In the first-year unit at SCA, an online friendly curriculum reprioritises learning according to each student’s situation, current experience, and future work/life plans. The aim is to meet them where they are now, within an emergent, social, and reflective environment.
Independent in-home ‘maker’ practices, porous peer engagement and media rich contextualising seminars are key activities. Collaboration skills improve through a socialised studio mode – an online environment that focuses on quality breakouts and zoom chat contributions. Exchanges are orientated toward raising the presence and visibility of each student. We encourage no spell zones and our academic ‘chat’ monitor is responsive to enquiry, often adding ‘just in time’ context link explainers or divergent references.
Critical iteration loops accelerate with the use of assignment themed Padlets, used during and in between classes. These shared spaces manifest engagement by offering resources, capturing exercise and assignment responses, and opportunities for whole of community feedback.