Best practice pedagogy for online, blended and in-person university teaching. Educators from universities around the world share advice, insight and experience on effective instructional design, teaching styles, assessment, boosting student engagement, classroom management and ensuring students achieve those all-important learning outcomes.&nbsp;

Teaching and learning

Digitally driven education promises a future of hyper-personalisation, tailored content, adaptive assessments and AI-generated feedback, offering efficiency and autonomy. But in this drive towards individualisation, are we eroding the very qualities that make learning transformative?Personalisation has its benefits: it accommodates diverse needs, supports those balancing work and study, and expands access to education. Yet, learning is not a solitary pursuit. Metacognition, the ability to think about one’s own thinking, does not develop in isolation. It requires challenge, interaction and the discomfort of encountering perspectives different from our own.The illusion of self-sufficiencyImagine a student with unlimited access to learning resources: recorded lectures, AI tutors and assessments that refine content in real time. This student can learn at their own pace, review materials repeatedly and receive instant feedback. But without dialogue, peer interaction and exposure to diverse viewpoints, are they truly developing the critical skills needed for lifelong learning? No amount of personalised, self-directed learning can replace the messy, unpredictable and socially complex nature of real intellectual development.In their article “Embodied cognition is not what you think it is”,&nbsp;Andrew D. Wilson and Sabrina Golonka argue that cognition is not just internal processing but an embodied process that emerges through interaction with physical and social environments. From this perspective, a student immersed in fully personalised, technology-mediated learning might appear to be mastering content, but without the situated, bodily and interactive dimensions of cognition, their learning is incomplete.Education is not just about receiving and processing information but about engaging in dialogue, negotiating meaning and experiencing the world. A student confined to a personalised learning environment may acquire vast theoretical knowledge yet still lack the understanding that comes only through direct participation in real-world, embodied experiences.Spotlight guide: Back to the basics of pedagogySpotlight guide: Bringing GenAI into the university classroomAn insider’s guide to how students use GenAI toolsMetacognition and the social brainMetacognition is often described as “thinking about thinking”, but it extends beyond self-awareness to include the regulation of one’s learning through reflection, feedback and adaptation. Crucially, metacognitive growth does not happen in isolation. Confidence in decision-making and self-regulation is enhanced through social interaction, debate and critical feedback, research suggests.This is why seminars, peer discussions and face-to-face interactions remain vital. Students develop metacognitive skills by grappling with different viewpoints, experiencing cognitive dissonance and refining their understanding through dialogue. When learning becomes overly personalised – curated by AI, consumed in solitude, and assessed automatically – we strip away these essential opportunities for intellectual friction.The danger of over-personalisationAdvocates of AI-driven learning argue that platforms can now assess a student’s performance, analyse engagement and adjust content accordingly. But does this lead to deeper learning or merely efficient content consumption?If algorithms continually reinforce existing preferences and strengths, students may never struggle with unfamiliar material or engage with perspectives that challenge their assumptions. This is particularly concerning in disciplines that require critical thinking, ethical reasoning and the ability to navigate ambiguity. These are skills that cannot be nurtured through passive content delivery.A hyper-personalised approach can also reinforce inequalities. Students with strong self-regulation skills may thrive in self-directed environments, while those who struggle with motivation or metacognitive awareness may flounder. The assumption that all learners benefit equally from personalised pathways ignores the reality that some need structured guidance, mentoring and social engagement to develop essential skills.A more reflective approach to technology in learningTechnology should not replace the social and reflective dimensions of learning; it should enhance them. Universities must resist the temptation to equate personalisation with progress and instead prioritise the development of metacognition as a core learning outcome.We need to foster productive struggle – moments when students wrestle with uncertainty, articulate their reasoning and refine their understanding through discourse. This can be achieved through structured peer feedback, collaborative projects and learning designs that incorporate both individual and collective reflection. Technology can facilitate these experiences, but it should not dictate the entire learning process.Beyond the machinePersonalised learning has its place, but if we allow it to define education, we risk producing students who are adept at consuming information yet ill-equipped for the intellectual demands of the real world. Learning is not just about acquiring knowledge efficiently; it is about developing the ability to reflect, critique and adapt – skills that require more than an algorithmic response.If we want to cultivate truly independent thinkers, we need to provide them not just with machines that adjust to their needs, but with opportunities for reflection. The challenge for higher education is not to reject technology but to ensure that it serves, rather than supplants, the reflective and social dimensions of learning.In the rush towards ever-greater personalisation, we must not lose sight of what makes learning meaningful. It is not just about what we know, but about how we grow – and that requires more than just a machine.Kathy Charles is the executive dean of learning and teaching at Nottingham Trent University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

AI over-personalisation can hinder learning

In the rush towards ever-greater personalisation, we must not lose sight of what makes learning meaningful, writes Kathy Charles. Here, she shares her insights on fostering ‘productive struggle’ to deepen learning

Effective, up-to-date communication with remote online students can quickly become burdensome, even for the most motivated of educators. With endless modes of staying in touch – from WhatsApp to good old email – and concerns such as AI’s threat to academic integrity, connecting with learners in a digital world requires vigilance and careful consideration.In the second part of this series on successful asynchronous teaching, here are tips for managing communication and assessment:To read part one with more tips for successful asynchronous teaching, click hereSpotlight guide: The evolution of authentic assessmentResource collection: Higher education goes hybrid1. Changing your preferences for email communication may be necessaryOne inconvenience that an asynchronous instructor must accept as part of the gig is getting a lot of emails from students. And you have to learn to love it. Other than online discussion boards and setting up personal Zoom calls, email is really the only way students can engage with the professor.&nbsp;If the asynchronous teacher does not want to be perceived as glorified AI, then they must be super-responsive and very timely with their emails. One strategy I have for this is to create folders in my mailbox where I can categorise emails from students. I also let students know that their emails are a top priority for me, but I do need 24 hours to respond meaningfully and helpfully, so I ask them to please send queries in a strategic way that anticipates my response time.2. I (strongly) encourage students to meet with meI can’t require synchronous or in-person meetings, but I can encourage students to meet with me – through Zoom or in person in two ways. First, I frequently and actively encourage groups of students or individuals to meet with me. I also emphasise that meeting with me earlier in the week will serve them better. Sometimes I offer extra credit for meeting with me. Second, I make the assignments and puzzles just challenging enough that students realise meeting with me will help them speed up their work. Of course, the work is doable on their own, too, but they quickly work out that they learn more when they meet with me. And it only takes one meeting to get the students hooked.&nbsp;Of course, this is a huge time sink for me, but it is very effective. I get to know my students by name, and they see that I am real and accessible. I have more luck with online meetings than getting students to show up for office hours in person – and there is no rule that says asynchronous teaching can’t include in-person office hours as well as virtual ones.&nbsp;3. Competitive written discourse deeply engages studentsIn some of my asynchronous courses, students participate in formal debates. The in-person, think-on-your-feet style of traditional debate is lost, unfortunately; but it is replaced with more thoughtful and well-cited competitive written discourse. So, when the debate is asynchronous, students must write more than they would in person. Yet, despite more writing, many students report that the debates are the best part of the course. Plus, the activity helps them connect with other students as much as in-person debates and research projects.In a nutshell, this is how the debates work asynchronously:&nbsp;I divide students into two teams.I set up discussion boards online for each team so students can easily communicate.&nbsp;I assign a debate topic and determine which team will be pro and which con. It is pedagogically important to not give students a choice about which team they will be on. This develops research skills for a stance the student may not personally believe in, which in turn fosters intellectual growth. And students tell me it makes the debate more fun.&nbsp;The debate is divided into five assignments, one per week.&nbsp;Each student submits their own research findings for their assigned stance for assignment 1.&nbsp;For assignment 2, each student submits their opening arguments.&nbsp;Assignment 3 requires teamwork, where each side submits one document as their main arguments, but each student on the team also has to submit a personal reflection about their contributions to the assignment.&nbsp;I post the two “main arguments” documents online, one from each team.Assignment 4 requires teams to submit rebuttals of the other team’s main arguments, with the same structure as assignment 3.&nbsp;For the last assignment each student submits closing arguments after I post the rebuttals online.A similar structure of asynchronous engagement can be set up for term projects or research papers, where students work in groups, collaborate to find or produce data, and work individually for assessing their contributions to the project. Although the students may never meet in person, this type of engagement allows students from different geographic locations and backgrounds to work together – building a community that is impossible to achieve so broadly in traditional format.4. Tips to protect academic integrity and promote student successKeeping assessments of learning fair in asynchronous format may seem daunting. Students can find answers online, use AI without permission, work together, or use the textbook or course material, even if instructed not to. There are ways around this, however.&nbsp;My preferred method is to simply make the exams more difficult by asking questions in such a way that the answers are not readily available online or in any textbook. I ask questions that require students to use what they learned to produce a unique answer to a problem that cannot be regurgitated from elsewhere. This requires work and ingenuity on the part of the instructor, but it can be achieved both through open-ended problems and through multiple-choice or true/false format. Also, just as one can randomise the questions and the choices for each question in online exams, exams themselves can be randomised. I create multiple versions of the same exam with different questions of similar difficulty, and assign exams to students randomly.&nbsp;What can asynchronous teaching offer that in-person learning can’t?In asynchronous courses, students generally write more than in traditional format in order to remain engaged in the course (as in debates or research projects). This offers the instructor more opportunities to observe and help improve student writing and critical-thinking skills.Asynchronous forms of learning assessment allow a more cognitively and culturally diverse body of students to succeed. For example, neurodivergent students are often required to produce formal notice of their accommodation requests. These requests are often for more time and a quiet space to work. Online exams that provide ample time for all students allow those with both diagnosed and undiagnosed neurodivergent traits a fair and equitable opportunity to succeed without having to make personal disclosures and formal requests.For me, the most important upside to asynchronous teaching is the broadly inclusive and diverse student audience it attracts. Students from anywhere, any cultural background, any physical and cognitive ability, or any interest level can benefit from the course. This allows for a rich diversity of opinion and discourse style for students on projects and debates. As a result, everyone learns more and discovers their hidden talents and maybe newfound interests – including me.&nbsp;Figen Mekik is guest faculty for climate science and professor of geology in the department of physics at Grand Valley State University, Michigan.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Supporting students in asynchronous online courses

As the most remote form of teaching, asynchronous courses require well-managed communication so students stay on-board and engaged – and understand all the requirements 

Tips for successful asynchronous teaching: supporting students, part two

Hear three US academic experts discuss what role assessment should play in higher education and how it can be improved

THE podcast: the tricky relationship between assessment and learning

“I tell them what’s wrong with the writing,” teachers say of their students, “and then their next submissions have all the same problems. Why bother if they just ignore me?”Teaching staff frequently lament a perceived mismatch between the effort they devote to providing essay feedback and the (lack of) attention students pay to that feedback. May I gently suggest an alternate explanation for this gap? Students aren’t ignoring your feedback. They read and reread your comments. In fact, they tackle your every critique with the same urgent attention that Amy Adams applies to deciphering the language of extraterrestrial invaders in&nbsp;that movie Arrival. Student effort isn’t the problem. They&nbsp;aren’t the problem.The problem may simply be that you are bad at giving feedback.Common culprits in the land of abstractionsIf you have taken up a pitchfork in indignant rage, please put it down and consider this question: what are the hallmarks of “good” student writing? That is, what do you value when marking written assignments? I’m guessing your answers include some, if not all, of the following:Clarity. Precision. Flow. Focus. Criticality. Appropriate scope. Sufficient depth.I don’t object to this list, in theory; academic writing should aspire to these aims. Indeed, it makes sense that these terms pervade the feedback attached to student essays: “The writing doesn’t flow.” “This lacks depth.” “You need to improve your clarity.” My objection stems from the irony of markers demanding more clarity and precision in feedback language that is itself unclear and imprecise.Interpreting the meaningful meaninglessI think of the type of feedback vocabulary listed above as the “meaningful meaningless”. A marker comment such as: “The writing doesn’t flow” implies a deficiency in the writing that, if corrected in future, could allow the student to better showcase their ideas and ultimately earn higher marks (and is thus meaningful). However, the word “flow” is an abstraction that gives the student no consistent or obvious first steps to go about improving the writing (thus, meaningless).Peer feedback: a burden for students or route to better academic writing?Master the art of effective feedbackCampus podcast: pointers on writing and publishing for academicsWhat do students do when confronted with the meaningful meaningless? Fear that the instructor will perceive them as&nbsp;struggling or unintelligent often prevents them seeking clarification during office hours. Asking a peer’s opinion can be a dead end, given fellow students may be just as bewildered by abstractions in&nbsp;feedback discourse and expectations of the&nbsp;hidden curriculum. While&nbsp;feedback decoding guides or videos may provide some insight, it can be tricky deciding which aspects of generalised guidance apply to their own situations.This is where learning developers working in the&nbsp;“third space” of HE&nbsp;may come in. As a writing skills specialist, I help students decipher the meaningful meaningless (this aspect of my job, you see, is how I know that they aren’t ignoring your feedback). To illustrate the meaninglessness more tangibly, let’s look at examples drawn from one-to-one appointments I’ve had with students:“Charli” received instructor feedback that her essay “lacked flow”.&nbsp;She assumed the problem was the overall structure of her work. The actual problem was an over-reliance on long, winding sentences that were tough to follow.“Xavier” received instructor feedback that their essay “lacked flow”.&nbsp;They assumed the problem related to grammar or wording. The actual problem was the logical progression of their central argument.“Dominic” received instructor feedback that his writing “lacked flow”.&nbsp;He assumed his points were ordered poorly. The actual problem was the absence of topic and transition sentences to frame and move between body paragraphs.“Francine” received instructor feedback that her writing “lacked flow”.&nbsp;She assumed she needed to use more transition words and linking phrases. The actual problem was grammar flawed enough to disrupt readability.All four students revisited their work critically in light of the feedback offered. All four produced different – yet equally feasible – interpretations of “flow”. But none landed on the interpretation relevant to their own assessment. In this manner, overly abstract feedback fails to provide meaningful direction for growth. Instead, it forces students into a meaningless guessing game.Making feedback mean somethingGiving effective feedback is no simple matter. How can feedback foster&nbsp;ongoing learning and development rather than task correction? How can you offer the&nbsp;thorough “personalised” feedback students crave while respecting both your own time and students’ agency?On the complex journey from the land of the meaningless to the hallowed halls of the meaningful, the key question to return to is this: is your feedback actionable? That is, will the students who read your feedback feel not only empowered but enabled to take action to improve their writing in their next attempt? Not sure? Consider these tips:Speak in concrete terms.&nbsp;The quality missing from the writing may be abstract (for example, flow, focus or clarity), but solutions should be concrete. Use the: “Could I highlight it?” test to vet your language. For example, can I highlight the concept of “flow”? No. But I can highlight topic sentences. To that end...Think in terms of writing “moves”.&nbsp;Does the student need to present their argument in a thesis statement? Incorporate more academic literature to support their claims? Vary the length and structure of their sentences? Articulating these moves will allow students to act.Look forward, not backwards.&nbsp;Many instructors phrase feedback as if its sole purpose is to justify the mark assigned (that is, looking backward). Students, however, read your feedback to better understand what to do next time. Consider how the student can carry forward good practices or refine their skills as needed. To help with this...Connect students to developmental resources.&nbsp;Your institution probably offers a wealth of videos, online guides, self-paced modules and other resources to support writing skills. Familiarise yourself with these tools, then create your own inventory of marking phrases with the links included. This makes it quick and easy to provide relevant signposting.Get to know your institution’s learning developers.&nbsp;If you are unsure what resources to suggest to students or – even better – would like to collaborate on or suggest new resources to address gaps in skills provision, reach out to your university’s academic skills service, writing centre or library (that is, wherever the word nerds live at your institution). I promise we would love to hear from you.Alice Stinetorf is&nbsp;writing skills officer&nbsp;at the University of Southampton.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Tired of asking for more scope, depth and flow with no improvement in students’ writing? Maybe the problem is not the students but your feedback

When essay feedback does more harm than good

Two scary words: online asynchronous.Why? First, teaching asynchronously is a lot of work – more so than teaching in person or online synchronously. Second, if not done well, the teacher-student connection is impaired, making the experience feel ineffective. Third, many college students lack the academic maturity and mental discipline to learn asynchronously (but they’re in the course to learn that, too).In my institution, the rule about asynchronous modality is clear: the instructor may not require meeting with students individually or in groups, virtually or in person. This allows flexibility for students taking the course in another state or country. So, field excursions or hands-on work in an IRL lab are out. Many educators perceive that as a big impediment to learning, especially in STEM fields.&nbsp;Asynchronous pedagogy to improve student engagementStrategies to motivate students in asynchronous learningSpotlight guide: Back to the basics of pedagogyThat is also why many do not like teaching asynchronously, and some feel its remote nature prevents building community among the students. So, many educators harbour a tacit bias: asynchronous teaching is subpar to teaching in person.I discovered that is all myth – except that asynchronous teaching is, in fact, a lot of work.Changing how ‘teaching well’ is measuredAfter four years of teaching asynchronously, I realised it can be impactful, enjoyable and worthwhile for the students. In fact, asynchronous teaching offers many positives over traditional, in-person teaching. To understand this, I had to change my mindset about what “teaching well” means. A direct application of what I do in person to an asynchronous format did not work. So, I had to rethink teaching using these questions:&nbsp;How can I teach content and skills asynchronously without compromising the learning requirements depicted in the syllabus?&nbsp;How can I make asynchronous modality engaging for the students?&nbsp;What advantages does asynchronous teaching have over the traditional, in-person format?How can I build relationships with students asynchronously and not be seen as some form of glorified AI?&nbsp;With AI and the internet at students’ fingertips, how can I make sure that assessment is fair?&nbsp;Strategies for building asynchronous courses that students will stick withAsynchronous teaching requires reconsideration of usual teaching elements – course structure, teaching materials, practical skills, communication modes, office hours, assessment and academic integrity. Here, in part one of this series, I offer tips for creating course content that makes asynchronous teaching engaging and impactful, based on my experience. Part two&nbsp;will include advice for managing the logistics of asynchronous teaching so students don’t give up.1. Consistent course structure and deadlines are key to success&nbsp;For good asynchronous instruction, coursework must be extremely structured and consistent – so reliable as to almost be automatic in the eyes of the students. A well-devised, detailed syllabus is simply not enough. Students can become disengaged quickly, and many believe asynchronous courses are deadline-free.&nbsp;So, it is imperative to assign weekly work for students that follows the syllabus as closely as possible. Students need to be informed every week, like clockwork, about the topics and requirements for that week. And weekly deadlines must be upheld. For example, I notify students of all weekly work first thing Monday morning, and all work is due by 11.59pm the following Sunday night. I assign at least one assignment and one crossword puzzle per week related to the topic at hand. That’s my preferred structure, but other structures work, too; the key is to maintain a consistent structure throughout the whole term. I realised that if I falter on the consistency or change course structure midway through the term, students quickly become confused and drift away.&nbsp;Assignments encourage students to think outside the box and find (or calculate) their own answers. This is new to some students, and in asynchronous format, this forces most students to be more resourceful.&nbsp;Students sometimes complain about too much weekly work. However, they are complaining because they are engaged with the course – and that’s a good thing. The alternative, not so much work, results in students losing interest and lamenting “never knowing what is happening in the course” despite my best efforts to post lecture videos perfectly in tandem with the course plan in the syllabus.2. Lecture videos matter, a lotI invest a lot of time in making weekly lecture videos; I almost “produce” them in a professional sense, from lighting to script. Instead of being the voice behind PowerPoint slides, I found that being the professor in action makes the lectures as engaging as they would be in person. Zoom recordings work best for me because the viewers can see me while I share slides as needed. I take students to interactive websites in my videos and demonstrate concepts rather than simply posting an animation, and I can embed questions into the lecture videos that students can answer through emailing me – often for extra credit. The latter allows me to make sure students are attentively watching the lecture video and not just using it as background noise while doing something else (just to get the learning management software to mark them as “watched the video to completion”).&nbsp;Lastly, interactive software related to the topic of the lecture can be a very engaging component to include in lecture videos, and it is difficult to use interactive software so well while teaching in person. 3. Hands-on learning is possible asynchronously, tooStudents can be asked to buy lab kits or to borrow samples for hands-on lab activities. Students who are close to campus can pick up and return loaned materials; those further away can use the mail. Similarly, students can be asked to create a safe workspace at home to perform lab experiments for which the instructor will provide guidance. Lab topics can be diverse, such as exploring concepts like density or thermal expansion of water through materials available in most households.&nbsp;While hands-on engagement is important, it isn’t always necessary to engage students’ minds. For example, it is much easier to engage students with high-impact learning experiences focused on computational climate models through online teaching than it is through in-person interaction. And even in asynchronous format, labs can be designed to develop quantitative skills and to solve real-world problems through calculation, assessment and analysis.&nbsp;As for field trips, especially in earth science and biology courses, nothing can substitute for the real thing, but virtual field trips in various formats can be customised into lecture videos. This way students can be “taken” to intriguing, educational places that may be prohibitively expensive, distant or dangerous to visit in person, such as volcanoes, deep forests, museums and archeological sites.The key is to develop curiosity and high-impact, hypothesis-based learning. While physically being somewhere has no substitute, real-world problem-solving can also be cultivated through thoughtfully designed lab exercises where ideas build progressively through the outcome of each step in the exercise.What are positives that asynchronous teaching offers but the in-person format lacks?The simplest positive, as mentioned above, is virtual field trips, where students can be taken anywhere beyond the limitations of traditional field trips. And it is easier to have guest lecturers in asynchronous format. I’ve asked professional colleagues (academic, industrial and from the local community alike) to make guest lecture videos for my students about their specific field of expertise.&nbsp;Lecture videos in asynchronous format can be more impactful than lectures in person because the latter are transient experiences for students; many have to be reminded to take notes during lectures. Lecture videos can be paused while students look up facts or terminology, and they can be watched multiple times. Also, students can send private queries to the professor, such as: “I am confused at 12 minutes into the video.” In contrast, during in-person lectures, students are often reluctant to interrupt or publicly ask what they fear may be perceived as a “stupid question” so they let the moment pass.Figen Mekik is guest faculty for climate science and professor of geology in the department of physics at Grand Valley State University, Michigan.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Tips for making engaging asynchronous online course content

Despite its flexibility and ability to reach across distance and time zones, asynchronous teaching is still seen as subpar when compared with in-person or even synchronous online courses. However, done well, it offers surprising advantages, as Figen Mekik explains

Tips for successful asynchronous teaching: creating engaging content, part one 

The conversation around the use of data analytics in higher education has shifted since the pandemic, according to Ryan Lufkin, vice-president of global academic strategy at Instructure. “Before Covid, there was a negative perception that data would be used against students, but now universities realise that they can get a more holistic picture of how a student is doing and how programmes are performing. And they can intervene early, if necessary,” he explains. Advances in AI make it easier for institutions to access data insights and act on them, personalising the student experience and learning to ever greater degrees.Course-level data that sits in virtual learning environments (VLEs) can now be used to drive better decision-making, not only to improve student outcomes but also to help universities stay relevant. Instructure’s Intelligent Insights solution, for example, uses AI-powered tools to allow educators to ask natural language queries in the same way they might use a chatbot. For institutions that want to dig deeper, it’s possible to access and edit the query or extract data sets from additional systems to build a holistic view. “We’ve bundled a group of common insights into the tool, or you can write your own reports using natural language. A nested approach is important because no one data strategy rules them all,” says Zach Pendleton, chief architect at Instructure.Helping universities organise and access disparate sources of data more effectively means they can “meet students where they’re at” and help them progress through courses in a way that suits them, Pendleton adds. “Students often fall behind because they don’t have the skills to help them learn. Data insights can show whether they took an assessment and offer real-time interactions such as whether they logged on this week. It means universities can ask if these students are at risk and intervene,” he says. Student experience data can also help institutions better target communications about mental health resources and tutoring support.Using simple AI tools means institutions can personalise their approach at scale. Before advances in technology, scalability typically meant replicating the same module over and over – now content can be tweaked as necessary and adapted for different groups and individuals depending on their needs. Universities can also advance how they use data by integrating different tools for greater impact. Wake Forest University in North Carolina, for example, combines Instructure’s Canvas VLE with Google’s NotebookLM, an AI tool that allows students and educators to interact with course materials. Course leaders can build course-specific chatbots that can help students when an instructor is not around, or even repackage course material as a podcast so students can learn in a way that suits them. “Suddenly these tools mean students have more engaging experiences, which really keeps them on course with academic outcomes,” says Lufkin.The challenge ahead will be to bridge the AI literacy gap between students and educators, and to support institutions to overcome ethical concerns about its use. Instructure supports the movement towards adding “Nutrition Facts” labels to AI tools that show the core principles behind the product. “Many universities have great data frameworks in place and privacy policies but don’t know how to approach AI. Our job as edtech providers is to help them,” Lufkin concludes.&nbsp;Find out more about Instructure.

