Course design

By Miranda Prynne, 30 November, 2021

Keeping it real: bringing practical dimensions into online teaching

Advice on bringing real world practical training into the online classroom through case studies

Pamela Henderson sets out how to bring real world training into the online classroom by developing effective simulated case studies, based on her experience teaching law

By Miranda Prynne, 14 December, 2021

How to support academic staff starting the journey of decolonising the curriculum

Advice on supporting academics staff in taking their first steps towards decolonising curricula

How do you support the endeavours of academic staff and build student voice into an institution-wide effort to decolonise the curriculum? Mhairi Taylor and Nighet Riaz share lessons from the University of Glasgow’s action plan

By dene.mullen, 7 December, 2021

Universal design for learning: an introduction and getting started

Universal design for learning involves creating courses that all university students can use effectively

UDL offers ways to plan teaching and learning to accommodate diverse students and help learners develop the self-efficacy they need to be successful, says Dara Cassidy

By Miranda Prynne, 21 December, 2021

Creating worthwhile multiple choice questions for higher education assessment

Advice on designing worthwhile multiple choice questions for higher education assessment

Multiple choice questions are often frowned on as an assessment tool in higher education. But when well constructed, they offer a clear and transparent way of evaluating student progress, as Anthony Evans explains

By dene.mullen, 4 October, 2021

How AI and chatbots can deliver personalised career planning

Chatbots can be vital tools for university careers services, with one-to-one discussions set to become a thing of the past

The development of careers chatbots could be considered a threat to guidance practitioners, but the reverse is true, says Caroline Tolond

By Miranda Prynne, 16 December, 2021

Building student identities as learners, not consumers, for better academic outcomes

Advice on developing students' identities as learners rather than consumers of their higher education

Students who think and act like consumers have worse academic outcomes, research shows. Louise Taylor Bunce shares practical steps to help build students’ identities as learners rather than as consumers of education

By dene.mullen, 3 December, 2021

Using technology to revolutionise the way you evaluate

Using immersive tech, such as augmented reality, can revolutionise assessment in universities

Even amid the great shift online, assessment methods have often remained mired in the traditional system, says Monica Francesca Contrino

By dene.mullen, 30 November, 2021

How to make sure assessment practices are as authentic as possible

Practical and authentic assessment is crucial for students hoping to show employers what they're capable of

We all want employers to be confident that students have the skills to do the job. And these skills still require assessment, it’s just done a little differently, says Paula Reilly

By Eliza.Compton, 8 December, 2021

What to do when technology fails: an educator’s survival guide for online classrooms

Man with a laptop computer over his head and a Help! sign

Jack Wang offers seven solutions to common tech problems during online teaching – from slow internet connection to lack of resources

By dene.mullen, 29 November, 2021

Turn the marking process on its head by using ‘reverse grading’

University lecturers should use reverse grading to turn the grading process on its head

Davita Günbay explains how reversing the narrative between ‘what I got’ and ‘what I was given’ can help learners engage and take responsibility for their learning

By Miranda Prynne, 1 December, 2021

Recommendations for incorporating and guiding peer assessment in the classroom or online

Advice on using peer assessment to encourage deeper student learning

Claudia Hernández and Karla Banda offer practical advice on how to incorporate and direct productive peer assessment among students

By Miranda Prynne, 23 December, 2021

Students as reflective practitioners: a personal development journey

Advice on guiding reflective practices among students as part of their university curricula to aid their professional and personal development

Professional development is often taken for granted and seldom well embedded into university curricula. Alexandra Mihai looks at how intentional learning design can help make it an integral part of students’ learning experience

By dene.mullen, 23 November, 2021

Vivid language: teaching online students to assess writing

Teaching students to self-assess their written work as a crucial academic skill

Audra Spicer explains how online classes can provide opportunities to make student self-assessment visual, engaging, immediate and comprehensible

By Miranda Prynne, 30 November, 2021

So, you want to take the grades out of teaching? A beginner’s guide to ungrading

Advice on practical considerations when ungrading

Susan D Blum shares her key recommendations for anyone wishing to remove grades from their teaching, in order to focus their students’ energies upon learning

By Miranda Prynne, 17 December, 2021

Foster mentorship skills to create the socially responsible leaders of the future

How to set up university mentorship schemes to support students to become the socially responsible leaders of the future

Institutions should look to set up mentorship practices that help students develop the skills they will need to create successful and sustainable companies. Laura-Jane Silverman explains how

By Miranda Prynne, 7 December, 2021

Using meta-reflection for professional development: how to tap into the full potential of online discussion forums

Advice on guiding meta-reflection among students to get the most out of class discussion forums

Adrian Lam offers guiding questions and prompts that help students reflect on their own ways of thinking and working to aid their professional growth

By Miranda Prynne, 20 December, 2021

Using community-based research projects to motivate learning among engineering students

Insight on how community based research projects can motivate students as their apply their learning to real world problems

Trithos Kamsuwan explains how community-based research projects can be used to motivate students, creating opportunities to apply principles they have learned in class to solve real-world problems

By Miranda Prynne, 2 December, 2021

Feedback rather than ranking: how to start ungrading in order to improve learning

Advice on implementing ungrading to improve student learning outcomes

Katharine Johanesen explains how to replace traditional grading with self-assessment and feedback throughout a course in order to improve learning outcomes

By dene.mullen, 22 November, 2021

How to deliver healthcare education in a hybrid world

Medical training has had to adapt quickly to the shift online

Hannah McGee explores solutions to address the unique challenges that universities face in preparing healthcare students for frontline roles

By dene.mullen, 16 November, 2021

Immersive tech in teaching and learning: first steps into the metaverse

Virtual and augmented reality can provide powerful experiences for university students, and they are probably not as hard to create as you think

Virtual, augmented and mixed reality can provide powerful experiences for students, and it’s probably not as difficult as you think. Neil McDonnell provides simple, practical advice

By Miranda Prynne, 23 November, 2021

Equity, agency and transparency: making assessment work better for students and academics

Advice on designing and delivering more authentic, equitable and transparent assessment and feedback

Carol Evans explains how to design assessment and feedback practices that are authentic and deepen students’ learning and confidence in the long term

By Miranda Prynne, 10 December, 2021

Studying sustainability by applying systems thinking to news stories

How to apply systems thinking to sustainability related news items as a way to educate students about the SDGs

A guide to framing, modelling and acting on sustainable development issues highlighted in the news, shared by Cameron Guthrie

By Miranda Prynne, 24 November, 2021

Assessment design that supports authentic learning (and discourages cheating)

Advice on designing assessments that encourage students to show off their learning in authentic ways

Catherine Wehlburg shares tips for creating a learning environment and assessment design that encourages authentic learning and reduces the temptation to cheat

By Miranda Prynne, 17 November, 2021

Co-creation and empowerment: pathways to better student engagement

Advice on creating equitable pathways to better engage all students regardless of background or prior knowledge

Effective approaches universities can take to promote equity and improve student learning outcomes and employability, shared by a team from the University of Salford

By Miranda Prynne, 18 November, 2021

Developing a growth mindset and experimenting for better teaching outcomes

Advice on how developing a growth mindset and experimenting can result in better teaching

Catherine Seeds explains how a growth mindset and willingness to experiment should be embraced as powerful teaching tools

By Eliza.Compton, 26 November, 2021

Embodied learning: how to bring movement into the classroom, and why it matters

Female students looking at phone outdoors illustrating embodied learning

Susan Hrach offers practical advice on using physical activity and outdoor space to enhance learning

By Miranda Prynne, 18 November, 2021

How to develop partnerships that offer students real-world learning experiences

Advice on developing external partnerships which create opportunities for real world learning

Rhianedd Smith shares insight on how to collaboratively create real-world learning experiences for students with professional partners

