Case studies

By Eliza.Compton, 2 May, 2024

Using reflective practice to support postgraduate studies in the biosciences

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Small-group workshops create space for postgraduate researchers to share ways to manage stress, impostor syndrome, feelings of isolation and student-supervisor relationships. Here’s how to set up a programme

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 26 April, 2024

How to train world-champion cardiologists

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Competition, cooperation and continuity in talent support play integral roles in training and preparing medical professionals, and improving patient care, write three cardiologists

By Eliza.Compton, 22 April, 2024

A framework to teach library research skills

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Embedding library skills within disciplines allows teachers and students to link them to learning outcomes and research requirements. Here, a team of engagement librarians explain how to put a map in place

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 17 April, 2024

Going for gold: how to craft a winning TEF submission

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Teaching excellence rests on clear principles and agile strategy, collaboration with students and a frank approach to educational gain, write Emily Pollinger and Julian Chaudhuri. Here, they share tips for maintaining and evidencing success

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 4 April, 2024

Creating an impactful social group for neurodivergent students

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Meet-ups can support neurodivergent students (mostly those with autism and ADHD) to navigate the social complexities of student life and the workplace. Here, Brooke Szücs and Ben Roden-Cohen share tips for creating inclusive neurodivergent settings, based on their experience

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 11 March, 2024

Sharing qualitative research through open access

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hands typing on a laptop, open research concept

Traditional open access repositories are designed for sharing quantitative data. But what about qualitative data – non-numeric information and concepts such as case studies or interview transcripts? That’s where the Qualitative Data Repository comes in

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 18 March, 2024

Using storybooks to share research with a wider audience

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Storybooks offer a collegial method of sharing research findings beyond the peer-reviewed journals of academia – and putting it in the hands of the people who can best use the information, write Dominic Petronzi, Dean Fido and Rebecca Petronzi

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 21 February, 2024

Making higher education accessible for students with unmet financial need

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Rising costs of college leave many students struggling to afford higher education. And we know that enhancing the affordability of going to university is critical for realising students’ potential and elevating lives and livelihoods for generations to come, writes Matt Holt

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 19 February, 2024

A food pantry can help support your campus through the cost-of-living crisis

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Food insecurity and hunger affect students’ mental and physical well-being as well as their academic performance. Karina Escobar, Fatima deCarvalho and Lauren Dinour offer advice on establishing a successful community food pantry

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 15 February, 2024

Nourishing bodies and minds: the vital role of a student food pantry

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The rising costs of education and living expenses leave many students struggling to stretch their funds to cover basic necessities. In this landscape, the university’s student food bank can offer a lifeline, writes Isabelle Largen

Reading time

4minutes

By sara.custer, 14 February, 2024

Support for faculty on long-term leave is a career lifeline

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A lifesaver represents career support for academics on extended leave

Institutions and academics both benefit when support frameworks are in place to help extended leavers back into work. Four educators offer a case study in what one might look like

Reading time

4minutes

By Laura.Duckett, 14 February, 2024

Use design thinking principles to create a human-centred digital strategy

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Three designers discussing ideas at a table in an office

Creating a user-focused digital strategy requires the use of various channels, the adoption of design thinking principles and the involvement of students and staff from the outset

Reading time

4minutes

By Laura.Duckett, 9 February, 2024

Film storytelling can enhance learning in STEM subjects

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In the era of social technologies, authentic storytelling becomes a powerful tool for cultural and social change, a fundamental role of higher education, writes Arijit Mukhopadhyay

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 6 February, 2024

Creating safe spaces for students to talk about financial difficulties

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Poor financial health can lead to mental health difficulties and isolation for students. Here, Caroline Deylaud Koukabi and Joanna West offer tips for giving students inclusive spaces to discuss concerns amid the cost-of-living crisis

Reading time

4minutes

By Laura.Duckett, 2 February, 2024

How our Study Together programme promotes belonging and improves well-being

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By offering students a space to meet, study and socialise outside the classroom, universities can improve engagement and reduce feelings of loneliness on campus

Reading time

4minutes

By Laura.Duckett, 30 January, 2024

Use Etherpad to improve engagement in large transnational classes

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Class of students using Etherpad to discuss learning points

By leveraging technology to create an anonymous and collaborative space, educators can empower hesitant students to actively contribute and foster a more interactive and inclusive learning environment

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 26 January, 2024

How to harness community knowledge to tackle complex policy challenges

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Working with local communities can help uncover new insights to tackle complex social policy challenges. Saffron Woodcraft and Joseph Cook explain how to set up high-impact citizen social science research

Reading time

4minutes

By Laura.Duckett, 23 January, 2024

What we learned from a pilot study aimed at getting first-generation students into pharmacy

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Many students have little knowledge of the role and career opportunities of a pharmacist. This is even more so the case for first-generation students

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 19 January, 2024

Fostering student co-creation to give back to the community

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Engaging in local civic projects offers students meaningful learning opportunities, fosters co-creation and supports the community at large. Here, Martha Sullivan outlines the benefits based on working with the Empty Bowls project

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 11 January, 2024

How to keep first-generation students engaged throughout the academic year

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Engagement opportunities don’t end with orientation or even the first year of study. Here, Araceli Martinez and Athina Cuevas explain how to build a programme that helps students develop confidence and leadership skills and support the next cohort

Reading time

4minutes

By Laura.Duckett, 2 January, 2024

We used a hybrid escape room to dramatically boost student attendance

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Low class attendance has been a growing trend since the pandemic, so how can we encourage students to come back? Educators at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University share their innovative strategy

Reading time

4minutes

By sara.custer, 2 January, 2024

A road map for advancing digital inclusion for your students, staff and community

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A multi-departmental and collaborative approach to digital skills training has helped tackle digital exclusion at Staffordshire University. Raheel Nawaz explains the key initiatives

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 28 December, 2023

Building trust in research: how effective patient and public involvement can help

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Group of three multiracial people talking

Involving patients and the public in research results in more relevant outcomes and gathers insight into what issues affect and are of importance to them and their communities, writes Gary Hickey

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 7 December, 2023

Community organising: a case study in parent engagement

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Widening participation in higher education and improving the education journeys of young people cannot happen in isolation, writes Michael Bennett. Here, he outlines a programme that connects parents, community groups and the university

