Creating a positive learning environment using classroom norms
The first few weeks of a new semester are vital to creating a sense of belonging for students and setting expectations for the semester…
A shared sense of place – empowering culturally responsive teaching
What is culturally responsive teaching? To be a culturally responsive teacher is to be “able to understand and consider the different cultural backgrounds of the people (we) teach“. The University of Sydney is an…
Principles for first year transition in 2022 and beyond
A successful transition to university is key to developing a sense of belonging. Belonging is strongly associated with retention, student satisfaction and achievement. In…
Assessment in first year – what the evidence tells us
Transition to university in 2022 Throughout 2020 and much of 2021, students will have had variable school experiences, with fewer opportunities to learn study skills,…
Learning to learn after lockdown: the transition journey from alpha to omega
Transition is key to developing a sense of belonging which is itself strongly associated with retention, student satisfaction and achievement. At Sydney, even in…
Principles guiding education at Sydney
What will ‘normal’ teaching look like in 2022 and beyond? The challenge of balancing teaching for students who are either in Sydney or overseas…
Recipe for student success – the key ingredients for achievement
In designing the effective learning and teaching approaches that will emerge from the ‘experiential classroom’ of the pandemic, it is sensible and logical to…
Referencing in first year – what’s the point?
Being able to reference correctly is often taken to be a fundamental academic competency and core to the values of academic scholarship. In assessments…
Working it out for themselves: the effect of active learning on student outcomes
There are many definitions of what active learning is. One of the simplest comes from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) in North…
With living voice: the power of oral examinations
The oral exam, sometimes referred to as a “viva voce” or just “viva”, is most commonly associated with the formal defence of a PhD…