By Miranda Prynne, 25 November, 2021

How to revitalise student knowledge exchange with local communities

How co-creating an ‘umbrella’ programme can help institutions innovate student knowledge exchange and improve engagement with local communities and businesses, a team from Queen Mary University of London explain

By Miranda Prynne, 22 November, 2021

Putting the case: campaigning documents as assessments on vocational degrees

Advice on using campaign based assessments in higher education

Russ Woodward looks at the merits and practicalities of using campaign-based assessments on vocational higher education courses

By Miranda Prynne, 27 October, 2021

Building identity and belonging among students

Advice on why and how to build a sense of identity and belonging among students for better learning outcomes

Proactively building students’ sense of identity and belonging is vital for positive learning outcomes, explains Blake McKimmie. In this video, he gives advice on how it can be achieved

By Miranda Prynne, 15 November, 2021

Developing virtual experiential learning: key takeaways

Advice on creating virtual fieldtrips to complement in-person teaching

Well-designed virtual experiential learning could have far-reaching useful applications. Here three academics share lessons from developing effective virtual tours and field trips during the pandemic

By Miranda Prynne, 12 November, 2021

Creating a ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to Curriculum Design’

Advice on creating a "Hitchikers Guide" to curriculum design

Russell Crawford explains how to create a ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to Curriculum Design’ that pools all relevant information to support everyone involved in working towards positive student learning outcomes

By dene.mullen, 21 October, 2021

The dos and don’ts of creating a large-scale sustainability module

Sustainability modules can be crucial for universities

Rachel Lander, Sylvia Snijders and Gustavo Espinoza Ramos discuss lessons learned from creating a sustainability module that’s taken by 600-plus students per year

By Miranda Prynne, 29 October, 2021

Fostering interdisciplinary learning in large-scale doctoral programmes

Corina Sas highlights key insights for design and delivery of large-scale doctoral training programmes that foster supportive and cooperative interdisciplinary learning environments

By miranda.prynne, 21 October, 2021

Three steps to designing online learning that supports a sustainable future

Advice on creating short online courses that help drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals

Lizzy Garner-Foy offers practical guidance on how to plan, design and develop open, accessible online learning materials that support work towards the SDGs

By miranda.prynne, 20 October, 2021

Creating advice videos to help students and support your teaching

Advice on developing advice resources in the form of short videos for students

Nicholas Morton tackles five basic questions about creating advice videos designed to help students easily source guidance and information when they need it

By miranda.prynne, 22 October, 2021

Co-creating with students: practical considerations and approaches

Advice on how to effectively bring co-creation with students into your teaching practices

Stacy Katz explains how to develop meaningful learning experiences by collaborating with students, rather than determining for them

By miranda.prynne, 15 October, 2021

Using films to encourage reflection and critical thinking in your teaching

Advice on using films to support your teaching

Noam Schimmel shares advice on how to leverage the pedagogical and emotive power of films to support your teaching

By miranda.prynne, 12 October, 2021

Engaging students in applied research to tackle Sustainable Development Goals

How to ensure online teaching benefits the education of sustainability issues

Jen O’Brien describes a pedagogical project that engages students in applied research carried out in partnership with external organisations, related to the Sustainable Development Goals

By miranda.prynne, 26 October, 2021

Preparing students for an uncertain future through career planning

Advice on getting students thinking about and preparing for their future careers

Lessons in engaging students in future career planning and preparation as part of their university studies, shared by Stephen Warrington, Katherine Cameron and Matt Vickers

By miranda.prynne, 5 October, 2021

A framework for building capacity in digital teaching and learning

Consideration for how to build your digital capacity to enhance student learning outcomes

Dale Johnson presents a framework to help institutions decide where to focus their efforts in the use of digital systems and resources to enable student success

By miranda.prynne, 13 October, 2021

Using productive failure to activate deeper learning

Manu Kapur explains how using a flipped-classroom approach, setting students problems that they are unable to tackle properly until they have been taught the associated concepts, deepens their learning through ‘productive failure’

By miranda.prynne, 11 October, 2021

Collaborative learning cases: a fresh approach to applied learning

Insight on a new approach to training students in applied learning from the medical school team at NUS

A group of medical educators introduce a new teaching model being used to improve students’ ability to apply learning in clinical or real-world settings through collaborative work on specific cases

By Eliza.Compton, 24 September, 2021

Creating opportunities to enhance student employability online

Figure at the top of a ladder illustrating skills for career progression, online learning

Working online presents opportunities for students to develop their employability in the digital space. Ruth Donnelly lists how remote programmes can prepare them for the changing workplace

By miranda.prynne, 28 September, 2021

Embedding social impact considerations into business programmes

Advice on how to get business school students engaging with wider societal issues as part of their programmes

Ridhima Aggarwal shares effective strategies for fostering a deep understanding of how business and society are interlinked and embedding social impact considerations within business school teaching

By miranda.prynne, 1 October, 2021

Serious play: building knowledge with Lego bricks

Advice on how LEGO can facilitate learning across many disciplines in higher education

Using Lego blocks to aid brainstorming has migrated from boardrooms into university classrooms. This guide explores how to get the most out of it in your teaching – whether virtual or on campus

By miranda.prynne, 15 September, 2021

Listen to this! Using podcasts for online learning

Advice on why and how to use podcasts to supplement your online teaching

Emily O’Reilly explains why and how to use educational podcasts to supplement your online teaching

By miranda.prynne, 13 September, 2021

Fake news, educated views and how-tos: social media for teaching and research

Advice on using popular social media platforms to support your university teaching and academic research

Terese Bird shares her ideas on how to use some of the most popular social media platforms to support your teaching and research

By miranda.prynne, 3 September, 2021

Place-based learning in digital universities

Webinar discussion how to reduce student drop out rates in the context of the pandemic and online learning

A discussion of how the exploration and understanding of a place can be the backbone of higher education teaching and learning, whether delivered online or in-person

By miranda.prynne, 20 September, 2021

Designing back from the future: building scenarios to engage students with global challenges

How to use design methods such as scenario building to guide students in tackling real world challenges

Anke Schwittay shows how design methods such as scenario building can help students think creatively about diverse challenges and imagine responses to them

By miranda.prynne, 25 August, 2021

Teaching the skills wanted by employers in 2021 and beyond

Advice on working with employers to develop courses that teach the skills needed in the workplace

Dilshad Sheikh makes a case for universities to work more closely with employers to shape industry-relevant courses and expose students to more real-world practical training and assessment

By miranda.prynne, 20 August, 2021

Flexi-learning on a shoestring

Four Australian academics discuss how universities can deliver quality flexible teaching and learning on already stretched budgets

By miranda.prynne, 19 August, 2021

Cultivating creativity in higher education

Academics from the UK and the US discuss the role of creativity in higher education, its many forms and how to foster it through teaching and research

By miranda.prynne, 27 August, 2021

Virtual classroom connections: enhancing three presence elements via online tools

Three benefits of moving final year assignments online

Nguyen Hoang Thuan and Pham Cong Hiep provide practical tips for enhancing three types of presence – teaching, social and cognitive – in online learning and teaching, based on their research

By miranda.prynne, 23 August, 2021

Guiding students to learn from each other through peer feedback

A framework for guiding students in effective peer review to boost their learning outcomes

Sam Evans and David Collett share a framework to guide students in effective peer review to boost learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 18 October, 2021

How to teach online with voice only

Advice on why and how teaching using your voice only can be effective to reach remote students

Yutthana Srisavat explains why and how he adapted his teaching to instruct using just his voice via a messenger app, as a way to keep classes accessible to remote students

By miranda.prynne, 7 October, 2021

How to use digital simulations to prepare students for future careers

Advice on using digital simulations to prepare students for workplace challenges

Stephanie West advises on how institutions should use digital simulation technology to train students in practical, real-world skills, based on her experience in healthcare courses

