The 2016–20 Strategic Plan sets out a vision for a distinctive Sydney education. Alongside a renewal of what students learn is a focus on how they learn. The transformation of the learning experience will require innovation, creativity and collaboration in our teaching approaches, blending the best aspects of face-to-face interactivity with engaging and mobile online resources. Increased access to information on student learning and engagement through learning analytics will give us the evidence to provide personalised learning and support to students even in the largest classes. The transformation will also need flexible physical and virtual learning environments built to facilitate these new learning designs and promote collaborative inquiry.
Through the educational innovation grants and the many other activities reported in #edTech talks, Teaching@Sydney and elsewhere, it is clear that this work is already happening. In the coming semesters, the Educational Innovation team will be working more deeply in faculties, providing professional learning and educational design expertise on long-term projects. This work will seek to facilitate innovation in learning design, help to embed the use of learning analytics and effective educational technology and refresh professional development opportunities so that they reflect faculty needs and changes in technology.
Refreshing approaches to teaching can enhance the experience of our present students as well providing the tools needed to deliver the new curriculum. Quick resources and ideas for how to do this in your own classes include:
- Attending the #edtech talks
- Trying an idea from the teaching insights series
- Moving some content to an engaging online video to free up class time for active learning
- Learning about the learning analytics tools available at Sydney and attending a workshop on using them to personalise student support and learning.
- Asking a trusted colleague to attend your class and attend lectures from colleagues who are known innovators.
- Sharing tips or asking for help from your colleagues and peers, including via the Educational Innovation Yammer group.
