| 9:00 am | Welcome Adam Bridgeman Location: Plenary - Room 1130 |
| 9:15 am | Keynote: Critical Transitions over the student life-cycle Sarah O'Shea Location: Plenary - Room 1130Globally, higher education is undergoing a period of significant change, including a collective drive to grow the numbers and diversity of students accessing tertiary institutions. Within Australia, t... [more]Globally, higher education is undergoing a period of significant change, including a collective drive to grow the numbers and diversity of students accessing tertiary institutions. Within Australia, this transformation has been foregrounded by the recent ‘whole of sector’ review led by Professor Mary O’Kane, which has led to critical debate about the role and purpose of our universities. The resulting Accord report rightly places equitable participation front and centre in its deliberations, but there are complexities to this perspective not least of which is the need for fundamental shifts in the ways universities support students throughout this academic journey. This presentation unpacks the concept of student transition to highlight its complex and manifold nature. Whilst the initial transition into university is generally well-supported, students report other ‘critical stages’ during studies that can be challenging. Based on research conducted with students from diverse backgrounds, this presentation offers an ‘insider’ view about how students navigate these various stages and reflect on these journeys into and through university. The session will also provide practical resources and best practice guidelines that can support initiatives and innovations during these critical transitions.[less] |
| 10:00 am | Launch of the Green Guide and Student Partnership Charter Samantha Clarke, Jessica Frawley Location: Plenary - Room 1130 |
| 10:20 am | Morning tea |
| 10:40 am | [1A1] A journey of flipping units in first-year and beyond Stephen George-Williams, Susan Hemsley, Francesca Van Den Berg and Timothy Lee Location: Track A - Room 1130Flipped classrooms, where content is delivered before class to focus on active learning, can increase student engagement and performance. However, students often prefer passive environments, believing... [more]Flipped classrooms, where content is delivered before class to focus on active learning, can increase student engagement and performance. However, students often prefer passive environments, believing they learn better that way. This preference mismatch is concerning given the low attendance rates in lectures and tutorials post-pandemic. This study flipped the content delivery method in a chemistry unit from 3 lectures and 1 tutorial per week to 1 weekly workshop with pre-class content. The labs remained unchanged. The study found high attendance due to in-class quizzes, student preference for the new format (influenced by class size and room choice), more active discussion forums, and final marks either staying the same or increasing significantly. The flipped classroom approach shows promise for boosting attendance, engagement, and performance, with careful consideration of class size and room choice helping to optimize student preference for this format.[less] | [1B1] Creating Diverse and Inclusive Learning Environments Pooja Biswas Location: Track B - Room 1060Creating diverse and inclusive learning environments is crucial to providing students with an education that is truly open, engaged, relevant and responsive to the social issues of today and the incre... [more]Creating diverse and inclusive learning environments is crucial to providing students with an education that is truly open, engaged, relevant and responsive to the social issues of today and the increasing diversity of our student population. I have, in my years of teaching, identified several key elements to achieving this: firstly, the careful and considerate curation of reading lists that are themselves diverse and offer a variety of critical-cultural perspectives; secondly, the practice of active inclusivity, rather than passive inclusivity, in the design and delivery of curricula; and lastly, the creation of open dialogues on diversity and inclusivity in the classroom itself, both in relation to the subject matter being taught and its application in society, and in relation to the students' own personal and cultural experiences of the subject. I will provide examples of the above approaches as I have applied them in the writing courses that I myself have taught and designed, while highlighting how these approaches can be easily adapted by other educators regardless of context or subject area.[less] | [1C1] Supporting Connections and Belonging Karen-Anne Wong Location: Track C - Room 1070The Knowing Your Students (KYS) report and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework were instrumental in designing a postgraduate unit tailored to the specific needs of the student cohort. With n... [more]The Knowing Your Students (KYS) report and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework were instrumental in designing a postgraduate unit tailored to the specific needs of the student cohort. With nearly 90% of the students being international and many studying on campus for the first time, the KYS data provided valuable insights. To foster a supportive learning environment, students were given the option to form study groups with peers who shared their home language. Additionally, students who lacked confidence in speaking English were paired with a peer who spoke their native language, creating an ongoing buddy system that facilitated the development of their final projects. To further promote inclusivity, the participation component of the unit was adapted to include optional online discussions, providing an alternative for students who were hesitant to contribute verbally in class. Detailed guidance and grade descriptors were created to clarify how students could participate effectively both in person and online. As a result, the discussion boards became vibrant spaces for many students who were less outspoken during class sessions.[less] |