By miranda.prynne, 8 September, 2021

Designing ‘knowledge checker’ quizzes that motivate students to review feedback and revise learning

Advice on developing regular quizzes that test students' understanding so they can address any gaps in their knowledge

Jonathan Sim advises on designing regular quizzes as a tool to ensure students review their assignment feedback and address gaps in their understanding

By miranda.prynne, 2 September, 2021

Teaching with Lego: using plastic bricks to encourage play and interaction in class

Advice on using lego to support active learning in lectures

Dan Swanton explains how using Lego to demonstrate and apply lessons in class promotes play and interaction leading to better engagement and peer discussion as part of active learning design

By miranda.prynne, 26 August, 2021

How to assess if online tools will enhance learning experiences

Advice on selection ed-tech tools that will improve the students' learning experience rather than distract from teaching

Elizabeth Ellis offers five tips for assessing and selecting digital education tools that will improve rather than distract from your teaching

By miranda.prynne, 12 August, 2021

Making space for creativity in higher education

Guidance on building space into curricula for creative exploration and discussion of topics

Paul Moss explains why and how university tutors should create opportunities for creative exploration among students within their courses

By miranda.prynne, 20 August, 2021

A pedagogy of kindness: the cornerstone for student learning and wellness

Advice on developing a pedagogy with care and compassion at its core

Fiona Rawle outlines a pedagogy founded on human connection, care and compassion that improves student learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 12 August, 2021

How to embed creativity more fully into university curricula

Advice on designing university curricula that nurture creativity

Gareth Loudon highlights five key strategies to enhance student creativity through university curricula that encourage exploration and enquiry

By miranda.prynne, 17 August, 2021

New modes of practicum – synergising online and offline teaching modes

Advice on moving practical application based teaching to online formats

Rohnii Tse provides insight on how teaching the practical application of a subject can be adapted to work via online or remote channels

By miranda.prynne, 2 September, 2021

Relationship building among globally diverse students in a borderless university

Advice on fostering fruitful relationships between students from all over the world

Monika Foster offers insights into why and how to encourage relationship-building between global learners by celebrating diversity and encouraging collaboration in teaching, learning and assessment

By miranda.prynne, 24 August, 2021

Generating immersive, large-scale teaching experiences in video games

Advice for designing and building immersive, large-scale teaching experiences in video games

Richard Fitzpatrick and Thomas Little offer insights for designing and developing immersive learning experiences using video games, based on their experience using Minecraft in their teaching

By miranda.prynne, 9 August, 2021

Students as educators: the value of assessed blogs to showcase learning

Advice on using blogs to showcase and assess students' knowledge

Matt Davies explains how assessed blogs help translate the thrill of interactive learning into tangible outcomes that enrich and showcase students’ knowledge

By miranda.prynne, 3 August, 2021

Connecting research and humanities through creative collaborations

Advice on establishing creative collaborations between students in different disciplines to further their learning

Allison Schwartz explains how creative collaborations between students in different disciplines can offer opportunities to gain “real world” experience and apply their knowledge in new contexts

By miranda.prynne, 7 September, 2021

Stay in the frame: how to persuade students to keep cameras on in lessons

Advice on explaining to students why they should keep their cameras on during online classes

Paul Moss shares advice on how to convince students that making themselves visible during online classes is in their own interest and will aid learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 19 August, 2021

Creating time and space for reflection in undergraduate research methods

Advice on why introducing time for reflection deepens undergraduates understanding of research methods

Adrian Lam offers insights on how keeping a weekly application diary helps enhance students’ reflections on the power and limits of research methods

By miranda.prynne, 18 August, 2021

Taking challenging courses requiring step-by-step instruction online

Advice for taking a course like maths requiring detailed step by step instruction online

Pam Benz offers tips for translating challenging courses, which necessitate students seeing problems worked out step by step, to online instruction modes

By miranda.prynne, 5 August, 2021

Creative writing to hone critical thinking

Creative writing activities that help students develop their critical thinking skills

Parag Dandgey shares creative-writing activities designed to improve students’ critical-thinking skills by developing their understanding of multiple perspectives

Reading time

4minutes

By miranda.prynne, 30 August, 2021

How challenging can my content be?

An overview of how cognitive load can be used to determine how challenging your learning content can be before it risks alienating students

Paul Moss explores the concept of cognitive load as a way to determine how challenging your learning content should be to remain effective

By miranda.prynne, 26 July, 2021

Online review exercises to improve student performance in large courses

Advice on how online review exercises can be used to improve student performance

Online review exercises, used in combination with other learning activities, improve student engagement and learning performance in large online courses, Peng Cheng and Rui Ding explain

By miranda.prynne, 16 August, 2021

Using tech to train students in creative problem-solving 

Advice on working with employers and leveraging technology to train students in creative problem solving

Alison Watson explains how institutions can guide students in developing creative solutions to real-world problems, better preparing them for the demands of the future workplace

By miranda.prynne, 29 July, 2021

Embedding peer support among students in large online lectures

Advice on facilitating peer support among students in large online lectures

David Quinn explains how strategies that work in person to facilitate active participation and peer support among students can be adapted to large online lectures

By miranda.prynne, 2 August, 2021

Three video techniques for increasing student engagement

Three tips for making instructional videos that support better student engagement

Joe Arton shares three evidence-based techniques for creating teaching and learning videos that will improve student engagement and learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 13 August, 2021

Make yourself presentable

Advice on training students in presenting

Richard Gratwick sketches a course designed to develop students’ presentation skills, whether in person or online, using principles that are universal

By miranda.prynne, 29 July, 2021

Big-class energy: how to get large groups learning by doing, not just listening

Advice on teaching big classes by getting students doing rather than listening

Charlie Reis shares advice on successfully teaching large cohorts by getting students actively involved in learning activities rather than passively listening

By miranda.prynne, 6 August, 2021

Gamification in the classroom: what have we learned?

Lessons from testing gamification strategies in online teaching

Shuhan Li and Olivia Sun share what they learned when testing out gamification strategies and technologies to tackle some of the challenges presented by online learning

Reading time

3minutes

By miranda.prynne, 30 July, 2021

Creative ways to boost student learning through community-based projects

Advice on getting students involved in community projects which boost their learning experience in creative and practical ways

Jamie Darwen explains how community projects offer creative and practical ways to enhance student learning and shares advice on building successful partnerships outside the university

By miranda.prynne, 4 August, 2021

Developing an educational app to engage students in the world around them

Advice on developing an educational app to link students learning to the world around them

Niki Vermeulen and Kate Bowell describe a creative approach to place-based learning involving an app that offers educational walking tours linking students’ studies to the world around them

By miranda.prynne, 20 July, 2021

Teaching at scale: reaching all your students in large classes

Advice on teaching large classes to try and keep all students actively engaged in learning

Heather McQueen explains how lecturers can fulfil their responsibility to facilitate learning for all students, particularly in large classes where individual student contact is minimal

By miranda.prynne, 15 July, 2021

How to develop inclusive reading lists for distance and blended learning

Advice on creating accessible inclusive reading lists for students

Jude Wilson offers advice on how academics can work with their university library teams to ensure course reading lists are accessible and inclusive for all students

By miranda.prynne, 21 July, 2021

Enabling staff-student co-creation of experiential learning at scale

Advice on selecting the right ed-tech tools to support your teaching and learning

Simon Riley and Gavin McCabe share a reflective learning and assessment framework for staff and students to co-create experiential learning that is scalable and effective

By miranda.prynne, 19 July, 2021

Pandemic teaching: storm clouds and silver linings

Advice on recognising the pros and cons of online teaching and what to bring forward after covid

Glenn Geher talks through the highs and lows of teaching during a pandemic and the lessons we can learn from them