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 5 December, 2023

Designing 24/7 hubs for students

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Students sitting together against a wall

What does it mean to create student-centric support? Here, Kieron Broadhead outlines the process and challenges in re-imagining a 24-hour student administration system

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 4 December, 2023

Using partnerships to establish and build on project success

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From listening to the student voice to creating joined-up partnerships, success on major capital works depends on teamwork. Here, Dominic Wood outlines key elements to ensure project delivery and reap long-term benefits

Reading time

4minutes

By sara.custer, 29 November, 2023

Case study: how to do an independent evaluation on homelessness on six continents

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From working with resident researchers to navigating local salary schemes, Suzanne Fitzpatrick offers lessons on how to carry out a large-scale international evaluation programme

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 27 November, 2023

Embrace the chaos of real-world learning experiences

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Unaccompanied student assignments abroad are a terrifying but essential part of the high-fidelity learning mix. Here, Jim Entwistle shares his four key points of assignments beyond the safety net

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 23 November, 2023

Teaching business students how to prepare sustainability reports for SMEs

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Small business owner working in inventory

In engaging with small and medium-sized enterprises, universities can raise SMEs’ awareness of their own climate impacts. Here, Ven Tauringana shares a model for teaching accounting students how to produce sustainability reports

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 7 November, 2023

How storytelling boosts environmental impact and engagement

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Book with tree and compass green concept

Presenting sustainability research in a story – with a protagonist, goal and resolution – can bridge the gap between complex theory and real-world results for wider audiences and policymakers alike

Reading time

4minutes

By sara.custer, 3 November, 2023

Bring the SDGs into the classroom through role play and gamification

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A case study showing how simulations, role playing and gamification can develop students’ global citizenship and help grand challenges feel more surmountable

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 31 October, 2023

How to support international students’ smooth transition to a new country

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Orientation is an ongoing process for international students, so welcome programmes need to extend further than a single day. Here, Mengping Cheng explains how to support new arrivals throughout their adjustment

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 26 October, 2023

Dealing with abuse after public commentary

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Communicating to the public can result in abuse of academics. Here, University of Southampton staff describe their experiences and provide tips on anticipating and dealing with trolling

By Eliza.Compton, 24 October, 2023

Messy decisions and creative science in the classroom

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How can we teach students other than those studying for healthcare or other vocational qualifications to work across disciplinary boundaries and make scientific decisions in a creative – and enjoyable – manner? Here’s what we learned from running a data-driven drug-discovery scenario

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 17 October, 2023

Transforming the classroom through experiential learning

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Female engineering students working on a robotics project

A pilot programme aims to expand undergraduate students’ access to high-impact learning experiences to strengthen skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. Kate Williams looks at its outcomes

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 11 October, 2023

How to combat the mental health crisis on campus

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From staff training to nap pods and on-campus emotional support animals, universities have well-established and novel ways to help students to better mental health and well-being

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 10 October, 2023

Using the power of debate to enhance critical thinking

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Asian student addressing class with microphone

Asking students to analyse, defend and counterargue a contentious issue has proved an engaging way to teach reasoning and communication skills in organisational behaviour courses

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 2 October, 2023

A case study in developing the next STEM generation

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University ‘taster days’ can introduce teenagers to what global health research and advocacy might be like as a future career. Here four academics describe a pilot training session and what they learned from it

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 22 September, 2023

Why we need a new model for professional development credentials

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Close collaboration between universities and industry can help higher education address the ‘skills emergency’ and rebuild trust in university qualifications, writes Mick Grimley

By Eliza.Compton, 19 September, 2023

Lessons learned from a fellowship year as a dentist and early career researcher

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Winning a fellowship as a dentist and spending a year in Graz as an international scholar not only taught me about the profession but also fostered my self-awareness, writes Dániel Végh

By dene.mullen, 18 September, 2023

Learning to learn: developing students into effective lifelong learners

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Kevinia Cheung outlines an institutional approach to developing undergraduates’ ability to ‘learn to learn’

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 8 September, 2023

Using co-creation to make young people equal research partners

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Based on her experience developing a youth panel, Kathryn Woods-Townsend explains how her team collaborated with, employed and learned from the teenagers who are their lived-experience experts

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 4 September, 2023

Six lessons from facilitating a formalised mentoring programme

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An institutional formalised mentoring scheme can offer invaluable career guidance for early- and mid-career academics. Here, based on 15 years of managing a programme for academic staff, Karen Mather offers her key takeaways

By Eliza.Compton, 29 August, 2023

Perfect doesn’t exist and other lessons from developing a whole-university well-being strategy

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Challenges to staff and student well-being are part of university life, regardless of how much support is in place. But iterative strategies can improve the entire community’s experience, write Ben Goose and Cassie Wilson

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 25 August, 2023

Using film to prompt discussion in legal studies

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Movies and television programmes can challenge students’ perceptions and enrich their understanding of the law. But designing an effective module requires more than a must-watch list, writes Michael Randall

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 22 August, 2023

How supported social groups create safe spaces

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Connecting students who share a lived experience such as bereavement, family estrangement or loneliness can help to foster a sense of community and belonging at university, explains Hannah Moore

Reading time

5minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 21 August, 2023

A practical approach to tackling eco-anxiety

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Young women campaigning for more action on climate change

We induce eco-anxiety by teaching students about climate change, so training them in practical and achievable solutions to it are needed, too, write Helen Hicks and Dawn Lees

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 16 August, 2023

Nudge technology can help students re-engage

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Early-intervention initiatives to tackle student disengagement can be challenging to implement. A centralised, targeted approach using a communication nudge can encourage students to re-engage with online learning

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 15 August, 2023

A whole-campus approach to boost belonging for student success

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Joint efforts among faculty, staff and students themselves can support first-year and transfer scholars to feel included and engaged, write Lorett Swank and Catherine Thomas

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 14 August, 2023

Using VR to change medical students’ attitudes towards older patients

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Medical student in virtual reality headset

A five-minute virtual reality exercise has the power to dramatically shift students’ understanding of and empathy for dementia patients’ experience

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 10 August, 2023

Recognising First Nations through place: creating an inclusive university environment

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Mural showing diversity of Australia’s Indigenous people