| 11:00 am | [1A2] The Home Hub: Embedding personal tutoring into year 1 units Kate Edwards Location: Track A - Room 1130This project integrated a personal tutor model delivered as part of core Exercise and Sport Science (ESS) and Exercise Physiology (EP) large year 1 unit (N=250-300) in Semester 1 2024. Each tutorial g... [more]This project integrated a personal tutor model delivered as part of core Exercise and Sport Science (ESS) and Exercise Physiology (EP) large year 1 unit (N=250-300) in Semester 1 2024. Each tutorial group was staffed by a continuing / contracted academic who only took a single group, fostering an embedded 'personal tutor' with the unit. A 2024 SEG grant permitted dovetailed partnering with students, to co-design and co-teach structured content focused on transition and belonging, groupwork and communication skills. The presentation will discuss results of the project from student, student-tutor and staff perspectives.[less] | [1B2] Engaging students and teachers as partners to transform feedback practices in Exercise and Sport Science Jacqueline Raymond, Janelle Gifford, Francine Geronimo and Angelique Nowak Location: Track B - Room 1060Surveys from the Discipline of Exercise & Sport Science reveal that while students value authentic and career-relevant assessments, they are less satisfied with the usefulness of the feedback they... [more]Surveys from the Discipline of Exercise & Sport Science reveal that while students value authentic and career-relevant assessments, they are less satisfied with the usefulness of the feedback they receive. This presentation reports on a project engaging students and teachers as partners to transform feedback practices through co-designing learning experiences and assessment and feedback processes in three core units. The cycles of co-design activities have led to innovations such as better signaling of feedback opportunities, building assessment literacy, and more individualized feedback on exams and quizzes. Preliminary evaluation data from one unit will be presented, focusing on how students use feedback and engage with learning and feedback experiences supporting assessments. Attendees will gain transferable insights and ideas that can be implemented in their own disciplines to enhance feedback practices and student engagement through collaborative co-design of assessment and feedback processes.[less] | [1C2] Two Birds, One Stone: Using Self and Peer Evaluation to Promote Individual Growth and Enhance the Group Work Experience Clara Sitbon, Oliver Gordon Location: Track C - Room 1070"Freeloaders," "time management issues," and "poor communication" are frequent complaints from students regarding group work at university. These challenges often undermi... [more]"Freeloaders," "time management issues," and "poor communication" are frequent complaints from students regarding group work at university. These challenges often undermine the effectiveness and perceived value of collaborative projects. The question remains: How can we make group work more effective and equitable? Self-evaluation encourages students to reflect on their learning, fostering individual growth, engagement, and motivation. Peer evaluation, on the other hand, enhances critical thinking, self-reflection, and the development of communication and collaboration skills. The key challenge lies in making peer evaluation both meaningful and actionable. In this presentation, we’ll explore a scalable and universally applicable approach that combines self and peer evaluation to address common group work issues, thereby improving the overall group work experience. By integrating these evaluation methods, we can promote individual accountability and enhance the collective success of student groups.[less] |
| 11:20 am | [1A3] Using Student-led Focus Groups to Uncover Barriers to Diverse Student Engagement Natalie Silver, Edward Ford Location: Track A - Room 1130Student Experience Survey (SES) and Unit of Study Survey (USS) data indicate low student engagement in Law School classrooms, particularly among female students and those from underrepresented backgro... [more]Student Experience Survey (SES) and Unit of Study Survey (USS) data indicate low student engagement in Law School classrooms, particularly among female students and those from underrepresented backgrounds, impacting performance and well-being. As the student cohort has grown and diversified, we investigated the factors hindering engagement and participation. Two senior law students, employed as Student Partners, facilitated five focus groups without academic staff, fostering candid discussions among diverse participants. The focus groups revealed common barriers to engagement with implications for teaching practices at the Law School and University. This presentation will discuss the focus group process, share high-level findings, and provide concrete recommendations for promoting student engagement in the classroom. Attendees will gain insights into the factors affecting student engagement and practical strategies for creating more inclusive learning environments that support the success and well-being of all students.