Education providers amass many sources of data that can inform students’ learning experiences. AI tools help them target interventions where they are most needed

Harnessing the power of data to personalise learning journeys

First-year students often find the adjustment to university life stressful, particularly in demanding disciplines like pharmacy. As educators, we frequently prioritise curriculum objectives and knowledge delivery over students’ emotional and psychological needs. This oversight can negatively impact their performance. Empathy – understanding students’ perspectives and responding to their struggles – is crucial for fostering a positive learning environment, as I’ve observed during my three years of teaching first-year students at Al-Mustaqbal University.&nbsp;This article offers concrete strategies for incorporating empathy into teaching practices, ultimately supporting students’ academic and personal growth.Understanding the challenge of teaching with empathyThe first year of university is a period of significant adjustment. Students must adapt to a new academic structure, manage a heavy workload, juggle personal and professional obligations, and often cope with homesickness or cultural differences. These pressures can lead to disengagement, poor academic performance or even dropout.Using literature to increase students’ empathyConnect with your students inside and outside the classroomTeaching from the heart in 13 stepsA key challenge is the gap between teacher expectations and students’ realities. Many students enter university unprepared for the academic rigour, independent study requirements and time-management skills needed for success.&nbsp;Meanwhile, educators may assume students already possess these skills, creating a disconnect that leads to stress and underperformance. Empathy bridges this gap by helping educators recognise students’ struggles and provide appropriate support, ensuring a smoother transition into university life.Practical strategies for empathetic teaching1. Create a safe and inclusive classroom environmentWhen students feel free to express themselves, they perform at their best. Inclusive practices enhance both academic performance and social cohesion, according to research by Jeffrey Cornelius-White of&nbsp;Missouri State University.To achieve this, educators should:be mindful of how language impacts students’ confidence and engagement&nbsp;avoid singling out students for mistakesacknowledge the diverse backgrounds and experiences present in the class, especially in multicultural settings like our classrooms in Hillah, Iraq. For example, during group activities, I pair students from Hillah with their peers from distant cities to promote collaboration and mutual understanding. This approach helps students appreciate different backgrounds and challengesuse anonymous surveys (such as in Google Forms) to gather feedback on course difficulty or classroom dynamics. In my class, a survey revealed that students struggled with memorising drug classifications. I introduced mnemonic techniques and visual aids, which significantly improved their engagement.2. Adapt your teaching methodsEmpathetic teaching begins with understanding that students learn in different ways. By remaining flexible, you can accommodate diverse learning styles while fostering compassion and inclusivity.Use case studies, role-playing and hands-on lab work to make abstract concepts real. To encourage participation among students, start with low-stakes activities that allow them to engage without fear of making mistakes, such as small-group discussions before class-wide sharing.&nbsp;Apply Bloom’s Taxonomy to develop lessons that progress from basic comprehension to critical thinking.In humanities courses, storytelling and reflective writing tasks help foster empathy.In STEM fields, collaborative problem-solving tasks enhance teamwork and mutual support.In my opinion, employing real-world scenarios, such as simulating patient visits for pharmacy students, assists first-years in connecting theory to practice and increases their confidence.3. Provide timely, meaningful and constructive feedbackFeedback should be specific, actionable, and delivered with kindness. Instead of saying: “This answer is wrong,” try: “You’re on the right track, but consider exploring [X concept] further.” Positive reinforcement and clear instructions strengthen resilience and promote growth. Effective feedback, delivered at the right time, significantly impacts student achievement, found John Hattie and Helen Timperley of the&nbsp;University of Auckland.4. Be mindful of workload and deadlinesEmpathy extends to understanding students’ challenges outside the classroom. Avoid overwhelming them with assignments, and provide clear directions and deadlines. During the pandemic, I noticed many students juggling online studies and home duties. By adjusting deadlines and providing recorded lessons, I helped reduce their stress.5. Active listening and showing understanding in all interactionsActive listening is the foundation of empathy. Encourage students to voice their concerns without fear of judgement. I often use open-ended questions such as: “What has been the most difficult aspect of this course for you?” This reassures students that their opinions matter and helps me identify areas where they need support.Why empathy worksEmpathetic teaching enhances learning outcomes, especially for first-year students, by addressing the whole student, not just their academic performance. When students feel understood and supported, they are more likely to participate actively, seek help when needed, and adopt a growth mindset, according to Gloriana Trujillo and Kimberly D. Tanner. My experience has shown that empathetic teaching reduces dropout rates and increases overall satisfaction.Promoting empathy also aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, which emphasises inclusive and equitable learning. In pharmacy education, integrating empathy fosters well-rounded practitioners who prioritise both technical expertise and compassionate patient care.Empathy is more than a soft skill; it’s a powerful tool for improving teaching and learning. By actively listening, fostering supportive environments, adapting teaching methods, providing constructive feedback and being mindful of workload, educators can help first-year students thrive. As someone who has worked with pharmacy students in Hillah, I’ve seen the profound impact empathy has on both teaching and student outcomes. Let us continue to prioritise empathy in higher education, for the benefit of our students and society.Abdulhusein Mizhir Almaamuri is a lecturer in the College of Pharmacy at Al Mustaqbal University, Iraq.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Empathetic teaching to boost first-year university students

Creating a supportive and understanding learning environment can build trust, lessen anxiety and improve learning outcomes for students entering university. These practical actions will help educators incorporate empathy into their teaching

How to be empathetic when teaching first-year students

Teaching goes beyond just sharing knowledge; it’s about forming genuine connections with students. Each student brings their own challenges, fears and insecurities, especially when they’re moving from school to university. As educators, it’s vital to reflect on our own experiences and work to create a welcoming atmosphere for every learner. Here, I’ll provide practical strategies for fostering empathy in teaching – both within the classroom and beyond it, with the help of student representation to bridge communication gaps.The importance of empathy in educationEmpathy allows educators to connect deeply with students, cultivating an environment of trust. Many students, particularly in their first year, experience anxiety about fitting in and forming meaningful connections. By recalling our own struggles, we can approach our students with greater compassion.Creating a safe spaceTo foster an empathetic learning environment, create a space where students feel safe to express themselves. Here’s how:Encourage open dialogue: At the start of each semester, I often ask my students, “Who is the most important person in this classroom?” This question usually prompts confusion because many assume I hold that title. Instead, I make the point that they themselves are the most important individuals in the room. My role is to facilitate their learning, which works best when they feel safe to share their thoughts. Setting ground rules helps promote open dialogue and empowers active engagement.Active listening: Students face challenges beyond academia, including emotional and social issues. Addressing these broader concerns is vital for a holistic educational experience. While as educators we may not have the solution to every problem, showing genuine care through active listening can greatly boost students’ confidence and encourage participation.Be approachable: We all have busy schedules, but be as accessible to your students as possible. Engaging in informal conversations and being responsive to their needs fosters trust. Our division often organises informal gatherings, providing opportunities for students to connect with faculty, helping to build personal connections that enhance openness.Supporting both majority and minority studentsAcademic pressures are a significant concern for many students, and educators play a crucial role in helping them navigate these challenges. Careful listening and small adjustments can improve their well-being. For instance, during mid-term exam periods, heightened stress from demanding courses and overlapping schedules can overwhelm students. Help alleviate the pressure by approaching these times with empathy, such as discussing potential adjustments in course schedules.Use everyday objects to educate student teachersShow students you careUsing literature to increase students’ empathyWhile most students face academic challenges, some may also struggle with personal issues. Although we may not be trained counsellors, we can still offer patience and understanding. Connecting students with resources such as the wellness and counselling unit enhances their sense of care. Follow up on referred cases to help understand student development and tailor your support to their needs.Building connections with studentsTo provide the necessary support and care to our students, we must understand them. In addition to informal gatherings, our division requires faculty to hold regular meetings with their students. These meetings are valuable for tracking students’ positive and negative experiences.However, some students may hesitate to open up to faculty because of a fear of judgement or the perception that faculty are too busy. To address this, our academic programmes have established student class representative groups, nominated by staff based on their interactions. These groups can facilitate communication between students and faculty because students often feel more comfortable sharing concerns with peers. This approach enhances our ability to respond to students’ needs. Here’s how we can engage with the class reps effectively:Empower class representatives: Instead of merely assigning tasks, adopt a mentorship approach. Encourage them to share insights about student needs and motivate them to organise activities that strengthen class bonds. Recently, class representatives organised an interactive reptile exhibition, allowing participants to touch and feel the reptiles, providing a fun way for students to connect with their classmates and attending faculty.Facilitate peer communication: Class representatives can foster discussions among students both online and offline, creating a comfortable environment for voicing concerns. We have set up a class page managed by the reps for discussion threads and experience-sharing. Since they often share courses with peers, they have many opportunities to mingle and discuss topics of interest.Regular check-ins: Establish a WhatsApp group and schedule regular meetings with class representatives to discuss ongoing issues and gather feedback. This practice promotes a collaborative atmosphere and enables early detection of any students who may be struggling with college life, facilitating timely support.Empathy is a powerful tool to enhance the student learning experience. By reflecting on our own experiences and actively engaging with learners, we can create a nurturing environment. Implementing strategies such as fostering open communication and encouraging peer interaction can greatly improve education. As educators, let’s commit to being empathetic and creating spaces where all students can thrive.Philip Y. Lam is assistant professor of science education at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Connect with your students inside and outside the classroom

Empathy is essential for creating a supportive learning environment. Here’s how to cultivate compassion in your teaching and address common challenges faced by students

The “one and done” nature of many coursework assessments leaves little opportunity for students to reflect on their work, and the feedback provided by the teacher is not particularly meaningful because it doesn’t help improve their project outcome. This is especially problematic in advanced computer programming project assessments, which should be closely aligned with existing professional software development practices. Indeed, in the industry, software is considered a “living” thing: it is continuously being evaluated, modified and improved. This makes the “one and done” approach particularly inauthentic in this context.Specifically, the typical sequence in which a coursework project might unfold is:Instructors release task specification to students a few weeks before the submission deadlineThe students work on the problem and submit their solutionThe teacher takes one or two weeks to grade the students’ workThe teacher releases grades and (possibly) feedback to students.We introduced a two-phase group software development project in one of the modules of our master’s level computer programming course. In Phase 1, students, working in small groups, submit an initial software system (v1) based on a task specification. While Phase 1 follows the typical assignment structure, Phase 2 introduces a dynamic, iterative process. In this phase, students have the opportunity to evaluate and improve their v1 system, according to the following process:Teacher feedback: the module leader provides feedback to groups on their v1, discussing issues with their system and suggesting improvements. This mimics the supervisor feedback process in the workplace.&nbsp;Individual AI-assisted evaluation:&nbsp;students, assisted by AI tools, critically evaluate their individual contribution to the v1 system. They discuss the benefits and drawbacks of their design and explore alternative solutions. This mimics the industry best practice of using AI to evaluate software.&nbsp;Group discussion and resubmission: students return to their groups to decide which proposed changes from the previous step they will implement. This will be based on how well proposed modifications for one part would integrate with the remaining system. The refined v2 system is then submitted. This mirrors the common industry practice of software refactoring – continuously refining and improving code.&nbsp;Group presentations: students demonstrate their modified v2 system in group presentations, including a short “client pitch” highlighting their system’s main strengths and selling points. This mimics project presentations in an industrial setting.Collection: Authentic assessment in higher educationEvents-based authentic assessment that can boost employabilitySpotlight guide: The evolution of authentic assessmentWhat are the benefits?The main benefits of our assessment design are:Authentic assessment experience for students: this two-phase project aligns closely with current industry practices. This ensures that our graduates are “industry-ready”, improving their future employability prospects.Development of soft and transferable skills: in addition to improving students’ ability to create robust, maintainable software, our project develops their critical thinking and evaluative judgement skills.Improved feedback mechanisms: by embedding feedback into the assessment process, rather than treating it as an afterthought, we shift the focus from assessment of learning to assessment for learning.Tips for implementing this kind of assessmentThis specific assessment design is tailored towards advanced computer programming courses but we believe that educators from any discipline can take a number of lessons from our approach. The concept of a two-phase coursework project assignment (whether individual or group work) can be applied to any area of learning. Here are some questions to guide fellow educators in assessment design.Industry-aligned assessment: what are the current best practices in industry (or more broadly, the “real world”) that relate to my module? How can I ensure that my assessment aligns with these practices?Soft skills: beyond subject-specific knowledge and abilities, what soft or transferable skills would I want my students to develop? Which skills will serve them best in their future study and career? How can I design my assessment to promote the development of such skills?Useful feedback: instead of just explaining a student’s grade, how can I ensure feedback is useful and beneficial to students? How can I make feedback a more integral part of the assessment process?We encourage fellow educators to think of assessment not just as a process through which students receive grades. Instead, it should be a cornerstone of their learning experience, helping develop the knowledge and skills necessary for them to succeed in further study and future careers.Thomas Selig is associate professor in the department of computing at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s School of Advanced Technology; Ling Wang is an educational developer in the Academy of Future Education’s Educational Development Unit at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered directly to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Authentic assessment design for computer programming 

A four-step plan for more meaningful assessment that incorporates AI-assisted evaluation, group discussions and presentations

Authentic assessment design for computer programming master’s courses

General education subjects, known as “cluster-area requirements” (CAR) subjects, aim to broaden students’ world views and equip them with interdisciplinary and transferable skills, such as communication and technological competence.&nbsp;With the intention of bringing immersive technologies and student co-creation into subject pedagogy at Hong Kong Polytechnic UNniversity (PolyU), we have made use of a CAR subject, one highly relevant to daily life and workplace encounters, to try to bring about a dissemination effect to other subjects. We reformed the subject assessment tasks by integrating social media and immersive technologies to simulate real-life environments. This involves virtual teams co-creating learning content and providing space for student peer sharing and peer grading via the use of educational platforms.&nbsp;In addition, input from senior-year students drives sustainable improvements in the pedagogy and technological aspects for junior cohorts, forming an award-winning model of student-staff partnership, recognised by the QS Reimagine Education Regional Silver Awards 2023.Reformation of a subjectIn 2022, the authors began revamping the course From Gloom to Bloom: Global New Urbanism. The learning outcomes aim to equip students to identify urban issues, demonstrate sustainable urbanism principles globally and locally, and finally to implement green living strategies. International cities were mostly used as case studies, with little emphasis on the local context. Learning activities were primarily conducted in the classroom, and there was a strong emphasis on written assessments, such as project reports and self-reflection. The use of technology was minimal, and the delivery approach did not align with the daily experiences or learning behaviours of the current generation of students, nor with the demands of the modern workplace.Planning by the interdisciplinary course teamThe course team is formed of a subject matter expert supported by a digital learning specialist and a technical support team. Notably, the support team is from the digital native generation, with diverse backgrounds in computer science, information systems, creative media and instructional design. The team identified a misalignment between&nbsp;the course and the student experience, noting that the assessments did not reflect workplace or daily-life practices.&nbsp;Interdisciplinarity makes us greater than the sum of our partsSeven lessons from interdisciplinary general education curriculum reformStart with why, part one: taking a new approach to curriculum developmentTo address this, the team rewrote the course content to include local components, incorporate field trips to Hong Kong’s rural areas and allow students to co-design field trips and co-create immersive videos. Additionally, they provided an online discussion platform and e-consultation opportunities to help students prepare for a multimodal presentation in PolyU’s hybrid immersive virtual environment, which is a six-sided cave automatic virtual environment facility.&nbsp;Partnering with studentsStudents play a critical ongoing role in co-designing the pedagogy, selecting appropriate e-learning tools and providing training and support to their peers. Input from students and recent graduates has been instrumental in identifying e-learning tools that align with student learning habits.&nbsp;For example, based on student recommendations, we adopted Padlet as a collaborative tool. Students also contribute to designing immersive video production training sessions, collaborating with teachers during field trips and co-creating video learning content with them. This collaborative approach has made the course both more engaging and practical.Pass it onOften, student experiences cannot be easily transferred to subsequent cohorts. This is particularly true in a CAR subject, where students come from different disciplines and cohorts, resulting in a lack of close peer bonding. If not planned properly, student helpers graduate without passing their experiences on to the next student cohort.&nbsp;In the support team, we mentored the first generation of student helpers who may not have studied the subject before. The following year, we recruited students from the previous cohort who have successfully completed the subject. Over the past two years, we have employed two graduating student helpers as full-time support staff members. This approach ensures that the course model remains dynamic in terms of pedagogical and technical support, allowing wisdom and experience to be systematically inherited and renewed.In the project “Immersive learning on the run: student-staff partnership for technology-facilitated ubiquitous learning”, which won the 2023 QS Reimagine Education Silver Award (Asia region), we have consolidated the innovative spirit of the revised subject into a framework that we have named TIMS – technological innovation x interdisciplinary collaboration x multimodal assessment x student-staff partnership. We believe TIMS is a direction for 21st-century education, because it allows flexibility and interactive content to materialise from the two most important stakeholders of the learning and teaching process – the students and the teachers. We are thrilled to continue in this direction and hope to consolidate more evidence and recognition to contribute to&nbsp;the future of education.Kai Pan Mark is senior educational development manager at the Educational Development Centre and Wai Chi Rodney Chu is senior lecturer in the department of applied social sciences, both at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to reimagine an existing subject

Immersive technology and student co-creation allowed educators to revamp a general education course. Here’s how they did it 

Has our focus on authentic assessment developed a blind spot?&nbsp;Authentic assessment asks students to use the same set of knowledge, competencies and attitudes they’ll use as graduates, connecting university content to their future. But our current authentic assessments often ignore a key component: the student.Assessments with ‘authentic’ features that aren’t accessible: personal authenticityYour authentic assessment may be assessing irrelevant student characteristics instead of learning outcomes. Authentic features such as an emergency room setting or board meeting may create additional “noise”, with their time pressure and stress inadvertently assessing speed of writing or stress management, disadvantaging students without those skills. There’s a time for complex, uncertain environments, but make sure you aren’t sacrificing some of your students for a flashy experience.Unlocking minority students’ potential with an asset model approachThree alternative assessments that build managerial skillsSpotlight guide: The evolution of authentic assessmentDisabled and other students often spend an enormous amount of time with course administration, policy requirements and equity red tape when assessment adjustments are required. Sometimes these result in being excused from many (or all) great assessment experiences, impacting the overarching learning experience.&nbsp;“I’m often given exemptions from high-impact or authentic activities, because academics don’t believe they can be adapted,”&nbsp;student and disability advocate Bailey Wemyss told us.&nbsp;This reflects the frequent mismatch between our perception and the student reality. How to address this: Consider implementing features of an inclusive workplace into authentic assessment, such as deadline flexibility. If this seems radical, consider that “real world” staff are usually allowed input into how their work is structured, and to negotiate extensions when necessary.&nbsp;Aiming for an assessment to exactly replicate industry misses the point. Industry is required (in Australia) to adapt work to be accessible to staff with disability. In an assessment context, a students-as-partners approach may provide students with opportunity to maintain agency, explain their barriers and suggest effective workarounds.Remember there isn’t just one&nbsp;authentic “future workplace”. Use a range of assessments within the programme with different dimensions of authenticity. No assessment is universally accessible, and this can help decrease the impact of an inaccessible assessment.&nbsp;My ‘real world’ and your ‘real world’ are not the same: sociocultural authenticityAuthenticity is situated. To envisage a realistic workplace or community means considering the person who will live, work in and engage with it. Authentic assessments typically make assumptions about a student’s aspirations and future, as well as their cultural, social and financial context. Many authentic assessments assume cultural neutrality. However, there is no culturally neutral assessment, because there is no “neutral” or default culture.&nbsp;As Deakin University’s Martin Nakata explained, “We don’t go to work or school, enter another domain, interact and leave it there when we come home again.” When assessments are disconnected from students’ cultural or social reality, it creates challenge, tension and constant negotiation. Ohio State University’s Michele Hansen and Purdue University’s Corinne Renguette suggest culturally indifferent assessment practices can also prevent students from showing what they have learned.How to address this: Socioculturally authentic assessment requires input from those with lived experience. It entails understanding students as intersectional beings, acknowledging their potentially complex and intersecting cultural and community contexts. No single student is “diverse”, so input should be broad. With many student aspirations and contexts, “authentic” means embedding choice and flexibility into the assessment.&nbsp;In assessment development, co-creation or partnership with the student and/or their communities will more likely translate into a deeper level of authenticity and meaning for students than consultation. &nbsp;Students have unique expert knowledge of their own contexts, so assessment that encourages connections-making between students’ lives and learning can create a strengths-based approach.&nbsp;For impact, educators should aim for learning to flow both ways, with authenticity in their own engagement. For example, sustained genuine, meaningful engagement of non-Indigenous educators with Indigenous communities and ways of knowing is recommended to develop increased empathy, more effective engagement with Indigenous students and deeper understanding of relationships as a central Indigenous pedagogy.&nbsp;Our current ‘real world’ shouldn’t be here in the future: future and ethical authenticityOur “real world” is far from perfect. There are structural inequalities and wicked problems seemingly everywhere. Authentic assessment is meant to engage students meaningfully, but the benefits may be lost for students who envision a different world. Instead of preparing graduates to accept or replicate current issues, authentic assessment can help them create new, transformed futures.&nbsp;How to address this: Lancaster University’s Jan McArthur suggests&nbsp;authentic assessment can do societal good and/or mimic real-world community tasks, engaging students with important, worthwhile questions.&nbsp;Inviting students to work alongside a community to understand and solve problems together is empowering for both and invites personal meaning.&nbsp;An example of meaningful assessment is the Cities alive: designing cities that work for women project by the University of Liverpool with ARUP and the United Nations Development Programme. With an emphasis on intersectional women, master’s in planning students contributed to the report’s literature review led by senior lecturer in planning Catherine Queen, strengthening the evidence base and promoting transformative change.When designing authentic assessment, consider the student as an active, present component, whose rich contexts strongly influence their performance and experience. Including partnership, choice and flexibility is authentic – and likely translates into a more resonant student experience.Sue Sharpe is at Australian National University; Jennifer Z. Sun is lecturer in finance at the University of Sydney.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Is authentic assessment leaving some students behind?

Does a more authentic assessment for some students mean an inauthentic experience for others? Here’s how to address this by adopting a student-focused lens 

You’ll encounter&nbsp;a wealth of opportunities throughout your PhD journey, but few are as transformative as teaching. Taking on instructing roles not only offers immediate financial rewards but can have a positive, long-term impact on your academic career. Here are tips on how to gain and make the most out of the experience.Before you start teachingYou may find yourself stepping into a teaching role in your second year. Before you do, you might attend a mandatory training programme that provides foundational teaching skills, such as delivering effective lessons, giving feedback and peer-reviewing teaching sessions. While this training can be brief and sometimes feel more theoretical than practical, it can help you build confidence and lay the groundwork for developing a teaching mindset.&nbsp;This is also an excellent time to gain a well-regarded accreditation such as the Associate Fellowship of Advance HE. You can apply for this&nbsp;directly through Advance HE or enrol in a relevant teaching course at your institution that includes it as part of the qualification.&nbsp;Gaining this accreditation strengthens your teaching portfolio, signals your dedication to student learning, and helps you stand out in job and promotion applications.Many universities run mentoring schemes for new teaching staff, but if yours doesn’t, consider seeking&nbsp;out a mentor who can guide you through the early stages of your teaching journey. You can meet experienced educators at university events like those run by the Bristol Institute for Teaching and Learning. You can also attend events run by external organisations, such as the British Academy of Management. If you spot someone whose experience and values seem&nbsp;like the right fit, drop them a courteous email asking them if they have the time and headspace to mentor you.&nbsp;Navigating your first experienceThe best educators aren’t born teaching prodigies – they’re passionate about their subject and invest time in preparation. On average, experienced lecturers rehearse a lecture twice before delivering it. The more you practise, the better you’ll become.In addition to practising content delivery, you must familiarise yourself with the content, practise problem-solving scenarios, and carefully structure your lessons to balance explanations, Q&amp;A and practical activities. Placing yourself in your students’ shoes is key to planning and delivering a session that is&nbsp;both engaging and effective.&nbsp;What is student engagement?Do you speak Gen Z or are you a noob?Spotlight guide: Bringing GenAI into the university classroomOvercoming challenges in the classroomTeaching comes with&nbsp;its challenges, but you should view these as opportunities for growth.&nbsp;One common example is ensuring students with limited subject-specific knowledge understand your learning content. In these instances, break down concepts into more digestible chunks. Use real-world examples to make abstract topics more relatable and accessible. Stay up to date with relevant trends and developments to ensure&nbsp;the examples you use speak to your students’ interests and experiences.Time management is another teaching challenge. You&nbsp;will need to balance delivering content, answering questions, and maintaining a steady pace to cover all planned material. This is tricky, as you may not know how&nbsp;much time some discussions might take. This is another reason to rehearse your content before delivering your sessions. The more you practise, the better your time-keeping will be.&nbsp;For discussions and interactive parts, use an on-screen timer. For example, you can search for a 10-minute timer with lively background music on YouTube and integrate the video into your PowerPoint slides. This way you’ll be able to stay on track and create an engaging learning environment. Finally, you can gently bring discussions to a close by saying, “final two comments, please” or “I’m mindful of time, so let’s continue this discussion in the break or in the next seminar”.Even some&nbsp;of the best-balanced sessions aren’t guaranteed to keep your students’ attention. Many learners, whether online or in-person, prefer to engage through electronic devices. Others may also lack the confidence to share their thoughts or answer questions aloud. Incorporating interactive elements like online quizzes in class is an effective way to address this. Use tools such as Mentimeter or Kahoot to check understanding and Padlet or Blackboard Café to manage questions and answers.Language may also present a barrier, especially when teaching international students. In this instance, explaining technical terms and incorporating visual aids can bridge the gap. As can linking theoretical concepts to practical applications using examples from different cultures. For example, when teaching marketing communication, we share cases of major translation mishaps or instances of cultural appropriation by well-known brands to&nbsp;theoretical concepts more relatable to our students.Teaching is more than a line on your CV; it is a journey of personal and professional growth. Take on a variety of roles to develop a broad skill set. Start with small group teaching in seminars and tutorials to build confidence. Then, progress to lectures to refine your ability to engage diverse audiences. Consider taking on undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervision.&nbsp;Remember, every session you lead is an opportunity to grow into&nbsp;a confident and reflective educator and will equip you with invaluable skills and foster resilience. More importantly, these experiences allow you to make a meaningful impact on students’ learning.Marios Kremantzis is a senior lecturer in business analytics at the University of Bristol Business School. Rushana Khusainova is a senior lecturer in marketing at the&nbsp;University of Bristol Business School.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Want to teach during your PhD? Here’s what you should know

How to prepare for your first teaching experience, manage your time and keep students engaged in class

For some educators, the thought of conducting research might seem worlds away from the everyday demands of teaching. Yet, educational research is fundamental to improving teaching and learning methods through evidence-based practice. It is an approach that can empower you with tools to help you teach and lead more strategically and effectively. Here, we will share some practical tips to kickstart your foray into educational research.&nbsp;Begin with your own classroomConsider picking something that complements what you are doing in your current teaching. This could aid in generating ideas for your research. What are some challenges you face in your class? Is there a particular teaching strategy that you are curious about exploring? Or is there a learning outcome that you would like your students to improve on?&nbsp;Design your researchOnce you have identified a potential area of focus, the next step is to design your research. This process begins with a clear articulation of your research question(s) or the problem(s) you aim to address. This question should not be overly broad, but rather focused enough to allow for insightful investigation.Following from the research question and/or problem identified, think about how you want to address them. What specific intervention or change will you implement in your classroom? A new teaching method, a specific technology, a revised curriculum?Tips for fostering student engagement in blended learningThe flipped classroom: an evidence-based approachUsing productive failure to activate deeper learningConsider how you might evaluate the effectiveness of the specific intervention or change introduced. You could begin with thinking about what you want to measure, what data collection methods you could employ, the types of data you want to collect and how you could analyse the data.&nbsp;Finally, think about what the results tell you and the practical implications they have for your teaching practice. For example, if pre-post-test student cognitive engagement scores showed a significant increase over time, it could suggest that students have become more cognitively engaged as a result of the intervention or change. The active learning strategies (eg, problem-based learning, collaborative tasks, Socratic questioning) might have engaged students more deeply in the learning materials, reinforcing the importance of designing lessons that require thinking, reflection and problem-solving rather than passive learning.&nbsp;Seek support from your institution or organisationMany universities have research centres or departments that offer assistance in areas such as research design, data analysis and methodology. Some also help with identifying appropriate funding agencies for your project. Take advantage of these valuable resources to refine your research focus and enhance your research capabilities. Do also share your research ideas with colleagues, mentors and faculty to gain insights and advice.&nbsp;For example, at our&nbsp;Teaching and Learning Academy, our educational research team collaborates with faculty members on their research projects, some assuming the role of co-investigator or key collaborators. This engagement allows us to contribute our expertise in research design, data collection and analysis, academic writing and mentorship. Additionally, we organise workshops for our faculty staff, such as those on grant writing and research design with the intention of sharpening their educational research skills.&nbsp;Your institution can play a crucial role in supporting your research by providing access to essential tools and resources, such as research databases, libraries and specialised software. By leveraging these resources effectively, you can streamline your research process and achieve greater research impact.Immerse yourself in an educational research communityAttending conferences, workshops, seminars, or even joining online communities, offers invaluable opportunities to learn from experts, connect with like-minded researchers and&nbsp;explore potential collaborations. By sharing your ideas, your work and seeking feedback, you can rapidly expand your research expertise and gain valuable insights to inform your future projects.&nbsp;Collaborating with colleagues to interpret research findings fosters an environment where knowledge is shared and applied. Not only can you benefit from your own research, but others may discover valuable insights to enhance their teaching or research. This open exchange of ideas stimulates critical dialogue and inspires innovative approaches to teaching and learning.As your research evolves, consider expanding its scope. Perhaps your research project has uncovered a larger question or issue. This could be the foundation for a more extensive study. Look beyond your own field and see input from other experts or stakeholders. This will help you broaden horizons and uncover opportunities for external funding to support your research.&nbsp;‘What’s next?’&nbsp;Bridging the gap between research and practice means asking the question: “How can I&nbsp;bring research into my class?” Don’t forget to go back to the initial idea of why you started the research and how it will value-add to the existing literature and your current teaching practice. Try incorporating your research findings into your curriculum or&nbsp;current pedagogy. Help students understand the “why” behind your research by showing them how it impacts their learning experience and connecting it to their everyday learning activities and goals.By observing and reflecting on your teaching practice, you are already taking the first steps. Seeking support from your institution and opportunities for collaboration can provide resources to elevate efforts. The ultimate goal isn’t just to conduct research, but to bridge the gap between theory and practice. As educators, you hold the key to advancing educational research right in your own classrooms.Oran Devilly is an assistant professor and lead learning analyst, Ching Yee Pua is a learning analyst, Kenan Kok Xiao-Feng is a senior learning analyst and Shermain Puah is a learning analyst, all at the Singapore Institute of Technology.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Kickstart your educational research journey