Universities, as places of social good and inclusive education, have a responsibility to create environments that nurture and support learning of First Nations people, writes Angela Leitch

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 8 August, 2023

Undergraduate research to enrich teacher education

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Designing, conducting and presenting a research project based on classroom experience can give students an early opportunity for critical reflection on their learning

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 7 August, 2023

How to make dual-enrolment programmes work

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high school student watching remote mathematics lecture on laptop

Dual enrolment can create student pipelines from high school to university, meet community education needs and improve retention and graduation rates. Here, Laura Brown Simmons breaks down the essential elements

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 25 July, 2023

A case for bringing ethics of friendship and care to academic research

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Ntarama church massacre memorial in Rwanda

Friendship adds ethical and emotional dimensions that can make research equitable, sensitive, responsive and consequential to local communities, writes Noam Schimmel, based on his experiences in Rwanda

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 21 July, 2023

Co-creation as a liberating activity

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Teacher helping black student in computer class

How to use student co-creation to bring active participation and collaboration into the learning experience, based on insights from the Liberated Learners open educational resource

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 18 July, 2023

Steps to address the operational challenges of widening participation

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Well-being assistance, leadership development and mentoring opportunities are key to supporting students from under-represented groups. Here, Angus Howat details a programme for widening participation from a Kiwi perspective

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 17 July, 2023

From cohort to community: how to support student-led initiatives

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Building a strong cohort starts with supporting students directly. Here, we, as student and staff co-authors in the humanities, share insights on how to encourage solutions designed for students by students

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 13 July, 2023

How to sustain a journal and beat the academic publishing racket

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Man climbing up-and-down graph-like staircase

Starting a journal is hard enough – keeping it going is an ongoing challenge. Here’s how to maintain success in academic publishing

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 12 July, 2023

Grow your own accessibility allies

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The steps to making learning content accessible include identifying areas that need attention, overcoming barriers and recruiting allies to get the job done, writes Luke Searle

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 4 July, 2023

A colour matrix to make visual content more accessible

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“Feedback” appears in white text with a yellow background, with a contrast ratio of 1.7:1. The image has a reflection of an open window on it, making the text much harder to read. In some places the contrast of the text is as low as 1.0001:1

Accessible content is better content. One way to boost accessibility in visual materials is paying attention to colour contrast during the design process. Here’s a tool to make that simpler

By Eliza.Compton, 3 July, 2023

What is authentic enquiry learning?

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Three architecture students and an instructor work on a project

When students work in teams to examine a real-world problem, the result offers a means to bring teaching and research together. Here, Kate Black and Jonny Hall explain how this pedagogy benefits students, academics and society

By Eliza.Compton, 15 June, 2023

You wake up in a locked room… Using digital escape rooms to promote student engagement

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Illustration of man in keyhole-shaped light from hole in wall, escape concept

Game-based learning can unlock students’ motivation to learn and develop skills such as critical-thinking, teamwork and problem-solving, as Steven Montagu-Cairns explains

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 9 June, 2023

Charting a shared path to net zero universities

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row of seedlings with arrow to plant-covered globe

What’s been lacking in the decarbonisation journey is the ability to bring universities together to share best practices, resources and tools, so that pioneers in the area can assist those just starting out. Now there’s a toolkit

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 7 June, 2023

Creating a reusable takeout dish programme on campus

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multiracial group of students eating burgers outside

Want to reduce single-use waste at your university? In this guide for students and administrators, Rojine McVea offers tips for how to set up a reusable dish service based on her own experience

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 6 June, 2023

Power to the people through automation of peer support programmes

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The management of large institution-wide programmes such as peer support can be improved and scaled with the help of automation, as Amanda Pocklington explains

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 5 June, 2023

How can universities get more school pupils enthusiastic about science?

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Young girl school pupil looking through a microscope

Outreach in local schools and colleges is one way universities can work towards widening participation in higher education. Carl Harrington shares the lessons from a project designed to get more pupils interested in studying science

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 31 May, 2023

Unifying theoretical and clinical education in a medical curriculum

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A focus on practical competences comes with the risk that theoretical knowledge will be sidelined during the clinical years. However, two-way vertical integration of medical training can provide a more balanced strategy for learning

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 29 May, 2023

A campaign to communicate the impact of university research

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Woman holding light bulb with symbols of academic fields surrounding it

With public perception of US higher education in decline, universities urgently need to send an engaging, integrated message about how their work benefits society, writes Paul M. Rand. Here’s how his institution is doing it

By Eliza.Compton, 17 May, 2023

‘I just wish all lecturers would use the VLE in the same way’

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A consistent approach to blended teaching and learning across the whole institution can shift the student experience. Here’s a way to achieve it – from page templates to staff training

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 11 May, 2023

A ‘grocery store’ model can help your campus food bank reduce waste

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A move from pre-packed hampers can make university food banks more efficient and the space more welcoming – and build a stronger community. Erin O’Neil offers tips for switching to a grocery-store model

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 10 May, 2023

Advice for lecturers on how to keep students’ attention

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Male healthcare working giving a presentation

Psychology-based rhetoric training is a way to help lecturers counteract the fall in students’ active attention span. This programme aims to give them speaking skills and confidence that will enhance their effectiveness as educators

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 26 April, 2023

Individual consultations can help PhD students to complete their studies

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Cropped image of hands of PhD candidate receiving their certificate

Personalised consultancy gives assistance to PhD students and candidates to keep their momentum and build their academic careers, and it also helps instructors identify and train future supervisors

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 21 April, 2023

How to support students considering self-employment

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Young male entrepreneur working in a cafe with coffee and laptop

Not all students want – nor can they find in a challenging employment market – graduate jobs after university. Victoria Prince looks at what more faculties can do to support students in creating their own business opportunities

By Miranda Prynne, 20 April, 2023

Silence is golden when you ‘shut up and write’ together

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Individual writing in a notepad with phone and ipad set aside

How to build a supportive community of practice and peer learning through the simple practice of meeting online to ‘shut up and write’

By Eliza.Compton, 19 April, 2023

Why we start undergraduate transdisciplinary research from day one

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Group of young people in a circle all joining hands in the centre

Hands-on knowledge discovery can give students the chance to put learning into action from the beginning of their studies, write Gray Kochhar-Lindgren and Julian Tanner