By miranda.prynne, 23 July, 2021

Striving for imperfection: introducing randomness into virtual experiments

Why and how to introduce random error into virtual experiments

Rachel Martins explains how she introduced random error into her lab simulations when teaching online physics, to better replicate real-world experiments for her students

By miranda.prynne, 24 August, 2021

Five reasons why primary sources should be used for teaching

Why primary sources are so important as a learning tool

Seth Cayley explains why primary sources are a powerful learning tool to help students gain a better understanding of current events and hone critical-thinking skills

By miranda.prynne, 16 July, 2021

Group work: improving communication, participation and dynamics

Advice on methods that help improve group dynamics by encouraging communication

Jonathan Sim offers three methods for facilitating effective group work by improving participation and communication between student peers

By miranda.prynne, 22 July, 2021

How to engage students when some are in the room and some are on Zoom

Tips on how to engage students when your class is split between those studying in-person and those learning via zoom

Flower Darby offers practical tips for keeping all students engaged when teaching a class in which some students are with you in person and others are learning remotely via a teleconferencing platform

By miranda.prynne, 14 July, 2021

Playing the field: how virtual field trips can benefit student learning now and in future

Theresa Mercer and colleagues explain how to develop virtual field trips that support in-person learning, boost accessibility and help future-proof teaching against unforeseen challenges

By miranda.prynne, 6 July, 2021

The future of education in the real world: five shifts to consider for building a better learning environment

Advice on designing higher education to make the most out of in-person teaching alongside online instruction

Kyriaki Papageorgiou outlines shifts in higher education that should help academics in designing more effective teaching and in recognising what areas need in-person instruction and what can be done online

By miranda.prynne, 2 July, 2021

Never waste a good crisis: what to keep from pandemic teaching strategies

Advice on what online teaching strategies developing during the pandemic should be kept long term

Flower Darby talks through the digital teaching skills and tools that instructors should hold on to, even after returning to campus, to enhance student learning and success

By miranda.prynne, 7 July, 2021

Collaborating with employers to create work-ready graduates

Collaborating with employers on courses to train work ready graduates

Paula Reilly explains how universities can work with employers and students to shape curricula and courses that better prepare graduates for the future workplace

By miranda.prynne, 23 June, 2021

Campus webinar: Innovative teaching

As we emerge from the pandemic, what innovations in online teaching have come about in the last year? Four experts in digital and teaching innovation from the UK and US discuss effective ways of teaching that harness new technological tools

Reading time

60minutes

By miranda.prynne, 5 July, 2021

Three tips for a future of hybrid teaching

Advice on how to approach hybrid teaching to overcome key challenges

Brad Chan offers three tips for making hybrid learning work for all, based on his experience teaching languages

By miranda.prynne, 29 June, 2021

Instructional design advice: how to translate your academic knowledge into an effective online course

Advice on creating an online course from an instructional designer

Instructional designer Marcello Crolla talks through the basics of how to create effective, engaging online courses

By miranda.prynne, 13 July, 2021

Upgrade your explainer videos with stock footage

Advice on using stock footage in instructional videos for teaching

Kelvin Ke Jinde offers a step-by-step guide to creating instructional videos to support your teaching with the help of stock footage

By miranda.prynne, 17 June, 2021

Solving future problems today: Making HyFlex learning work for all

Advice on developing effective HyFlex teaching for the longterm

Trent Montgomery shares the key considerations for developing effective hybrid flexible teaching that will boost universities’ educational offering in the long term

By miranda.prynne, 12 July, 2021

Monitoring student engagement via online teaching tools

Advice on using the VLE tools to monitor student engagement online and focus support efforts

Maurice Kinsella and colleagues offer practical advice on using the virtual learning environment (VLE) tools to monitor student engagement and focus support efforts where they are needed

By miranda.prynne, 22 June, 2021

Co-creation of curricula with students: a case study

An example of how co-creation of curriculum content with students can work

Eric Tsui outlines a method he uses to enhance student learning through the co-creation of new scenarios for curriculum development in their discipline

By miranda.prynne, 18 June, 2021

High tech and high touch: designing a bridging system to help students prepare for STEM studies

A case study on creating a bridging system to help students prepare for STEM courses at university

Karin Avnit, Victor Wang and Prasad Iyer describe how combining technology-supported learning with targeted face-to-face instruction helps ensure all students start university with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed

By miranda.prynne, 11 June, 2021

It’s a game changer: using design thinking to find solutions to the Sustainable Development Goals

Advice on using design thinking to engage students in developing real world solutions to sustainability challenges

Rachel Bickerdike explains how using design thinking to find solutions to the Sustainable Development Goals can open up a new world of social entrepreneurship for students

By miranda.prynne, 9 June, 2021

It’s not you, it’s me: taking responsibility for student engagement and interaction

Proactive steps educators should take to better engage students in online learning

Maia Forrester and Ian Lee share lessons in boosting student engagement and interaction when teaching online, based on their experience training medical educators

By miranda.prynne, 10 June, 2021

How to design unforgettable class activities that help students learn better

Designing teaching activities which trigger an emotional response making key lessons easier to remember

Jonathan Sim shares teaching techniques designed to pique the emotions as a way to lodge key lessons more firmly in students’ memories

By miranda.prynne, 8 June, 2021

Making the most of online educational resources: a case study

Advice on using existing online resources to support your teaching

Pascal Grange explains how online educational resources can be used to complement teaching and enhance students’ opportunities for learning

By miranda.prynne, 14 June, 2021

Designing postgraduate education as a means of sharing and developing academic and professional knowledge

Advice on designing online postgraduate courses that intersect the academic and professional worlds

Gill Aitken and Tim Fawns explain how to design online postgraduate courses that operate at the boundaries of the academic and professional worlds

By miranda.prynne, 3 June, 2021

Boosting student motivation through course design

Using self-determination theory to design online courses that boost student motivation

Maurice Kinsella and Niamh Nestor explain how to use self-determination theory as a guide to boost student motivation through careful online course design

By miranda.prynne, 4 June, 2021

More screen time: using instructor-featured video to create connection online

Learn how instructor featured videos can give your remote learning students a much needed sense of connection

Aaron Smith explains why instructor-featured videos are such a powerful tool for keeping remote-learning students grounded and for providing a sense of human connection, based on his research

By miranda.prynne, 28 April, 2021

Building community in the classroom whatever your teaching modality

Three tips for building community in the classroom

Nancy Gleason offers three tips for building community among students whatever your teaching modality

By miranda.prynne, 17 May, 2021

Digital methods of formative assessment that boost learning

Advice on digital methods of formative assessment which aid deep learning

Diana Laurillard presents strategies for effective formative assessment when teaching online

By miranda.prynne, 18 May, 2021

Expectation and compassion: two sides of the coin for successful learning outcomes

Balancing compassion with high expectations for better learning outcomes

Celia Ann Evans explains how instructors can balance compassion with high expectations to guide students to better learning gains

By miranda.prynne, 27 May, 2021

How to foster collaboration among students trained to compete

Advice on fostering collaboration among students more used to competing

Collaboration is a vital life skill but can be challenging after an education infused with competition at every step. Jie Zhang, Qing Ye and Steven Bateman explain how they overcome this when setting group work

By miranda.prynne, 27 May, 2021

The answer is not always the solution: using coaching in higher education

Advice on using coaching to guide students to find their own solutions

May Lim explains why academics should refrain from always giving students immediate answers and instead apply coaching techniques that guide learners to problem-solve and reach their own conclusions

By miranda.prynne, 20 April, 2021

Clarity,  consistency, cohesion and care: the four Cs as a design philosophy for online learning

Advice on applying an effective design philosophy for online courses

Andy Wright describes how a focus on clarity, consistency, cohesion and care results in better online learning design

By miranda.prynne, 26 May, 2021

How to induct students into the flipped-classroom model

Advice on preparing students so they get the most out of the flipped classroom model