Educational research can help elevate your teaching to the next level. Here’s how to get started 

Compassion fatigue creeps in gradually, often unnoticed, until one day the physical and emotional toll becomes undeniable.&nbsp;Like many educators, I was too preoccupied with helping my students and coworkers to notice I was experiencing compassion fatigue. It is a frequently overlooked challenge in academia. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit that the constant anxiety, sleepless nights and overwhelming sense of burnout became impossible to ignore. That’s when I realised how essential it was to protect myself from it.What works to prevent compassion fatigue – a term psychologist Charles Figley coined in the 1980s to describe the toll of immersing oneself in the suffering of others – can vary from person to person. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution because every educator’s experience is unique.&nbsp;However, some common “don’ts” can help.&nbsp;Don’t over-identify with students’ strugglesWe often feel compassion fatigue when we cross the line between feeling for someone and feeling with them. This happens when we lack boundaries and absorb others’ pain as our own. It’s easy to become emotionally entangled in the challenges our students face. However, over-identifying with them can lead to emotional burnout. To protect ourselves, we need to maintain a healthy emotional distance. True compassion means offering support without taking full responsibility for others’ struggles. By setting healthy boundaries and practising detachment without disengagement, we can care for others while preserving our well-being.&nbsp;A healthy empathic stance is: “I honour your struggle.” This allows us to be present for others without internalising their emotions. On the other hand, an unhealthy empathic stance – “I own your struggle as my own” – creates an emotional burden that leads to burnout.&nbsp;Don’t skip self-careWhen burnout sets in, we sometimes forget the basics like hydration, nourishment, rest, and sunlight. It may sound simple, but a powerful reset for the body and mind can be as straightforward as taking a weekend to focus on self-care. Carrying a water bottle and sipping regularly, eating balanced meals at consistent times and spending 30 minutes of quality “me” time have made a huge difference in my life. Routine and mindful attention to these basics provide a foundation for resilience in my work, ensuring that I can keep showing up for others without depleting my resources.&nbsp;Collection: Well-being in higher educationShow students you careWhy academics are losing sleepDon’t ignore your physical symptomsCompassion fatigue manifests physically through sleep disturbances, breathlessness and tension. It’s easy to dismiss the early warning signs of emotional fatigue, but ignoring them only makes the situation worse. We must pay attention to our bodies and take proactive measures to deal with these symptoms as soon as possible, whether by exercising, practising deep breathing or getting medical help. We can stop burnout getting worse by recognising and reacting to our bodies.Don’t say yes to everythingAs an educator, it’s natural to want to help and be there for everyone but when we feel overburdened we must learn to say no. This isn’t being “self-centred”. It’s realising our limits. One of the most important ways to safeguard our emotional and mental health is to establish boundaries and know when to turn down extra obligations. Communicate your limits clearly and avoid overcommitting.&nbsp;Don’t work in isolationCompassion fatigue takes hold when we bottle up our emotions and avoid seeking help. Peer support fosters compassion, eases emotional strain and reminds us that we are not alone. Whether it’s with a trusted friend, a therapist or in a journal, expressing your feelings helps you gain the self-awareness necessary to care for yourself. I use a video journal to keep track of the impact of these strategies and share my emotional load with my best friend, who provides fresh perspective.&nbsp;While peer support and self-reflection help, professional guidance can also be invaluable. After the pandemic, two years of coaching helped me learn to set aside much-needed “me time”. Sharing our struggles allows us to recharge and stay emotionally connected without burning out.&nbsp;Compassion fatigue is a reality for many educators but is often not spoken about until it becomes overwhelming. Identify the strategies that work for you and prioritise your emotional well-being. This will help you remain present and passionate about your work.Bhawana Shrestha is research fellow at the Academy of Future Education at Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University in China.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to prevent compassion fatigue

Many educators experience compassion fatigue at some point in their careers. Prevent it by shifting your perspective, setting boundaries and building strong support networks

Traditional assessments focus on academic achievement, often overlooking the practical skills needed for the workplace. Assessment methods must be rethought to address this. Collaborating with industry partners to design authentic assessments can help students learn skills in assessing market trends, developing marketing strategies and resolving operational challenges. Such assignments help students understand workplace expectations.Universities have called upon industry experts to adapt curricula and assessment processes. For example, management programmes often run capstone projects where students develop solutions to company-specific challenges. Such projects provide students with hands-on experience and companies with innovative ideas and potential talent.Students are much more engaged when they know that professionals will review their work. Furthermore, industry specialists’ opinions often offer viewpoints that academic assessments alone cannot supply. For instance, technical feedback from working professionals might help a student working on a product prototype or design to improve and hone their abilities for real-world market demands.However, this approach requires careful preparation. Instructors need to identify roles for industry partners and provide them with clear guidelines. They must explain the course’s learning objectives and academic policies. Frequent meetings can help faculty and industry specialists organise challenging yet achievable assessments together.Instructors can establish memoranda of understanding or agreements with industry partners to make collaborations sustainable. These memoranda help build productive working relationships by outlining duties, deadlines and expectations. Additionally, technology can be used to organise virtual meetings and coordinate easy resource sharing.&nbsp;Curricula developmentCollaboration in curriculum advisory boards between academic and industry professionals is common in business schools. Many MBA programmes, particularly in specialised fields such as marketing, human resources, finance and analytics, have senior industry executives from leading firms serving on curricula design committees. They play a vital role in shaping course content and ensuring academic evaluations align with real-world industry expectations.In our management programmes, students undertake internships and work on projects within companies. Their final assessment is conducted jointly by faculty and their industry mentor. The faculty evaluates academic rigour, structured learning and analytical capabilities, while the industry mentor assesses professional behaviour, problem-solving skills and adaptability. This dual-layered evaluation approach ensures that students are graded on both theoretical concepts and their ability to navigate real-world challenges.Collection: Authentic assessment in higher educationPartnering with industry for authentic experiences and assessmentSpotlight guide: The evolution of authentic assessmentOn our executive apprenticeship programmes, senior industry leaders co-evaluate students alongside faculty members, and in our Young Leaders Programme, students are mentored and assessed by senior executives and faculty mentors. This ensures that leadership assessment covers both theory and practice.Industry-based live projectsDuring live projects, students work with companies to identify problems, analyse data and propose solutions. Faculty members evaluate problem-solving, academic rigour and depth of research, while company representatives assess the viability and practical implementation of the recommendations students make. This joint evaluation model enhances student learning and provides businesses with fresh insights and innovative ideas.Business competitions and entrepreneurship projects offer further opportunities for industry-integrated assessments. During these, student teams pitch their projects to a panel of academic and industry experts. The industry professionals assess feasibility, market relevance and business acumen, while faculty members evaluate conceptual clarity, presentation skills and theoretical knowledge. Similarly, in entrepreneurship assignments, students work with local entrepreneurs to improve business operations. Industry professionals provide feedback on the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed solutions, while faculty members assess research depth, innovation and strategic alignment.In India, where my institution is based, the scope for such collaborations is immense. We can use these to address skills gaps and allow businesses to actively shape assessments that measure problem-solving, effective communication and adaptability – all essential in today’s workforce.By fostering partnerships with industry, educational institutions can nurture a culture of innovation. This approach improves the learning experience and ensures that students are prepared to handle the complexities of the professional world. As partnerships expand, they open the door to a more responsive and interconnected educational system.Maninder Singh is an assistant professor at T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) at Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Improving assessments through industry collaboration

How to build and maintain industry relationships and coordinate effective project-based assessments for MBA students

Empathy, the ability to understand other people’s feelings, can be learned and developed. A good teacher demonstrates this quality and, in doing so, inspires, motivates and connects with their students. Having experienced education from both sides, I know just how crucial compassion is to learning. Empathy and connection, timely communication and constructive feedback make a more enjoyable and rewarding learning experience for all. Here are some of the strategies I use.Make a good first impressionIn my first lecture for any given course, I don’t teach any new content. Instead, I take the time to introduce myself to the students and get to know them. I provide a weekly schedule outlining what we’ll do in the course so they know what to expect. I also provide them with an outline of how I expect their assignments to be presented and the rubrics that will guide my marking. I remind them of study skill methods along with on-campus support and resources they might find useful. A student once noted that in doing this, I was “mapping a direct path to an A+”. This upfront investment pays off. Other students use descriptors such as “enjoyable”, “exciting”, “interactive”, “understanding”, “helpful”, “patient” and “approachable” in their feedback. Students appreciate the clarity, patience and understanding that this demonstrates.Simplify thingsMaking straightforward adjustments can reduce students’ cognitive load, improving their performance.Examples of modifications include:•&nbsp;Keeping the layout of your course page on the learning management system (LMS) consistent (eg, colours, fonts, appropriate labels etc) &nbsp;•&nbsp;Signposting students to various additional learning policies specific to your course (eg, a course expectations and participation policy)•&nbsp;Creating weekly introduction and to-do list sections on your course page•&nbsp;Sharing course materials in alternative formats and using multimedia content (eg, videos and podcasts) to cater to students’ learning styles and to improve accessibility.Encourage engagementHave students prepare in advance so they are primed for your lecture or other learning activity. If this is not possible, allow some reading and question time beforehand. Also, think about how you can use the resources available to you to break down complex concepts in your subject into digestible content. For example, some platforms have gamified or reference learning resources you can use, such as crosswords or flashcards, to help students recall information from previous courses and link it to current course content.Another tip is to encourage peer-to-peer learning by running informal course-related discussions before they leave the lecture theatre. One way to do this is by using the think-pair/group-share activity in the final five minutes of the lecture. This prompts reflection and collaboration as they share key takeaways, challenges and further learning opportunities.Prioritise the student experienceI see it as my duty to provide a high-quality student experience. This, in turn, influences my attitude toward students. Being receptive to students’ comments and feedback about the course or your teaching is paramount. Where it’s within your power to improve the course experience, even in a small way, do not hesitate. Remember, you were once in their position!Acknowledge, listen and respond kindly and appropriately to students’ concerns, aspirations and career goals. Try to be understanding with students and the challenges they face while completing their studies. I strive to be supportive and responsive to student needs where possible, whether that is through answering their general, course and programme-specific questions or granting an assignment extension. I usually set a timeline to reply to students’ email queries within 48 hours and try to grade assignments within a week to 10 days after submission.I have also made use of the course engagement analytics on the LMS to identify and assist students who are struggling or who have fallen behind. This has enabled me to reach out compassionately and offer them personalised support, leading to increased retention and graduation rates.As a lecturer, you are presented with an opportunity to have an impact on all kinds of people. Whether you realise it or not, your interactions leave a lasting impression. Consistent use and practice of the above strategies will improve your teaching and students’ learning, as well as help to raise the reputation of your institution.Natalie K.D. Seedan is a sports sciences laboratory technician and part-time lecturer at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Show students you care

When you prioritise well-being, your students will thank you for it. Show kindness by taking steps to reduce cognitive load and create a welcoming and engaging learning environment

The ability to give constructive feedback, self-evaluate and present information are all vital managerial skills. But how do we hone these in our students? Non-traditional assessments, when designed well, can offer a solution. Here, we share lessons learned while assessing students in our management degree apprenticeship modules.Personal development discussionsOn a Level 6 management module, we asked students to complete two 20-minute personal development discussions – one at the beginning and the other at the end of the module. This had to be followed by a 400-word self-evaluation of the knowledge applied using a predefined marking rubric. Students had to use the self-evaluation to explain their rationale, including where they showed module knowledge, and identify areas of development. The aim was to develop managerial behaviours and confidence in conducting personal development conversations with colleagues. Each submission accounted for 15 per cent of the overall grade.&nbsp;Reflections and recommendationsConsider the benefits of self-assessment: students reported that completing this assignment took more time than traditional essay formats. However, many acknowledged that they learned more through the self-evaluation process. Its emphasis on self-assessment fostered metacognitive skills crucial for ongoing professional development.Build opportunities for learning progression: dividing the assessment into two submission phases enabled students to familiarise themselves with the evaluation criteria and build confidence in their abilities. It also supported self-efficacy development through the recognition of improvements over time.Relinquish control: challenge your assumptions about what a tutor’s role should be. Should they primarily act as evaluators or should the focus be on facilitating valuable learning opportunities?Integrated peer coaching and assessment centre masterclassOn a Level 7 management module, we used peer coaching to build knowledge, skills and trust leading up to an assessment-centre-style masterclass. We introduced students to the concept of coaching and had them practise weekly, in small groups, before a masterclass. Constructive peer feedback was fundamental in establishing the foundations for effective teamwork and collaborative assessment and building trust.During the masterclass, students completed four assessments (two individual and two group) that drew out skills in:Creating and communicating data via an individual assessment (infographic)Collaborative working via team assessment (a critical analysis)Presentation skills via a team assessment (a professional discussion)Reflexivity via an individual assessment (a reflective exercise).&nbsp;&nbsp;Reflections and recommendationsBuild trust: students were hesitant to engage in teamwork when it impacted their grade, however, feedback highlighted the value of learning gained by working together and the relationships built through coaching.Link formative and summative assessments (and share the learning): team-based activities tend to receive higher engagement if related to an assessment. In this instance, while coaching was formative, their summative professional discussion reflected on the knowledge they gained from coaching and peer observation prompted additional learning.Be careful with timescales: students appreciate assessments being completed by the end of the masterclass.&nbsp;However, they need time to engage in teamwork in the lead-up to the masterclass.Read more: three ways to optimise your business school’s AI-related offeringBusiness school recruitment: disrupt to diversifySpotlight: AI and assessment in higher educationNarrated personal development PowerPoint plan&nbsp;This assessment involved a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation in which management apprentices critically reflected on their personal development plans, showcasing and applying their knowledge of concepts like emotional intelligence.Reflections and recommendationsDevelop student presentation skills: pre-recorded narrated PowerPoint presentations only viewed by markers enable students to practise their skills in a low-stakes environment. Requiring students to record in a single take using their own voice, rather than AI-generated narration, enhances authenticity.Encourage meaningful critical reflection: we encouraged students to use the lens of the literature or experience to inform their own goals and learning methods. We also encouraged them to collect evidence about themselves through feedback and questionnaires to help them decide whether to use this information to shape their goals.&nbsp;Allow a creative approach to reflection: we encouraged students to experiment with different methods of reflection beyond just the assignment. They took part in an exercise that required them to create a visual representation of themselves (ie, beliefs, strengths, interests and values) using art materials. This enabled them to connect their learning experiences and values in a way they wouldn’t have otherwise.&nbsp;The implementation of alternative assessments in management degree apprenticeships provides exciting opportunities to improve student learning and engagement. Our experiences illustrate how innovative assessment practices can significantly support students’ professional development and set them up for success.Michelle Trottier, Alison Sydenham and Julie Pepper are senior lecturers at the University of Exeter.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Three alternative assessments to build managerial skills

Personal development discussions, presentations and peer coaching help build essential communication skills and emotional intelligence. These tips will make them effective

Three alternative assessments that build managerial skills

The concept of continuous improvement, rooted in the lean manufacturing techniques developed by Toyota in the 1950s, has been a fundamental component of the manufacturing industry for decades. Despite its popularity across various sectors, higher education has been slow to adopt continuous improvement practices. As a continuous improvement manager, I have experienced firsthand how they can transform teaching and learning in higher education.I have been helping colleagues implement continuous improvement principles for module enhancement to increase engagement, grades and student satisfaction. While several relevant methodologies exist, the most useful and easily applicable relevant to higher education is the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle. This is in essence a four-step model for implementing change and a rigorous framework to design meaningful and data-driven interventions.PlanThe planning stage is the most important part of the PDCA cycle. Here, the focus is on identifying the problem(s). Ask yourself:What are the main problems with my module?&nbsp;Are my students happy with the way I teach?&nbsp;Is the assessment well suited for the module?When I led a postgraduate module in 2021, the first thing I did was review the data. It became clear that there were areas for improvement where student success and satisfaction were concerned. Therefore, we needed to make some changes.After identifying the problems, the next step is understanding the root causes. In my department, we used the five whys (5Whys) technique, a problem-solving method involving asking “why?” five times until you get to the root of the problem. The reasons we discovered were multifaceted. First, the reading list needed to better reflect the student population, as nearly 80 per cent of students in the module were international and from culturally diverse backgrounds. Second, international students often face challenges navigating the UK university system and adapting to its academic expectations, which can automatically disadvantage them. Last, qualitative comments from the student satisfaction survey suggested students needed more support for the summative assessment. After identifying the root causes, we decided to make several interventions.Spotlight guide: Back to the basics of pedagogyWhy interactive and game-based instruction beats lecturing every timeUsing fun and interactive micromodules to energise learning&nbsp;DoWith these insights, we moved to the “do” stage. This is where you implement the planned interventions based on the problems identified. In our case, to support students with assessments, we developed an assessment checklist that acted like a roadmap, including hyperlinks to referencing, plagiarism, and academic writing resources created by the university’s library. We also decolonised the reading list to represent a broader range of voices and perspectives. Additionally, we integrated digital tools such as Padlet and Poll Everywhere to collect responses to questions and quizzes during seminars, increasing student engagement.CheckDuring this stage, we analysed whether the interventions were successful, using several performance indicators including assessment scores and student feedback. The results showed that the number of students achieving an upper award increased, the failure rate dropped to only 3 per cent and student feedback scores significantly improved. It was clear that the interventions had been successful.ActThis stage can be considered the standardisation stage. In the manufacturing and service sectors, the interventions made in the “Do” stage can be implemented on a small scale and in a controlled environment. However, this approach may not always be applicable in education. In our case, following the success of our interventions, we standardised them for subsequent deliveries of the module.The module has continued to perform exceptionally well since we introduced these interventions, and it even received the department’s “Most Improved Module” award. If the interventions had been unsuccessful, we would have analysed why they failed and what could be improved. Either way, we should not rely solely on one iteration, as the PDCA cycle is inherently iterative. We refine the process each time we run the module.Integrating continuous improvement techniques into higher education teaching and learning can greatly improve overall student outcomes. However, implementing them is not without its challenges. One significant hurdle is the perception that such techniques are for businesses, not for universities. However, this is clearly not the case, as reflected by our success in implementing it in my department. Another challenge is the faculty’s resistance to change, which is to be expected. Despite these challenges, the effort is well worthwhile. The results speak for themselves.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sercan Demiralay is a continuous improvement manager, and principal lecturer in accounting and finance at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

What can module leaders learn from Toyota?

How to use the plan-do-check-act cycle to improve student success, satisfaction and grades

How can universities meet industry expectations to the extent society expects them to?&nbsp;Before answering this question, I would like to pose another: should universities be expected to meet all industry demands?&nbsp;According to French government guidelines, the answer is unequivocally yes. Current certifications emphasise skills-based approaches to education aimed at boosting student employability after graduation. This perspective advocates for programmes to be designed based on the jobs offered by industry. And it makes perfect sense when the educational and administrative costs of training are taken into consideration; our leaders likely have both the right and the duty to ensure that certain academic programmes do not lead half their students directly into unemployment.It may be worthwhile to reverse the question and ask whether industries should – to some extent, at least – align their hiring practices with the offerings of universities. Expecting universities to fully adopt corporate methods because they represent the main employment pool for young graduates might not even serve businesses’ best interests. Over-preparing students for corporate environments could stifle creativity and innovation. Universities teach foundational knowledge that is harder to acquire, while workplace habits and practices can be learned relatively quickly. Sometimes, the fresh perspective of a recent graduate entering a company can highlight the rigidity of protocols and challenge established practices in light of up-to-date knowledge.Spotlight guide: What innovation needs to thrive in higher educationReimagining the role of higher education in a world of intersecting revolutionsCareer-connected learning is an investment in the futureMany universities have greatly strengthened their partnerships with industries in recent decades. Companies are now involved in teaching, through courses, workshops, masterclasses and conferences. Internships have become a staple in most programmes, sometimes even mandatory. At my institution, the Master of Science and Technology programme&nbsp;is designed in close collaboration with industry professionals. They participate in advisory boards and improvement committees for this programme, helping us refine our curricula on the basis of their development projects and job opportunities. Some companies also provide financial support to students through scholarships that cover part of or all tuition fees. Their interest in the programme reassures students about their career prospects.Except perhaps for a few fields, such as medieval history or ancient Greek, a curriculum entirely disconnected from the corporate world would lack relevance and credibility today – for both students and employers. A development that illustrates the integration of business into the university system is the proliferation of incubators, start-ups and fab labs (fabrication laboratories). These spaces provide technical, legal, commercial and financial support to students and researchers who wish to start a business, and each side learns from the other. Universities contribute fundamental research and innovation, while industries bring market insights, feasibility analysis and funding strategies.Another example is universities’ investment in lifelong learning. Professionals can now enrol in short, specialised courses on topics as diverse as 3D cell culture, heterogeneous catalysis or social and political aspects of global health. Having been involved in such programmes for more than 20 years, I’ve seen how academic expertise is highly valued for its impartiality and its role as a modern knowledge benchmark. This prestige is significant; in a time when information – and the disinformation that comes with it – floods our lives, it is vital for our increasingly market-driven society to look to the university as a source of knowledge and progress, offering at least one place where exchanges are not influenced by the dominance of business interests. It also explains the success of MBA programmes, where executives, already highly recognised within their companies, return to university to seek top-level training directly from what is assumed to be the source of fundamental knowledge.These university-industry partnerships are undoubtedly beneficial, but in my view, they must not compromise the university’s primary mission of providing a universal education closely tied to fundamental research. One might say I am defending my own interests, but I am not in favour of the trend where companies offer their own training programmes and, for example, award master’s degrees. While these programmes are financially supported by the companies and often ensure internal employment for students, they bring us back to the question: does training a young person to fit the mould of a company truly add value for either part? Doesn’t this closed-loop approach hinder the company’s openness to new concepts and fresh perspectives?Once a year, the institution where I work organises a large forum where 150 companies meet 2,000 students. The students move from stand to stand to discuss internships, job opportunities and so on. The sight of a flock of students in their twenties, almost all in dark blue suits, white shirts and black shoes, always strikes me. This uniformity is unlikely to be a coincidence; it aligns with the codes of the corporate world and clearly illustrates the trend towards shaping a standardised individual, seemingly at odds with the very concept of university.I believe most universities have gone above and beyond to prepare students for the corporate world – through professional partnerships, internships, innovation hubs and lifelong learning. At least at my institution, I’m not sure what more could be done. The real challenge now is to ensure these collaborations do not homogenise students but instead foster creativity and intellectual diversity.Stéphane Bouchonnet is head of the Master of Science and Technology programme at&nbsp;École Polytechnique in&nbsp;Palaiseau, France.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

With higher education institutions adapting their programmes to prepare students for future jobs, they risk producing corporatised graduates to a detriment of innovation or even business’ best interests, writes Stéphane Bouchonnet

Should universities meet all industry demands?