By Miranda Prynne, 17 April, 2023

Raising aspirations: lessons in running a young scholars programme

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Primary school children with raised hands

Widening access to higher education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds is a priority for UK universities. Here, Valsa Koshy outlines lessons from a successful programme for primary school pupils

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 14 April, 2023

Restructuring a university, part one

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Summit of Ha Ling Mountain with Rundle Range and Banff National Park, Alberta, Canadian Rockies in the background

When Bill Flanagan took the helm, the University of Alberta was facing a $222 million funding cut – 20 per cent of the university’s operating budget. In this two-part article, he explains how the university undertook a historic overhaul

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 14 April, 2023

Restructuring a university, part two

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illustration of a man climbing a mountain with flag on top

When funding pressures made it clear that the University of Alberta had to change, it overhauled its entire way of working. Here, president Bill Flanagan explains how they did it

Reading time

4minutes

By dene.mullen, 14 April, 2023

How to write better awards entries

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How to write more compelling awards entries

From conducting in-depth interviews to telling the whole story, Sam Russell provides top tips for crafting a compelling narrative that will appeal to awards panels

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 7 April, 2023

Using gamification as an incentive for revision

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Young Asian woman in red top happy in front of laptop

Novelty, competition and engagement give gamification an edge when it comes to getting students to revise. Here, Teegan Green, Iliria Stenning and Rasheda Keane explain how they use The Chase from H5P in a hybrid course

By Eliza.Compton, 31 March, 2023

Phenomenon-based learning: what, why and how

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illustration-photo composite of people seated around jigsaw pieces

Phenomenon-based learning empowers students to apply disciplinary knowledge to real-world situations. Here, Sue Lee and Kate Cuthbert outline the principles of PhBL and how it can be adopted in higher education

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 16 March, 2023

Student support takes a village – but you need to create one first

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To support students from diverse backgrounds, universities should actively foster supportive communities. For the University of Auckland, this meant creating a ‘village’ on campus, as Melissa Leaupepe explains

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 16 March, 2023

AI or VR? Matching emerging tech to real-world learning

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Student immersed in a hospital VR setting in the FMH Media Lab at University of Sydney

Defining the problem can determine the best tech to deliver realistic training environments. Here is how one media lab demystifies technology-enabled learning experiences and empowers educators to develop their own

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 15 March, 2023

Virtually writing together: creating community while supporting individual endeavour

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Group of women working together online via teleconferencing

Lessons in setting up and running a virtual writing group that facilitates individual and collaborative work through a supportive community of practice

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 27 February, 2023

Supporting LGBTQ+ aspiring leaders in universities

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two young women walk up a rainbow-coloured footpath

LGBTQ+ staff bring to campus qualities such as courage and sensitivity that are key to leadership. Now a UK programme aims to develop those strengths in future academic and professional services leaders

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 24 February, 2023

Making space for innovation: a higher education challenge

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Man doing a back bend while looking at laptop

Risk, chance and disruption can be paths to innovative teaching practice. Here, Michelle Prawer offers ways to bring more flexibility into the classroom

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 23 February, 2023

Can online oral exams prevent cheating?

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illustration of laptop with speech bubbles oral examinations

Online checking tools often flag non-suspicious behaviour along with suspected academic misconduct. Here, educators share lessons learned from using an online oral exam to check students’ understanding

By Miranda Prynne, 22 February, 2023

A help desk to protect intellectual property

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How an intellectual property help desk set up by a university library team is helping inventors protect their work, with lessons on what has proven most effective

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 16 February, 2023

Autonomy, fun and other benefits of student-centred learning design

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Putting students at the core of learning design can bring business and commerce studies to life, writes Guan Wang

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 15 February, 2023

A tool to navigate information overload

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A light guiding the way along a winding road

Shonagh Douglas shares a tool that directs students to the specific advice they need when searching through online resources and offers lessons in how to recreate similar aids elsewhere

By Eliza.Compton, 13 February, 2023

How university leaders can use an ‘innovation for’ mindset to drive enrolment

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Black male student happy looking at laptop

For US colleges and universities, the key to turning around falling enrolment is to directly respond to concerns about affordability, accessibility and return on investment, writes Nivine Megahed

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 18 January, 2023

To improve the admission process, get faculty involved

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Illustration of different aspects of university life

Faculty collaboration with the undergraduate admission team can improve class participation, retention rates, course matches and funding yield – and help reduce misinformation about the process and decisions

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 12 January, 2023

The power of events to build belonging among students

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Students enjoying an informal get together over coffee

XJTLU’s new Entrepreneur College had to work fast to build a sense of belonging among its first student cohorts, and one way it did this was by hosting a series of events. Xiaotong Lu shares the strategies adopted

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 4 January, 2023

Full circle: using the cycle of teaching, module design and research

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How research, module design and classroom delivery in creative fields inform one another in circular and essential practices. Glenn Fosbraey shares his own teaching as a case study

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 29 December, 2022

Matching technology training to industry needs: a case study

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Professional development courses, especially in rapidly developing technologies, must evolve to meet industry needs. Here, Daniel Garrote explains how his institution created a master’s in the Internet of Things

By Miranda Prynne, 14 December, 2022

My experience of speaking in front of a select committee

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Nicola Searle shares lessons for academics on speaking in front of a parliamentary select committee, to provide insight on topics linked to your research

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 8 December, 2022

A holistic approach to student support

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Student support, particularly for care-leavers or estranged students, is vital throughout their university journey – from pre-application to beyond graduation. Here, Fran Hornsby and Rebecca Clark offer tips for demonstrating genuine care as you do it

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 7 December, 2022

Peer mentoring to support staff well-being: lessons from a pilot

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A peer mentoring scheme designed to support staff well-being is being piloted at Staffordshire University. Fiona Cust and Jessica Runacres share lessons on how the initiative has been developed

By Eliza.Compton, 1 December, 2022

Decolonising learning through access to primary sources

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Mathematicians have always looked at old problems in new ways. A database of original sources will give university-level mathematics students a global, historical view of their subject

By Miranda Prynne, 28 November, 2022

Mini virtual writing retreats to support and connect tutees

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Female student writing in the university library

