Whether it’s called block teaching, block scheduling, block planning or simply the block model, this mode of instruction is intense, immersive and sometimes divisive. But is it more effective than traditional university semesters? This collection of resources from academics around the world looks at how it works, its capacity to support diverse student cohorts across higher education, and its drawbacks and challenges.
AI transformers like ChatGPT are here, so what next?
AI writing programmes such as ChatGPT have sent tremors across the higher education sector. Will artificial intelligence free up cognitive space for deeper thinking? Or does its potential for cheating and shortcuts signal the end of critical thinking and academic integrity? This resource collection offers insight into the technology’s potential impact and advice on how educators can use it in work around assessments, academic writing, teaching and lesson planning as well as student support and research. ChatGPT itself even offers suggestions on how to use it in the classroom.
Election special: how can higher education make its case amid political change?
The aptly labelled ‘year of elections’ rolls on with UK voters going to the polls on 4 July and the French election process concluding soon after. So, how can higher education seize upon these rare moments of political change to canvass greater support for the sector from government? This collection of resources looks at how universities and academics can demonstrate their value to policymakers and work with them to help drive forward regional and national priorities
Cultivate a sense of belonging on campus
A student’s experience of higher education can be greatly enhanced by an institution’s deliberate and considered actions towards building a sense of belonging on campus. But this goal is made that much more difficult in the wake of constant change brought on by industry-disrupting innovations. And with a section of the student body that lives off campus or who have commitments outside their studies, the challenge can sometimes seem almost too great. This collection of resources homes in on what belonging means in higher education, how we can cultivate it and how we can create and protect inclusive spaces for our students.