Self-perceived competency and agency – having the power, resources and sense of control to handle a wide range of tasks and situations – are critical for the engagement, development and well-being of higher education students. However, the experiences students encounter can often leave them questioning their abilities, particularly when faced with new academic and personal challenges. Educators play an important role in fostering an “I can” mentality among students, which empowers them to recognise their potential and take ownership of their educational experience. Here are practical strategies to nurture students’ belief in their capabilities. I hope these will be helpful for everyone but particularly university teaching staff.&nbsp;Reduce the use of competency-based assumptions&nbsp;Educators often make assumptions about students’ prior knowledge or experiences. For example, phrases like “you should remember (topic)” are frequently heard when connecting current to previously taught content. However, these statements assume a level of competency that may not reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all students. Such phrases can therefore inadvertently undermine confidence and create barriers to learning. This is especially prevalent for students with protected characteristics. Considering the sheer volume of content students receive, it is unreasonable to expect them to remember everything, regardless of background.&nbsp;We should aim to use language in a way that contextualises student knowledge and is more reflective of the variety in student recall and understanding. For example, when mentioning previous content, connections could be more contextually transparent: “We looked at (topic) last semester, which suggested X…” followed by an explanation of how it connects to the present topic. By offering this transparency in an inclusive and supportive way, we can then prevent such challenges in academic work from being perceived as evidence of incompetency. This may then help to foster an “I can” mindset among students, enabling them to seek further knowledge from this transparency without feeling incapable or defeated.&nbsp;Challenge expectations about the role of the student ‘adult’A common expectation in higher education is for students to be fully independent and self-directed “adults”. While this may be a reality for some, it can be problematic in the context of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). It not only dismisses students’ diverse needs but fails to account for individual variations in background and experience. For example, neurodivergent students may require additional support, not because they lack capability, but because they face systemic or structural barriers that others may not. Being mindful of our expectations of students therefore requires constant reflection on our assumptions and how these feed into our practices. By doing this, we are not diminishing their expectations, but ensuring they have an equitable opportunity to receive facilitative support to become agentic and independent.Expecting students to automatically adopt full independence the moment they step on to university grounds is as unrealistic as expecting someone to master a new language just by setting foot in a foreign country. Independence, like language fluency, is a skill that develops over time with practice, guidance and support. So, rather than imposing blanket expectations of independence, educators should focus on fostering growth, and “becoming” rather than “being”. One way to do this might be to offer practices like flipped advising, a teaching and learning approach where students engage with content before meeting with an adviser.Resource collection: Teaching with compassionUsing emotions to boost learningRelieve student boredom by ‘activating’ lecturesPromote reflection and awareness of development through flipped advisingFlipped advising is a reflective approach that focuses on what students have already achieved and what they can achieve in the future. It involves helping students recognise their growth and potential by reflecting on their journey. For instance, when advising a student transitioning to a new academic year, flipped advising could involve prompting them to consider the skills they have developed since starting university. Reflective questions to help them prepare for discussion during their advisory meetings could include:What skills have you gained that you didn’t think you would?Where have you seen improvement in yourself, whether academically, personally or socially?What challenges have you overcome, and how?By guiding students to acknowledge their progress, educators can help them build positive self-perception. This approach shifts the focus from academic achievements alone to holistic development, encouraging students to see themselves as capable and adaptable individuals. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to set future goals based on their strengths and aspirations, reinforcing their agency in shaping their educational journey.Support without oversteppingAnother common narrative among HE staff is that students want to “pass the buck” and continue with the spoon-fed approach of secondary education. However, on talking with students in my practice and research, it has become clear to me that they seek opportunities for choice and self-direction. There is a difference between “passing the buck” and requiring guidance on how to take agentic actions. If a student says “I just need someone to tell me what to do”, it is not them asking for us to do the work for them, but to provide the guidance and tools to take the action themselves. As educators, we should therefore be offering clear, actionable advice and resources that empower those students to take the necessary steps. The key is to collaborate with the student, ensuring they feel supported while maintaining a sense of ownership over their experience. By doing this, we can facilitate and promote agency.We can cultivate an “I can” attitude among students by adjusting our language to avoid perpetuating stereotypes, by embedding&nbsp;reflective practices&nbsp;that build students’ awareness of their development and by supporting without spoon-feeding. Ultimately, these strategies can help students see challenges as opportunities for growth and believe in their ability to navigate their academic journeys.Megan Jones is a lecturer in psychology at the University of East Anglia.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Fostering an ‘I can’ attitude in students

Challenging assumptions about competency and student independence and promoting self-reflection can foster agency, writes Megan Jones

While much of the discourse on generative AI (GenAI) in academic circles focuses on whether it can be creative, something more interesting is happening in my seminars for master’s in digital communication management: students are using GenAI to become more creative themselves. It’s not about AI replacing human creativity; it’s about how writing prompts for AI is becoming a new form of creative expression. Every time a student crafts a prompt, they’re engaging in an act of imagination that our traditional education system rarely demands.&nbsp;When students write prompts for large language models (LLMs), they’re engaging in a creative process. They must envision possibilities, set goals and imagine outcomes – exactly the skills we want them to learn.&nbsp;An experiment for using AI to promote divergent thinking shows that human imagination was used to envisage capabilities when designing a crab-inspired toy using a GenAI video model. Such systems help us craft elaborate scenarios, and each prompt can represent a creative leap that pushes boundaries of conventional thinking.Resource collection: AI transformers like ChatGPT are here, so what next?Spotlight guide: Creativity in higher educationOpinion: ‘Creativity is a practice, not an astonishing stroke of good luck’Creative prompt engineering isn’t limited to design. Consider how media students are using GenAI to revolutionise their storytelling approach, advertisements and press releases; explore scenarios, unconventional consumer profiles and positioning strategies; or simply play devil’s advocate. They’re using it as a collaborative brainstorming tool and for developing ideas. For example, a student used it to explore multiple perspectives for an advertising campaign. When one of our PR students crafted prompts to explore scenarios such as a drought-stricken future or contexts for marketing a luxury brand, she started with an observation or a problem, generating multiple possible explanations and approaches, and seeking the most plausible option.&nbsp;This process demonstrates what philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce understood about human creativity. When theorising abductive reasoning, which is the process of creative exploration, Peirce argued that imagination is central to how we think and generate new ideas. When the student asked: “What if sustainability wasn’t the main selling point?”, she was making creative leaps to generate new hypotheses.&nbsp;Our students are not just getting answers from AI, they’re exploring possibilities in ways we’ve never seen before. The most creative work doesn’t come from students who write simple prompts such as: “Paint a sunset.” It comes from those who, like our PR student, imagine complex scenarios that combine unexpected elements and perspectives.The process of prompt engineering itself becomes a form of abductive reasoning where each prompt is a hypothesis about what might work best, and each AI response helps refine these hypotheses towards the most plausible solution. Writing prompts for AI is an act of transforming mental possibilities into tangible outputs. When crafting prompts for text, images or videos, we first imagine abstract potentials – scenarios that exist only in our minds. We then translate these imagined possibilities into precise instructions that AI can interpret. The fascinating part isn’t the AI’s output but how we bridge the gap between pure imagination and more concrete reality. Through careful prompt engineering, we’re teaching machines to understand and manifest our mental constructs, turning abstract thoughts into words, visuals and moving images that others can experience.Yes, AI has limitations. Yes, its knowledge can become outdated. But these limitations are precisely what make it a tool for creativity rather than a replacement for human thought. Students must learn to work around these limitations, to understand both the possibilities and constraints of the technology. This understanding itself becomes a form of creative problem-solving.The real opportunity here isn’t about automating creativity, it’s about democratising innovation. Students who might lack technical expertise can still identify novel ideas and approaches. While GenAI provides the technical knowledge, students must exercise creativity to co-create their vision through the lens of AI. This collaboration between human imagination and artificial intelligence is creating new forms of creative expression we’re only beginning to understand, which recalls literary scholar Yuri Lotman’s concept of&nbsp;semiosphere, a complex and evolving system of interaction of sign processes, meaning and interpretation.&nbsp;For educators, this presents a challenge and an opportunity. The question isn’t whether AI belongs in education – it’s whether we’re ready to embrace a new kind of creative thinking. Our students are already showing us the way. They’re using AI not as a shortcut but as a tool for expanding their creative horizons. The academic community needs to catch up, moving beyond debates about AI’s capabilities to understand how it can enhance human creativity.The future of education isn’t about AI creating content – it’s about students becoming more creative through their interaction with AI. It’s time for our teaching practices to reflect this reality. One way to do this is to embrace GenAI as a collaborative partner and facilitate GenAI-enhanced project-based learning by designing projects relevant to real-world issues that allow students to use it creatively.Ramona Pistol is a semiotician and lecturer in media in the School of Creative Arts at the University of Hertfordshire.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

‘GenAI is making students more creative than ever’

The real opportunity of AI isn’t automation, it’s the potential to democratise innovation, writes Ramona Pistol. And teaching practices need to catch up to this reality

‘Generative AI is making our students more creative than ever’

Student satisfaction is lower in assessment and feedback than in other areas of the student experience, according to recent data from the National Student Survey (NSS) and Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES). Delivering effective feedback to students consistently across markers and modules is something that many universities are having to grapple with.There are numerous guides on how to write effective feedback. However, one of the most productive ways to show someone good practice is to lead by example.Take advantage of feedback on teaching development programmes&nbsp;Learning and teaching development programmes offer opportunities to introduce early career educators to the principles of effective learning, teaching and assessment in higher education. In the Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (LTHE) programme delivered at my institution, participants complete a unit on assessment, marking and feedback where they become familiar with different pedagogical theories and approaches, and begin to develop a rigorous and supportive assessment practice.They are also assessed on a final portfolio they submit at the end of the programme. This assessment is a perfect opportunity for assessors to actively showcase good feedback practice through the written feedback they give educators on their work.As an assessor on the Exeter LTHE programme, I see this as a chance to lead by example and write feedback that embodies the good practice principles we encourage our educators to follow when they write feedback for students. Receiving good feedback on their own work can help them to understand what “good” feedback looks like.Use feedback models you want educators to adoptWhen giving written feedback to educators, use a model that you would want them to use when writing feedback for students. Many of us have heard of the “feedback sandwich”, which provides constructive criticism between two positive statements. Learners on the Exeter LTHE programme are also introduced to the tell, explain, describe model (TEDM) as well as the “feedback trifle”, which frames feedback into three layers: the bottom layer highlights the strengths and what the learner did well, the middle layer outlines areas to improve and the top layer gives specific actions to take in order to “fix” what didn’t go well.Apply your institution’s principles of good feedbackUse your role as an assessor to write feedback to teaching staff that exemplifies principles of good feedback. These could be principles or a model of good feedback that your institution has drafted or ones championed by organisations such as Jisc (which say that feedback should be constructive, specific, honest and supportive).&nbsp;A checklist for inclusive assessment and feedback, in a post-ChatGPT worldWhy we should be giving feedback via videoMaster the art of effective feedbackBe kindUse compassionate language and phrasing that you would expect from educators. Avoid judgemental phrases like “it’s a shame”, “it’s a pity” or “unfortunately”. Swap negative words such as “issue”, “mistake”, “problem”, “weakness”, “fails”, “lacks” or “inadequate” for neutral equivalents such as “challenge”, “learning opportunity”, “area for improvement” or “needs development”.&nbsp;If you’re returning work that you’ve annotated, make sure your annotations are self-explanatory: avoid ambiguous symbols (?, X, …, etc.) or short words that aren’t accompanied by an explanation, like “what?” or “irrelevant”.Be personalUse phrases that help you to connect with the person you are feeding back to as if you were having a conversation with them about their work. Everyone likes to think the time they put into their work has been recognised, and it can feel that way if you use more personal language and address specific examples:I enjoyed/liked reading about…&nbsp;It was interesting to hear/read/see…I was very impressed with/by…Notable areas of strength were…Your essay/report could have been further strengthened by…In future essays/assessments you may want to consider/think about…I would encourage you to…Keep it constructiveAlways end on a constructive note where you highlight exactly what the person can do to improve for next time. After all, that’s exactly what we want our educators to focus on for our students, right? This can often be most effective in bullet point format.We should take advantage of any opportunity to give written feedback to educators and exemplify good feedback practice in the process. Teaching development programmes, Advance HE Fellowship applications and other professional schemes provide ideal opportunities for assessors to model effective feedback practices that educators can apply to their students.Jennie Fox is deputy education partner in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Exeter.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

The power of effective feedback for early-career educators

How can assessors improve educators’ ability to give feedback that influences students’ motivation, engagement and achievement?

Eight years ago, I boarded a plane to North America as the sole academic in a four-person investigative team. Our mission? To determine whether an obscure, alternative educational model known as&nbsp;the block could work at Victoria University (VU) in Australia. At that time, block planning was mainly the preserve of boutique US liberal arts colleges. The prevailing view held that it was too complicated and too radical an approach to be employed at scale by large public universities without diluting academic rigour and causing organisational chaos.Fast forward to today: VU has proved the block can work at scale. Other universities – including Southern Cross University, Sunway College, De Montfort University and the University of Suffolk – now run their own successful versions of the model. So, to capture perspectives and lessons gleaned from working with the block, my colleague Loretta Konjarski and I have reached out over the past two years to leading practitioners.&nbsp;The resulting book,&nbsp;Block Teaching Essentials: A Practical Guide, is intended to offer constructive advice to academics and administrators keen to learn more about the model and, importantly, to spur further research into the ways in which so-called alternative approaches, such as the block, question traditional approaches to higher education.The questions we need to ask about curricula designHigher education across the globe is under scrutiny. In Australia,&nbsp;the Universities Accord is challenging institutions to prove that their expensive degrees provide value for money for students. There’s a global cost-of-living crisis – 66 per cent of&nbsp;UK students are worried about whether they can afford to go to university. Universities in the US are&nbsp;facing declining enrolment as birth rates continue to fall. Even the&nbsp;bachelor’s degree itself is under threat from microcredentials and industry certificates.Resource collection: What is block teaching?Spotlight guide: Back to the basics of pedagogyMaking space for innovation: a higher education challengeA shift to the block will not be the answer for most global institutions, but the intensity and depth of self-questioning and examination that such a move would require could be.&nbsp;The block model – in which teaching is offered in short, intensive modules – raises fundamental questions about higher education. What evidence supports our traditional approaches to delivery, how we teach and the way we timetable? How might we reimagine university education for an era where knowledge is instantly accessible, but the wisdom required to use it well remains elusive? And, most importantly, how do we ensure we offer students education of real value?Beyond structure&nbsp;The block is, at its simplest, a scheduling tool. It soon becomes more than that, however, as changes to timetabling, and the duration and frequency of classes cause us to reimagine how and what we teach, and how we engage and assess students.The block asks a question that the HE sector as a whole should be ashamed that it needs to ask itself: why do we continue to timetable as if students don’t have lives outside of university? Scatter-gun timetables that require students to attend at random (to them) times on different days, regardless of how inconvenient that may be, make no concession to the reality that we live in a world where consumption is user- not producer-driven. When&nbsp;nine out of 10 new jobs created over the next decade will require tertiary-level education, surely the least we can do is make it easier for students to weave study into their lives.&nbsp;Reconceptualising timetabling and structure from a “How does this process work for us?” approach to “How does this work for our students?” is a step towards true student-centredness. (Block institutions are not perfect, either, but at least they’re thinking about this matter.) No amount of active and engaging classroom culture is going to work if students can’t get to the classroom.It’s a process, not projectTalking to, and reading the work of, our book’s contributors leads me to the following conclusion: it is a mistake for institutions to see a move to the block as a project that will eventually lead to a BAU state where change has been managed and a new normal can begin. Sure, there will come a time when implementation is over, but this is no time to take the institutional eye off the ball.Universities and academics alike are inherently conservative. They don’t like change and, even if they are willing to embrace it, they tend to revert to what they know and what feels comfortable when challenged. A move such as a shift to block should be viewed as an ongoing process, not a project. The price of educational reform is, it seems, eternal vigilance. This kind of thinking leads to perhaps the most important question: how do we do better by our students?John Weldon&nbsp;is associate professor in the&nbsp;First Year College&nbsp;at Victoria University, Australia.&nbsp;Block Teaching Essentials: A Practical Guide, edited by John Weldon and Loretta Konjarski (Springer Nature), is published in February 2025.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How block teaching reimagines university timetabling  

As the block model has evolved from educational outlier to established practice, the questions it raises about how higher education is delivered are increasingly difficult to ignore, writes John Weldon

‘Why do we still timetable classes as if students don’t have lives outside university?’ 

The session began with a simple yet purposeful gesture: the teacher placed a “pedagogical trigger” in the centre of the classroom – an ordinary item that, in any other context, might go unnoticed. By presenting it as a focal point, students were invited to rediscover it, to observe how a simple everyday object could hold profound meanings and transform the classroom into a space of reflection and critical learning.Why use everyday objects in teacher training? This session aimed to explore how they can act as triggers for learning, revealing their value as cultural artefacts laden with social, philosophical and semiotic connotations. These objects offer a practical and accessible means to make the abstract more tangible, encouraging students to engage with their environment critically. By using everyday items, the classroom becomes a dynamic space to question the relevance of these objects in our lives, their role in education and their potential to help us deconstruct and reconsider accepted teaching models.How do we implement the practice table approach? To continue this exploration, the students, organised in groups, placed their objects on the table, creating a “practice table” inspired by the work of the academic Sean Edwards.

  
      
  
    Image
                



          

  

Sean Edwards’ practice table

The practice table was not merely a collection of objects; it was a transformative space where future teachers explored the power of objects to deconstruct pedagogical models and reflect on how these models could be changed. This hands-on exercise allowed participants to move from theory to practice, illustrating how everyday items can initiate critical conversations about pedagogy.

  
      
  
    Image
                



          

  

The practice table created by the students

Each participant contributed a piece of their own school history to the table – a fragment of their educational memory: calculators, notebooks, coloured stickers, textbooks, toys and many other everyday items that, gathered together, took on new significance.Why do this? It reveals the extraordinary in the ordinary. The practice table became a shared space of experiences and memories, with each object representing a network of cultural and social meanings. They were not just material items but “more-than-human entities” with agency in the learning process.Practical steps for reflection and engagementEach student was asked to observe their object and write a word that captured the essence of what it represented to them. This word became a seed for further exploration – a hint of a deeper meaning for us to unpack later. We then created a visualisation of the words generated by the students, making abstract ideas more accessible and tangible.Formulating powerful questionsEach group member was required to formulate a powerful question about one of their peer’s objects, inspired by Paulo Freire’s book Pedagogy of the Oppressed. These questions aimed to provoke more profound reflection, encourage exploration and broaden perspectives, fostering critical analysis and collective discovery. This approach emphasises how asking the right questions is often more impactful than merely providing answers. Some of the powerful questions included:1: Does drawing help you notice more about your reality?2: How has this object helped shape who you are today?3: What stories help us understand your childhood and your current reality?What emerged: insights and narrative discoveryAs students responded to these questions, narratives emerged that revealed previously hidden aspects of their relationships with these objects, as well as insights into their identities as future educators.One student, when reflecting on her calculator, recalled something she had never considered before: in primary school, she had used that calculator in the playground to help her friends solve maths problems. What seemed a trivial act at the time, in fact, contained the seed of her calling to become a teacher. Here, peer learning took on a central role – this practice did not create a hierarchy of knowledge but instead promoted mutual support and horizontal learning. For this student, the calculator transformed from a worn-out object into a symbol of her desire to teach and share knowledge.&nbsp;Using films to encourage reflection and critical thinking in your teachingFour strategies that rethink whole-group discussionsRevolving roles: creating inclusive, engaging, participant-led learning activitiesAnother student brought a green sticker – one of the rewards he had received in primary school. While answering the question about the significance of the sticker, he remembered how a teacher, in an effort to motivate him, had promised one if he completed his tasks well. Although he now recognised the behaviourist nature of this practice, he also reflected on the positive impact that the sticker had had on him – providing an initial push to strive and improve. The green sticker contained, in its simplicity, the beginning of his academic motivation, a motivation that led him to pursue teaching. It also encouraged him to consider how he would motivate his future students without relying on external rewards.Concept mapping: reimagining everyday objects in education&nbsp;We concluded the round of questions with the creation of a small concept map. These maps illustrated the symbolic and practical importance of objects in the educational process. This helped reimagine everyday objects as powerful pedagogical tools that could enrich teaching.After the round of responses, each group was guided to create a pedagogical cartography – a conceptual creation that visually represented the connections between their objects, their personal stories and the educational models they had internalised. This cartographic process went beyond simply organising memories and concepts; it became a way of materialising entanglement – the “intertwining” that anthropologist and author Tim Ingold describes as “a meshwork of interwoven lines of growth and movement” in his article “Bringing things to life: creative entanglements in a world of materials”. Each line and connection within the cartography generated an ongoing dialogue about education – an expanding network that linked the students’ trajectories and objects that, initially, seemed unrelated.Creating a shared space for dialogue&nbsp;Finally, the groups gathered in a circle, forming an agora in the centre of the classroom.This open space, more than just a simple sharing session, transformed into a moment of narrative knowledge where each student shared their map and reflected collectively on what their objects and stories had revealed to them. In this dialogue, pedagogical knowledge emerged from both the visible/material and the invisible/immaterial entanglements of the objects, giving the students the opportunity to generate shared, enriched and complex knowledge.Key takeaways for educators&nbsp;The session clearly affirmed Rachel Sharp and Anthony Green’s assertion in Education and Social Control that the models upon which teaching practice is developed are influenced more by those experienced as students than by those acquired through professional training. Without an explicit deconstruction of these models and a critical analysis of their objects, these future teachers might have been limited to reproducing the practices they knew. This mapping of stories and trajectories was essential to create the possibility of constructing new ways of being teachers – ways that align more closely with students’ lives and with the agency of objects in learning.How to apply this in your teaching practice&nbsp;1. Use everyday objects: Incorporate simple, familiar items into the classroom to prompt reflection and discussion. These objects can help connect theory to personal experience, making abstract concepts more relatable.2. Ask powerful questions: Encourage students to deeply question the meanings behind these objects. This cultivates critical thinking and reflective practice, which are key components of teacher education.3. Create pedagogical cartographies: Have students visually map the connections between their learning experiences, personal histories and educational concepts. This process allows them to see learning as interconnected rather than isolated.4. Form an agora: Foster a space for dialogue where students can share their reflections collectively. This open environment can deepen understanding and foster a sense of community learning.By integrating these strategies, educators can not only enrich their teaching practice but inspire future teachers to think critically about their roles, helping them transform their classrooms into spaces of continuous growth and exploration.Daniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque is lecturer in critical pedagogy in the department of education sciences at the University of Lleida.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Use everyday objects to educate student teachers 

By using simple, familiar items and fostering open dialogue, we can encourage critical reflection in our students, transforming traditional teaching models into more inclusive learning experiences

Imagine standing in front of your students and seeing more than just faces. You see individuals, each with their own stories, challenges and aspirations. This is the foundation of empathetic teaching, connecting with students not as a collective but as individuals.As a nursing lecturer, modelling empathy is especially important because my students will one day care for patients in deeply personal and often vulnerable moments. By demonstrating empathy in my teaching, I not only enhance their learning experience but also set an example for the compassionate care they will provide in their future practice.Yes, empathy can be taught – here’s howManaging empathy fatigue as a teacherUsing empathy in the classroom can have a great impact on learningIn this article, I’ll share practical strategies for fostering empathy in your teaching style, grounded in personal experience and tailored specifically for educators of nursing students studying a Bachelor of Nursing and academic staff across all disciplines.Why empathy matters in educationEmpathy isn’t just a “nice to have” in education, it’s transformative. Empathetic teaching improves student engagement, reduces anxiety and fosters a supportive learning environment, research consistently shows.For nursing students, empathy goes beyond the classroom. By incorporating it into our teaching, we not only enhance academic outcomes but also prepare students to connect with patients on a human level, ensuring better care and improved health outcomes.How to bring empathy into your teachingEmpathy in education often feels like an abstract concept. How can we make it tangible, actionable and, most importantly, effective?1. Get to know your studentsUnderstanding your students’ challenges and goals is the foundation of empathy. For nursing students, these challenges often include balancing clinical placements, part-time jobs and personal responsibilities, all while navigating a demanding curriculum.How to do it: Start the semester with an anonymous survey. Ask about students’ preferred learning styles, their clinical placement schedules, work commitments (for example, night shifts or casual nursing roles) and other responsibilities.Why it works: Small changes can both acknowledge students’ reality and model the empathy they’ll need when managing patient care. In one semester, I discovered many students were juggling night shifts as healthcare assistants. Adjusting assessment deadlines by a few hours or offering flexible submission windows gave students other options to manage their time and stay engaged in their studies.&nbsp;2. Create safe spaces for communicationFor nursing students, feeling heard and supported is essential for their academic success and for fostering the emotional intelligence needed to provide compassionate patient care.How to do it: Begin classes with open-ended questions such as: “What’s something that helped you learn this week?” or “What’s one challenge you’re facing in this course?” Create an environment where students feel comfortable sharing without judgement, emphasising that their feedback informs your teaching approach.Why it works: These check-ins can uncover insights that drive meaningful changes. For example, after a student expressed confusion about a topic, I introduced peer-led online study groups. These groups provided significant support for their learning and engagement, with students meeting asynchronously to review the recorded tutorial together.3. Offer flexible learning optionsEmpathetic teaching recognises that students learn differently and have diverse needs, mirroring the variety of patients they will encounter in nursing practice.How to do it: Use a variety of teaching methods – teaching by stories, visual aids, discussions, hands-on activities – and offer different assessment formats, such as videos or presentations.Why it works: Just as nurses adapt their communication style to meet the diverse needs of patients, whether through verbal explanations, visual aids or demonstrations, educators can be flexible in how they address the learning needs of students. In a communication course I teach, I redesigned a case study assessment to be submitted as a video instead of a written essay. This approach better supported non-traditional learners and significantly increased student engagement.&nbsp;4. Give personalised feedbackFeedback is more effective when it acknowledges effort and provides actionable suggestions, just as timely and specific feedback is crucial in nursing practice to ensure improvement and growth.How to do it: Be specific in your feedback. Instead of writing: “This needs improvement”, try: “You’ve done a great job framing the issue. To strengthen your argument, consider adding examples from [specific source].” Or you could say: “For your next assessment, I have two things for you to consider…” This approach mirrors the constructive feedback you’d give a nursing student during a clinical placement, such as: “Your assessment of the patient was thorough. For your next evaluation, I have two things for you to consider. First, try to include a more detailed explanation of your rationale for the interventions; second, ensure you address all aspects of the patient’s care plan.”Why it works: A student once shared how much they appreciated feedback that highlighted their strengths, just as a nursing student values recognition of their competencies. This type of positive reinforcement helps students build confidence and motivates them to approach future assessments with a greater understanding of how to improve their practice.5. Show empathy beyond the classroomEmpathy also extends to how you communicate in emails, set course rules and support students outside formal teaching.How to do it: Use clear, conversational language in emails, and respond promptly to student concerns. When setting course rules, consider including flexible options, such as allowances for unexpected life events.Why it works: When a nursing student shared personal challenges, I offered a brief extension. This approach showed that their situation was understood and valued and allowed the student to submit their best work, mirroring the compassion and understanding we encourage in clinical practice.Overcoming challenges to empathyEmpathy in teaching doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complex. It isn’t about grand gestures but about making students feel heard through everyday interactions. Small, meaningful actions can have a big impact. Simply remembering a student’s name or asking about their day can make them feel seen and valued.&nbsp;Ultimately, empathy is a skill that grows with practice. Start small, stay consistent, and you’ll see both your teaching and your students thrive.Dianne Stratton-Maher is a senior nursing lecturer in the Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

A practical guide to university teaching with empathy

By making consistent efforts to understand and support students, university teachers create a learning environment where they feel capable and appreciated, writes Dianne Stratton-Maher

Teaching with empathy: a practical guide for university educators

Career-connected learning integrates career exploration and job-ready knowledge, skills and abilities into the curriculum, programme by programme. For students, it carves out a path towards professional preparation, gives them the space to develop a specialised focus while maintaining progress towards a credential and the skills that employers seek for leadership positions in their organisations. Finally, to prepare students for the workforce, career-connected learning offers high-impact experiences: internships, co-ops, apprenticeships and mentorships that take place beyond campus.&nbsp;Stakeholders are driving alignment between workforce needs and higher education’s academic work.&nbsp;Also, with the cost of access to the first rungs of tertiary education, students and their families need assurance that pursuing higher education is the right path forward. Graduates from institutions that have based academic planning on career-connected learning will see a demonstrable return on their investment. But there are benefits for the university, too, in connecting learning to careers.Career mentoring can support student employabilityStrategies to train students in three transferable skills wanted by employersEmpowering international students for global career successSuccessful career outcomes for graduates boost a university’s reputation, improve its rankings and attract attention to its academic offerings, therefore reducing cost per acquisition in the enrolment pipeline.&nbsp;Universities can offer learners more high-impact experiences, support and resources when marketing and enrolment costs are driven down at the beginning of the student journey. Students who experience internships, co-ops and mentorships as part of a career-connected programme find relevance in the curriculum, including the skills they need for the workplace and the challenges they may encounter there. &nbsp;Building social mobilityWhen we offer a strong return on investment for our graduates, we can bolster our claim of being a public good and holding up our end of the social contract. Our graduates become high earners and taxpayers, in turn investing in their communities and taking an active part in building a high standard of living.&nbsp;Universities are key for the societal needs of those who create economic growth. Successful university graduates become engaged alumni, willing to form strong industry partnerships with their alma mater, as well as other career-connected tertiary institutions. Alumni networks can pave the way to jobs, creating a virtuous circle in which new&nbsp;graduates experience the return on investment the university’s reputation was built on. The career-connected cycle maintains its momentum.&nbsp;Develop a frameworkIn my role as a chief academic officer, I have prioritised career-connected learning in the programme review process. The first step will be developing an academic planning framework with career readiness as the focus. The framework includes surveying alumni about the return on their investment that they’ve experienced in real terms – job promotion, getting a position in their desired field, raises and increases in income – that they attribute to their university education.&nbsp;Strong returns for graduates show the strengths in academic courses and help faculty to hone in on the delivery of more career-connected programmes to the public. Career-connected programmes can be measured and assessed according to:Contribution to mission achievement: The university can assess declines and increases in enrolment programme-by-programme to find where students are finding value.Quality: Programme review measures should determine:how often courses are reviewed, modified and updated in a formal processhow external input has been sought to improve the offeringshow students are retaining in the programmeshow graduates are faring in the job market with a return on their investment in educationViability: Course-level reviews help programme planning by measuring:registered students who commit to their programme of studydegrees awarded over time — and time to student completioncomparisons of courses with regional and local competitorsSustainability: Financial reviews of programmes and courses offer insights into:programme enrolment and revenue&nbsp;direct costs, fixed and variable&nbsp;indirect costs&nbsp;As more higher education leaders adopt a return on investment-based model for assessing universities’ outcomes, one fact becomes increasingly clear: graduates from career-connected institutions experience an increase in quality of life, lifetime earnings and better potential to grasp opportunities.&nbsp;Public rhetoric may seem to be against higher education right now on ideological grounds, but the very real return on their investment that graduates gain is undeniable. With a career-connected framework supporting chief academic officers’ academic planning and public relations, universities have a chance to take back the conversation and point to the mutual benefits that post-secondary learning gives to our students, our communities and our future.&nbsp;Audra Spicer is provost and chief academic officer at Colorado State University Global.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Career-connected learning is an investment in the future

A strong reputation for career-connected learning can create a seamless circle for universities, with graduates happy to pave the way for others via the alumni network. But how to get started?