[less] | [1B3] Enhancing student engagement with academic writing through personalised feedback sessions Hong Nguyen, Tim Lee, Caitlyn Forster Location: Track B - Room 1060Writing a scientific report is a new and challenging task for most first-year undergraduate biology students due to the academic transition, lack of prior experience, and confusion with the format and... [more]Writing a scientific report is a new and challenging task for most first-year undergraduate biology students due to the academic transition, lack of prior experience, and confusion with the format and expectations. Over the years, we have developed extensive online resources to support students, including video guides and a bespoke Canvas module aligned with the instructions and marking rubric. This year, we supplemented the support with pre-submission one-on-one feedback sessions with instructors and post-marking one-on-one feedback sessions for additional clarification and consultation regarding remark requests. The post-marking feedback sessions aimed to increase accessibility of instructors for human support and ensure consistency and fairness of the marking system. Remark requests were escalated to the unit coordination team for review. We will share how the feedback sessions were managed for a large student cohort and their impact on student performance.[less] | [1C3] Collaborative Insights: What students want the educators to know about their group work assignments Kotryna K. Fraser, Mingming Liu, Carissa Miltiadou, Raphael Pinawin, Nicholas Dudley, Lukas Lum, James Clain, Tania Gardner, Claire Hiller Location: Track C - Room 1070Group assessments are commonly used to develop teamwork skills and reduce marking burden, but students often report uneven contributions, interpersonal conflict, elevated stress, and lower marks compa... [more]Group assessments are commonly used to develop teamwork skills and reduce marking burden, but students often report uneven contributions, interpersonal conflict, elevated stress, and lower marks compared to individual assessments. Engaging students as partners in curriculum design can enhance engagement and belonging. This presentation shares results from an anonymous online survey designed, delivered, and analyzed by a team of three academics and six student partners. Undergraduate students (n=245) from the School of Health Sciences completed the REDCap survey on their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for group work. The top three barriers identified were differences in work ethics among group members (54.4%), lack of allocated class/tutorial time for group assignments (45.1%), and difficulties arranging meetings (43.0%) and prioritizing other commitments (43.0%). The top three solutions proposed were regular class/tutorial time for assignments (74.9%), getting to know classmates before group assignment (69.4%), and low weighting for group work (52.5%). Easy-to-implement pedagogical suggestions and examples will be shared.[less] |
| 11:40 am | [1A4] Designing Interactive Orals using Universal Design for Learning Principles Ju Li Ng, Meraiah Foley, Vanessa Loh Location: Track A - Room 1130Interactive Oral Assessments (IOAs) address assurance of learning challenges associated with generative AI and offer significant potential to embed Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into ... [more]Interactive Oral Assessments (IOAs) address assurance of learning challenges associated with generative AI and offer significant potential to embed Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into assessment frameworks, enhancing student equity and inclusion. Over two years, we incorporated IOAs into three Business School units, assessing students' ability to apply disciplinary knowledge to authentic business problems in a conversational format. IOAs promote UDL principles by optimizing relevance, authenticity, and salience of assessment goals; demonstrating knowledge across visual and auditory channels, activating and clarifying understanding, and promoting cross-language understanding; and varying response methods, optimizing access to tools and assistive technologies, and supporting planning and strategy development. IOAs are a scalable solution applicable to any discipline, assuring student learning while producing 'expert learners' who are purposeful, motivated, resourceful, knowledgeable, strategic, and goal-directed. This session illustrates how IOAs can be implemented to achieve these outcomes.[less] | [1B4] Valuing cultural diversity and supporting early engagement in a coursework masters program Maja Ibric, Milan Przulj, Elizabeth Bourne Location: Track B - Room 1060The Master of Speech Language Pathology welcomes students with diverse experiences and perspectives. However, some domestic students from equity or diverse backgrounds struggle to engage in the intens... [more]The Master of Speech Language Pathology welcomes students with diverse experiences and perspectives. However, some domestic students from equity or diverse backgrounds struggle to engage in the intense program and transition into early units and placements. International students face additional challenges, including navigating new university and workplace settings and cultural and linguistic differences, often with limited social support. To support first-year students, we focused on enhancing early relationships and sense of belonging, increasing access to informal peer support and mentoring, and facilitating inclusivity and preparedness for placements. Three simple additions were implemented: a welcome and information session for international students, an informal fortnightly conversation club (Conversation Corner), and a journal club session for educators to support diverse and international students. Domestic and international students attended Conversation Corner in increasing numbers, gaining confidence and personalized guidance. Practice educators shared insights and identified strategies to better support student preparation and success. These adaptable practices promoted earlier staff-student connections and fostered a supportive learning environment.