A guide to organising mini virtual writing retreats each week to build a supportive scholarly community within a personal tutoring group

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 21 November, 2022

A model for deploying AI across a university and region

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Image of a digital brain representing AI

A new supercomputer, new faculty and partnerships with higher education and industry leaders helped the University of Florida transform itself into an AI powerhouse, creating a blueprint for other institutions to follow

Reading time

3minutes

By sara.custer, 15 November, 2022

A collective action framework to help Ukraine’s universities survive and rebuild

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Two ribbons represent a university twinning programme in Ukraine

There is great potential for like-for-like aid among institutions during times of crises. Here are five lessons from a project that pairs institutions in Ukraine with partners around the world

By Miranda Prynne, 16 November, 2022

How to train university staff to become anti-racist agents of change

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Image of diverse groups forming supportive circles

Advice on supporting higher education professionals to become anti-racist agents of change, based on Adam Danquah’s experience doing so within his institution

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 15 November, 2022

A guide to promoting equity in HE for refugees and asylum seekers

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Three adult students working at a shared desk

Steps that universities can take to help refugees and asylum seekers access and successfully progress through higher education

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 4 November, 2022

Mix technology and personal contact to support students

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A sophisticated algorithm and a simple phone call have proved to be a formula for student retention. And it’s not stopping as the pandemic recedes, says Jonathan Powles

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 3 November, 2022

Virtual mobility: a first step to creating global graduates

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Young woman holding digital impression of globe

If universities are serious about creating global graduates, they must explore virtual opportunities to build confidence and enthusiasm for international travel, says Alex Regan

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 3 November, 2022

Home labs and simulations to spark curiosity and exploration

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Francesco Fornetti explains how home lab kits and simulation tools can help spark curiosity and exploration among engineering students

By Eliza.Compton, 2 November, 2022

Food for thought: advice for building a university-community collaboration

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Basket of pumpkins with sign "buy local"

Planning and communication can turn good intentions into lasting benefits for students, faculty and the community. Joshua Gruver shares his advice for successful outreach, based on his experience developing a local farmers’ market

Reading time

4minutes

By sara.custer, 28 October, 2022

Flip the script: why listening is the best form of outreach

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Community outreach like the Great Science Share for Schools requires listening

In aiming to widen participation, it’s easy to get lost in your own passion. Instead focus on understanding others’ needs – and keep it simple

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 27 October, 2022

How a sustainable internship programme can support social mobility

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Students from disadvantaged backgrounds can remain on the back foot when entering the workforce. This programme offers higher education practitioners a replicable model that includes professional skills development and access

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 26 October, 2022

Collective voices, zero tolerance

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Universities can use their ability to engage with students to effect cultural change, as the Bystander Intervention initiative to combat sexual abuse has shown. Louise Crowley explains how they did it

By Eliza.Compton, 19 October, 2022

So, you want to reach out? Lessons from a ‘science for all’ programme

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Public engagement in STEM strengthens research relevance and trust in science, but how can universities do it well? Here, the team behind S4 give three considerations based on a decade of effective outreach to disadvantaged schools

Reading time

5minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 12 October, 2022

Counter-mapping as a pedagogical tool

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Engaging students with urban spaces can contextualise and deepen learning and bring in inclusive perspectives. Daniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque and Dharman Jeyasingham explain how counter-mapping can be used as a pedagogical tool

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 21 September, 2022

The practicalities of delivering a multi-institutional online workshop

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Woman taking part in an online teaching workshop

Lessons from planning and delivering a multi-institutional online workshop for university teachers designed to find solutions to common educational challenges

Reading time

5minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 19 September, 2022

Experiential education through a simulated summit to combat human trafficking

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Advice on setting pedagogical goals and planning a simulated international summit to support experiential learning for remote students, by Clara Chapdelaine-Feliciati

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 16 September, 2022

How professional practitioners help connect crime theory with real-world investigations

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Bringing professional practitioners into classes to share real-world case studies helps students contextualise learning and see how theories play out in reality. Paul McFarlane explains how this works on his crime science courses

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 14 September, 2022

Lessons from completing an award-winning knowledge transfer project

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Group of researchers collaborating on a project

Eight key components of a successful knowledge transfer project (KTP), drawing from the experience of an award-winning initiative to develop an online teaching platform for primary care clinicians

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 7 September, 2022

In the loop: how formative feedback supports remote teaching

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Weekly snapshots of how students see their own progress can help teachers adjust teaching methods in real time. An online tool piloted at Georgia Tech has helped fill a feedback loop lost during the pandemic

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 29 August, 2022

Tutor training for architect-educators: twinning, observation, reflection and testing

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Image of a lecturer teaching a class of adult students

Staff development and training for architecture tutors is very limited. This resource looks back at a tutor training programme that ran from 1996 to 2002, and draws lessons for future architect-educators

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 26 August, 2022

Planning forward: whole system support for marginalised learners in higher education

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Image of students being support to cross a gap in their learning

Steps towards taking a whole system approach to developing higher education that supports marginalised learners, thinking inclusively from the outset

Reading time

5minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 24 August, 2022

How to develop a code of conduct for ethical research fieldwork

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Image of a researcher conducting fieldwork

A code of conduct for ethical research fieldwork developed by two researchers at the University of Oxford has been taken up by departments across the institution and beyond. The code authors, Catherine Fallon Grasham and Laura Picot, share lessons they learned along the way

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 22 August, 2022

Pedagogical wellness specialist: the role that connects teaching and well-being

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Does faculty well-being affect student outcomes? Exploring this question in the wake of post-Covid burnout and trauma led UCI to create a new position that prioritises teacher wellness

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 18 August, 2022

Bridges to study: how to create a successful online foundation course

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Online access courses can enable more students who don’t come to higher education directly from high school to smoothly enter university. Here are tips for designing an effective online university foundation programme

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 18 August, 2022

What’s the story? Creative ways to communicate your research

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Image of the red curtains opening at the start of a theatre performance

Early in your academic research, you should ask how you can creatively communicate it to a wide audience. The results may surprise you, says Steven Beschloss

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 17 August, 2022

A STEAM adventure: running a hybrid English immersion camp

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Lessons in designing a hybrid English immersion camp that boosts language proficiency while developing key life skills