Authentic assessment that reflects real-world scenarios is gaining ground on traditional tasks and assignments in higher education. These methods not only emphasise the development of practical skills and critical thinking but also allow students to apply their knowledge to real-life-type situations. By gaining hands-on experience, students are better prepared to meet the demands of the modern workforce, making higher education outcomes more relevant and impactful.&nbsp;I have been implementing a more authentic and relevant form of assessment in my postgraduate statistics for business and economics course, which enrols more than 250 students per semester. In this course, which is compulsory for many postgraduate fields of study in economics, one of the assessment tasks is a statistical project assignment (SPA) that carries a 30 per cent weighting. The other assessment components are quizzes (20 per cent) and an in-person final exam (50 per cent).&nbsp;I have been teaching the postgraduate statistics course for 15 years. In the early years, I relied on external data for students to complete SPA questions related to inferential statistics. While this approach ensured the assessment task remained authentic owing to its connection with real-world contexts, using external data also has its drawbacks.&nbsp;Resource collection: Authentic assessment in higher educationHow to design low-stakes authentic assessment that promotes academic integrityHow to make sure assessment practices are as authentic as possibleFirst, external data can make it more difficult for students to see how the task connects to their own lives. Second, external data can seem hard for students to relate to, understand and engage with. Third, using external data doesn’t show students how the task relates to their learning environment, making it feel less relevant.&nbsp;To address these issues, I shifted to using student data instead of external data, so students can directly relate to the information, see how it fits into their learning environment, and engage with it more meaningfully. To implement this change, I create an anonymous survey in Blackboard to gather data from students every semester, including their weight, height, age, gender, shoe size, distance from home to university and commuting methods. I then create inferential statistics questions based on this data, including one-sample hypothesis tests, two-sample hypothesis tests, analysis of variance, and regression. Students use a combination of manual computations and software-generated outputs to solve the questions. The assignment is done individually.&nbsp;To ensure variability in the data used for answering the assessment questions, students are instructed to work with randomised subsets of the collected dataset. For instance, if data has been gathered from 300 students, each student is directed to generate a random sample of 200 entries using a formula provided by the instructor. This method ensures that while the structure and scope of the questions remain consistent, the datasets differ slightly for each student. This approach has enhanced the authenticity of the assessment, promoted independent analysis, and reduced the risk of academic misconduct.&nbsp;Benefits of authentic assessmentThe main benefits to students from this type of authentic assessment include:1. Practical skill development&nbsp;Using student data allows students to gain practical experience in analysing and interpreting data, mirroring tasks they might face in their careers. Engaging with their own data makes statistical methods and applications more concrete and relatable, enabling students to understand the real-world relevance of these skills.2. Critical thinking and application&nbsp;Applying statistical methods to their own data encourages students to think critically and interpret their results effectively. This process fosters the development of problem-solving skills, as students need to evaluate the data, analyse the findings and reach well-founded conclusions.3. Increased engagement&nbsp;Incorporating student data into the assessment makes the task more relevant and meaningful, as students can directly relate the statistical techniques to their own lives. This personal connection encourages curiosity and increases motivation, leading to a more engaging and less theoretical learning experience.&nbsp;4. Personalised learning&nbsp;Since the assessment uses each student’s individual data, it creates a learning experience that is specific to them. This tailored approach allows students to grasp statistical concepts more effectively by applying them to data they are familiar with and that has personal significance.&nbsp;5. Improved knowledge retention&nbsp;Engaging with student data enhances the memorability of concepts. When students connect their learning to their own experiences, it reinforces the material, making it easier for them to recall knowledge and apply it in future academic or professional contexts.Feedback from students on this form of authentic assessment has been positive. Many have highlighted, through informal feedback, that it enhances the relevance and engagement of their learning, as they can connect statistical methods to their own data. They shared that working with student data fostered practical skill development, strengthened their grasp of the subject, and made the concepts more memorable. Furthermore, students noted that this type of assessment boosted their motivation and curiosity, creating a more personalised learning experience that felt linked to real-world contexts.Drawbacks to using student data in authentic assessmentWhile authentic assessment offers many benefits to students, concerns are also associated with its implementation.&nbsp;One major concern is the potential for subjective grading. When evaluating real-world tasks, different markers may interpret criteria differently, leading to inconsistencies in grades. To address this issue, I have instructed each tutor to independently grade the first 10 student assignments using the marking guide and to identify any discrepancies in their evaluations. If significant inconsistencies arise, I provide guidance to tutors on ensuring fair and consistent grading.&nbsp;Another key challenge of authentic assessment is its time-intensive nature, requiring significant effort from instructors to design and evaluate tasks and from students to complete them. To help students manage the time-intensive nature of authentic assessment, I break down tasks into smaller parts and release them step by step. This structured approach helps students focus on one concept at a time and reduces feelings of being overwhelmed. I also encourage group discussions, where students can share insights, discuss concepts and support each other’s learning in a collaborative manner.&nbsp;Additionally, I offer guidance and support through consultations, providing opportunities for students to ask questions, clarify doubts and receive personalised feedback. This comprehensive support helps students build confidence, stay on track and achieve better learning outcomes.Temesgen Kifle is a senior lecturer in the School of Economics at the University of Queensland.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Using anonymous student data for assessment tasks enhances engagement with learning, fosters practical skill development and makes business and economics concepts more memorable 

Authentic assessment in postgraduate statistics courses

The commitment of film and media students to questions of social justice and representation of diversity on screen and in the media industries is evidence that they care deeply about the world they live in. However, those same students can be more reluctant to address climate change. Intellectually, it might seem like a specialist field for scientists; emotionally, it is a topic that raises anxiety.&nbsp;Helping humanities students overcome these barriers and gain agency in this pressing issue is the aim of a new module I have developed on environmental cinema and media.As an animation historian, my love of this subject is the first motivation for my research and teaching. Likewise, film and media students commonly take our programmes because of enthusiasm for how movies make us feel and the stimulating intellectual ideas they raise.Our new historical and theoretical module incorporates different ways of looking at the environmental implications of film and media. It is designed to provide a survey of the field in the first five weeks, followed by detailed case studies in the second half, ending on a positive future note considering how film and media can be used for environmental activism. The module considers fundamental questions about what we understand by “nature” or “environment” and the ways film and media shape our cultural understanding of them, whether in David Attenborough wildlife shows or science fiction and western genre films.&nbsp;As a global issue, climate change does not adhere to national borders, and the module incorporates examples from around the world, rejecting and decolonising conventional canons of film history. A video essay assessment provides students with an opportunity to develop audio-visual presentation skills and engage with this topic in the ways it is most encountered in the present day: through moving images and electronic media.Using documentary film to communicate your social researchFilm storytelling can enhance learning in STEM subjectsUsing film to prompt discussion in legal studiesHere are five lessons I’ve learned from designing and teaching this module on environmental cinema and media.No judgement: Students can feel ignorant or powerless when approaching this overwhelming global issue. The aim of raising the topic is not to shame them, but to help them feel they can contribute something valuable and gain agency.Keep it impersonal: Student-centred learning is often productive, but in this case enabling students to adopt a neutral, distanced standpoint can overcome their personal feelings about the topic.&nbsp;Build on prior student knowledge: Situate environmental issues in terms of students’ knowledge and programme of learning. How can they use their disciplinary skills to think about this global issue?Make it interactive: Students have a contemporary and diverse set of reference points and influences. Invite them to contribute their own examples for classroom discussion (such as material they’ve encountered on YouTube, TikTok or Weibo). The module tutor is understood here as a facilitator for learning rather than an expert.Think local: Climate change can feel like an immense and ungraspable topic. Finding local case studies can help make it tangible and immediate. For instance, in Southampton the nearby Fawley oil refinery (one of Europe’s largest) provides a focus for examining how global issues resonate in local ways and are represented on film.&nbsp;Research-led teaching is a fundamental part of our programmes within film at the University of Southampton. In the past five years, my own work has explored the need to address the role of film and media in climate change, in both positive and negative aspects. Going beyond the traditional focus on art or entertainment, my research is exploring the role of animation within the oil industry and its complicity with the catastrophic impact of fossil fuel usage. My research on film as part of the infrastructure of resource-intensive and polluting industries sits alongside two other important strands of environmental studies of film and media. One is ecocritical readings of on-screen representation, such as the analysis of “cli-fi” (climate fiction) movies. The other area of growing attention is the material impact of media production, such as the Bafta albert initiative.Screening oil industry advertising and other corporate films from my research allows students to recognise these are valid objects of study, alongside the Hollywood narrative feature films more commonly the focus in film studies, and which are also part of this module (such as&nbsp;There Will be Blood&nbsp;and&nbsp;Deepwater Horizon). Analysing industrial and sponsored film extends the skills students have learned throughout their degree, applying them in new contexts.This module is offered in our final year, at a time when students are thinking about their own immediate and long-term future. That can be a scary prospect, on both a personal and planetary level. Our module aims to empower the students to see the contributions they can make, indicating new career paths they might not have considered (such as becoming a sustainability coordinator on film and TV sets) and applying the skills and knowledge they have learned over their degree to this urgent challenge.&nbsp;Malcolm Cook is associate professor in film studies and doctoral programmes director (film) at the University of Southampton.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Research-led teaching can bring educators’ work and passions into the classroom, making topics such as climate change less overwhelming for students and linking learning to future skills. Here are five key takeaways 

Changing the climate of teaching: embedding sustainability into film and media studies

Mentoring undergraduate honours students through the thesis-writing and research process presents challenges distinct from the graduate mentoring process. Undergraduate students are often new to the research process and frequently face the complex task of navigating independent, in-depth research for the first time.&nbsp;Professors play a crucial role in guiding undergraduate students through this process because a well-structured and organised approach can help students avoid delays or diminished quality of work. Improving mentorship practices is essential to ensuring the successful completion of high-quality thesis research and also to promoting critical thinking, research skills and academic independence in students.Structuring the mentorship processEarly and clear expectations: setting clear goals, timelines and communication protocols at the outset of the mentorship process is paramount. These may revolve around understanding the research objectives, writing research questions, recognising gaps in existing research, organising the study around the research questions, setting specific deadlines for section completion and outlining the research process during weekly meetings.Consistent check-ins: monitor progress and maintain engagement and motivation through regular check-ins, allowing students time to address challenges and share progress.Flexibility: While structure is essential for keeping research projects organised and on schedule, we must offer flexibility as an equally important component.&nbsp;Students may encounter unanticipated obstacles in the research process or require additional time to develop their skills as beginner researchers. Flexibility with deadlines and goal adjustment based on students' evolving needs ensures that they feel supported while mitigating the risk of overwhelm.Guiding research developmentNarrowing the scope of research: an important part of helping students refine their research focus involves narrowing broad topics into smaller, more manageable ones.&nbsp;Doing so should allow them to begin creating research questions that are topic-focused and investigable in the allotted timeframe. It will also assist students in identifying key themes and areas of need and assessing the complexity of their topic.&nbsp;Using resources: support students in identifying and using resources such as academic journals, library databases and research support services. A critical component of this support is guiding students to locate reliable sources by providing instruction on accessing peer-reviewed journals, reputable academic databases, library resources and trusted online platforms.Spotlight: Enhance student engagementResources on mentoring&nbsp;How to help a student in mental health distressBuilding critical thinking skills: by guiding students to question assumptions and consider diverse perspectives of their research topic, faculty can encourage students to develop a critical outlook on their topic. Use case studies, debates or problem-solving workshops to foster critical thinking skills and encourage analysis and solution generation. Along with this, ask open-ended questions to stimulate reflection, uncover assumptions and promote reasoning and analysis. The goal is not to provide answers directly but to guide individuals to think critically and arrive at their conclusions.&nbsp;Effective feedbackProvide feedback that is supportive and actionable. To encourage growth, it should highlight students' strengths and identify areas for improvement. Deliver feedback in shorter, focused sections addressing specific parts of the project. Breaking feedback into smaller, more manageable chunks may lessen the feeling of overwhelm. Note that the frequency of feedback may vary depending on the type and scope of the assignment or activity.&nbsp;For short assignments, provide feedback within 24 to 48 hours to maintain relevance and momentum. For longer projects, offer input at key milestones (for example, proposal, draft and final submission). For ongoing activities, you can offer quick, informal feedback during discussions, after exercises or on discussion boards to reinforce concepts. Encourage students to apply feedback by reviewing progress regularly.Find a balance between guidance and encouraging autonomy by allowing students to make decisions independently while providing support when necessary. For instance, for group projects, allow students to make independent decisions, such as topics or how tasks are divided, while offering clear expectations, optional check-ins and opportunities for reflection to guide and support their progress.Creating a positive mentorship relationshipCultivate a positive, supportive relationship by showing that you are genuinely invested in the student’s academic and personal development. You can do this by scheduling brief one-on-one check-ins via Zoom, email or during office hours. During check-ins, ask questions such as, “How are you managing your workload this semester?” or “Are there any challenges I can help you address in this course?” while actively listening and offering tailored support based on student responses.Your role as a mentor is crucial in fostering an open, collaborative environment. Being approachable and supportive can help students feel confident to share ideas, ask questions, and engage in meaningful dialogue. At the end of the thesis process, reflect with the student about successful steps along their journey, as well as areas for growth and improvement.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mentoring undergraduate honours students through the thesis and research process requires a structured yet flexible approach. The mentor-student relationship should be rooted in collaboration and reflection, and the mentor should take the lead to foster a supportive environment that enhances the quality of thesis work and prepares students for future academic and professional success.Jamie Gilbert Mikell is associate professor at Athens State University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

A recipe for effective undergraduate research mentorship

Strategies for giving effective feedback, addressing common challenges and fostering a supportive and productive mentor-student relationship

The mantra of “work smarter, not harder” is almost gospel in academia. Students are urged to maximise efficiency, think strategically and leverage digital tools to streamline their efforts. While these strategies have undeniable value, the focus on efficiency risks sidelining an equally critical aspect of learning: hard work. Effort, persistence and the resilience to overcome challenges remain foundational to personal and academic growth.&nbsp;To recentre the value of effort, educators can look to a principle rooted in copyright law: the “sweat of the brow” doctrine. This concept highlights the intrinsic worth of hard work, even when it does not result in groundbreaking originality. If such effort is valued in legal contexts, why not in education?Why hard work matters in higher educationThe “sweat of the brow” doctrine acknowledges the value of effort, even in the absence of originality. It argues that the hard work involved in gathering information or producing a work merits protection, irrespective of its creativity. This doctrine underscores the intrinsic value of labour, suggesting that effort alone can be deserving of recognition and reward. Borrowed from copyright law, this principle holds significant implications for education, where students’ journeys often involve grappling with complex concepts and revising their understanding over time. While efficiency has its place, hard work fosters essential qualities such as resilience, discipline and a strong work ethic.Spotlight guide: Creativity in higher educationResource collection: Supporting students into the creative industriesTime to write is a necessity, not a nice-to-haveHard work often leads to a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the material. While working smarter can help students grasp the basics quickly, true mastery often requires sustained effort – hours spent wrestling with difficult concepts, refining understanding and applying knowledge in new contexts. This process, though time-consuming, is essential for developing the deep, lasting knowledge that transcends the classroom.For instance, during teaching at Winchester School of Art (WSA), we’ve seen students refine their writing over multiple drafts. Using tools like Word’s tracked changes, they document their revisions, showcasing the evolution of their ideas. This process not only improves their academic output but also builds their confidence and ownership of their work.&nbsp;Moreover, in addition to recognising hard work, educators must also appreciate the distinctiveness of every student’s voice in their work, encouraging them to translate their personal expression into both formal and informal writing. Such tangible evidence of effort and individuality deserves as much recognition as the polished final product.Fostering an authorial voiceAnother vital dimension of hard work lies in nurturing students’ authorial voice. Academic training often emphasises writing in a structured, formal style, but this should not suppress individuality. Encouraging students to express their own perspectives builds originality and confidence. At WSA,&nbsp;we’ve observed how students’ writing evolves when they’re empowered to bring their voice into academic work. For instance, a design student analysing a project’s user experience might initially default to jargon-heavy prose but with feedback will learn to gradually incorporate their personal insights and reflections. This balance of formality and individuality enriches both their learning and their contributions to their field.Integrating hard work into assessment practicesEducators can incorporate the “sweat of the brow” doctrine into assessment practices by valuing effort, persistence and personal growth alongside efficiency and outcomes. This approach emphasises the process of learning rather than just the final product.&nbsp;Recognising effort: Tools such as tracked changes can document students’ progress, providing tangible evidence of dedication and iterative learning.Regular feedback: Incorporate draft submissions or checkpoints into formative assessments, allowing students to receive guidance and demonstrate continuous improvement.Reflective practice: Require students to submit a reflection with assignments, detailing challenges faced, strategies for overcoming them, and how their work evolved.These strategies highlight the value to learning of hard work and persistence. Students who actively seek feedback and refine their work often excel, showcasing their ability to integrate new knowledge – a critical skill in creative fields. By assessing the effort invested, such as time spent refining ideas or overcoming obstacles, educators can make hard work visible and quantifiable.Aligning assessment with these principles shifts the focus from short-term results to long-term learning, placing growth and persistence alongside outcomes.Balancing smart work, hard work and personal growthThis is not to suggest that working smarter should be discarded. Efficiency and&nbsp;strategic thinking are vital skills in today’s fast-paced world, but they should be balanced with an appreciation for hard work. Students need to learn when to work smarter and when persistence, resilience and effort are essential. This balanced approach not only sets students up for academic success but also equips them with the skills to excel in life’s broader challenges.Educators should encourage students to approach their work strategically while emphasising the value of consistent effort. Tools such as tracked changes in documents can help highlight progress and dedication, reinforcing the significance of hard work. Simultaneously, nurturing students’ authorial voices promotes creativity and confidence, reminding them that personal expression is just as important as the effort invested. By cultivating a learning environment where both intelligence and perseverance flourish, educators prepare students for success academically and beyond.Shan Wang&nbsp;is a&nbsp;lecturer in design management and&nbsp;Ian&nbsp;Solway is a&nbsp;teaching fellow in design management&nbsp;in the department of design in the Winchester School of Art at the University of Southampton.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

The case for rewarding hard work in higher education

Taking a cue from copyright’s ‘sweat of the brow’, Ian Solway and Shan Wang argue that recognition of effort and resilience should not be lost in a rush to maximise learning efficiency

The independent and self-directed nature of blended learning can sometimes lead to student disengagement. To combat this, we must understand how to foster engagement specifically in this learning environment. Emotional and agentic engagement can serve as bridges between support and learner satisfaction, according to our research on blended learning.Emotional engagement is&nbsp;how emotionally invested students are in their learning, while agentic engagement reflects their proactive efforts to contribute to their learning. According to self-determination theory (SDT), students are more likely to be engaged when they feel a sense of autonomy (feeling one has choice), competence (the experience of mastering a skill) and relatedness (the need to feel connected to others). Here, we will share practical strategies, underpinned by SDT, to enhance emotional and agentic engagement.&nbsp;Cultivate a safe space for interpersonal interactionsThe key to emotional engagement lies in creating a supportive community where students feel a sense of belonging and are comfortable expressing their curiosity, doubts and ideas, through whichever medium suits them best.Educators from our institution are tapping into this by creating multiple interaction points for student engagement – cultivating a safe and inclusive atmosphere where all questions are valued, regardless of the mode of query. They respond to live chats during online synchronous lessons. Outside of class, they create discussion threads on the learning management system for students to post, respond to or initiate discussions on pertinent topics.&nbsp;How to help students get the best out of blended learningLet’s talk: how to connect with your students in a blended learning environmentTech tools to help enhance online and blended learningFor those who prefer other communication channels, there are viable alternatives such as email and messaging applications. And let’s not forget the&nbsp;face-to-face interactions&nbsp;– some students find that such personal interactions with peers and instructors often lead to insightful discussions, stronger relationships and enhanced social dynamics.Offer students a range of ways to engage, depending on how comfortable they feel. For example,&nbsp;anonymous discussion platforms (such as Q&amp;As and polling platforms) can foster student participation without the fear of judgement or embarrassment. They provide students with a sense of psychological safety, helping them to gradually gain confidence in raising questions or speaking up. In the physical classroom, instructors could set aside time for face-to-face discussions with students who prefer in-person and direct feedback. An inclusive learning environment fosters relatedness and a sense of community.When choice isn’t just an optionStudents should be seen as active participants in their learning. This involves choosing which online resources to use, setting personal learning goals or deciding which strategies to use to tackle a project. The freedom to exercise their choice allows them a sense of ownership over the learning process, making students active participants of knowledge building and skills attainment.Integrating technology into learning environments can empower students by granting them agency over their learning processes, leading to more meaningful educational experiences. Access to digital tools and platforms facilitates connections between students, instructors and learning content, promoting a more engaging and collaborative learning atmosphere.&nbsp;For example, our allied health faculty uses a virtual anatomy website to support student learning, and it has been an effective tool for reinforcing that learning. Students can explore anatomical structures, interact with 3D models and quiz themselves on key terms.&nbsp;In addition, some instructors also create bite-sized, engaging video content. It helps break down complex subjects into easily digestible pieces, allowing students to review concepts that are most relevant to their learning at their own pace.A diverse range of textual, interactive and experiential content is good for developing student autonomy in blended learning, allowing them to choose methods that align with their preferences and pace.&nbsp;Connecting theory to practice “Learn, digest, apply and repeat.” An instructor once shared that students should not just passively listen, but should actively seek opportunities to apply what they have learned outside of class.&nbsp;The learning process is a continuous cycle. It should not cease outside the classroom but should emanate from within and extend beyond the classroom. Let’s demonstrate how students can apply the skills learned beyond the confines of the classroom into the workplace.Our instructors shared that they often dedicate half their lesson time to strengthening conceptual understanding, and the other half to guiding students through real-world case studies. Using local businesses or campus events as case studies can engage students and help them develop the problem-solving skills needed to succeed in the workplace. At the Singapore Institute of Technology, students undergo work placements of at least eight months and capstone projects linked to their work assignment, such as developing a solution for industry process. These experiences allow them to apply their learning to tackle industry challenges and develop problem-solving and innovation skills.The dynamic process of engaging learners in understanding the context, purpose and application of content learned fosters learner agency and competence, which in turn leads to greater student satisfaction and a desire to contribute.&nbsp;By creating supportive learning environments, giving students choice in their learning and making learning relevant to their lives, we can cultivate enthusiasm for learning, and ignite passion, curiosity and ownership of their learning journey.Ching Yee Pua is a learning analyst, Kenan Kok Xiao-Feng is a senior learning analyst, Oran Devilly is an assistant professor and lead learning analyst and Shermain Puah is a learning analyst, all at the Singapore Institute of Technology.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Tips for fostering student engagement in blended learning

Students can often feel disengaged in a blended learning environment. Here’s how to spark their curiosity and give them ownership of their learning journey

Academic integrity is fundamental to institutional reputation and ensuring quality output. Intentional misconduct is something all universities need a robust approach to deal with – and most do.&nbsp;But dealing with the much wider problem of unintentional misconduct consumes already limited resources, and can be highly distressing – even career-ending – for students. In many cases, students find themselves on the receiving end of misconduct proceedings without a clear sense of what they have done wrong.&nbsp;An assumption that anyone who has enrolled in university will share an academic’s understanding of proofreading and review – and the difference between the two – fails to account for the diversity of experience and background represented on the average campus. Even worse, institutions can fail to make resources on academic proofreading accessible to students.&nbsp;A listening exerciseWe decided to investigate how institutions across the UK facilitate student understanding about academic proofreading – or don’t. Along with our students, we aimed to explore how to combat intentional and unintentional misconduct – and how to know the difference between the two.Improving academic writing skills to boost student confidence and resilienceFocused freewriting is the cure for students’ writer’s blockPausing playback: training students to read and take notes in online classesOur study, which involves investigators from seven universities, their respective students’ unions and student participants from 10 institutions, was student union-led rather than being led by academics, the conventional gatekeepers of what is and isn’t intentional misconduct. By taking academics a step away from the focus of the research – students – the study exposed the limitations of current approaches, and shed light on how even the definition of proofreading can mean different things to different people.Certain groups, international and first-generation home students in particular, didn’t always understand a narrow, academic definition of proofreading. Many simply understood the term to mean a spelling, grammar and sense check. Few had read or even accessed their own institutional policies or guidance on proofreading – if those resources were even available (more on that later) or, when permitted by their institution, sought help with proofreading their work.It became clear that students were falling into traps unintentionally set by their institutions.&nbsp;Giving students a voiceUnintentional misconduct is not a new problem. But previous attempts to understand its scale, and to tackle it, have tended to be academic-led, as are so many examinations of university policy and procedure.&nbsp;But a new way of thinking is emerging, built around the phrase “nothing for us, without us”, originally coined by disability activists. By giving students a voice and agency in shaping the academic environment on campus, universities can improve the student experience and the quality of their output in one fell swoop.&nbsp;However, many consultative initiatives that include students and their unions struggle to effect real change, because the very presence of academics in focus groups or behind on- or offline surveys skews the data. Simply put, the academic in the room, no matter how kind and empathic, can put students, particularly those in higher-risk groups, on their guard.Our experience with efforts to improve accessibility and equity in proofreading has shown that distancing academics from the conversation and putting students front and centre generated much more honest, frank and insightful feedback.&nbsp;This allowed us and the other project leads to condense our findings not only into a report, but into a set of guidance materials, for students and by students, on what academic proofreading is, how to proofread yourself and how to tailor your approach to your own strengths and weaknesses.&nbsp;Widening access boosts successWithin higher education itself, there is a wide range of institutional policies regarding proofreading. Some institutions permit third-party proofreading services and others ban them outright. Most aggravating for the investigators were the institutions whose proofreading policies and guidance lay behind firewalls, making them inaccessible to students. Conceivably, a student could have their degree rescinded and be expelled from an institution for inadvertently violating a proofreading policy their home institution had actively prevented them, or their third-party adviser, from accessing.&nbsp;Even in the cases where proofreading policies were available, they were often lengthy, dense and archaic. Academia has its own long-established habits that are alienating to new arrivals, whether it’s the fondness for using Roman numerals, sprinkling Latin or Greek terms in English-language publications, or simply using highly specialised language to talk about topics, such as plagiarism, which need to be clearly articulated.Proofreading is a life skill. No matter if it is a dissertation or a covering letter for a job application, students need to emerge from universities equipped to proofread and critique their own work, and optimise it to its audience. Ensuring that students have the best opportunities possible to produce high-quality, thoroughly proofread work maximises their potential and enriches academic and graduate prospects.&nbsp;Allowing students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to flounder, simply because “they should know better”, benefits nobody.&nbsp;An easy fixA kinder, more effective approach to proofreading is not particularly difficult to implement.&nbsp;Standardise a proofreading policy and make it freely available to students. Facilitate understanding of what constitutes best practice and tailor that approach to institutional policy. Make guidance truly accessible and user-focused, dispensing with or clearly explaining technical terms within policy as written and explained.&nbsp;These ideas sound like common sense, yet our initiative shows that many UK institutions are failing to get them right.The QAA Project has created a website with available resources for institutions seeking to make improvements in this area, including downloadable resources such as a tips and tricks poster, a simple slide deck to guide students&nbsp; on developing their individual approach to proofreading and a podcast that also explores how institutions can respond to the emerging challenge of generative AI in a way that protects academic integrity without penalising students for using assistive technology effectively.By listening to students, institutions can improve the quality of their academic output, the employability of their graduates, focus resources on actually intentional misconduct, and improve the student experience.&nbsp;Our future reputations may depend on it.Sandie Dann is professor of materials chemistry and Kit Messinger is head of LSU Advice, both at Loughborough University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Proofreading is a life skill – let’s treat it like one