[less] | [1C4] Using Cogniti to enhance understanding of measurement properties of Occupational Therapy assessment tools Jacqueline Wesson Location: Track C - Room 1070This presentation will explore application of Cogniti in the first year Master of Occupational Therapy (OT) program, focused on enhancing students' understanding of OT client assessment tools.Und... [more]This presentation will explore application of Cogniti in the first year Master of Occupational Therapy (OT) program, focused on enhancing students' understanding of OT client assessment tools.Understanding measurement properties – reliability, validity and responsiveness – is a complex topic but is a critical part of critiquing standardised assessments and therefore often overlooked in practice. Teaching these concepts is also constrained by diverse student backgrounds and time constraints imposed by an intensive unit of study structure. The Cogniti agent is tailored to guide students through these complex concepts, facilitating a deeper understanding through personalised guidance of complex content. The agent helps in interpreting research findings and applying them to real-world occupational therapy assessments, reinforcing the significance of measurement properties in clinical judgments and patient care.[less] |
| 12:00 pm | Short break |
| 12:10 pm | [2A1] How generative AI can enhance personalised feedback at scale Fran van den Berg, Liana Pozza, Floris Van Ogtrop and Minh Huynh, Location: Track A - Room 1130"Introduction to Statistical Methods" and "From Molecules to Ecosystems" are first-year units in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences with large enrolments up to 1400 stud... [more]"Introduction to Statistical Methods" and "From Molecules to Ecosystems" are first-year units in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences with large enrolments up to 1400 students. Large classes pose challenges in providing personalised, positive, and timely assessment feedback due to heavy workloads, the need for consistency, and budget constraints when delegating marking to casual staff. To address this, we built an AI assistant using Cogniti, a generative AI tool created by educators at the University of Sydney. Cogniti allows educators to steer large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 with instructions and resources, producing tailored outputs that support student learning. The Cogniti agents, designed as either a biology expert or data scientist, aid in delivering constructive feedback on written assessments while maintaining marker control over the grading process. We describe the impact of using Cogniti as a feedback expander, demonstrate the types of feedback it provides, and outline its adaptability for new units of study.[less] | [2B1] Confidence-boosting Strategies for Active Student Engagement Mohammad Polash Location: Track B - Room 1060This talk explores two initiatives that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application while fostering student engagement and confidence in complex assignments. The Warm-up Tas... [more]This talk explores two initiatives that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application while fostering student engagement and confidence in complex assignments. The Warm-up Task Initiative addresses challenges commencing students face with large assignments by incorporating a preliminary task that helps students see connections between design components, receive valuable feedback, ask questions early, and familiarize themselves with relevant tools. This increases overall confidence and motivation. The Lightning Talk Initiative leverages graduate students as guest lecturers who, with credible qualifications and relevant experience, provide practical insights and relatable perspectives. This initiative enhances student participation, fills classrooms with dynamic energy, and promotes effective peer-to-peer communication. Together, these initiatives represent a proactive approach to enhancing the educational experience by empowering students, promoting active learning, and creating a vibrant educational environment. They transform students into partners in the educational process, leading to increased engagement and confidence.[less] | [2C1] Co-creating inclusive learning spaces through strengths-based approaches to diversity Amani Bell, Helia Nateghi Baygi & Annelise Ryan Location: Track C - Room 1070Our team of eight educators and six students co-designed learning activities and resources to support allied health students from diverse backgrounds in their on and off-campus learning environments. ... [more]Our team of eight educators and six students co-designed learning activities and resources to support allied health students from diverse backgrounds in their on and off-campus learning environments. These students often face deficit views, including racism and microaggressions, which impact their well-being and performance. Drawing on strengths-based approaches to diversity and a six-step framework for responding to microaggressions, we designed learning activities to empower students to recognize and value their unique perspectives and to help them confidently navigate microaggressions in their learning environments. Across two workshops, a larger group of students and educators tested and further developed the activities. Most participants reported increased understanding of strengths-based approaches to diversity. While most students felt more confident applying strategies to deal with racism, discrimination, and microaggressions, a smaller percentage of educators felt the same. We'll share the resources and activities developed and discuss their adaptability to different contexts.[less] |
