Belonging first: creating space for connection in learning and teaching
byLarge higher education institutions can be exciting and energising places to work, but they can also feel fragmented and, at times, isolating. Learning and…
Sections
MCQs still matter for learning – here’s how to make them count
byMultiple Choice Question (MCQ) quizzes have long been part of many assessment plans. But with easy access to AI and its phenomenally rapid performance…
A guide to Honours oral exams
byFor most Honours students, the thesis represents the culmination of their year’s work, a single written document that stands as the primary evidence of…
Improving first-year teaching: Insights from students on what works
byThe transition to higher education is never an easy or simple process. Being thrust into independent adult learning is a dizzying shift for Sydney’s…
Rethinking foreign language learning through graphic narratives
byStudents today rarely read only words, but constantly move between images, video, text, and design in their everyday lives. Outside the classroom, they scroll…
Making complex topics tangible using collaborative whiteboards
byImagine walking into a first-year undergraduate class and asking students to explain feedback loops, interdependencies, or emergent behaviour. For many students, these ideas feel…
How weekly group randomisation transformed student collaboration and belonging
byGroup work is a fundamental aspect of active learning, providing students with opportunities to collaborate, problem-solve, and develop essential teamwork skills. It enables students…
Rubrics: More than a marking tool
byAssessment drives learning. At the University of Sydney, it serves three interconnected purposes: supporting students to act on feedback and improve (assessment for learning), developing students as independent,…
How Padlet supports relational feedback
byMid-semester is a tricky time. Students are deep in the rhythm of the unit, assessments are looming, and any feedback we gather needs to…
Engagement doesn’t have to be visible
byWhen we picture an engaged student, we tend to envisage the similar things: a hand raised, a question answered, a contribution offered without hesitation….