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 2 August, 2022

Creative projects as a way of bringing students together

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An institution-wide creative project is an opportunity for students to make friends and learn from one another, writes Karen Amanda Harris. Here, she shares tips for developing an extracurricular language-art project

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 29 July, 2022

Block to the future: why block scheduling has taken so long to catch on

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Block teaching has been around since the mid-noughties, but those short-lived early trials were ahead of the curve. Simon Thomson and Carl Flattery explore why block planning might finally be having its day

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 18 July, 2022

Outside in: use your students’ curiosity to invigorate your teaching

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Breaking up the classroom routine with field trips and visiting experts is an essential teaching tool. Here’s how university educators can use physical and virtual resources to make lessons more engaging

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 29 June, 2022

The role of complementary higher education pathways for refugees

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Education has emerged as a pathway to sustainable resettlement for displaced people but establishing programmes requires leaders to overcome considerable challenges

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 29 June, 2022

Lessons in helping remote students obtain practical work experience

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A remote student working in a group with other students via an online meeting

Universities face obstacles in helping distance learners access practical work experience. Ewout van der Schaft and Alex Mackrell share insight from initiatives at their business school

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 28 June, 2022

Education for humanity: designing learner-centric solutions for refugee students

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Image of two people at a refugee volunteer centre working online

Key tenets to successfully, and sustainably, designing university initiatives that support refugee learners around the globe using digital resources, based on five years of running the Education for Humanity initiative at Arizona State University

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 23 June, 2022

How to turn a PhD project into a commercial venture

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Transforming a doctoral research project into a commercially viable product requires astute decision-making from the start. Manjinder Kainth and Nicola Wilkin share a beginner’s guide

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 22 June, 2022

Increasing access to higher education for refugees through digital learning

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In Lebanon, a project designed to increase access to higher education for Syrian refugees through digital learning has been piloted with success. Rabih Shibli shares lessons from developing PADILEIA

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 21 June, 2022

Helping refugees get their qualifications recognised

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Syrian refugees after arriving in Turkey

Tips for how higher education institutions and accreditation authorities can recognise refugees’ qualifications even when they cannot be fully documented

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 17 June, 2022

Embedding equality, diversity and inclusion within public policy training for academics

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Diversity statements in higher education can embed inequality more deeply

Steps higher education institutions can take to make their policy engagement training programmes as diverse and inclusive as possible, based on the experience of a UK university

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 8 June, 2022

Making undergraduate access to research experience transparent and inclusive

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Image showing a young research assistant

A barrier to research careers is accessing the relevant experience. Saloni Krishnan and Nura Sidarus outline a scheme that has helped a wider range of undergraduate students secure research placements

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 8 June, 2022

How a rich extracurricular campus life nurtures well-rounded individuals

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Man on ball juggling balls in front of a city

Soft skills such as organisation, communication and networking are often developed outside the classroom. Here’s how universities can help their students learn vital life skills

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 31 May, 2022

How we used a business management theory to help students cope with uncertainty

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Image representing the uncertainty of the future

Uncertainty is a major challenge to mental health so a team at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University used a business management tool to help students cope with worries about the future. Here, they explain how

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 26 May, 2022

Eight ways UK academics can help students and researchers from Ukrainian universities

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From joining a working group to mentoring and collaborating, UK scholars can support Ukrainian scientists and make a difference, no matter how small

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 27 May, 2022

How can universities support Ukrainian students? Advice from a Polish institution

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Image showing a box of essential items being handed to two Ukrainian women

Rapid response actions that universities can take to support Ukrainian students and academics, based on the experience of a Polish institution

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 18 May, 2022

Blended professionals: how to make the most of ‘third space’ experts

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Bridge made of cogs with red connecting section

Integrated practitioners – staff who bridge the worlds of academia and professional services – are increasingly important to universities. Here’s why this space matters and how to capitalise on it

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 18 May, 2022

How universities can support refugee students and academics

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Image of refugees walking on their way to Europe

Afghan Chevening scholar Naimatullah Zafary, who was among the last people to be airlifted to safety from Kabul, explains how institutions can support refugee students and staff who arrive in an unfamiliar country after experiencing perilous journeys and severe trauma

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 6 May, 2022

Recruiting university tutors using an interactive group activity

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Hiring candidates with strong academic results may seem like the best way to recruit tutors. But this does not always mean they will have the right attributes to support student learning. In this video, Carl Sherwood explains how and why to use a group interview process to recruit university tutors

By Miranda Prynne, 6 May, 2022

Tackling climate change requires university, government and industry collaboration – here’s how

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Image depicting work to achieve net zero emissions

Universities must work with government and industry to drive climate action. Anna Skarbek outlines key principles that should shape the approach

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 4 May, 2022

The challenges of creating a multidisciplinary research centre and how to overcome them

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Image depicting plans for a multidisciplinary research centre

How to overcome the challenges of setting up a collaborative research centre designed to break down institutional silos and structures

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 29 April, 2022

Revolving roles: creating inclusive, engaging, participant-led learning activities

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A student playing the part of a teacher to represent the revolving roles pedagogy

‘Revolving roles’ is a simple, adaptable method for designing learning activities that challenge and change conventional ‘leader’ and ‘participant’ responsibilities, embrace students’ diverse needs, and develop their unique attributes, as Pablo Dalby explains

By Miranda Prynne, 25 April, 2022

Asynchronous communication strategies for successful learning design partnerships

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Image representing communication between different members of a team

Asynchronous communication that builds rapport among university course designers and external edtech providers, explained by Rae Mancilla and Nadine Hamman in the first part of a series looking at strategies for successful learning design partnerships

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 22 April, 2022

Developing a faculty-IT partnership for seamless teaching support

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An image representing a faculty member calling for IT support on a technical problem

A simple way to ensure quicker and more transparent handling of technical hiccups that builds trust between teaching faculty and IT teams, explained by Xin Bi

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 14 April, 2022

Decolonising medicine, part two: empowering students

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Medical students discuss issues of decolonisation relating to medicine

The decolonisation of medicine involves making students active agents of their learning and designing assessments relevant to the skills gained through the process, as Musarrat Maisha Reza explains in her second advice resource on the topic