| 12:30 pm | [2A2] Proactive Student Support via Early Feedback Tasks: Beyond the Traditional Canvas Quiz Joanne Hinitt, Ryan Naylor Location: Track A - Room 1130This presentation discusses two innovative Early Feedback Tasks in first-year, first-semester units in the School of Health Sciences, aimed at proactively identifying and supporting at-risk students a... [more]This presentation discusses two innovative Early Feedback Tasks in first-year, first-semester units in the School of Health Sciences, aimed at proactively identifying and supporting at-risk students as per the Support for Students Policy. Both units required students to submit short videos of themselves via Canvas to increase sense of belonging, build relational teaching, and provide early feedback. The Occupational Therapy unit used a structured rubric in SpeedGrader for evaluation, reducing marking time but placing more onus on the instructor to identify and link with additional supports. The Health, Behaviour and Society Unit employed the Student Relationship Engagement System (SRES) for more detailed, targeted, and personalised feedback and support, demonstrating a more effective real-life application of the policy. Both approaches aimed to authentically implement the policy by providing meaningful and timely feedback. They emphasise the importance of iterative improvements and idea-sharing among educators. Exemplars of the SRES and SpeedGrader templates will be available for adaptation.[less] | [2B2] Co-designing with students using workshops Jody Watts, Michelle Ly Location: Track B - Room 1060This session will present a workshop template for educators who are wanting to co-design with student-partners but who are unfamiliar with the workshop method. Co-design workshops are a familiar resea... [more]This session will present a workshop template for educators who are wanting to co-design with student-partners but who are unfamiliar with the workshop method. Co-design workshops are a familiar research design method that is characterised by the active engagement of a representative group who will be most affected by the design of a particular product, system or outcome. This characteristic makes workshops a valid method for eliciting student-centred ideas that can then be implemented and assessed in our educational practice. Aligning with this student-centred approach, the workshop template that is discussed and disseminated at this session was designed and implemented by Michelle Ly, student partner and 2nd year Design student, as part of the 'Design Pedagogy in Practice' strategic education grant project. Drawing on our project learnings to date, in addition to sharing the co-design workshop template we will provide insights into how the template can be adapted for interdisciplinary educational and research purposes.[less] | [2C2] Padlet and Cogniti: A Scaffolded Approach to Writing Practice Carolyn Stott Location: Track C - Room 1070This transferable approach, designed for a French 3 language unit, aimed to provide students with regular writing practice and personalized feedback on demand regarding grammatical accuracy, syntax, a... [more]This transferable approach, designed for a French 3 language unit, aimed to provide students with regular writing practice and personalized feedback on demand regarding grammatical accuracy, syntax, and vocabulary use. The three-step process was used weekly throughout the semester and in the final oral summative assessment task. In Step 1 (in class), students wrote on a Padlet for 15 minutes without using generative AI or neural machine translators. In Step 2 (after class), students pasted their text into Cogniti, asking the agent to correct and explain errors. In Step 3, students pasted the Cogniti version back into Padlet and reflected on their errors and Cogniti's suggestions. Tutors checked and discussed AI outputs in class. Students found the process constructive and learned to recognize AI pitfalls. The formative writing activities counted towards participation grades, and content was transferable to the final oral summative task, maintaining engagement through regular, instantaneous AI feedback.[less] |
| 12:50 pm | [2A3] Design fiction and Generative AI for visualising futures Rodrigo Hernández Ramírez Location: Track A - Room 1130Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to change learning, teaching, and evaluation. Sydney University has encouraged incorporating generative AI in learning and teaching environments. This presentati... [more]Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to change learning, teaching, and evaluation. Sydney University has encouraged incorporating generative AI in learning and teaching environments. This presentation summarizes our experience with a broader set of Generative AI (text and text-to-image) systems in IDEA9201, an elective UoS in the Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts. Unlike most design experiments that place GenAI in the ideation and brainstorming stages, we used this technology to "sketch" and visualize ideas that were already taking form. Throughout the semester, we combined traditional design methods with Design Fiction and GenAI to develop fictional products intended to raise questions about the near future. This approach allowed students to effectively achieve the stated learning goals while developing a critical view of the possibilities and limitations of GenAI. Our approach of combining design fiction with GenAI engines as visualization tools can be adapted, escalated, or condensed for various contexts and disciplines concerned with human-technology relations.