Jonathan Sim explains how he has designed learning activities to ensure students complete the preparation work necessary to get the most out of the flipped-classroom model

By miranda.prynne, 20 May, 2021

Designing online courses for better learning and well-being outcomes

Guidance on designing online courses for learning and well-being

Matthew Barr describes how to design and deliver online teaching to support better learning and well-being for students who might otherwise feel isolated and disconnected

By miranda.prynne, 18 May, 2021

Serious play: boosting engagement in online courses through games

Learn how applying game techniques to online learning improves engagement

Dario De Notaris explains how gaming techniques should be taken seriously as a way to keep students engaged in online courses, based on his research into improving Mooc completion rates

By miranda.prynne, 13 May, 2021

Lessons from gamification to enhance students’ capacity for learning

Lessons in how gamification can help drive students' online learning

Oran Devilly and May Lim share lessons from using gaming techniques to help students develop the learning traits needed to benefit from online teaching

By miranda.prynne, 24 May, 2021

Online teaching insights, part five: Online feedback and continuity

Providing useful feedback on online assignments and continuity in course design and delivery

Insights and lessons on effective tools and techniques to improve online teaching, put together by faculty spanning dozens of disciplines at the American University in Cairo

By miranda.prynne, 21 May, 2021

Engaging students in collaborative learning tasks online

Examples of online activities and tools that encourage collaborative learning

Diana Laurillard presents ideas and tools for students to create their own digital products as part of a collaborative learning task

By miranda.prynne, 31 May, 2021

Supporting self-directed learning across cultural boundaries

Self directed learning is effective among Chinese students coming from a different educational and cultural context, research shows

Academics from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University draw on their research showing the Western teaching model based on ‘self-directed learning’ is effective among Chinese students coming from different educational and cultural contexts

By miranda.prynne, 19 May, 2021

Online teaching insights, part four: Course management and recording lectures

Faculty insights and advice on recording lectures and online course management

Insights and lessons on effective tools and techniques to improve online teaching put together by faculty spanning dozens of disciplines at the American University in Cairo

By miranda.prynne, 14 May, 2021

To see or not to see: managing the complex issue of Zoom cameras

How to encourage the use of zoom cameras in online classes

Many students opt to keep cameras turned off in online classes, which makes building authentic connections more difficult. Celia Ann Evans shares strategies for encouraging the use of cameras without making it a requirement

By miranda.prynne, 10 May, 2021

Applying the Conversational Framework using an online learning design tool

Diana Laurillard talks through how to use a free online learning design tool which applies the Conversational Framework to build courses using the six key learning types

By miranda.prynne, 7 May, 2021

Online teaching insights, part two: participation and breakout rooms

Insights on tools and techniques to improve online teaching from dozens of faculty at the American University in Cairo

Insights and lessons on effective tools and techniques to improve online teaching put together by faculty spanning dozens of disciplines at the American University in Cairo

By miranda.prynne, 3 May, 2021

Developing an explorer mindset to build resilience

How to build resilience by taking on an explorer mindset

Portia Hickey explains how developing an ‘explorer mindset’ can help faculty and students build resilience by moving from fear to curiosity

By miranda.prynne, 4 May, 2021

Online teaching insights, part one: social connection and listening

Insights and lessons on effective tools and techniques to improve online teaching, put together by faculty spanning dozens of disciplines at the American University in Cairo

By miranda.prynne, 16 April, 2021

Supporting collaborative learning among remote students through peer review

How to teach students the value of collaborative working through peer review processes

Diana Laurillard talks through how to use peer review as a way to foster active, collaborative learning among students online

By miranda.prynne, 23 April, 2021

How to use visual media to spur inquiry-based learning online

How to use visual media to spark inquiry based learning online

Nataša Lacković talks through an image-based concept inquiry cycle she has developed to use visual media as a learning tool online

By miranda.prynne, 19 April, 2021

We are not alone: using participatory group activities to engage students in sustainability

How to use group participation activities which are used in stakeholder engagement projects in order to teach a better understanding of sustainability issues

Natalie Kopytko and Susannah Sallu detail how participatory activities used for stakeholder engagement can help motivate students to learn about sustainability online

By miranda.prynne, 21 April, 2021

How to teach through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals

Using the SDGs as a lens through which to teach multiple topics and subjects

Terry Sunderland offers insight on how the Sustainable Development Goals can provide a useful framework to guide students’ learning across multiple disciplines

By miranda.prynne, 29 April, 2021

Fostering module consistency to aid learning

Maintain a level of consistency throughout an online course to aid student learning

Maurice Kinsella and John Wyatt explain how to keep a level of consistency throughout course modules that helps students achieve the desired learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 7 April, 2021

Anonymous polling platforms to boost student confidence, engagement and inclusivity

Using anonymous polling platforms in online teaching to boost student participation

Students are often reticent to speak up in front of large groups online, but when offered anonymous ways to share thoughts and feedback, most are keen to participate. Christina Stanley explains how to put this to good use

By miranda.prynne, 9 April, 2021

Using learning technologies to enhance students’ professional communication skills

How learning technology can help build students employability skills

Learning technology offers an opportunity to embed useful workplace skills training into university courses, as Kyle Bowen and Allison Hall explain

By miranda.prynne, 17 March, 2021

Assessing your assessment: creating inclusive and meaningful assignments

How to ensure your online assessment is accessible and relevant for all students

Online teaching has forced a major rethink of exams, so how can academics ensure they make the new-style assessments accessible and relevant to all students? Kimberly Wilder-Davis explains

Reading time

4minutes

By miranda.prynne, 25 February, 2021

Well-being pedagogies: activities and practices to improve the student experience online

Wellbeing pedagogies to boost the student experience online

With many concerned about the mental health effects of learning remotely, Elena Riva shares helpful practices that can boost student well-being in the online teaching and learning environment

Reading time

3minutes

By miranda.prynne, 15 April, 2021

Virtual language learning through synchronous and asynchronous teaching

Advice on teaching languages online both via synchronous and asynchronous teaching models

Theresa Perales and Kelly Metz-Matthews outline how synchronous and asynchronous online teaching tools can be used to engage students in new ways that enhance their language proficiencies

By miranda.prynne, 14 April, 2021

Using coaching circles to beat isolation and spur reflexive work

An explanation of how student coaching circles can help improve course learning outcomes

Glen Cousquer explains how coaching circles run by students with their peers can help beat feelings of isolation and guide students to overcome personal or course-related challenges

By miranda.prynne, 12 April, 2021

A blueprint for an engaging and student-centred online degree  that works 

Advice to develop student-centred online teaching

Sue Brown and Karalee Dwyer explain how to approach online education to ensure it is not just an adaptation from face-to-face delivery but purpose-built for better learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 5 April, 2021

Lessons on improving online teaching from a survey of students in Hong Kong

Lessons in improving online teaching and learning from a survey of Hong Kong students

A survey of students in Hong Kong highlighted concerns relating to the efficacy of online teaching. Ka Ho Mok runs through key lessons for universities looking to improve their digital education

By miranda.prynne, 30 March, 2021

Developing internship opportunities for students online

How to set up virtual work placements for students to gain real world experience online

Lecturer Dorothy Kwok offers three strategies institutions can take in setting up digital work placements and industry projects to ensure students get real-world experience when learning online

By miranda.prynne, 26 February, 2021

Asynchronous discussions – how and why

Advice on getting the most out of asynchronous discussions when teaching online

Asynchronous discussions facilitate deeper reflection and critical thinking about course content. Paul Moss explains how to ensure such online discussions benefit all students on their learning journey

By miranda.prynne, 9 March, 2021

Lessons in developing digital capability courses for students

Advice on developing digital capability courses that help students learn online

Gunter Saunders explains how to design courses that engage and incentivise students to gain the digital skills they need to flourish in the online learning environment and beyond