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 11 April, 2022

The evolution of activeflex learning: why and how

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Image of people learning in different modalities - online, in-person and hybrid learning

The evolution of activeflex learning as a way to keep students engaged online, and how to overcome problems when using this teaching model, by Mark Gale

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 4 April, 2022

Lessons for universities from using ‘bots’ in the NHS

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A robot holding tools to illustrate a resource offering advice for universities on using 'bots'

Advice on how higher education institutions could apply Robotic Process Automation to improve efficiencies, based on lessons from its use in the NHS

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 25 March, 2022

A guide to using open educational resources: an experiential case study

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Man working with laptop, pen and paper and coffee, OERs

The benefits of OERs to researchers and students in the Global South affect all levels of scholarship, from teaching to publishing, writes Innocent Chirisa

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 25 March, 2022

Catering to Gen Z’s needs: creating a flexible and adaptable education programme

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Advice on developing higher education programmes that meet the skills needs of Gen Z students

Universities need to teach broad knowledge and skills that will help graduates adapt in a fast-changing future workplace. Three academics share insights from developing a generalist approach to training business students

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 18 March, 2022

Mind the gap: creating a pathway for post-doctoral researchers to gain teaching experience

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Advice on creating opportunities for early career researchers to develop their teaching skills

Postdoctoral researchers often struggle to secure teaching experience so institutions need to develop opportunities for these academics to support or lead classes. Ellen Bull explains how this can be done

Reading time

3minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 10 March, 2022

Students supporting educators: are you harnessing the talent of your own graduates?

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remote ed-tech assistance, students helping educators, graduate employment programme

Employing students to support educators not only boosts overall digital expertise but elevates graduate employability, course design and the student voice

Reading time

5minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 4 March, 2022

How to change the default settings that exclude women in sub-Saharan Africa from higher education

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Advice on the support needed to get more young women into higher education in sub-Saharan Africa

Angeline Murimirwa outlines the steps necessary to support young women from marginalised communities in sub-Saharan Africa into and through higher education

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 28 February, 2022

Embedding gender equality: building momentum for change

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Advice on building a sustainable long-term gender equality action plan to improve female representation at your institution

Eileen Drew explains how positive leadership, data-informed actions and priorities, mass engagement and collaboration all feed into a successful gender equality initiative

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 16 February, 2022

Widening access to postgraduate studies: from research to strategy to action

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Advice on developing research informed strategies to widen participation in higher education

Providing equitable access into and through higher education is a constant battle, especially in postgraduate research, but barriers can be addressed when evidence is connected to action, as Diane Gill explains

By Eliza.Compton, 18 February, 2022

How to use storytelling-based assessment to increase student confidence

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Tree growing out of book illustrating storytelling-based assessment task CLEAR-JEs

Carl Sherwood explains how to set up an authentic assessment task using students’ own contextualised writing

By Miranda Prynne, 11 February, 2022

Accelerating towards net zero emissions: how to mobilise your university on climate action

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Advice on driving institutional action towards net zero

John Madden provides insight on how universities can mobilise their intellectual and institutional capacities to accelerate towards net zero emissions

By Miranda Prynne, 18 February, 2022

‘Embrace messiness’: how to broker global partnerships to tackle the Sustainable Development Goals

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Advice on bringing institutions together in international collaborations designed to address the SDGs

Annelise Riles and Meghan Ozaroski share advice on bringing universities around the world together to address global problems, such as climate change, by investing in relationships, thinking long-term and working around inevitable bumps

By Miranda Prynne, 17 February, 2022

How to design early college programmes that foster success for under-represented students

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Advice on developing early college programmes which improve higher education outcomes for students from underrepresented group

David Dugger explains what an early college programme should focus on in order to improve outcomes for students from under-represented groups

By Miranda Prynne, 17 March, 2022

How using digital workbooks can increase student engagement and help institutions go green

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Advice on moving from printed to digital teaching materials to improve student engagement and sustainability

How to move from printed to digital workbooks rich with interactive content such as audio, video and quizzes, to improve online learning outcomes while boosting sustainability

Reading time

3minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 23 February, 2022

Working with student activists to speed up progress towards a sustainable future

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Advice on collaborating with student activists to improve institutional sustainability

Jaime Toney explains how working with grassroots student activists can help accelerate institutional action towards the Sustainable Development Goals

By Miranda Prynne, 1 February, 2022

Unmasking the scientist: breaking down anonymity to build relationships when teaching online

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Advice on breaking down student anonymity to build relationships when teaching online and in person

Simple solutions to link students’ names to faces and build a rapport with individuals in your class when teaching online, by Kelly Edmunds and Bethan Gulliver

By Miranda Prynne, 28 January, 2022

Online exams are growing in popularity: how can they be fair and robust?

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Advice on using unique datasets in online exams to deter cheating among students

Nicholas Harmer and Alison Hill share advice on using unique datasets to deter student collusion in online exams

By Miranda Prynne, 11 January, 2022

Co-creating an interdisciplinary well-being module for all students

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Advice on working with students to develop a well-being module that educates them in mental health and self-care

Elena Riva and Wiki Jeglinska explain how academics can work with students to co-create well-being modules that span multiple disciplines and support students’ self-care, drawing on their own experience of collaborating on such a scheme

By Eliza.Compton, 3 January, 2022

Study trips and experiential learning: from preparation to post-trip reflection

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Rebecca Wang outlines the key steps to take before, during and after a successful international field trip

By Eliza.Compton, 6 December, 2021

Building an inclusive learning community to deliver a race equality curriculum

View

Hands locked in a circle illustrating race equality curriculum

Ricardo Barker and Syra Shakir reflect on how to set up a curriculum that engages everybody in conversations about race equality

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 13 December, 2021

Lessons from organising a virtual international student camp to develop the next generation of leaders in sustainability

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Advice on organising a virtual international student get-together

Yhing Sawheny and Ashutosh Mishra offer advice on organising a virtual international event after bringing students together online to hone their leadership skills in sustainability

By Miranda Prynne, 20 December, 2021

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

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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 dene.mullen, 19 November, 2021

Creating equitable research partnerships across continents

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Building equitable scientific research partnerships with the global south requires trust and equality in decisionmaking

Shabbar Jaffar provides tips for successful international collaborations built on trust, appropriate recognition and inclusiveness in decision-making