[less] | [2B3] Hit “PLAY”: 3MT Pitch as an assignment and competition to transform students’ learning experience in the classroom and beyond Maria Ishkova, Nicola Whitton, Abby Bobkowski Location: Track B - Room 1060This presentation will spotlight playful learning and use an Inaugural Business School 3MT Pitch Competition (TEDx style and Elevator Pitch style) for undergraduate students in Work and Organisational... [more]This presentation will spotlight playful learning and use an Inaugural Business School 3MT Pitch Competition (TEDx style and Elevator Pitch style) for undergraduate students in Work and Organisational Studies to showcase an innovative approach to developing and assuring USYD Graduate Qualities (i.e.: “Communication”, “Influence” “Critical thinking and problem solving”, “Inventiveness” and “Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity”). As an education-focused academic who redesigned written assignments into interactive orals in early 2023 (overall, 6 deliveries across 3 UG and PG units of study since first introduced 3 semesters ago), I will share my “why” and “how”, outline hurdles and opportunities such approach allows and invite students’ and industry partners’ perspectives to highlight the “so what” of the learning experience and outcomes. Participants will be able to address their questions to one of the finalists of this competition and explore the applicability of this approach to their teaching context from both student’s and educator’s perspective.[less] | [2C3] Programmatic Assessment for Learning in the Doctor of Physiotherapy: Reflections and Future Pathways? Sonia Cheng, Jean Meyer; Fereshteh Pourkazemi Location: Track C - Room 1070The inaugural Doctor of Physiotherapy program, with a cohort of 110 students, uses Programmatic Assessment for Learning. This session will outline the structure and delivery of 19 assessments and 15 w... [more]The inaugural Doctor of Physiotherapy program, with a cohort of 110 students, uses Programmatic Assessment for Learning. This session will outline the structure and delivery of 19 assessments and 15 weekly quizzes in a 24-credit point unit across a 17-week teaching semester (PHTY5500); design of a custom-built SRES portal for evaluating and tracking students’ progress across physiotherapy competency criteria; and development of progression rules using Programmatic Assessment for Learning. Student performance using this new approach to assessment, feedback from students, and experiences of teaching staff and coordination team, will be presented. We would like to share insights into managing students’ anxiety and expectations in the transition to Programmatic Assessment for Learning, managing staff workload, and creating a fair and transparent system for assessing competency.[less] |
| 1:10 pm | [2A4] Project COMS; A Collaborative Online, Multidisciplinary Simulation Belinda Judd, Christie Van Diggele Location: Track A - Room 1130Interprofessional learning (IPL) is critical for developing a collaborative health workforce, facilitating inclusive and collaborative practice, and fostering a greater understanding of one's pro... [more]Interprofessional learning (IPL) is critical for developing a collaborative health workforce, facilitating inclusive and collaborative practice, and fostering a greater understanding of one's professional identity and role within the healthcare team. This presentation provides insights into a successful pilot of a low-resource, cross-institutional online IPL simulation program for mid-course level students from various disciplines across Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health. We outline the program development, including filming case vignettes and consulting a reference group to co-create patient cases. The approach fosters inclusion of all students, including those geographically isolated at rural campuses with a single health discipline. Students found the experience impactful, reporting increased knowledge of others' and their own professions, improved confidence, and challenges faced by culturally and linguistically diverse students. We offer suggestions on integrating IPL into standard health professional curricula in different contexts, discuss unexpected findings like informal benchmarking, and summarize future directions for the program.[less] | [2B4] Enhancing Veterinary Practice Management Education with Centaur the Mentor Anne Quain Location: Track B - Room 1060"Centaur the Mentor" is a Cogniti-based mentor for students in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program developed specifically for those studying Practice Management. Recognising the divers... [more]"Centaur the Mentor" is a Cogniti-based mentor for students in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program developed specifically for those studying Practice Management. Recognising the diverse academic backgrounds and part-time study schedules of these students, Centaur the Mentor was developed to provide personalised, flexible learning support.[less] | [2C4] Differential learning pathways: Adapting to diverse student needs Ashlee Pearson, David Lowe, Xi Wu Location: Track C - Room 1070Students in large first year cohorts typically exhibit significant diversity in academic preparation, motivation, and learning approaches. These courses are typically inflexible and linear, designed a... [more]Students in large first year cohorts typically exhibit significant diversity in academic preparation, motivation, and learning approaches. These courses are typically inflexible and linear, designed as if all students should (and are required to) progress at the same pace. This approach often fails to challenge advanced students and limits the ability of struggling students to catch up, resulting in scenarios where students spend considerable time grappling with advanced concepts without having mastered the more critical foundational concepts. This can lead to negative feedback, high disengagement and failure rates. The Differential Learning Pathways framework enables 1) a clearly defined hierarchy of learning outcomes, distinguishing crucial foundational knowledge from more advanced but non-essential concepts and 2) students to progress at their own pace (with appropriate supports). This talk covers the Differential Learning Pathways framework with examples from 3 large first year units (INFO1111, INFO1110, ELEC1601) at various stages of adopting this model.[less] |