By miranda.prynne, 10 March, 2021

Using virtual reality to enhance learning

Advice on how you can use virtual reality in your online teaching to enhance the digital learning experience

Neil McDonnell explains how academics can use virtual reality platforms to enhance student learning experiences now and post-pandemic

By miranda.prynne, 16 March, 2021

Five simple ways to recreate the practical sides of teaching online

Five steps to moving practical learning online

It can be a challenge to shift physical elements of teaching online. Eoin Coakley shares five approaches to recreating the experience of in-person learning for remote students

By miranda.prynne, 25 March, 2021

A multi-pronged approach to deterring contract cheating in online assessment

Breaking online lectures down into chunks aids learning outcomes

The essay mills industry is booming in response to student demand. Irene Glendinning explains how universities must respond with a range of actions, not one quick fix

By miranda.prynne, 23 March, 2021

Guiding learning by activating students’ inner feedback

How to guide students to assess and feedback on their own work to improve online learning

David Nicol explains how students can be guided to make comparisons and feedback on their own work, rather than relying on instructor comments, for improved learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 25 March, 2021

Rethinking assessment in line with the changing world of work

Advice on redesigning assessment in the digital space, to test skills needed in future careers

Sarah Montano offers insight on redesigning assessment in the digital space to test the skills students will need in their future careers

By miranda.prynne, 24 February, 2021

Planning assessment to promote academic integrity online

How to design online assessment to promote academic integrity

Instructors can minimise the opportunity for academic misconduct through careful online assessment design. Sarah Eaton shares five approaches to online assessment that promote academic integrity

By miranda.prynne, 24 March, 2021

Course learning outcomes: how to create them and align them to assessment

Identifying the building blocks that make up your knowledge

Paul Moss explains how to structure online courses to build students’ knowledge methodically towards set learning outcomes and skills that should themselves be used to shape assessment

By miranda.prynne, 18 February, 2021

Teaching humanities from a distance

Jessica Lee and Tamara Mann Tweel describe how they went back to basics when designing their humanistic online course, focusing on one-to-one mentoring and transformative texts

By miranda.prynne, 4 February, 2021

Developing students’ digital skills through online learning

Developing students' digital literacy skills

Digital skills are key to the future employability of most graduates. Jo Coldwell-Neilson advises on how to embed digital literacy training into all aspects of online higher education

By miranda.prynne, 13 January, 2021

Efficient communication that avoids overloading students or staff

Basic principles for keeping digital communications clear and concise to avoid information overload for students

Constant upheaval has left many university staff and students feeling overwhelmed. Wendy Zajack talks through basic principles for keeping digital communications clear and concise to avoid information overload

By miranda.prynne, 22 February, 2021

Using digital scholarship to enhance public engagement

Using digital scholarship for public engagement

Having been pushed to the sidelines of academia for too long, public engagement projects can take a central role in digital courses, furthering students’ learning and reaching wider audiences, explains Warren Stanislaus

By miranda.prynne, 10 March, 2021

How to re-energise your online classroom and inspire creativity

Advice on how to spark remote students' creativity through innovative online teaching assignments

Sparking creativity among students learning remotely via a screen can be challenging, so Constanza Pacher offers advice for shaking up ideas via online media

Reading time

4minutes

By miranda.prynne, 12 March, 2021

Sparking entrepreneurship online

How to support entrepreneurship among students via digital channels

Laura-Jane Silverman describes how LSE’s entrepreneurship centre created continued opportunity for innovation, collaboration and personal development among students after moving online

By miranda.prynne, 19 March, 2021

Leading with humanity in your online classroom: Tips beyond tech

Advice on ensuring the human side of teaching is not lost in the move to online education

How to ensure the human side of teaching is not lost and that pedagogical practices promoting care drive decisions when instructing online, from research by Mary Candace Raygoza, Aaminah Norris and Raina León

By miranda.prynne, 15 March, 2021

Get serious about humour in your online classroom

Advice on incorporating humour into your online teaching to keep students engaged

Humour can be a great way to grab and hold students’ attention. Abha Ahuja and Trang Nguyen outline ways to introduce more laughter into online classes

Reading time

3minutes

By miranda.prynne, 23 March, 2021

Active, collaborative, authentic: the evolution of teaching post-Covid

How to facilitate active, collaborative, authentic learning online

How to facilitate active, collaborative and authentic learning experiences by using digital tools to enhance teaching now and post-Covid-19

By miranda.prynne, 22 March, 2021

Singing on mute: facilitating practical creative work online

Guidance on how to teach practical, creative subjects online

Rebecca Berkley shares lessons on creating an immersive, inspiring digital learning environment to teach practical and creative subjects online

By miranda.prynne, 17 February, 2021

Developing academic writing skills to boost student confidence and resilience

Developing students academic writing skills

Academic writing skills are fundamental to most university courses. Andrew Struan explains how Glasgow has taken a whole-university approach to ensure all students are well equipped to succeed

By miranda.prynne, 3 March, 2021

Bringing teaching and digital together: skills needed to teach online

Sean Morris talks about how academics can foster digital skills in their students and themselves for better online learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 4 March, 2021

DIY learning analytics: using data to improve online teaching

Using learning analytics to enhance digital teaching delivery

Jennifer Lawrence explains how to use small-scale data analytics to monitor student progress and improve digital teaching delivery

By miranda.prynne, 29 January, 2021

Boosting student employability through virtual experience

Boosting student employability via digital learning

From digital industry projects to virtual internships, employability can be enhanced online in many ways, but it is how students reflect upon and learn from their experiences that is important, as Dino Willox and Laura-Anne Bull explain

Reading time

4minutes

By stefan.gagov, 22 October, 2020

Think-pair-share: how to structure online classes

When students discuss ideas and learn from one another, they absorb far more, which is the rationale behind the think-pair-share teaching model. Here José Guzman explains how he translated this to the online setting

By miranda.prynne, 21 October, 2020

Negotiated assessment in online teaching – the same learning outcomes measured in different ways

Negotiated assessment boosts student engagement online and lowers the risk of cheating

Authentic assessment is one of the biggest challenges associated with online teaching and learning. Here Katherine Baverstock explains why negotiated assessment engages remote students and lowers the risk of cheating

By miranda.prynne, 4 February, 2021

Use technology to catch students before they fall

Tips on using technology to identify and help struggling students before they fall behind in online courses

Working remotely with no face-to-face contact is a challenge for many students. May Lim and Li Siong Lim explain how educators can use technology to identify and help struggling students before they fall behind

By miranda.prynne, 7 September, 2020

Expert Q&A: Course design with strong pedagogy

Online course design using strong pedagogy

Sophia Strickfaden, eLearning technologist for Colorado Colleges Online, talks through how to design online courses with strong pedagogy

By miranda.prynne, 11 September, 2020

Affecting connecting: High instructor presence through videos

Use videos to boost instructor presence when teaching online

Liza Hita shares important lessons on using videos as a way of boosting instructor presence when teaching online

By miranda.prynne, 23 October, 2020

Transform engagement: Interaction and online course design

Advice on designing online courses with lots of interactive elements boosts engagement

Advice on designing online courses with lots of interactive elements to boost engagement from Michele Hampton, professor at Cuyahoga Community College

By miranda.prynne, 17 September, 2020

Ask the experts: What faculty need to know when designing online courses

Find out what faculty need to know when moving their courses online in this Q&A with Kayla Jutzi, instructional designer at Tulane University

By miranda.prynne, 10 March, 2021

Recommendations on improving digital higher education from Sir Michael Barber’s review – and the resources to help

Propelling higher education to a digital future

THE Campus has worked with the team behind Sir Michael Barber’s digital teaching and learning review to create a toolkit, presenting their key recommendations for improving digital education alongside practical advice and insight from academics to help institutions meet the proposals