By Miranda Prynne, 16 November, 2021

Changing lives through community engagement and outreach

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Advice on shaping community outreach in order to improve educational outcomes for local communities

Josephine Bleach outlines questions that higher education institutions should ask to help them foster authentic community engagement that improves educational outcomes for children, families and communities

By Eliza.Compton, 10 November, 2021

Talking about taboos: how to create an open atmosphere for discussing difficult subjects

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20-something woman with hand over mouth illustrating article about addressing taboo subjects

Lindsay Morgan offers practical, step-by-step advice for removing barriers to addressing uncomfortable topics such as consent and menstruation

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 25 November, 2021

How to revitalise student knowledge exchange with local communities

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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, 11 October, 2021

Collaborative learning cases: a fresh approach to applied learning

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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 miranda.prynne, 12 October, 2021

Engaging students in applied research to tackle Sustainable Development Goals

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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, 22 September, 2021

A model for developing global expertise in blended learning

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Advice on delivering far reaching faculty development training in blended learning

Daniella Bo Ya Hu outlines a framework for building expertise in blended learning using lessons in capacity development, staff incentivisation and leadership learned from an international pilot training programme

By miranda.prynne, 9 September, 2021

How a community of practice can foster virtual collaboration

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Advice on developing communities of practice to foster virtual collaboration between universities

Eugene Schulz and Dagmar Willems share insights and takeaway lessons from creating a community of practice for higher education instructors to develop virtual exchanges with international partners

By miranda.prynne, 24 August, 2021

Generating immersive, large-scale teaching experiences in video games

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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

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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, 13 August, 2021

Make yourself presentable

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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, 23 August, 2021

Three lessons from exhibiting final-year projects online

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Three benefits of moving final year assignments online

Dechanuchit Katanyutaveetip describes three unexpected benefits he and his students discovered after they were forced to move the exhibition of their final-year projects online

By miranda.prynne, 30 June, 2021

Three steps to successful rapid-response civic engagement with students

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Advice on implementing rapid response public engagement projects

Kathleen Riach outlines key lessons from successfully leading a rapid-response civic engagement project with students to help over 50s gain better digital access

By miranda.prynne, 4 August, 2021

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

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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, 22 June, 2021

Co-creation of curricula with students: a case study

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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

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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

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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, 15 June, 2021

Global virtual exchange: promoting international learning

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Advice on setting up a global virtual exchange that enhances your students intercultural knowledge

Christopher Brighton presents a model of global virtual exchange that could be easily replicated at any institution to enhance its students’ intercultural knowledge and skills

By miranda.prynne, 8 June, 2021

Making the most of online educational resources: a case study

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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, 20 May, 2021

Using online coaching to support student well-being

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Taking a human approach to providing support for student well-being online

Helen Duff explains how a human approach to providing support online, in the form of coaching sessions, can have a powerful impact on student well-being

By miranda.prynne, 13 May, 2021

Lessons from gamification to enhance students’ capacity for learning

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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, 22 April, 2021

Using tech to connect refugees with pathways to higher education: an emerging case study

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How to use technology to offer disadvantaged students pathways to higher education

Kate Symons and Georgia Cole share key lessons from a pilot project aiming to support refugees and learners from disadvantaged communities in Uganda into higher education

By miranda.prynne, 16 April, 2021

Greener assessment: transitioning to online marking

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Move marking online to reduce waste paper at your university

Universities should lead by example on sustainability issues, looking at what they can do to shrink their environmental impact. Here, Ling Xia and Yao Wu outline a project that could herald a major reduction in their institution’s paper consumption

By miranda.prynne, 9 March, 2021

Lessons in developing digital capability courses for students

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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, 12 March, 2021

Sparking entrepreneurship online

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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, 30 December, 2020

Building peer support networks to help staff navigate digital teaching

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Build peer support networks to help staff navigate digital teaching

Kay Yeoman and Alicia McConnell explain how the University of East Anglia has used peer support networks to ensure all university staff have access to the advice, support and training they need to deliver quality online teaching

By miranda.prynne, 17 February, 2021

Developing academic writing skills to boost student confidence and resilience

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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, 23 October, 2020

How I fostered multilingual student discussion in asynchronous online classes

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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, 4 November, 2020

How to tackle fieldwork and real-world training online

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How to offer real-world training and fieldwork through digital channels as part of its online courses

Francine Ryan explains how the Open University law school offers real-world training and fieldwork through digital channels as part of its online courses

By miranda.prynne, 4 February, 2021

Creating online teaching principles that actually help faculty

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Learn how to create online teaching principles that actually help faculty

Amanda Sykes talks about how to develop online teaching resources around a set of simple guiding principles that are immediately accessible and helpful for faculty trying to get to grips with new digital pedagogies

By miranda.prynne, 6 January, 2021

Creating a centralised advice resource to help faculty adapt to new teaching modalities

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How to create a centralised online advice resource for instructors moving their courses online

To assist staff in adjusting courses to new online and hydrid teaching modes, the University of Arizona created a centralised information and advice resource. Here is a summary of how they did it and the key considerations and lessons learned

By miranda.prynne, 4 November, 2020

How to support staff across all departments to design quality online courses

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How Southampton University supported staff across all departments to design quality online courses

The sudden shift to online forced university staff to rethink and redesign classes often with little experience or knowledge of remote teaching. Helen Carmichael and Bobbi Moore explain how the University of Southampton supported all faculties to ensure high-quality online courses

By miranda.prynne, 20 January, 2021

Innovative approaches to moving practical learning online

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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, 4 December, 2020

Socio-emotional learning online: boosting student resilience and well-being

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How the Open University of Hong Kong is offering socio-emotional learning to protect student well-being

The Covid-19 crisis has led to worsening mental health and increased stress among students. Kathleen Chim talks about how the Open University of Hong Kong has tried to build students’ mental resilience through socio-emotional learning

By stefan.gagov, 30 September, 2020

How Duke Kunshan University transitioned to online learning in two weeks

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Illustration of a man sitting on an hourglass

Faced with the rapid spread of Covid-19 on its doorstep, Duke Kunshan University in China decided to move all its teaching online in just two weeks to finish the third term. Here, we look at how this was achieved and the lessons they learned