Universities shouldn’t assume their students know what proofreading is and how to do it. Here’s how to create a more inclusive learning environment – by listening to students

The framing of area-specific courses in political science education is always tricky due to the need to cater to both local and international students. Some students may be discouraged by barriers such as unfamiliarity with the region’s language and history, while others might focus solely on politics within their own region. Below are some of the strategies we have adopted in two Hong Kong-specific courses.Use of major theories and leading questionsIn our Hong Kong politics class, we highlight a major question relevant to each lecture topic to prompt students to analyse the underlying principles and dynamics that shape political behaviours, structures and outcomes in Hong Kong. The teaching team hopes to use overarching and debatable questions to allow students to think critically, engage actively with the material and focus their learning on key issues and debates within Hong Kong politics. This way, students are guided to uncover hidden connections, analyse contradictions and form nuanced perspectives. For example, in one session, we invite students to discuss the role of the civil service in Hong Kong’s political system and its accountability to the public.Incorporation of comparative theoriesStudents unfamiliar with the region of study can easily pick up and grasp the key ideas behind it if they are familiar with general theories in the field of comparative politics. This knowledge facilitates a theoretically grounded analysis and can amplify the impact of the study well beyond a single case. If Hong Kong supports an established theory, it can serve as evidence in broader political science literature. If it challenges the theory, it offers a basis for revision, which is a crucial element for pushing the field forward. For example, in a class on the chief executive of Hong Kong and the Executive Council, we introduce the ideas of presidential and parliamentary government commonly discussed in the scholarship and invite students to think about how applicable these ideas are in helping them to analyse Hong Kong’s unique executive-led political system and dynamics.Facilitation of cross-case comparisonsI, along with other teaching staff, encourage students to compare a compulsory case with another foreign and politically distinct one of their choice. This encourages local students to learn about foreign practices and international students to share insights from their own regions. It can enrich discussions and build connections between local and international students.Resource collection: Enhance student engagementDo you speak Gen Z or are you a noob?Teach and talk: encouraging student dialogue in classReview of relevant Wikipedia entriesWikipedia provides a vast repository of information that can offer students quick access to key concepts, events and figures related to Hong Kong politics. This can be particularly useful for students looking to grasp foundational knowledge quickly. Since Wikipedia entries are regularly updated to reflect the latest developments, students have access to real-time information on current Hong Kong-related issues. The extensive citations and references included in these entries allow students to conduct further in-depth research by themselves.Invitation of guest speakersWe have invited speakers representing different perspectives, ideologies and experiences in Hong Kong, including current and former bureaucrats, government officials and policy actors. Guest speakers provide first-hand insights that complement the theoretical knowledge presented in our public administration in Hong Kong course. They bring the learning material to life and spark meaningful in-class discussions. To ensure these interactions are valuable, we align the speakers’ expertise with the weekly course content and overarching learning objectives.Discussion and review of research projectsIn both Hong Kong courses, we run weekly group discussions on published and ongoing work by faculty members, graduate students and collaborators at other institutions. This allows students to stay informed about current trends, emerging issues and new perspectives within the discipline. Students can also understand how others use theoretical concepts and frameworks to analyse real-life political phenomena, which can bridge the gap between theory and practice. Furthermore, students can learn to critically analyse methodologies, data sources and findings about Hong Kong politics.Case memo writing and presentationIn our public administration in Hong Kong course, each student must produce two short case memos on the assigned weekly topics related to Hong Kong politics. The teaching team invites them to discuss a particular case that exemplifies a significant issue related to the topic, and students must propose a meaningful question that leads to an analysis that will illustrate some critical aspects of the relevant theoretical debates.&nbsp;Students have around four days to finish up the memo, and we invite three or four students to present theirs in the next class. The rest of the students ask questions and/or share comments on the memos via a Google Form during the lecture. We then screen the responses and select the most illustrative ones to discuss.These are just a selection of the strategies we use to cater to the backgrounds and expectations of both local and international students.Adrian Man-Ho Lam is a course tutor in the department of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Teaching region-specific political science courses

Strategies implemented in two Hong Kong-specific courses aim to ensure students unfamiliar with the region remain as engaged in the learning process as local students

Teaching region-specific political science courses: Hong Kong as a case study

In a data and AI-driven world, the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) is preparing students for the workforce by leveraging&nbsp;Tableau, a leading platform in business intelligence and data analytics. Recognising the importance of data skills across disciplines, Gaurav Shekhar, senior assistant dean of graduate programmes and assistant professor of instruction in information systems at the university, developed an experiential learning experience for its students. His efforts have helped strengthen his partnerships with industry leaders, creating more opportunities for UT Dallas and its students.Hands-on learning for real-world impactSince 2017, Shekhar has been making a significant impact at the Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas. His approach emphasises hands-on learning, using real-world examples to ignite students’ curiosity and creativity.Naseem Akbary and Rohan Springer are among the students who have benefited greatly from Shekhar’s course. "We’ve never had a course where we learn not just the theory but also how it’s applied in the industry,” Springer explains. Springer’s team analysed airline industry data to derive insights on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, enabling students to gain practical experience in data cleaning and analysis. Their hands-on experience with Tableau was a key topic during internship interviews, highlighting the critical role of data skills in today’s job market.Skill-building competitions and eventsUT Dallas complements classroom training with competitions and events. Shekhar serves as a faculty advisor for EnVision, a student organisation at UT Dallas dedicated to data visualisation. In September 2024, EnVision hosted a datathon, introducing Tableau to over 350 students.&nbsp;“EnVision provides opportunities for students to work with data from partnering companies and present to industry leaders in Dallas as part of the datathon,” says&nbsp;Digvijaysinh Gohil, a former UT Dallas student and EnVision leader. These activities enable students to interact with and gain insights from prospective employers.Gohil attributed his success in securing his first internship in the US to Tableau: “I got the job because of Tableau. In the interview, I showed the visualisation that I made during the EnVision boot camp where I learned Tableau.” This success story is a testament to the effectiveness of Shekhar’s hands-on learning approach and the value of practical experience.Industry collaboration for enhanced learningKarthik Kumar, chief operating officer of LendArch and a member of the business school advisory council at UT Dallas, emphasises the importance of practical skills: “The need for intelligent application of data and AI skills is crucial. It’s not just about having skills and education, but how these are applied in various industries,” says Kumar. “Intelligently using tools like large language models and generative AI is more valuable today than being a coder.”&nbsp;LendArch actively participates in UT Dallas events to connect with students and share real-world case studies. Such engagement helps companies identify and incorporate fresh perspectives from the next generation of talent. Impressed by the quality of talent at UT Dallas, LendArch is currently working on establishing a talent pipeline from the university. Through these industry partnerships, UT Dallas offers its students a valuable learning experience that leads to successful employment.The future of data and AI education“Since we started teaching Tableau nearly 10 years ago, the focus on data has grown exponentially,” Shekhar notes. “AI is bringing new excitement to analytics, and the industry’s strong adoption of these tools motivates us to continue integrating Tableau into our curriculum.”As data and AI become essential in every industry, incorporating business intelligence platforms like Tableau into education is crucial. Data and AI literacy prepare students to be resilient and adaptable in the face of future innovations, ensuring they are well-equipped for the evolving job market.To get started on improving your students’ data skills, visit&nbsp;Tableau for Teaching.

The University of Texas at Dallas uses Tableau to teach vital data skills to students and prepare them for their future careers

University of Texas at Dallas empowers students with data skills

Reading comments on social issues online often worries me because a lot of them tend to be judgmental and self-righteous.&nbsp;I often wonder why this happens and conclude that it stems from a lack of empathy.The author of The Everything Psychology Book, Kendra Cherry, defines empathy as “the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view and imagine yourself in their place. Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else’s position and feeling what they are feeling.” Empathy makes people less judgmental, and we can nurture this quality in students through various approaches.&nbsp;One is to expose our students to experiences that differ from their own. As a Japanese literature lecturer, I do so using literary works.&nbsp;These include Matsuda Aoko’s short story Kanojo ga Dekiru Koto (which means “What she can do”), which portrays a woman facing societal pressure after a divorce; Ichikawa Saou’s novel Hunchback, about the daily life of a disabled woman; and Kamatani Yuuki’s manga Shimanami Tasogare (which means “Twilight in Shimanami”), which follows a gay teenager’s struggle with identity. Through reading such works, students can start to think about the social issues they discuss and understand others’ life experiences. Other methods I use include:Encouraging students to express their thoughts and feelingsThe classroom should be a space where students can freely express their opinions without fear of being judged. To facilitate this, I give worksheets with questions for students to fill in after they’ve read a literary work. We then discuss these questions in class. One group takes turns presenting the results of their reading, and then the other students respond.&nbsp;The worksheet starts with basic questions that require lower-order thinking skills, such as identifying the characters, the setting, and the plot. The questions then progress to more complex prompts aimed at developing higher-order thinking skills. They cover how the characters in the story are described, why they are described that way and the subtext. When students express their opinions, I encourage them to speak up by emphasising that there is no wrong opinion or answer.Yes, empathy can be taught – here’s howWhy students and faculty alike need mental health first-aid trainingFive practical ways the literature classroom can help student careersInviting students to imagine themselves as characters in the storyThe worksheet also includes questions about whether the story made them feel happy, sad, angry or worried, encouraging them to explore these emotions. I also ask students to imagine themselves as the characters in the story. For example, when discussing the short story Kanojo Ga Dekiru Koto (“What she can do”), I ask students to visualise themselves as the protagonist, a divorced woman who is judged negatively and unsupported by the people around her. I then ask students to identify every emotion she might feel and then we discuss them.Get students to reflect on actions to takeAt the end of my lecture, I invite students to reflect on the issues discussed in the literary work. For example, after reading the novel Hunchback by Ichikawa Saou, I ask students to consider whether they and the communities they belong to have shown empathy towards people with disabilities and then about steps they can take to better the situation for these people. These steps don’t need to be grand; small but concrete actions work well, such as reading more literary works about people with disabilities, showing empathy to marginalised individuals, and refraining from posting critical comments on social media.&nbsp;Although we are still far from a just and equal society, using literature classes to foster empathy in our students is a small step that we can take towards creating a society that shows respect and empathy to all.Rouli Esther is a lecturer in Japanese literature at the University of Indonesia.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered directly to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Using literature to increase students’ empathy

Asking students to reflect on emotions through literary works can enhance their empathy. Here are some tried and tested methods

When I first considered integrating professional certifications into our curriculum, the primary goal was clear: to help students connect their learning with real-world industry demands. It made sense – these certifications would provide tangible proof of their skills, something they could proudly display on a CV or during a job interview.What truly surprised me, however, was the ripple effect that followed. Students didn’t just attend the module – they dove into the content with newfound enthusiasm. Discussions became more vibrant, curiosity more contagious and soon the numbers spoke for themselves. Engagement and student outcomes improved, and overall satisfaction reached new heights. It was a transformation I hadn’t expected, but was deeply rewarding to witness.In the following sections, I’ll share the key insights I gained from incorporating the Bloomberg Professional Certification as a summative assessment in a final-year economics of money, banking and finance class.Students are apprehensive about new assignment approaches but it drives engagementFinal-year students, in particular, tend to be laser-focused on their degree classifications. With so much at stake, they often shy away from anything that feels uncertain or unconventional. So, when I introduced a new approach to assessment, their initial response was cautious. Many students voiced their concerns, wondering if this method had been thoroughly tested and researched. Their hesitation was palpable.The ‘above average’ illusion: tackling overconfidence in the classroomWhy we need a new model for professional development credentialsA good practice guide for student business placementsUnderstanding their apprehension, I knew that providing consistent support would be key to easing their concerns. After each lecture, I set aside 30 minutes every week in the Bloomberg room, helping students open accounts and navigate the course. Slowly but surely, the atmosphere began to change. The students who first took the plunge with the certification returned with a newfound confidence and a sense of accomplishment. Word spread and soon they were helping their peers get started, their nervousness replaced by a sense of camaraderie and optimism.This shift in mindset didn’t just help them with the certification – it transformed the entire classroom dynamic. Our early interactions built a foundation of trust and students became more engaged, more willing to participate in seminars and more open to taking risks in their learning.Module outcomes improve, but students need more support throughout the term and beyondThe adoption of Bloomberg software has been gradual, with only about 60 per cent of students registering for a Bloomberg account and beginning the certification process by the end of the term. As a result, on-campus office hours had to be extended beyond the Easter break, particularly in the days leading up to submission deadlines, as many students procrastinated. However, providing more support during the term helped save time during the marking period.&nbsp;Bloomberg automatically issues a grade out of 100 per cent upon completion, which simplifies the transfer of results to summative grades. The marking process is based on multiple-choice questions and my class achieved a 100 per cent pass rate.&nbsp;Non-submission rates also improved, decreasing from 21 per cent to 10 per cent compared with the previous year’s single-piece assessment. This evidence suggests that the Bloomberg certificate assessment setting encourages higher completion rates. In the current educational climate, improving module completion is crucial for universities’ success, and reducing resit rates is equally important for educators, as it alleviates the pressure of marking and administering resits.&nbsp;Professional certificates like these not only help students learn industry-relevant material but also contribute positively to higher education sector metrics.Student satisfaction grows as they see tangible benefits for their prospective careersThird-year students are focused on their degree classification and future careers, so new initiatives should directly and positively impact both.Earning a professional certificate by the end of the module is a clear, tangible outcome that enhances their CVs. When introducing new software, remind students of this benefit regularly, ideally on a weekly basis, to keep their motivation high.&nbsp;To further support this initiative, I offer a field trip to the Bloomberg building and introduce Bloomberg as a potential employer, an opportunity many students are unaware of. The combination of a field trip and the Bloomberg certification is an effective way to demonstrate the relevance of the certificate. It maintains high motivation, creates a positive classroom atmosphere and ultimately drives student satisfaction.&nbsp;Additionally, students can realistically achieve a 100 per cent mark on the Bloomberg certification’s multiple-choice questions, which can significantly boost their module marks. Students appreciate that the marks are objective and directly reflect their effort and willingness to study. This assignment structure gives students a sense of control over their grades in an achievable way, while also offering the added benefits of enhancing their CVs and exploring potential career paths.Professional certification helps improve student engagement, outcomes and satisfaction, making the module a memorable experience.&nbsp;Ekaterina Ipatova is a senior lecturer in finance at the University of Roehampton.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Ways professional certifications can boost student outcomes

Professional certifications not only align students’ skills with real-world industry demands but can also lead to unexpected improvements in academic outcomes. Ekaterina Ipatova shares how her students responded to this innovative mode of assessment

Three ways professional certifications can boost student outcomes

While students talking and giving opinions in class sounds good in theory, such participation is more complicated in Thai courses. Social and cultural norms mean that students do not see vocalisation and contributing to how class is managed as part of their individual learning needs. Many prefer to participate silently and trust what the teacher presents. While this teacher-led approach may be appropriate in secondary school, at the tertiary level, undergraduates need to start taking ownership of their own education and development. This involves not just doing prescribed activities and understanding the material but also taking responsibility for their learning. University students must share their interests, suggest topics for the course, and look for ways to use the material in the future. In short, they must build maturity. Two questions I have been asking my undergraduate students over the semester revolve around class ownership – that is, who is responsible for class activities and content? Specifically, for first-year students in a study skills course, the question is framed as: “How can you make the class better?” I ask: “How can you...” because these learners are still new to the university and may not know or be aware that students can, and should, contribute to class management, materials and more. For my third-year students (business writing), the question is framed as: “How are you making the class better?” Having been at university for two years, they are, hopefully, aware that their ideas count.&nbsp;In both cases, the prompts for answering the questions start with: “I can...” or “I am...”.&nbsp;Campus webinar: The art of bringing creativity and fun into the classroomUsing emotions to boost learningUniversities owe it to society to produce good citizensA generational shift and social changes are clearly visible among cohorts – as are the effects, in my opinion, of the daily hours that Gen Z reportedly spend on social media. Whereas the pre-2000 generation were happy to take ownership and responsibility for their class activity, many Gen Zs seem to actively avoid or try to delay more mature aspects of their education. So, asking the students how they are making the class better softens the impact of adulthood on students who may not have been taught about maturing elsewhere. When students need to discuss their writing, for example, it can be difficult and painful for them.Asking students about how to make things better helps to develop their sense of responsibility, accountability and critical thinking, among other academic skills. Students also need to develop skills that are relevant for a world of work that is changing rapidly, and as they will face the demand to be continuously upskilling – they also need to be mature enough to take responsibility for their own learning. By focusing on the students’ roles and getting them involved in the class, there is sharing and balance between students and educator. Students learn from the teacher, the material, each other and, more importantly, themselves. Teachers gain from the students such insights as what material to prepare, how to present the material, and what activities are suitable for the class. By asking students how they can make, or have made, the class better, the more proactive students start to ask questions about what is, or is not, possible. These discussions centre on developing and making the most out of the new environment. Although they are issued a student handbook, many students do not bother to read it, and so are unaware of the possibilities of their university experience.&nbsp;Undergraduate years are a time for exploring what is possible, with mature guidance from lecturers. I have come to realise that asking questions and letting students explore possible answers and solutions does achieve this purpose.&nbsp;My first-year students have mixed feelings. Ranging from shock of knowing that they can influence their learning to lethargy in wanting the simplicity of just being told what to do. Too often, lecturers focus on providing content rather than letting the students discover the content. There is some validity in this, as many students do not read or have the skills to explore themselves. What we lecturers need to do is not change the principle of having students find out for themselves but examine how we achieve that goal. For proactive students, these discussions have been a welcome change because it helps them feel ownership of their education and the road to autonomy. My class is one of the few where students are explicitly treated as adults and listened to.&nbsp;Being asked to critically reflect on their activities is, at first, uncomfortable and challenging for the majority. Instead of venting against someone, the focus is on themselves. Many 20-year-old third-year university students openly say they are not young adults and should not be expected to be adults. Lecturers need to give students the space to carry their part of the burden. Take reading assignments; if the students do not read before they come to class to discuss, we have a boring, quiet class. While uncomfortable for most students, the pushback helps develop character, awareness, learning skills and maturity. It is difficult, but I do this. And the rewards are worthwhile for the students who make the effort. Admittedly, about two-thirds of my third-year class rarely attend, but a critical mass of interest exists. Attendees and I enjoy the class, learn and grow. Shared class information on Google Classroom gives those who do not show up material that they can use to pass the course, but the real learning occurs in the class. Ultimately, it is about showing students the importance of owning things they can influence. With ownership comes responsibility. Developing skills for a changing world is hard, but the role of universities is to ensure the fundamentals are there. With ownership and responsibility, innovation occurs, as problems are viewed from different perspectives. Eventually, leadership develops. This is a great start for students. The basic knowledge and skills needed for future innovation are developed.Lecturers must find ways to stimulate learning and prepare graduates for professional life. Framing questions around ownership helps guide students to the maturity needed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mariano “Mario” Carrera is a lecturer&nbsp;in the International College at King Mongkut’s University of Technology, North Bangkok.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Questions to encourage undergraduates to contribute to class content or in discussion help them develop skills for academia and the workplace. Mariano Carrera shares his experience from teaching in Thailand

‘Students need to take responsibility for class participation’

Presentation delivery is a common assessment method in higher education. Presentations have become more sophisticated in recent years, incorporating multimedia and other functionalities, but the most common type still involves students presenting with slides as visual aids. While running a master’s TESOL module, I’ve found that this traditional type of presentation elicits little engagement among our cohorts of mainly Chinese students.&nbsp;In my experience, if students are required to watch others’ presentations, they tend to not listen. Presentations arranged outside class hours often feel like they are done for the sake of assessment, and this approach is not feasible for larger student cohorts. It is also difficult for students to get effective feedback. Having students evaluate each other in front of the class might be embarrassing, especially if comments are negative. Although anonymous peer feedback is an option, in my experience, students tend not to engage with it or make superficial comments.A new assessment strategyLast academic year, after a discussion with my head of department, I arranged a poster presentation assessment. This required students to work in pairs and design a poster that demonstrated their knowledge of the topic at hand. This assessment aimed to invoke their higher-order thinking skills by having them explore how recent trending topics in TESOL (such as positive psychology, technology and social justice) bring new insights to language assessment practices.&nbsp;Students needed to submit an electronic poster and an unedited video-recorded presentation accompanying the poster. They then needed to print the posters to be attached to classroom walls/whiteboards during live sessions. The other students and I walked around the room, looking at each poster and asking presenters questions which developed into conversations.&nbsp;I marked them based on both video presentation quality and live interaction with me. This dual assessment ensured ample time for live interaction as well as accurate marking on full presentation content. For interactions, I assessed their familiarity with the content and ability to handle questions, a skill relevant to the teaching positions most of them would pursue after graduation. &nbsp;Resource collection: English as a second language in higher educationWays to empower EAP students to give high-quality feedbackEffective ways to keep online language students motivatedFostering feedback and long-term impactTo encourage more peer feedback, I made a detailed feedback timetable. There were three presentation sessions in total. I asked the following week’s presenters to fill in feedback sheets for the presenters during each session. This ensured all students gave feedback and received input from four to five pairs in addition to the feedback they received during their presentations. In addition, I required all students to submit a report detailing their interaction with the presenters as part of follow-up coursework, so they knew that participation was tied to assessment as well.To motivate students and prolong the long-term impact, my department, which hosted an international applied linguistics conference during the semester, offered students the opportunity to be invited to present their posters at the conference. In the end, 12 pairs with the best posters presented their work.Reflections and further suggestionsThis initiative was successful, fostering more communication between students during the poster sessions compared with traditional presentations. Some students also said the sessions were enjoyable, and they learned a lot from each other. Tips to make these kinds of assessments work well:Use icebreakers to foster a positive learning culture among students and help them develop higher-order thinking skillsPrepare detailed assessment guidelines. I provided a two-page document outlining the requirements, including the task prompt, example presentation titles, suggested poster components and logistical details. I also shared two technical guides on video recording and poster making, and some examples of academic postersConsider the department’s overall assessment strategies to prevent student fatigue. If every other module required a poster presentation, students would hate it!Experiment with variations. Vlogs, booths in public spaces showcasing multimedia student work, talk shows or creative art are some other effective assessment options.&nbsp;Qingyang Sun is an assistant professor in the applied linguistics department at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Engaging students through poster presentations: a case study

Read about how a poster presentation task can promote students’ engagement with course content and each other

Feedback is among the most powerful tools in educators’ professional development toolkit. But this power is limited when – in closely attending to the type, amount or timeliness of the advice we give – we neglect&nbsp;how students engage with it. Recognising this point, effective feedback is increasingly seen as a dialogue, in which students have&nbsp;responsibility for seeking information and then making sense of and applying it.Other transformations to higher education, though, are making constructive dialogue between educators and students rarer and more challenging. We wanted to understand whether the approach of treating feedback as a two-way street could survive and thrive when educator dialogue may increasingly be at a premium. And,&nbsp;as part of our ongoing project, we were willing to go to prison to find out.The challenges of feedback from afar We recently visited four high-security prisons in Queensland, Australia, where we spoke with about 60 incarcerated people studying higher education programmes in some of the most distanced and asynchronous modes of learning imaginable. Although some of these prisoners use&nbsp;digital learning technologies that simulate an “online” learning experience, they have no access to the internet nor direct interaction with their lecturers. Here, the reality of feedback is that it is a one-way street, with rare chances for discussion, clarification or recourse.These incarcerated people are not your typical students, but we sought to understand their experiences of receiving feedback as extreme forms of otherwise common experiences in mainstream higher education. If feedback can be made effective in a high-security prison, we thought, then it can work for those students who ever more frequently study online, at a distance and flexibly, or those who for various reasons&nbsp;opt not to attend lectures on campus, and learn asynchronously around other commitments.&nbsp;What students told us ‘good’ feedback means to themReframing feedback as a valuable learning toolWhy we should be giving feedback via videoThe availability of these alternative modes of learning&nbsp;has become important for supporting equity, widening access to higher education among students living in remote areas, those with certain disabilities, employment or caring responsibilities, and others who formerly faced challenges to accessing universities’ campuses.&nbsp;Asynchronous learning offers students additional flexibility, enabling study with minimal – or perhaps even no – direct interactions between students and educators. But how can we ensure our feedback is used proactively by students whom we might never meet, when dialogue is rarer, more detached and increasingly mediated by technology?&nbsp;The research literature on feedback in distance and flexible learning contexts offers plenty of evidence on how to give learners the highest-quality advice, but says little about how we support those learners to engage with and extract value from it. In the absence of clear answers to these questions, we therefore risk sliding back towards weaker, one-directional approaches to feedback. All we can promise these students – one might reason – is that they’ll receive good and timely advice. We must then cross our fingers that it hits the mark. As one experienced distance educator put it to us: “You just have to hope they are self-directing.” Looking for answers ‘behind bars’Relying on students to self-direct their engagement with feedback without support is, in our experience, a huge gamble. This is an underestimated and extraordinarily difficult skill for anyone to master. The incarcerated students we spoke with echoed common frustrations with feedback that we hear from mainstream student populations: they struggled to understand the advice, didn’t know what to do with it, felt ill-equipped to do what was advised, and felt demotivated and unenthused. But the prison context gave each of these challenges a distinct flavour. Free time for engaging with feedback was the one thing these students had in abundance, and yet most described the feedback as unworthy of their time. Their lack of opportunities for dialogue, combined with having few resources for managing their understanding of and expectations around feedback, magnified these students’ feelings of isolation, confusion and self-doubt. And when the high pressure they put on themselves to excel was not rewarded with high grades, they found themselves lacking strategies for transforming their disappointment into fuel for future success.Understanding incarcerated students’ challenges helped us to envisage the kinds of tools that could equip them – and anyone studying autonomously, asynchronously or at a distance – to make the most of feedback when dialogue is less readily available. Indeed, we concluded from these discussions that the missing link is not educator dialogue per se, but scaffolding. We must teach our students ways of finding meaning and value in feedback, even when it is unclear or not constructive. They need ways to decide what to do next and to stay motivated when feedback seems contradictory or non-specific, and ways of confidently evaluating their own progress when feedback is infrequent, untimely or brief. But ultimately, the tools and resources we provide as scaffolds must equip students to use these techniques by themselves, independently.&nbsp;Students might benefit, for example, from initially organising their feedback based on the level of effort each comment requires, how clearly they understand it or the emotional reaction it evokes. So, interactive tools that simplify this organising process, and guidance resources that then point students to targeted ways of handling the different comment sets, could be invaluable scaffolds. Likewise, peers can support students in recognising and moving beyond their knee-jerk reactions to feedback that is confusing or critical of their work. Yet our prison discussions reminded us not to take for granted that students know how to make their conversations with peers constructive rather than merely cathartic. Could self-directed, interactive activities assist them to formulate better probing questions that evoke more challenging perspectives from their peers? Scaffolding, again, is key, and through our current project we are starting to develop some of these tools.Our aim in making these arguments is neither to deny the value or importance of dialogic feedback where educator dialogue is possible nor to excuse poor-quality or neglectful feedback. Rather, we must discourage a false dichotomy between dialogic feedback and poor feedback. As our average student becomes more distant, and our relationship with them less dialogic, designing learning environments that scaffold their active engagement with feedback is becoming a more – not less – important priority.Robert Nash is&nbsp;head of psychological research at the&nbsp;National Institute of Teaching in the UK, visiting associate professor&nbsp;in the&nbsp;School of Psychology at Aston University, UK, and associate editor of&nbsp;Applied Cognitive Psychology. Kieran Balloo is an adjunct senior research fellow in the&nbsp;Institute for Resilient Regions at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, and a visiting senior research fellow in the&nbsp;Surrey Institute of Education at the University of Surrey, UK.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered directly to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Whether they are behind a computer screen or behind bars, all students need support with making effective use of feedback – whether or not the process is a two-way street

As students become more ‘distant’, can feedback still hit the mark?