By miranda.prynne, 2 September, 2020

Expert Q&A: Ensuring quality online – every learner, everywhere

Penny Ralston-Berg, senior instructional designer at Penn State World Campus, discusses how to ensure quality in digital teaching and learning

By miranda.prynne, 5 November, 2020

Expert Q&A: Engaging students online – every learner, everywhere

Engaging students online when teaching remote courses

Patricia O’Sullivan, project coordinator of academic innovation at the University of Mississippi, offers insight on engaging students in the online environment

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Ask the experts: Evidence-based practices in digital learning

Learn about how and why to apply evidence-based practices to digital learning in this Q&A with Nina Araujo, instructional designer at Northeastern University

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Designing with quality and engagement at the forefront

Designing online courses with quality and engagement at the forefront

Online learning expert Angela Gunder offers advice on how to design digital courses with a focus on quality and engagement

By miranda.prynne, 5 November, 2020

Expert Q&A: Active learning – engage learners across modalities

Engaging learnings across modalities in online classes

Peter van Leusen, director of adaptive and personalised learning at Arizona State University answers questions on how to engage students when teaching across different modalities

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Ask the experts: Evidence-based practices in online teaching and learning

Using evidence based practices in online course design

Find out about using evidence-based practices in online teaching and learning in this Q&A with Ryan Luke, programme director for adaptive learning at the University of Louisville

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Using an adaptive active model to promote student success

Why a flipped classroom approach to online teaching is so effective

Susan Holecheck explains why flipping the traditional classroom teaching model with an adaptive active learning approach has proven so effective at Arizona State University

By miranda.prynne, 5 November, 2020

Expert Q&A: Designing online classes

Brandon Karcher, instructional technology manager at Bucknell University, and Douglas Wilson, instructional designer at Dallas College, answer fellow academics’ questions about how best to design online classes

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Efficient and effective assessment of written work remotely

Hear about some tried and tested methods for effective assessment of written work when teaching online from Sara Clarke and Katy Dumelle of Oregon State University

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Instructor presence: How to engage students through building an authentic ‘voice’

Engage remote students by developing an authentic voice for your online classes

Lessons in how to use an authentic instructor voice to keep students engaged when teaching remotely, from Shannon McCarty of National University

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Instructional videos: Creating multimedia that works for learning

Creating instructional videos that works for remote learning

Best practice in creating instructional videos that efficiently impart knowledge to students learning remotely, from Judy Brooks

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Three questions to ask before using a new digital resource

Three questions to ask when selecting new technology for online teaching

What should educators consider before adopting a new digital resource to support their online teaching? Michael Windelspecht outlines three key questions to ask

By miranda.prynne, 6 November, 2020

Curiosity: Activating internal student motivation when teaching online

Activating internal student motivation through curiosity when teaching online

Appealing to students’ curiosity boosts their motivation to learn. Jose Vazquez explains how educators can use this in their online teaching strategies

By miranda.prynne, 10 November, 2020

Optimise your synchronous online classes

Adapting teaching to get the most out of your synchronous online classes

Teaching online requires adaptations to in-person teaching, whatever your level of experience. Jesper Hansen explains what key changes he has made to his teaching practice to optimise his synchronous online classes

By miranda.prynne, 17 November, 2020

Make virtual learning fun: using ‘break in’ rooms in online teaching

Creating fun, game-like activities as part of your online classes can aid learning, student engagement and collaboration. Shonagh Douglas explains how she has used ‘break-in rooms’ as an effective induction for remote students

By miranda.prynne, 17 November, 2020

Soft skills: how to promote student collaboration in online environments

Promoting student collaboration in online classes

Online collaboration is not an innate skill for most students but something that instructors must cultivate. Hugh McFaul explains how he did this through careful design of the content and assessment on his course

By miranda.prynne, 14 October, 2020

Using 360-degree video to bring online classes to life

Use 360-degree video to create a more immersive digital learning experience

Using 360-degree video can help create a more immersive digital learning experience, making practical aspects of online classes more realistic. Here Jane Frost draws on her experience of training nurses to explain how it can be used

By miranda.prynne, 23 November, 2020

THE Digital Transformation Forum: Reimagining higher education teaching and learning

Reimagining higher education teaching and learning for remote and online courses

Four academics offer practical advice on different aspects of online teaching and learning based on lessons from the rapid pivot to remote courses triggered by Covid-19

By miranda.prynne, 23 November, 2020

A guide to effective digital course design and delivery from four online teaching experts

Research on effective digital course design and implementation

Chrysi Rapanta consolidates the knowledge of four online teaching experts to produce guidance on what pedagogical content knowledge faculty need in order to develop effective digital courses

By miranda.prynne, 30 November, 2020

Managing your online presence

Three remote teaching experts share advice on building an authentic and engaging instructor presence online to support effective communication with students during this ACUE webinar

By miranda.prynne, 30 November, 2020

Planning and facilitating quality discussions

How to plan and facilitate student discussions via online classes

Three online teaching experts share advice on how to foster quality discussions among students online to aid learning during this ACUE webinar

By miranda.prynne, 30 November, 2020

Recording effective microlectures

Two online teaching experts share advice on producing and using effective microlecture videos to keep students interested and engaged with online courses in this ACUE webinar

By miranda.prynne, 18 November, 2020

Take your online teaching outside

Encourage students to take their online learning outside

Being outdoors can offer students and teachers dozens of benefits, from improved learning outcomes to better mental health. Aimée Little talks about taking online classes outside

By miranda.prynne, 9 December, 2020

Using virtual reality to create avatar videos for teaching online

Using virtual reality to record videos with avatars for online classes

Avatars can be a useful tool when recording lectures and classes for online teaching. Kojiro Yano describes how he uses virtual reality to make recording avatar-led online classes easier

By stefan.gagov, 9 September, 2020

How to create an engaging online experience using Microsoft Teams

Learn how to use Microsoft Teams to offer students an engaging online learning experience with David Kellerman, senior lecturer at UNSW

By miranda.prynne, 27 November, 2020

Welcoming students to your online environment

Guidance on creating a welcoming online learning environment for students

Three online teaching experts share advice on creating a welcoming virtual learning environment for students then answer questions about transitioning to remote courses during this ACUE webinar

 

By miranda.prynne, 16 December, 2020

The art and science of online discussion forums

Online discussion forums are an effective way to ensure remote students engage critically with their subjects but require careful thought and planning by instructors, as Karen Srba explains

By miranda.prynne, 30 November, 2020

Engaging students in readings and microlectures

Three online teaching experts share advice for motivating students to read and engage with microlectures online, then answer questions on key challenges during this ACUE webinar

By miranda.prynne, 17 November, 2020

Top online teaching tip: ask your students questions

Asking remote students questions in online classes

Asking students questions during online classes provides insight into what they understand and where they need support. David Martin explains how to do this effectively when teaching remotely

By miranda.prynne, 11 December, 2020

Pausing playback: training students to read and take notes in online classes

How to incentivise students to complete their reading when teaching online

Reading and note-taking are vital to learning, but are too easily overlooked by remote students. Steven Mintz explains how you can boost students’ motivation to read and take notes during online classes

By miranda.prynne, 29 December, 2020

Forum-based online teaching to improve student engagement and motivation

Research shows forum based online learning helps keep students more engaged

A key challenge with online learning is maintaining student engagement and motivation. Researchers found that a forum-based teaching system, in which all students could see and compare their work within a shared online space, helped mitigate this challenge

By miranda.prynne, 23 October, 2020

How I fostered multilingual student discussion in asynchronous online classes

How to design asynchronous online teaching to foster high levels of spontaneous student discussion

Ioannis Gaitanidis explains how designed his asynchronous online teaching to foster the same level of spontaneous student discussion as his in-person classes