| 1:30 pm | Lunch |
| 2:10 pm | Indigenisation of Curricula: Your Role and Responsibilities Jennifer Barrett, Rick Macourt, Michael Mossman Location: Track A - Room 1130The inclusion and celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems and pedagogies in curricula is a key element of the University’s Indigenous strategies. Often refer... [more]The inclusion and celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems and pedagogies in curricula is a key element of the University’s Indigenous strategies. Often referred to as the Indigenisation of curricula, weaving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives throughout teaching pedagogies can have significant impact on closing educational gaps and advancing academic rigor and insight. In this session, we argue that the Indigenisation of curricula should focus on (1) building broader understandings of, and relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures; (2) engage in truth-telling; and (3) advance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination. We begin by discussing some of the foundational questions that need consideration when Indigenising curricula. These include what Indigenisation of curricula is; who should be involved; why it is important; and how schools, faculties, portfolios, and individuals can contribute. To help staff implement measures conducive to the Indigenisation process, DVC-ISS is working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous stakeholders, as well as external partners, to produce a University-wide Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Protocol. In this session, we discuss how cultural protocols can help staff take the critical first steps needed to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and Indigenise curricula. We consider how the Protocol intersects and streamlines some of the work already underway within the University. Drawing on case studies from two schools/faculties, we identify some of the practical insights and best practices gained from Indigenisation projects at a local level and encourage participants to critically reflect on their own engagement with the Indigenisation of curricula.[less] | Students as Partners Community of Practice Facilitated by Jessica Frawley Location: Track B - Room 1060Join staff and students for the launch of the Student Partnership Charter. We will introduce the core value of RESPECT and its seven principles with their attendant actions. Following the Charter intr... [more]Join staff and students for the launch of the Student Partnership Charter. We will introduce the core value of RESPECT and its seven principles with their attendant actions. Following the Charter introduction, we'll collaborate to co-design tools and resources that best support sharing of best practices in student-staff partnerships across our university community.[less] | [3C1] Using Scenario-based learning (SBL) with Artificial Intelligence tools Mark Freeman Location: Track C - Room 1070This session proposes a teaching initiative undertaken during lectures, leading to additional asynchronous activities. It integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the educational experience ... [more]This session proposes a teaching initiative undertaken during lectures, leading to additional asynchronous activities. It integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the educational experience in ethics in data governance through understanding the negative impacts of social engineering in a second-year unit in the business school. The module is distinctive in its collaborative approach, actively involving students in the learning process. It aims to engage all learners by catering to diverse learning styles and needs.[less] |
| 2:30 pm | | | [3C2] Choose Your Own Medium Mike Widjaja, Osu Lilje Location: Track C - Room 1070We designed a "choose your own medium" group assessment for first-year pharmacy students in our biology unit (BIOL1009), consisting of over 300 students in approximately 80 groups. The task ... [more]We designed a "choose your own medium" group assessment for first-year pharmacy students in our biology unit (BIOL1009), consisting of over 300 students in approximately 80 groups. The task required students to create a communication medium about a disease and its treatments, with options to submit as a poster, pamphlet, presentation, video, or podcast. Additionally, students were required to write an email to a patient, reflect on their performance, and score each team member's contribution. Most groups opted for posters and pamphlets, but nearly 20 groups submitted presentations, videos, or podcasts. The open nature of the task allowed students to engage with the material and showcase their understanding in a format they found most effective. The additional tasks improved students' email construction and reflection skills. Despite requiring more organization and marking, the approach was successful, with students enjoying the flexibility and creativity. This assessment format can be adapted to other units with some tweaking.[less] |
