Designing assessment as a learning journey in language studies
byIn 2018, I found myself reflecting on a question that many language teachers have probably asked at some point: How do we create opportunities…
feedback
Why we’re retiring the Feedback for Teachers survey – and what replaces it
byFrom Semester 2 2026, the Feedback for Teachers (FFT) survey will no longer be available to teachers. It’s being retired as part of a…
Goodbye slide decks? Rethinking group presentations through a classroom mini-conference
byIn many group presentations, only one part of the room is really active: the group at the front. The rest of the class is…
Using an AI practice bank to support formative assessment in economics
byIn a large first-year economics unit, students kept asking for the same thing: more exam-style practice. Generative AI gave us a way to provide…
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…
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 (assessmentforlearning), developing studentsas 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…
What peer review for teaching is actually like
byMost of us teach in relative isolation. We plan our classes, deliver them, and move on – rarely with the chance to see how…
Five ways to help first year students become better learners
byThe University of Sydney’s 2026 Transition Symposium* asked a deceptively simple question: Do we actually teach students how to learn? Keynote speaker Professor Sally…