In light of rapid social and technological changes, many universities may be planning a review of their curriculum framework. For example, one in six undergraduates experience mental health challenges – so institutions need to consider how their curriculum can support students’ well-being. Likewise, institutions need to help students develop the generative AI literacy they’ll need to prepare them for future employment. Here, I’ll offer six tips for undertaking an institutional curriculum framework review.&nbsp;Retain, reframe or remove?If your institution has an existing curriculum framework then it is important to initially consider whether elements should be a) retained; b) reframed; or c) removed. Seek feedback from your university community members, including academics, third space practitioners, professional service representatives and students, to help inform decision making.&nbsp;Creating a virtual pinboard can be an efficient and effective means of collating community reflections, along with suggestions for future content.&nbsp;Applying the Conversational Framework using an online learning design toolResource collection: A framework for learning in seven principlesEmotions and learning: what role do emotions play in how and why students learn?Similarly, facilitating in-person or online discussion sessions can be a good way to launch a review and encourage community engagement. Establish what the current (and future) institutional education and student experience strategic priorities are. By way of an example, we recently found a clear need to retain an employability strand in a new curriculum framework in line with the University of Bedfordshire commitment to delivering “career-powered education”. The previous focus of this strand, however, needed to be adjusted to reflect new education and student experience priorities related to “career readiness and advancement”, “graduate competencies”, “work-related and work-based learning” and “real-world challenges and global perspectives”. In contrast, we removed reference to the concept of “learning styles” from the framework based on both academic staff feedback and a lack of associated evidence, despite it being a popular concept among some educators.Segment stakeholder consultation&nbsp;Given the significance of a curriculum framework, there will likely be many volunteers keen to contribute. But it’s not possible, nor necessarily appropriate, to facilitate the same level of input from all volunteers. Instead, conceptualise stakeholder (academics, students and professional services staff) input in terms of “vital”, “necessary”, “good” and “courteous”, as outlined in Patrick Mayfield’s Practical People Engagement.&nbsp;In practice, this could mean appointing an overarching review lead (or leads), who would establish an extended authorship team of “vital” colleagues to co-lead on drafting a new framework. As drafts are developed, they can then be shared with a wider group of “necessary” colleagues for comment. Follow this up by presenting a more completed draft of the framework at school and departmental meetings (“good” stakeholders) for further feedback. “Courtesy” engagement can be achieved through working with an internal communication team to share progress updates, for instance via an all-staff newsletter.&nbsp;Design with audience in mind&nbsp;Once curriculum framework content is finalised, work with an experienced designer to produce associated visuals. Given the range of stakeholders who will engage with a framework, it’s worth developing alternative versions tailored to different audiences.&nbsp;At Bedfordshire, there are two versions of the curriculum framework. A “tutor” version details each framework strand and associated sub-elements. In contrast, based on discussions with our&nbsp;Students’ Union, we created a&nbsp;“learner” version infographic that just details the main strands. This infographic provides a basic introduction to the university’s overarching approach to teaching, learning and course design. Should learners want to explore the framework in more detail, they are able to access the tutor version.&nbsp;Continue the discussion&nbsp;Hosting an institutional launch event(s) provides an excellent opportunity to showcase a finalised curriculum framework. Not all stakeholders will attend such an event, of course, so ensure that there are several opportunities to share the new framework and discuss its application. An annual learning and teaching conference would provide an excellent recurrent opportunity to revisit and consider application of your new framework.&nbsp;Similarly, course enhancement planning events are a more focused opportunity to explore how a curriculum framework should inform the development of courses with course leaders. Work with a quality and standards team to make sure that there are formal processes for course teams to critically reflect on how the framework has been used. This could be a reflective statement in new course approval or course modification paperwork, followed up at quality panel discussions.&nbsp;Support for adoption&nbsp;An institutional centralised learning and teaching unit will be well placed to provide an integrated programme of training and support for the adoption of a new curriculum framework. At a minimum, this should include self-directed guidance and readings related to operationalising a framework. Academic development sessions, offered as part of a centralised training programme, can also be helpful.Offer more targeted and bespoke development opportunities, such as curriculum consultancy activities in which members of a centralised learning and teaching team work in partnership with course teams to address specific curriculum development needs. Bespoke arrangements like these make it easier to provide support at a time when all members of a course team can meaningfully engage.Keep analysis in mind&nbsp;Set up mechanisms to assess the impact of a new curriculum framework. Perhaps seek initial feedback via student voice channels (such as course representatives or via unit feedback exercises), which could be tailored to address a specific strand(s) or sub-element(s) of a curriculum framework.&nbsp;Longer term, insights into the impact on learning and student experience could be captured through student outcome data (for example, Office for Students’ condition&nbsp;B3) or via student surveys (such as&nbsp;NSS or&nbsp;PTES). Additionally, a programme of educational research projects might be used to more robustly examine specific aspects of framework adoption and impact. In England, findings from such research could provide valuable evidence for a future&nbsp;Teaching Excellence Framework provider submission.&nbsp;Any curriculum framework must be periodically revisited and updated to ensure that it continues to deliver for both students and course teams. It is my hope that the tips above will help those embarking on a curriculum framework review journey.&nbsp;Steve Briggs is director of learning and teaching excellence at the University of Bedfordshire.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Six tips when undertaking a curriculum framework review 

For a curriculum framework to deliver for both students and educators, it must be regularly updated. Here are six things to remember when embarking on a framework review

Is empathy innate?Empathy is “something you have either got, or you haven’t”. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If true, these words from senior midwife and independent investigator Donna Ockenden could spell disaster for patient care.&nbsp;Her own landmark investigation into the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust revealed how devastating a lack of empathy can be, documenting case after case where emotional disconnection led to harm and distress.The stakes couldn’t be higher. NHS ombudsman Bob Behrens points to a “deep-seated lack of empathy” in medicine as a likely cause of preventable deaths. In one heartbreaking case, a woman with smoking-related heart disease lost her life prematurely after refusing medical care, driven away by what she experienced as practitioners’ cold indifference. The verdict was clear: with more empathetic care, she might be alive today.If empathy cannot be taught, the benefits of enhanced empathy will be harder to reap. When practitioners enhance their empathy skills, patients need less morphine. They leave hospital sooner. Their pain levels drop. Satisfaction soars. Most striking of all – among diabetic patients, mortality rates fall.&nbsp;These aren’t soft outcomes; they’re hard clinical endpoints that save lives. Also, the benefits flow both ways: practitioners who develop greater empathy report increased well-being and a renewed sense of purpose in their calling to care for others.If Ockenden is right, we’re stuck with the status quo where lack of empathy continues to harm patients, and its benefits cannot be realised.Why people think empathy can’t be taught“You can never truly feel what another person feels.” This common refrain leads many to dismiss empathy as unteachable. But it fundamentally misunderstands what therapeutic empathy means in healthcare. A nurse caring for a furious patient shouldn’t mirror that anger. A doctor treating someone experiencing intense grief doesn’t need to plunge into despair themselves. Clinical empathy is far more practical: it’s about curiosity, understanding and taking helpful action.Taking trust to the next level in healthcare assessmentScience-backed mental health techniques for students’ well-beingWhy students and faculty alike need mental health first-aid trainingThink of empathy like musical ability. Some people naturally carry a tune better than others. Women often display higher baseline empathy than men, shaped by both genetics and social conditioning, just as cultural exposure to music gives some children a head start. But believing that these starting points determine our destiny would be like telling a tone-deaf person they can never learn to sing. Just as a nervous novice can become a better singer, healthcare practitioners can develop stronger empathy through dedicated training.Teaching empathy changes behaviour: the evidence is clearImagine a new drug that consistently improved patient outcomes across 26 separate clinical trials. Medical journals would trumpet the breakthrough. Guidelines would be rewritten overnight. Yet we have something equally powerful: empathy training for healthcare practitioners. Twenty-six randomised controlled trials show not only that empathy training changes practitioner behaviour, but that these new behaviours benefit patients and practitioners alike.Best of all? This transformation doesn’t require years of intensive training. Take the BATHE method, an elegant five-step approach that guides practitioners through understanding a patient’s&nbsp;Background, exploring how they’re&nbsp;Affected emotionally, identifying what&nbsp;Troubles them most, learning&nbsp;How they’re coping, and responding with an&nbsp;Empathic message.&nbsp;Simple, yet powerful enough to change the trajectory of care. In healthcare, we demand evidence before adopting new practices. With empathy training, that evidence is overwhelming. The question isn’t whether it we can teach it; it is why we aren’t teaching it more consistently.Tips for teaching empathy (and a few easy skills to teach)You need to know your audience and identify specific problems that are caused by lack of empathy in their setting. When I shifted from teaching general practitioners to midwives, I discovered that different contexts demand different examples. The key is to ground your teaching in evidence-based methods – not just because they work but because healthcare practitioners respect data. Show them the research, and you’ll transform sceptics into believers.But here’s the secret: learning empathy shouldn’t feel like another box-ticking exercise in the endless parade of mandatory training. Make it come alive with quizzes, learning games and caption competitions. Let practitioners discover that enhancing their emotional intelligence can be energising rather than draining.The beauty of empathy lies in how simple yet powerful its basic techniques can be. Three transformative practices take mere seconds:1. Encourage practitioners to introduce themselves by name – creating an immediate human connection.2.&nbsp;Have practitioners sit down beside the patient instead of standing up – a small gesture that patients perceive as giving them more time.3. Encourage practitioners to provide a truthful, positive message of hope, even if it is just: “We are going to do our best to take care of you.”If we discovered a drug that could ease pain, speed healing, boost practitioner well-being and save lives, we wouldn’t debate whether to use it, we’d make it standard practice. We have that breakthrough. It’s called empathy. We can teach it. We can measure it. And in a healthcare system under pressure, we must make it a cornerstone of medical education.Jeremy Howick is director of the Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare at the University of Leicester.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Find out how evidence-based methods can be used to provide empathy training, bringing huge potential benefits for healthcare outcomes and busting the myth that it can’t be taught

Yes, empathy can be taught – here’s how

With adaptive learning platforms and automated administrative tasks now commonplace, artificial intelligence (AI) is no newcomer to the world of education. But one area that is sparking debate is its potential role in marking student assessments. Could AI save educators valuable time or does it risk compromising the human element central to learning?&nbsp;The arguments for turning grading over to AI include time management and consistency, but these should be weighed against factors such as ethical implications and AI hallucinations. Perhaps there is a middle ground, where AI could act as a lecturer’s assistant rather than a replacement?When I put AI to the test – as outlined further on in this article – the results were illuminating. But first let’s look at general arguments for and against.Five reasons to support the use of AI for markingEfficiency and time-saving Marking is labour-intensive. AI systems can process thousands of essays or exams in minutes, freeing lecturers to focus on more impactful tasks, such as providing direct support to students.Consistency and objectivity Unlike human graders, AI doesn’t get fatigued or apply varying standards. When fed clear marking criteria, AI uses a level of consistent application across all submissions. This objectivity could be especially valuable in contentious situations, such as grading disputes, as students can trust that their work is assessed against fixed standards.Enhanced feedback quality AI can provide detailed, tailored feedback. Tools such as Grammarly or Turnitin not only flag errors but also explain them, offering students a clearer path to improvement.Mental health benefits for educators Grading load can lead to stress and burnout among educators. By automating repetitive tasks, AI may allow academics to allocate their time and energy more effectively, reducing mental strain and improving work-life balance.Eliminating human bias AI has the potential to support fair assessment. However, it can also inherit and amplify biases present in its training data. Careful design and auditing of AI systems are essential to mitigate this risk.Five drawbacks and challenges when using AI for markingLack of human insight One significant concern is the absence of human intuition and nuance. AI may struggle to evaluate subjective elements such as creativity, critical thinking or the ability to synthesise complex ideas. For disciplines that thrive on nuanced interpretation – such as literature or philosophy – AI might miss the mark entirely, and in subjects like business and marketing, criticality is crucial.Risk of inaccuracies AI systems are not immune to errors. They may misinterpret ambiguous language, fail to grasp cultural or contextual nuances or provide feedback that, while confident, is inaccurate (a phenomenon known as “AI hallucination”). Such mistakes could undermine trust in the grading process.Ethical and transparency issues Using AI for grading raises ethical questions, such as whether it’s fair for educators to rely on AI while students are often restricted from using similar tools or if students should be informed if AI is grading their work. Transparency helps maintain trust, yet revealing AI use could lead to pushback.&nbsp;Perception and acceptance Complaints might arise if students feel the human touch is missing or if they believe their work hasn’t received the nuanced attention it deserves. This could lead to an uptick in appeals and challenges from students and families.Is AI a time-saver? While AI can process assignments quickly, educators often need to review its output to ensure accuracy. If the AI misinterprets the marking scheme or provides incomplete feedback, the time spent correcting these issues could negate the intended efficiency gains.Experimenting with AI in assessment gradingExploring the potential of AI in grading, I put theory into practice. I uploaded my assessment rubric to ChatGPT-4 and compared the AI tool’s grading with my own. The results were instructive. The AI over-scored by as much as 20 per cent. While this gap highlighted current limitations, it also revealed a valuable opportunity: whether AI could be trained to better align with human judgement.Spotlight: AI and assessment in higher educationWe use ChatGPT to give feedback on students’ abstractsSpotlight guide: Bringing GenAI into the university classroomThrough iterative learning, I guided the AI to reflect on its grading in comparison with mine. Over time, this process produced grades that more closely matched. However, challenges persisted. The AI frequently exhibited “hallucinations”, fabricating details and incorrectly commenting on elements of student work. These inaccuracies, coupled with a tendency towards overconfidence, required constant double-checking. So, instead of saving time, the experiment often demanded additional effort to verify and correct the AI’s output.Given these limitations, I concluded that AI is far from ready to take over the grading process entirely. However, as an assistive tool, it holds promise. With careful training and human oversight, AI can complement educators’ efforts, offering a glimpse of its potential to enhance the grading process rather than replace it.Is AI an assistant or a replacement?A balanced approach may lie in using AI as a tool to assist educators rather than replace them. Here are potential models:The AI sandwich: human input frames the task, AI provides initial grading or feedback, and the lecturer reviews and finalises the process.&nbsp;Training AI to understand academic judgement: by feeding AI large datasets of graded assignments across various levels, it could learn to mimic human grading patterns. However, this requires extensive time and resources and rigorous oversight to ensure reliability.Using AI for exemplars and rubrics: AI could generate examples of work at different grade levels, helping both students and educators better understand expectations.&nbsp;The way forwardAs AI evolves, the question isn’t whether it should play a role in grading but how that role should be defined. Key considerations include:Clear guidelines: universities must establish transparent policies outlining when and how AI can be used in grading.Ethical oversight: institutions should ensure AI use aligns with principles of fairness and equity.Continuous monitoring: regular evaluation of AI’s performance and impact on student outcomes is essential to refine its application.Staff training: educators must be equipped with the skills to effectively integrate AI into their workflows, understanding its capabilities and limitations.AI has the potential to revolutionise grading, offering speed, consistency and detailed feedback. However, its limitations and ethical implications cannot be overlooked. A collaborative approach – where AI acts as an assistant rather than a replacement – may strike the right balance, preserving the human touch that remains integral to education. Ultimately, the goal should be to enhance the learning experience for students while supporting educators in their vital roles.Rohim Mohammed is a lecturer of digital marketing at University College Birmingham.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve speed, consistency and detail in feedback for educators grading students’ assignments, writes Rohim Mohammed. Here he lists the pros and cons based on his experience

Will AI revolutionise marking?

While there is no generally accepted definition of the term “reflection”, Malcolm Tight, in his paper Reflection: an assessment and critique of a pervasive trend in higher education, asserts that it “has become widely accepted […] as a useful, even essential, tool”. It is a prominent feature in programmes related to careers in teaching, social work, business and nursing, among others.&nbsp;The importance of reflection, according to the writings of Sanna Hilden and Kati Tikkamäki in Reflective practice as a fuel for organizational learning, rests on “a broad consensus among learning theorists that reflection is at the core of adult learning and professional growth, transformation and empowerment”. In recognition of its significance, a wealth of support is available to help students practically engage in reflection in the form of published guides, online videos, training programmes and toolkits.&nbsp;Of concern is the research by Cecilia Chan and Katherine Lee in Reflection literacy: a multilevel perspective on the challenges of using reflections in higher education through a comprehensive literature review, which has identified a suite of interrelated barriers across several levels: “teacher-pedagogical, institutional and sociocultural”, that can hinder efforts when prompting the use of reflection at the tertiary level.&nbsp;Of interest to this resource is the “core” level of student learning where a number of factors contribute to learners becoming what Anne de la Croix and Mario Veen call “reflective zombies” who are unable to engage in truly reflective behaviour. These include:&nbsp;Poor learner motivation, this being fuelled by time constraints and negative attitudes, and&nbsp;A lack of understanding/ability to engage in reflection, this being fuelled by language proficiency issues, and poor knowledge and skills.To counter the above, I advocate the use of directional reflection by lecturers to stimulate students’ evaluative thinking.What is directional reflection?Jessica Robinson’s excellent blog post Exploring Different Types of Reflection Models with Examples aptly acknowledges various models of reflection that have been proposed to help individuals “reflect on their past experiences and […] work on their&nbsp;self-improvement”. A good number of these are cyclical in their design, with each one using a number of stages, phases, lenses or questions to prompt a continuous cycle of improvement for a repeated or stand-alone experience. The visual presentation of these various reflective cycles is the inspiration for directional reflection given that they typically use a series of arrows to signal the direction (sequence) in which reflectors (those undertaking reflection) are to engage with the selected cycle.&nbsp;With it being generally assumed that arrows are a universally understood symbol, I believe that these can be used as a type of graphical shorthand to engage students by way of an illustrative example in a small verbal or written group evaluation of a taught unit or module. The direction of selected arrows signals stages from Graham Gibbs’ well-known reflective cycle in Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods.Reflective stage / prompt (adapted)&nbsp;&nbsp;ArrowWritten descriptionVerbal reflective prompt&nbsp;Evaluation: What was good and bad about the unit/module?↑Arrow pointing in an upward direction (to symbolise something that was successful or was perceived as being positive)&nbsp;“What was good about the taught unit?”↓Arrow pointing in a downward direction (to symbolise something that was disapproved of or was perceived as being negative)“What was not so good about the taught unit?”Action plan: What should be done differently?&nbsp;↗Arrow pointing diagonally in an upward right direction (to symbolise a progressional “flight path” for future development)&nbsp;“What could be done better next time the taught unit is delivered?”Put simply, directional reflection can be facilitated by offering students three visual prompts (arrows) on a piece of folded (zig-zag) A4 paper or generated by a cardboard spinning top that encourages them to target key aspects of the unit/module to aid the evaluation process. By reflecting in response to the direction of the arrow (up for good, down for not so good (bad), diagonally upward right for improvement), students can focus their evaluative thinking on what worked well (strengths), what could be improved (weaknesses), and possible actions to take.&nbsp;Spotlight: Teaching critical thinkingWant to increase student satisfaction? Activate higher-order thinking skillsMetacognition in education: get students thinking about their thinkingOther possibilities for directional reflectionHaving personally used directional reflection as a successful pilot strategy in the tertiary classroom (the perceived level of success being based on personal observations of students in the learning space and the reading of their written evaluations), I have been spurred on to consider the potential that other arrows could have to engage students in different types of reflection. See below:ArrowWritten description&nbsp;Type of reflection&nbsp;Details&nbsp;↓Arrow pointing in a downward direction (indicating the here and now)Reflection in action (see the work of Donald Schön)Reflection which takes place during the event, eg, during a lecture←Arrow pointing in a backward direction (indicating the past)Reflection on action (see the work of Donald Schön)Reflection takes place after the event, eg, after a taught seminar→Arrow pointing in a forward direction (indicating the future)Reflection for action (see the work of Michael Eraut)Reflection takes place before the event, eg, before a 1-2-1 tutorialLecturers may wish to be creative in the choice of arrow design they present to students, considering alternatives such as pointing finger emojis like these 👈 👉👆👇 to cater to young adults’ preferred forms of digital expression. Ultimately, it is important to keep in mind that reflection is not something that students engage in automatically, and they need help and support from their lecturers. This can be “simply stimulated” (my words) through directional reflection.&nbsp;Simon Brownhill is a senior lecturer in teaching and learning at the University of Bristol’s School of Education.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Use directional reflection to stimulate evaluative thinking

Many students struggle to understand and engage with the concepts and practices associated with reflection. This is where directional reflection comes in

Using directional reflection to stimulate students’ evaluative thinking

Our world is awash with misinformation. It undermines public trust in institutions and credible sources, influences decision-making and exacerbates social and political polarisation. It poses serious risks to public health and can incite violence or civil unrest.&nbsp;How can we combat this growing threat? One approach is to support members of the public to improve their media literacy, using fact-checking initiatives and responsible communication. In a university setting, our goal is to conduct research on misinformation to make a meaningful impact on the community. It’s important for higher education institutions to carefully consider which specific strategies we teach members of the public, as well as our students, to effectively tackle misinformation.Why your students need to learn the skills of a journalistResource collection: teaching critical thinkingBelieve it or not, you can use conspiracy theories as tools for teachingTo do this, HKBU Fact Check connects with the public through its website, social media and news outlets, and regularly hosts academic conferences, public exhibitions and gives talks at elementary and secondary schools. The unit also partners with the university’s general education course “Fact-checking misinformation, disinformation and fake news” to provide students with fact-checking and critical thinking skills.In 2019, Mike Caulfield developed the&nbsp;SIFT (Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace) strategy, a framework to evaluate information credibility. It is a helpful tool, used by many. However, over five years of increasingly more sophisticated misinformation, and through insights into the public use of SIFT, I have developed a revised approach that incorporates the procedures that professional fact-checkers use in their daily routines.&nbsp;This new strategy consists of four distinct steps, allowing students to decide how far they want to interrogate information, based on their available time and the effort they are willing to invest in the fact-checking process. This skill set is crucial for students, enabling them to find, evaluate and use information effectively in academic, professional and personal contexts. It supports academic success by fostering critical thinking, independent research and the use of credible sources. These interdisciplinary skills prepare students for the workforce and empower lifelong learning, helping them make informed decisions and engage responsibly in a world filled with disinformation. Since this strategy involves four essential components, it is named the “4-Check” strategy.1. Check for potential pitfallsAssessing the potential pitfalls of misinformation is crucial in today’s information landscape, where motivated reasoning can lead individuals to accept false narratives that align with their beliefs. Clickbait headlines often lure readers into misleading content online, while memes and videos can distort facts for emotional impact. Information from unknown sources may lack credibility and outdated images can misrepresent current events.&nbsp;By being aware of and able to evaluate these risks, individuals can identify negative outcomes and develop strategies to mitigate them. This approach fosters critical thinking and information literacy, empowering individuals to navigate complex information more effectively. When people recognise these risks, whether encountering information with an unidentified author or seeing eye-catching headlines, we expect them to remain alert and critically evaluate suspicious details.2. Check whether it is a fact or opinionBefore investigating any information, individuals must discern whether the suspicious information they encounter is a fact or an opinion. Objective facts are verifiable statements that can be proven true or false through evidence (eg, “The unemployment rate in the US was 3.7 per cent &nbsp;in 2023”), whereas opinions are subjective beliefs that lack concrete support (eg, “The unemployment rate reflects poor government policies”). Subjective opinions cannot be investigated in the same manner as factual claims.&nbsp;Once a claim is identified as factual, individuals can proceed with further investigation. However, facts and opinions can often be intertwined, making this step straightforward in theory, but potentially complex in practice.3. Check related information&nbsp;After confirming that a claim is verifiable, the next step is to seek related information to determine whether the suspicious information has any basis and relevant evidence. By answering questions and clarifying uncertainties, individuals can gather pertinent data to support or reject fact-based conclusions.&nbsp;Consult multiple sources and rely only on credible ones, such as official websites, reputable news outlets and fact-checking organisations. Often, the top search results may not be reliable, so individuals must learn to identify credible sources. This approach helps in making informed assessments and enables individuals to determine whether information is supported by credible evidence.4. Check the original information source&nbsp;I recommend students trace and verify the original source of information to understand the root cause of an issue or claim. This step can be conducted using search engines for textual claims and reverse image search engines, such as Google Images, TinEye, Yandex and Baidu Images, for visual claims.&nbsp;While textual investigation is generally straightforward, image searches can sometimes be more challenging. All platforms provide easy interfaces with a one-click drag-and-search function. Yandex is particularly effective for images related to Russia, and Baidu Images excels with content from mainland China. TinEye is unique because it allows users to sort results chronologically from the oldest to the newest appearance on the internet, helping to identify when an image first appeared online. These methods for tracing the origin of suspicious information can help verify authenticity and uncover the context behind the information, allowing for a more informed analysis.The 4-Check strategy equips students and members of the public with effective techniques to combat misinformation. This approach will further our efforts to promote a more informed and literate society, providing individuals with the essential tools to develop well-informed opinions and evidence-based decisions.Stephanie Jean Tsang is assistant professor in the department of communications at Hong Kong Baptist University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Four strategies to transform everyone into a fact-checker