Reading time

4minutes

By miranda.prynne, 17 November, 2020

Making online content relevant and fun for Gen Z students

Make online teaching content relevant and fun for Gen Z students

Relating your online teaching content to real-world interests and issues affecting your students is a great way to win and keep their attention. Tina Joshi explains how she does this

By miranda.prynne, 4 November, 2020

Creating a welcoming and inclusive online learning community

Create a welcoming online learning community

Creating a sense of community among students is vital for effective online teaching. Here, Miral Gibson explains how fostering this welcoming online learning environment should be pedagogy-led

By miranda.prynne, 23 December, 2020

Immersification – a fresh dimension to learning design

How to measure how much ‘immersification’ is needed in online courses

Many online courses can benefit from immersive technologies to enhance the learning experience. Here Chek Tien Tan and May Lim outline their method for ensuring technology is chosen to support the desired student outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 30 November, 2020

Organising your online course

Designing online courses for effective remote teaching and learning

Three digital teaching experts share advice on how to organise an online course effectively and answer questions about some key challenges during this ACUE webinar

By miranda.prynne, 20 January, 2021

Innovative approaches to moving practical learning online

Approaches to moving practical courses to more remote learning

A major challenge of the move to remote learning has been how to teach practical subjects. Here, Lesley Saunders and Lucy Kirkham discuss how they adopted a combination of online, blended and socially distanced teaching for a large nursing course

By miranda.prynne, 12 January, 2021

From lecture theatre to living room: adapting teaching techniques to the online classroom

Julianne Law offers insight on how she has adapted her ‘lectures’ for the digital classroom

The move to online education has required a major rethink of traditional teaching practices. Julianne Law offers insight on how she has adapted her ‘lectures’ for the digital classroom

By miranda.prynne, 21 January, 2021

I spy what’s in the prof’s study: lessons from students in online learning

Student feedback is crucial to improving remote teaching. Here, Roger Austin shares key lessons for effective online course delivery based on a survey of his students

Reading time

4minutes

By miranda.prynne, 25 January, 2021

Experiment, test, refine: work with students to shape online courses

Gather student feedback throughout your online course to test and refine teaching methods

If you want to improve teaching, speak to the learners, explains Pat Tissington, who advocates using student feedback to continually experiment and adjust your online instruction methods throughout the course

Reading time

3minutes

By miranda.prynne, 8 January, 2021

Tech tools to help enhance online and blended learning

Selecting digital tools that support your pedagogy and teaching strategies

With thousands of educational apps all promising to enhance online learning, choosing the right technology is a challenge. Miral Gibson explains why how pedagogy and teaching strategies should inform these decisions

By miranda.prynne, 3 February, 2021

Designing online assessment to prevent academic misconduct

Advice on designing online assessment that reduces the opportunity or temptation to cheat

Traditional proctored exams rarely work when teaching online so instructors must rely on careful assessment design to minimise the risk of cheating, explain Patrick Harte and Fawad Khaleel

By miranda.prynne, 11 January, 2021

Do unto students as they would have done to them

Practical advice on building equitable communities when teaching online

Maha Bali offers practical advice on building equitable learning communities online no matter what students’ bandwidth or synchronicity of the class

Reading time

3minutes

By miranda.prynne, 21 December, 2020

Why and how to gather ongoing student feedback right from the start

Ask your students for feedback right from the start of your online course

By gathering student feedback throughout your course, you can make ongoing micro-adjustments to resources and teaching methods to improve online teaching and learning, Leonardo Rolla explains

By miranda.prynne, 22 January, 2021

Fair assessment: tackling the rise in online cheating

How to design online courses and assessments to minimise plagiarism and cheating

The move to online learning has seen a big increase in academic misconduct such as plagiarism. Camilla Roberts explains how careful planning of online teaching and assessment can minimise cheating

By miranda.prynne, 17 November, 2020

Developing students’ confidence and sense of belonging online

Fostering a sense of belonging among remote students to aid learning

With most students new to online learning, many may lack the confidence to actively participate in group classes. Georgina Blakeley offers her tips on fostering a sense of belonging that aids interaction among students

By miranda.prynne, 2 February, 2021

Sage on the screen? Lessons in using technology to enhance learning

It’s time for the sage to step down from the stage, according to Steve Davies who shares simple steps to ensure technology enhances learning outcomes

By miranda.prynne, 14 January, 2021

Making the implicit explicit: improve online learning through ‘presence’

Using the Community of Inquiry to improve online learning outcomes

Dara Cassidy explains how the Community of Inquiry provides a framework to help translate teaching strategies that come naturally in the classroom to the online learning environment where they require more deliberate planning

By miranda.prynne, 28 January, 2021

The lecture is dead, long live the lecture: Redefining higher education in a digital age

Redefining higher education for the digital age

The move to online teaching is a chance to redesign higher education delivery to reflect the way students learn, replacing traditional lectures with more interactive material, as Kylie Readman, Garth Maker and Astrid Davine explain

By miranda.prynne, 9 February, 2021

The active lecture: student-centred learning for the future

Advice on reframing lectures for teaching in a digital age

Online teaching offers valuable insight into effective pedagogy that will remain useful long after the pandemic is past, according to James Pickering, who outlines the key lessons to improve teaching design and delivery

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By miranda.prynne, 12 February, 2021

Steer the course: Help students navigate the online learning journey

Technology supports a more flexible approach to learning, but it is important that instructors guide students through the course to ensure they engage with content in a logical order, as Kylie Readman, Garth Maker and Astrid Davine explain

By miranda.prynne, 16 February, 2021

How a flipped classroom model improves learning in online STEM courses

Lessons from research into the flipped classroom model online

STEM courses can be challenging to master online, but research by Atef Abuhmaid and Tao Tang shows a flipped classroom model improves outcomes. Here they outline the key lessons from their study

By miranda.prynne, 9 March, 2021

UX for teaching: designing online courses from a student’s point of view

Design online courses from a student's point of view for better user experience

Gearoid O’Suilleabhain explains how academics can improve the ‘user experience’ of their online courses by looking at the design from a student’s perspective

By miranda.prynne, 8 March, 2021

How to enhance collaboration between faculty and digital teams

How can faculty get the most out of their collaboration with educational technologists

Educational technologist Roland Sherwood explains how faculty can get the most from their work with digital experts to enhance online teaching

By miranda.prynne, 19 February, 2021

Live chat, weekly digests and newsletters: online tools to boost engagement

Tools to engage students in online courses

Robert Green talks through the digital tools he uses to keep students engaged in their online course during what are, for many, challenging times

By miranda.prynne, 1 March, 2021

Lessons in motivating students to learn online

Lessons on motivating students to learn on mandatory courses

Teaching interdisciplinary modules online can be an uphill battle but it offers important lessons in the art of motivating students to learn, as Jonathan Sim explains

By miranda.prynne, 5 March, 2021

Using visual media to enhance online learning

Nataša Lacković presents a pedagogical approach to using visual media to activate student learning, rather than simply decorating course content

By stefan.gagov, 15 October, 2020

Top five strategies for integrating active learning into virtual classes

Illustration of students interacting with the web

It is all too easy for remote learning to become a passive experience for students, sitting on their own at home. Here Steven Mintz outlines some strategies for ensuring students remain actively engaged with their online courses

By miranda.prynne, 4 February, 2021

Seven steps to help students stay engaged online

Tips to help students stay focused in online classes

While the same psychological processes are at work online as in the classroom, it is much easier for students to disengage when learning remotely. Here are seven well-researched steps to help students stay focused on their online courses

By miranda.prynne, 26 October, 2020

In defence of old-school teaching during a worldwide crisis

Teachers stay present - don't take yourself out of your online classes

The rapid move to online teaching risks lecturers becoming over reliant on technology and steadily disappearing from their own courses. Here Glenn Geher argues the case for instructors remaining at the heart of their classes and only using technology to support their teaching

By stefan.gagov, 23 September, 2020