoria: ACER.

References

1. ^ "The CoCo Research Centre". The University of Sydney. http://www.sydney.edu.au/edsw/coco. Retrieved 23 September 2010. 
2. ^ Johnston, M. "E-learning unplugged", Campus Review, 2–8 June 2004, Vol. 14 No 21.
3. ^ "ALTC Fellow wins ARC Laureate Fellowship". The Australian Learning and Teaching Council. http://www.altc.edu.au/July2010-ARC-fellow. Retrieved 23 September 2010. 
4. ^ "Sydney to host 2012 International Conference of the Learning Sciences". The University of Sydney News. http://www.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=5585. Retrieved 23 Sseptember 2010. 
5. ^ "People". Institute for Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education. http://www.sydney.edu.au/iisme. Retrieved 23 September 2010. 
6. ^ "Instructional Science". Springer. http://www.springer.com/education+%26+language/learning+%26+instruction/journal/11251. Retrieved 23 September 2010. 

External links

• CoCo Research Centre website
• Learning Technology Research Fest
• International Conference of the Learning Sciences