The 4-Check strategy can help combat misinformation in the digital age. Here’s how to use it

A four-step process to transform everyone into a fact-checker

Teaching demands are growing exponentially in higher education. From preparing dynamic course materials to offering timely and personalised feedback, many essential tasks can feel like an endless time and energy drain. Balancing these while maintaining quality teaching and engagement is challenging. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) can help.AI is not a replacement for educators; it is a tool for their empowerment. By streamlining workflows, automating repetitive processes and enhancing teaching and learning, it allows us to reclaim our time and focus on high-impact educational activities.&nbsp;Writing emailsManaging student emails can be incredibly time-consuming, particularly when the same questions are asked repeatedly. To address this challenge, we created a custom GPT to act as a virtual assistant, handling these recurring questions with ease. By using tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, educators can build AI assistants to address common student enquiries such as assignment deadlines, submission guidelines, grading rubrics and course planning.The use of custom GPTs empowers students by giving them immediate access to the information they need (even outside office hours) while reducing the administrative load on educators. With a significant portion of student queries effectively addressed by AI assistants, instructors can focus more on one-to-one support and meaningful student interactions. Note that creating custom GPTs requires the premium version of ChatGPT.Delivering lecturesPreparing engaging and consistent lecture materials can be time-consuming, especially for asynchronous or hybrid learning environments. AI tools such as HeyGen or Synthesia allow educators to create digital avatars that narrate slides or pre-record lectures to help maintain a consistent, professional presentation style. These avatars can adapt content delivery for multiple audiences and different languages without requiring the instructor to re-record sessions. This approach saves time and ensures lectures are engaging and up-to-date.&nbsp;Digital avatars also provide accessibility benefits, catering to students with different learning needs and enhancing their engagement with the course content. A student survey revealed avatars with warm personalities were better suited to English as a second language students, whereas mature students seemed to prefer more serious, no-nonsense avatars.&nbsp;By leveraging tools like Canva’s AI-powered design features, educators can input their key ideas and rapidly generate cohesive, professional-quality slide decks.Giving feedbackProviding personalised feedback is crucial for student development, yet doing so across large cohorts can be time-consuming. We use AI tools to convert rough notes into structured, personalised feedback. Using AI tools like Notion AI or ChatGPT, a phone camera can capture handwritten grading notes and transform them into detailed, actionable feedback for students. We found this approach saved time without compromising the quality of engagement with students.Content creationThis use of AI not only supports diverse learning preferences by offering multiple content formats to engage with, but it also helps educators efficiently repurpose high-quality content across different channels.Whether summarising complex academic articles or drafting course handouts, generative AI tools such as NotebookLM or ChatGPT make content creation easier and more efficient. NotebookLM can summarise the latest research or key course topics and turn it into an engaging podcast for students.Collection: AI transformers like ChatGPT are here, so what next?Promoting ethical and responsible use of GenAI toolsSpotlight guide: Bringing GenAI into the university classroomTips for using AI in teachingStart small and focus on one task: integrating AI can feel overwhelming, so start small. Choose one repetitive task, such as managing frequently asked questions and test an AI solution to streamline it. Once confident, gradually expand to other areas.&nbsp;Engage students in the process: whether narrated slides or a GPT answering questions, we actively gained feedback from students to ensure these tools enhanced their experience. This not only improves the tools but helps students feel involved in the process, fostering a more collaborative learning atmosphere.Focus on ethical considerations: AI should always align with institutional guidelines and ethical considerations. SACRAD, which stands for specificity, accuracy, clarity, relevance, appropriateness and depth, is a useful framework we have developed for assessing AI-generated content in this context.&nbsp;Collaborate and share best practices: work closely with colleagues to share insights and experiences related to using AI in teaching. Collaboration can lead to faster adoption and uncover innovative applications of AI that benefit not only individuals but your institution as a whole.Iterate and improve continuously: AI tools evolve constantly. So, review and refine how they are used. Regular assessment and staying updated with new features can help educators keep their teaching practices dynamic and aligned with student needs. Iteration is key to ensuring that AI continues to meet educational goals effectively.By using AI for repetitive and time-consuming teaching tasks, we were able to focus on what we do best: engaging with students, innovating curricula and advancing research. Students benefit from faster responses, more diverse and engaging learning content and enhanced learning experiences tailored to their needs.&nbsp;Shahper Richter, Inna Piven and Patrick Dodd teach marketing at the Business School of the University of Auckland.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Reduce admin burden with AI

How teachers can use AI to respond to student enquiries, provide feedback and create engaging learning content

“For today’s session, you will be escaping the tutorial.”This is how I opened the flipped class. The announcement continued: “A dead body has been found and foul play is suspected. You will work in groups to investigate the crime scene, determine who the murderer is and identify the murder weapon. You will encounter puzzles that require you to apply what you have learned from the lecture to progress in the game…”&nbsp;In this virtual escape room, my students played detective. After a short briefing on ground rules and game navigation, they entered the virtual world. Some noted down everything that seemed like a clue, while others assumed the role of leader, delegating tasks to team members. Students helped their peers who got stuck in the game and discussed strategies for approaching the puzzles, often over lecture materials. Groups experienced eureka moments when they finally solved the puzzle(s) that they were struggling with or when they “escaped”. As excitement levels rose, the classroom became livelier during these sessions.&nbsp;Do you speak Gen Z or are you a noob?Ready, player one? How video games can help engage studentsRead more: resources to enhance student engagementAs an escape room enthusiast, I have found this to be an engaging way to make the notoriously “dry” and “difficult” subject of statistics more fun for non-statistics majors from diverse faculties. I also wanted an exercise that would foster peer learning and social connectedness for a large class of 50 to 90 students who had spent a couple of years receiving university education remotely due to the pandemic. Virtual escape rooms address space and logistical constraints associated with implementation in large classes.&nbsp;Having developed and implemented a well-received virtual game for an undergraduate public health research methods class, I can share a few key tips for educators keen to create similar escape rooms for their classrooms.1. Start with the game’s learning outcomesOften, when we first toy with the idea of an educational escape room, we find ourselves so focused on brainstorming the storyline or figuring out the tech aspects of game design that we forget its purpose. The game is meant to teach students something. Plan the educational escape room as you would a lesson – start with intended learning outcomes. An example of a learning outcome of a biostatistics game could be the ability to distinguish between dependent and independent variables, while for an analytical chemistry game, it could be the ability to interpret data obtained from chromatographic techniques. These are crucial in guiding puzzle development.2. Decide on the game platformWhen designing an escape room, you will need to choose a platform for development and play. This should be considered together with the game format. Do you want a point-and-click format? 2D? 3D? Interactive fiction or text-based? Do you have the resources to develop the game on your own or will you need external support (from, for example, a game developer)?&nbsp;For those without programming experience,&nbsp;Genially is a free, entry-level platform for point-and-click games, including escape rooms. It is similar to Microsoft PowerPoint but has additional interactivity features.&nbsp;Google Sites is another entry-level alternative.For interactive fiction or text-based games, entry-level platforms include&nbsp;Twine (open source with no coding experience required, although some Javascript and CSS knowledge might be helpful for additional game features) and&nbsp;Inform (it is also a great way to pick up the Inform language, a natural language-based syntax specific to interactive storytelling).More advanced platforms include&nbsp;GameMaker,&nbsp;Unity and&nbsp;Unreal.&nbsp;3. Develop the storyline and game designWhile optional, incorporating an immersive storyline enhances student engagement and motivation. Role-playing games develop learner agency. Popular game genres include adventure, fantasy and mystery. Will the game proceed in a linear fashion (which tends to be less complicated to develop), an open design or a mix of both? Consider whether a single-player or multi-player mode is more suitable, in view of the learning objectives and time allocated for the game. Design frameworks such as escapED, SEGAM and the Star Model are available for systematic guidance.4. Create the in-game activities&nbsp;In-game activities are generally tasks and puzzles that are aligned with learning outcomes. The number of tasks and puzzles and the difficulty level of each activity will depend on the intended game duration. Ideally, the difficulty level of the puzzles should increase over the course of the game. Tasks could also include searching for clues (or red herrings!) in the virtual room(s). Quizzes can be created either directly in Genially itself or by using Google Forms – the latter can be embedded in the game as virtual “locks”. Other puzzle- and clue-making resources abound on the web. Authentic tasks such as analysing a realistic dataset that is embedded in the game can help learners appreciate the real-world application of knowledge through situated learning. Care should be taken to minimise extraneous cognitive load when creating abstract puzzles&nbsp;– if the puzzles are too unintuitive, the game may end up hindering learning, rather than enhancing it.5. Beta-testers are the game developer’s best friendsBeta-testing should not be skipped. Invite beta-testers to play the game (and treat them to coffee afterwards) before implementing it in class. Ex-students are ideal because they have taken the course and would mirror the intended participants’ demographic most closely. Trialling the game helps with determining the optimum number of players, identifying technical issues such as bugs and ensuring that the game can be completed within the given time by 80 per cent of the class, among other benefits to improve the game-based learning experience.Last, a post-game debrief in class is highly recommended so that students can reflect on their experience and draw connections with the learning objectives of the lesson.Cecilia Teng is a senior lecturer in the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.&nbsp;

Practical tips for creating virtual educational escape rooms

With games, tasks and a story, a virtual escape room can make ‘dry’ subjects more engaging for students working outside their majors, writes Cecilia Teng. Here, she gives educators steps for creating their own

Escape the class! Tips for creating virtual educational escape rooms

Many university science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructors incorporate guiding prompts in their courses and labs to deepen students’ understanding of the material through&nbsp;reflection. Like other STEM instructors, I have incorporated guiding prompts into my first-year chemistry laboratory classes, hoping to enhance my students’ conceptual understanding of the content. Previously, I employed a directed-prompt approach, a strategy widely used in STEM that follows a bottom-up systematic thinking path. For example: “In the synthesis of aspirin experiment, what is the purpose of adding concentrated sulfuric acid?” Another example&nbsp;would be: “Why does the aqueous tea solution need to be cooled to 15-20॰C before the dichloromethane can be added to the caffeine experiment?”&nbsp;Directed prompts&nbsp;are&nbsp;questions designed to draw out a response or guide a particular line of thinking. Their structured nature leads students to a narrow range of acceptable answers, often&nbsp;resulting in unsatisfying and fragmented outcomes for them. This fragmentation can stem from differences in students’ education, language proficiency or personal experiences. Thus, as student bodies become more&nbsp;diverse, instructors must implement other strategies that&nbsp;better support a wide range of learners.&nbsp;Campus spotlight: AI and assessment in higher educationRead more: AI transformers like ChatGPT are here, so what next?AI communities of practice can help us face its challenges head onMy recent exploration into&nbsp;effective prompting for teaching and learning has highlighted the importance of formulating guiding prompts&nbsp;to help students connect new information to their existing knowledge, making the new information both familiar and relevant.&nbsp;Rather than using directed prompts, a “generic prompts” approach – broad, open-ended questions that follow a top-down thinking path – can be more effective, according to&nbsp;research. These questions are open to a wider range of interpretations and can apply to many situations and subjects. For example: “Stop” and “Think” are generic prompts where students are given the&nbsp;autonomy and&nbsp;flexibility to expand their repertoire of ideas and draw links and distinctions to stimulate their thinking about content materials and experiences.&nbsp;Applied to the general chemistry laboratory class context, a generic prompt question could be: “My thoughts about kinetics are…Think about concepts such as reaction rates and chemical processes.” This is particularly important for a&nbsp;diverse cohort because each individual student can enhance their&nbsp;personalised learning,&nbsp;interdisciplinary connections and&nbsp;communication skills for&nbsp;real-world application in terms of their own experiences and perspectives.Over the past year, I have redesigned the guiding questions in the General Chemistry II laboratory manual with&nbsp;“generic prompts”. This instructional strategy has taught me the following:Students respond to generic prompts more quickly than they do to directed prompts&nbsp;Overall, students respond more quickly to generic prompts. This includes reading, processing, evaluating, reflecting and responding to the questions. This suggests that generic prompts are more&nbsp;accessible because students’ responses can serve as a way to express their prior knowledge or thoughts, setting the stage for further discussion and exploration of the topic. Furthermore, as students build&nbsp;confidence and understanding of the subject, instructors can introduce more complex questions that require deeper thinking. Thus, generic prompts can reduce students’ anxiety, encouraging them to participate in complicated questions immediately.&nbsp;Students respond more coherently to generic promptsMost students can explain the science content and practice inside and outside their chemistry laboratory classes&nbsp;more coherently with generic prompts. Knowledge becomes more integrated and organised as students try to incorporate newly learned ideas into their intuitive understanding of science. Another observation I have encountered is that students are more comfortable sharing their ideas and personal connections around generic prompts.&nbsp;Shortcomings of and recommendations for using generic promptsWhile generic prompts can be helpful in first-year chemistry courses, especially for initial engagement or to build confidence, they may become less effective in more advanced course contexts. A balanced approach that starts with generic prompts but proceeds to more complex, directed prompts may often be the best strategy to support student learning across different stages and contexts.Generic-prompt questions allow students to draw upon and expand their repertoire of ideas by connecting ideas from the prompt question, previous experiences, chemistry laboratory classes or other circumstances. Students&nbsp;express scientific concepts more coherently, logically and clearly in connection with different ideas and examples. Overall, generic prompts are&nbsp;powerful for guiding first-year university science students to connect previous experiences with new knowledge and to apply&nbsp;them to their complex day-to-day activities.&nbsp;Karen Ho is a senior laboratory instructor in the department of chemistry and physics at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada. Douglas B. Clark is a professor in the Werklund School of Education at University of Calgary, Canada.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

‘Generic prompts give students autonomy to expand ideas’

Leaving space for students to bring their prior knowledge and experience to a question can help with comprehension in STEM courses

‘Generic prompts give students autonomy and flexibility to expand their ideas’

A rise in microlearning and “bite-sized” courses has been fuelled by post-pandemic shifts such as increased digital engagement and flexible learning preferences. And, even though we are back in the classroom, they still offer significant advantages both as stand-alone courses and in augmenting existing material.&nbsp;Why the increased interest in microlearning?During the pandemic, asynchronous lectures required us to use short videos based on the understanding that students (and staff) were spending long days in front of a computer. Many, including James Hartley and Ivor K. Davies in Note-Taking: A Critical Review, have suggested students’ attention starts to decline after about 15 minutes, and even TED limits its talks to 18 minutes.&nbsp;However, this 15-minute figure is debatable, with experiments into student attention span feeling unconvincing. Attempts have measured student attention spans by monitoring heart rates, observing signs of boredom and collecting self-reports of boredom, with the only consistent finding being that attention span length is primarily dependent on how engaging the lecturer is, irrespective of the teaching format. Two-hour face-to-face sessions are the norm at many universities, but it’s hard to stay focused for that length of time. This is especially true for people with certain conditions.&nbsp;Microlearning units, originally delivered in person, generally last between five and 15 minutes and cover the essentials of a topic. They have been around for decades, although the term has only been in use since 2002. The digital age has allowed microlearning to flourish and it has a number of benefits.&nbsp;A short course on the essentials provides students with “just-in-time” learning, an approach that prioritises providing students with the educational material they need at the exact moment they need it. This can suit working students who have limited time to study and prefer accessing content during moments like commuting. These courses can be created faster, making them more agile and easier to keep up to date, and are more cost-effective to develop.&nbsp;Microcontent is particularly effective for long-term memory because it allows students to easily review content multiple times, which makes it useful for exam revision. The BBC Bitesize model is a testament to this. Launched in 1998 for GCSE students, it is now accessed by nearly 4 million people per week, with user numbers peaking during exam periods. Its units can also be used by universities as tasters for modules to help students make their optional selections.&nbsp;Spotlight: The business of online education19 ways to promote your online courseAwaken your students’ interest in your online courseUniversities can also offer these short courses externally to supplement income. While there is considerable competition from LinkedIn, YouTube and others that offer free courses, universities are in a good position to compete. As well as offering pedagogic and subject matter expertise, their trusted brands and recognised certifications appeal to prospective students. Institutions should ensure their offerings suit the needs of a diverse range of learners to expand their student populations digitally.What can we do to make these engaging to the TikTok generation?Microlearning can supplement existing courses in the form of homework or revision exercises. Students can also use them to gain extracurricular add-ons in topics such as leadership and entrepreneurship at times that are convenient to them. With this in mind, make sure content is accessible on different devices.&nbsp;The design of microlearning units is critical because the brain has limited working memory. For it to purely focus on processing and retaining the information it is important to present the material in a way that doesn’t overload learners’ cognitive capacity. It needs to be well structured, feature clear explanations and omit any irrelevant material. It is important to have clear learning outcomes, a richness of media, a degree of interactivity and a sense of personalisation.&nbsp;Liven up the learning experience by gamifying your content as we did at the University of Manchester. Use cartoons or animations and short tests throughout, which can be especially useful for training courses where learners need to show what they have learned to pass the course. Try to encourage peer-to-peer interaction and, most importantly, regardless of what format you use, be interesting!Robert A. Phillips is a senior lecturer&nbsp;at Alliance Manchester Business School, the University of Manchester.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.&nbsp;

How can we use microlearning to enhance university teaching?

What are the benefits of microlearning and how can institutions ensure their courses suit the needs of digital natives?

Do you ever feel that today’s students are harder to engage? Their attention spans seem to be getting shorter. Even a one-hour lecture can feel like a stretch, and two-hour seminars are an even bigger challenge. Yet, when it comes to playing games, young people seem to have endless energy! I’ve noticed that as soon as I announce a break in class, some students immediately start playing games. Some can even manage to do both – listening to the lesson and playing a game at the same time.This made me think: wouldn’t it be wonderful if learning could be like a game? If learning could be as addictive as gaming, I wouldn’t need to worry about students missing classes! Since young learners are already so drawn to games, why not tap into what they love?‘Creativity is a practice, not an astonishing stroke of good luck’Let’s seriously game higher education to tackle the challenges aheadNext level? The pros and cons of game-based learningMy teaching philosophy is simple: if we can stimulate interest in learning, students will naturally become more engaged, put in effort and achieve good results. In my opinion, education is about motivation, motivation and motivation. And I believe one of the best ways to motivate young learners is through innovative, game-based approaches.Here, I would like to share four examples of my award-winning teaching innovations. Students enjoyed these game-based learning activities very much, and the impact on their engagement and learning outcomes has been incredibly positive.Hold a mini-auctionTo help students prepare for their final examination, I organised a series of revision sessions to support their learning. To motivate and engage students in these sessions, I created a credit reward system where they could earn credits based on their participation and performance. For example, students earned 50 credit points simply by attending each lesson. If they completed weekly learning activities, they could earn an additional 100 credit points.&nbsp;I also created online quizzes in which students earned credit points based on their scores. This credit reward system encouraged students to attend, participate actively and complete their learning tasks.At the end of the revision sessions, all the credit points students accumulated were converted into tokens. These tokens were used to take part in a mini-auction. I secured sponsorships from publishers and research funding to provide prizes such as textbooks and other useful items.The mini-auction created a lot of excitement among students. They carefully decided how to use their tokens, learning to bid strategically for the items they wanted. This activity was not only fun but helped students develop important decision-making skills in a competitive real-world business environment. Many students said this was one of their most enjoyable learning experiences and that it made their revision sessions more effective and less stressful.Simplify complex topics with animated cartoon videosUK taxation is widely recognised as a challenging subject. Many students find it difficult to understand the technical content and keep up with the frequent changes in tax legislation. To make this content more interesting, I created a series of animated cartoon videos as an additional learning resource alongside the usual PowerPoint slides.Each video was short, lasting just one to two minutes, and focused on explaining difficult concepts in an interesting, visual way. Research suggests that traditional video lectures can often result in passive learning, where students watch without actively engaging. To address this, I used an interactive video-editing tool to embed quiz questions into the videos, transforming them into active learning resources.While watching the videos, students encountered quiz questions at specific points. These questions encouraged them to pause, reflect and check their understanding before moving on to the next section. Immediate feedback and solutions were provided after submitting their answers, helping students correct any misconceptions straight away.This approach made learning more interactive and supported deeper understanding. One student commented: “It is interactive and helps to further understand as well as correcting any misconceptions about a topic. Like how two things that sound and read nearly the same can be very different.” By combining creativity with interactivity, these videos turned a complex subject into an enjoyable and memorable learning experience.Revitalise assessment with simulated scenario gamesFormative assessments are very useful for monitoring student progress and reinforcing their learning gradually. This helps prevent students realising too late, during final assessments, that they have fallen behind. I regularly use online quizzes as formative assessments to check students’ understanding of each topic and keep them engaged throughout the course. However, traditional online quizzes can often feel boring and stressful.To make these quizzes more enjoyable, I transformed them into interactive games based on real-life scenarios to which students could relate. For example, I created a virtual “bowling” game where students answered multiple-choice questions. If they answered correctly, the bowling ball knocked down all the pins, accompanied by applause and cheering.In another game, the classroom became a virtual music room, where students completed five missions to reunite a musical band. Each mission covered a different topic, and students answered questions to bring back band members such as the pianist, guitarist or drummer. This turned learning into an exciting journey with a sense of achievement.Some games were delivered in competition mode to add extra motivation. For instance, in a virtual café game, students played the roles of waiters and waitresses. Correct answers allowed them to restock food and serve customers, and their performance was ranked on a leaderboard. This mix of collaboration and competition made learning both fun and engaging.Students found these games helpful for retaining knowledge and sustaining their learning throughout the course.Make accounting a hit with AI song creationRecently, I introduced an AI song creation exercise as part of in-class learning activities. Students used AI tools to create their own song lyrics and catchy tunes based on various accounting topics. They worked in teams to create the songs and submitted their best one as part of the learning task.For many students, this was a completely new experience. They said they never thought they could create songs, let alone about accounting topics! The songs encompassed various music styles, including hip hop, rap and jazz, making the activity even more exciting.Songs and rhymes improve memory retention by making information easier to recall through rhythm and repetition. By creating lyrics based on accounting concepts, students reinforced their learning in a fun and engaging way.This activity also helped students develop skills in using cutting-edge AI technology and working collaboratively. They learned to share ideas, combine their strengths and produce a final product – skills that are highly valuable for their future careers.The above four teaching innovations – mini-auctions, animated cartoon videos, simulated scenario games and AI song creation – have made learning more enjoyable and engaging for students. Each activity was designed not only to help students understand complex topics but to motivate them and support their learning journey.&nbsp;Lim Keong Teoh is senior lecturer in accounting and taxation at the University of Winchester.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Four ways to use gamification to engage your students 

What if learning was as addictive as gaming? Motivate your students and engage them to learn with these four teaching innovations 

Four ways to use gamification to engage your students in learning

Well-written abstracts typically summarise the purpose, methodology, findings and significance of a study, allowing potential readers to quickly grasp the main points without reading the entire paper. Learning how to write high-quality abstracts is valuable for students studying in a language that is not their first because it helps them develop concise communication skills and enhances their ability to summarise complex ideas effectively.&nbsp;However, giving feedback on students’ abstracts can be challenging, especially in large classes. Issues such as the sheer volume of marking, time constraints and the need to provide tailored advice can make the process feel like “mission impossible”.&nbsp;Fortunately, we can use ChatGPT to identify and correct structure, grammar and vocabulary errors, allowing us to focus on other tasks.Ideas organisationChatGPT can check whether abstracts include all the necessary components, assess coherence and offer suggestions to improve the flow of ideas and connections between different sections. When using ChatGPT for this purpose, we should ensure our prompts are detailed and specific and indicate which components of the abstract need review. Example prompt: “Please provide feedback on the structure of the following abstract. Check if it has included the research aim, methods and findings. Also, please comment on the flow and coherence of ideas. Please write the feedback in bullet points and include examples.”&nbsp;Checking grammarChatGPT is also able to identify various types of grammatical errors in students’ abstracts. We can guide ChatGPT to focus on several specific areas that students commonly have issues with, such as subject-verb disagreement, verb tenses, spelling and sentence structure. Example prompt: “Please provide feedback on the grammar of the abstract below. Focus on subject-verb agreement, incorrect verb tenses, spelling mistakes and run-on sentences. Please write in bullet points and include examples.”&nbsp;Checking vocabularyWith its advanced language processing capabilities, ChatGPT can also help us assess vocabulary use. To do this, provide detailed prompts that guide the tool in focusing on specific areas at a time. I suggest three to avoid overwhelming the tool. For instance, instruct it to evaluate vocabulary complexity, style and collocation (the juxtaposition of certain words). Using ChatGPT to check collocation is especially valuable for teachers who are not native English speakers as it can significantly save time they would otherwise spend consulting collocation dictionaries. Example prompt: “Please provide feedback on the vocabulary in the abstract below. Focus on vocabulary complexity, academic style and collocation. Please write in bullet points and include examples.”&nbsp;Collection: English as a second language in higher educationHow to start a language-teaching podcastSpotlight guide: Bringing GenAI into the university classroomLearning supportWe can use ChatGPT to provide ongoing learning support when the tool identifies frequent errors. For instance, if ChatGPT indicates a student is struggling with subject-verb agreement, we can instruct it to generate relevant grammar exercises and sample sentences that can be incorporated into their feedback. Example prompts: “Please create five grammar exercises focused on subject-verb agreement. Include a variety of sentence types and provide explanations for each correct answer.” or “Please generate five sample sentences that demonstrate correct subject-verb agreement, along with a brief explanation of the rules applied in each sentence. Include both singular and plural subjects to illustrate the differences.” This approach makes students aware of what they need to improve on and how to do it to avoid making the same mistake in the future.The challenges of using ChatGPT for abstract evaluationInsufficient contextual understanding: ChatGPT may struggle to fully comprehend the concepts relevant to a research topic. For instance, when I used ChatGPT to provide feedback on abstracts that summarise key findings in complex papers about eye-tracking for assistive applications and AI integration with surgical robotics, it generated inaccurate suggestions.Limitations: While ChatGPT can identify errors, it may struggle with providing useful feedback on highly technical writing.High dependence: The quality of ChatGPT’s feedback relies heavily on the clarity and specificity of the prompts provided. If they are vague or unclear, you will not get valuable feedback.&nbsp;By implementing these measures, we can ensure that students benefit from personalised and constructive feedback that will help them improve their abstract writing. ChatGPT can liberate language teachers from tedious feedback-related tasks. However, human intervention remains indispensable in the tool’s adoption.Yu Liu and Shuhao (Jeremy) Zhang are English language lecturers at the School of Languages, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.&nbsp;

We use ChatGPT to give feedback on students’ abstracts

Teaching students whose first language is not English to write concise abstracts helps them develop their academic writing skills, but providing feedback on them can often be laborious. Here is how you can use ChatGPT to speed up the process

Advice and insight on effective instructional design, teaching methods, assessment and student engagement to deliver a top quality education

Teaching and learning

Latest resources

Discover

More from THE

Sign up

Collaborate with THE

About

Legal stuff