| 2:50 pm | | | [3C3] Team Building Activities Improve Student Experience Louis Taborda Location: Track C - Room 1070We expect our students to be able to work in teams in the classroom or to complete assessments, however, teamwork and collaboration do not always come naturally to our students - especially if they ar... [more]We expect our students to be able to work in teams in the classroom or to complete assessments, however, teamwork and collaboration do not always come naturally to our students - especially if they are from different cultures. This talk will discuss experiences from Project Management workshops where team building is a "conscious activity" and a key learning outcome of our Masters of Project Management Capstone (PMGT5850) unit. These team-building activities and associated assessments have recently been introduced to the Professional Project Practice (PMGT5205) unit with some adjustments required for this large-volume, first-semester subject. The simple, reusable assessment structure that has resulted is highly interactive, takes students outside the classroom and feedback shows it to be a memorable (positive) contribution to the student experience. The lessons learned from the conscious team-building activities will be presented along with samples of student assessments.[less] |
| 3:10 pm | Movement break |
| 3:20 pm | Sydney Educational Fellowship ProgramLocation: Track B - Room 1060Participation in this session is by invitation only.... [more]Participation in this session is by invitation only.[less] | [4C1] Reflections on “requiring” the use of Generative AI for a communication assessment in Systems Physiology Elizabeth Clarke, Anna Waterhouse Location: Track C - Room 1070In 2023, we suspected students might be using Generative AI to reduce effort in a PHSI 3010 Systems Physiology assignment, potentially impacting their learning. For 2024, we adjusted our approach by r... [more]In 2023, we suspected students might be using Generative AI to reduce effort in a PHSI 3010 Systems Physiology assignment, potentially impacting their learning. For 2024, we adjusted our approach by requiring AI use and introducing tutorials on its effective and ethical application. The assignment involved summarizing a research article and using AI to create an educational pamphlet for clinicians. This presentation will discuss our experiences with the new format, including student concerns and feedback. We found that students were more engaged, asking more questions about the assessment. While marking became more challenging, we discovered that students were well-aware of AI's limitations and were cautious about its use, contrary to our initial fears of widespread cheating. Our approach aimed to embrace AI technology, educating students on its proper use rather than focusing solely on prevention and detection.[less] |
| 3:40 pm | | | [4C2] UDL assessments in a laboratory environment Shane Wilkinson Location: Track C - Room 1070Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an inclusive teaching framework offering students flexibility in accessing material and demonstrating knowledge. Research indicates that assessment choice can en... [more]Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an inclusive teaching framework offering students flexibility in accessing material and demonstrating knowledge. Research indicates that assessment choice can enhance student motivation, confidence, and engagement while reducing anxiety and potentially improving academic performance. In our first-year chemistry laboratories, we've implemented a UDL approach by offering students a choice of four assessment types for their major laboratory assessment. This presentation will discuss the practical implementation of this UDL format in our course, including the logistics involved. We'll share data on the popularity of each assessment type among students and explore the motivations behind their choices.[less] |
| 4:00 pm | | | [4C3] SGQQ 2.0 Tamara Neal, James Collins II, Bec Plumbe Location: Track C - Room 1070This assessment task leverages the benefits of student-created quiz questions to enhance learning. Students work in groups across two rounds: first, creating and evaluating questions among peers; seco... [more]This assessment task leverages the benefits of student-created quiz questions to enhance learning. Students work in groups across two rounds: first, creating and evaluating questions among peers; second, collaborating with an AI agent to generate and critique questions and feedback. This approach helps students identify, retain, and recall key content while developing skills in evaluative judgment, teamwork, and communication. Implemented in undergraduate ancient Greek and Latin courses, the activity occurs during class time and as homework. It has potential for scalable transfer to various disciplines. The task engages students critically and ethically with AI, teaching them to distinguish between human and AI capabilities. Students learn to identify strengths and weaknesses in both their own and AI-generated content.[less] |
| 4:20 pm | Refreshments and canapes |
Professor Sarah O’Shea is a nationally and internationally recognised educator and researcher, who applies sociological perspectives to the study of higher education equity. Over her career, Sarah has held numerous university leadership positions across the Australian higher education sector, contributing to Government policy and university practice. Her work has been recognised international and national awards and fellowships, she is currently an Australian Learning and Teaching Fellow, a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a Churchill Fellow.