Professional insight from the University of Queensland

The University of Queensland (UQ) is one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions and is Australia’s most awarded university for teaching excellence. UQ’s skilled and motivated teachers are integral to providing positive teaching, learning and employability outcomes for more than 55,000 students.

Students at the University of Queensland

Dissolving alarm clock in hand

To block or not to block? How time affects learning in higher education

From intensive block plans to open-ended study programmes, the ideal length for a unit of study is under interrogation. Jason M. Lodge considers the evidence

Jason M. Lodge

The University of Queensland

Green shoots

For the common good: why we need ecological universities

Higher education has become too aligned to specific economic interests and needs to be redirected to focus on regenerative values for the common good, argue Richard Hil, Kristen Lyons and Fern Thompsett

Richard Hil, Kristen Lyons, Fern Thompsett

Griffith University, Southern Cross University, The University of Queensland , Columbia University

Woman giving a presentation

Do we need to grade students’ presentation skills?

Presentation skills are considered essential by employers, but does this mean they should be graded at university? Marking can distract from the goal of improvement, and there are better ways to motivate students, says Axel Wieneke

Axel Wieneke

The University of Queensland

Diverse hands illustrating inclusive student-staff partnership concept

Student-staff partnerships: seven strategies for adopting inclusive practices

Student-staff partnerships can support skills development and enrich courses, as well as offer life-changing professional and academic opportunities for diverse students. Here, Madelaine-Marie Judd and Brooke Szücs encourage others to embrace this ethos

Madelaine-Marie Judd, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Sprinters-leave-a-starting-block

Let’s get professional: advice for new university teachers

No matter if you’re a just-minted postdoc or transferring from industry to academia, a professional approach will give your new teaching career a solid foundation. In this video, Carl Sherwood shares his top tips

Carl Sherwood

The University of Queensland

Female student frustrated with online learning

Online learning is still challenging for students – they need our support

Isolation and distraction are among the downsides of remote learning, even after two years of “panic-gogy”, which makes intentional online design and student support as important as ever

Jason M. Lodge, Paula de Barba, Jaclyn Broadbent

The University of Queensland , University of Melbourne, Deakin University

socio-emotional learning, juggling emotions

Make social-emotional learning part of teaching: it’s easier than you think

These practical, achievable tips show how to incorporate social-emotional learning into everyday educational practices

Sasha Lynn, Alexandra Osika, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

roller-coaster against blue sky

Learning can be an emotional roller coaster: how can we help our students (and ourselves) enjoy the ride?

Emotions can help and hinder learning. These practical, evidence-based strategies can help teachers understand and engage student emotions for better outcomes

Stephanie MacMahon, Alexandra Osika, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

bored students in a lecture hall

Say goodbye to bored students

Boredom is the enemy of learning. Educators can minimise it, increase student engagement and allow deep learning to take place with these practical tips

Amanda Bourgeois, Alexandra Osika, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Young woman recording herself using a mobile phone

How to use Microsoft Flipgrid in university teaching

Video-sharing platforms can increase student engagement and confidence. Here, Seb Dianati shares uses and challenges and offers tips for setting up spaces and topics

Seb Dianati

The University of Queensland

Magnifying-glass-over-scrambled-block-letters

Streamline your research using academic search engines

Specialist search engines can put the most relevant literature at your fingertips, but which is the best one for you, and how can you optimise your searches?

Jack Wang

The University of Queensland

Candidates waiting for a job interview

Recruiting university tutors using an interactive group activity

Hiring candidates with strong academic results may seem like the best way to recruit tutors. But this does not always mean they will have the right attributes to support student learning. In this video, Carl Sherwood explains how and why to use a group interview process to recruit university tutors

Carl Sherwood

The University of Queensland

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

Campus talks: how to use social media to promote your work

Two scholars who have embraced social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Twitch and podcasts to communicate their research explain how they got started and what works

Simon Clark, Christina Zdenek

Independent academic, The University of Queensland

illustration of woman with wrench watching a practical demonstration on a screen

Using vicarious experiences online to engage and motivate students

Vicarious experiences can be harnessed in remote and blended learning to foster both the ‘skill and the will’ of students. Roma Forbes outlines how to do it

Roma Forbes

The University of Queensland

Building blocks of elements of education

Deep and meaningful learning: taking learning to the next level

Explicitly linking prior knowledge and experience is key in engaging students in deep learning and transitions them away from passivity in learning

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Sailing boat under stormy skies

Learning challenge and difficulty: calm seas do not make skilful sailors

Five strategies for university teachers to encourage students to use challenge, struggle and safe failure for effective long-term learning

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

key of knowedge

Learning to learn and higher-order thinking: it’s not just what to learn but how to learn

Through deconstructing the thought processes that occur during learning, students understand how they learn and therefore learn more effectively

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

sky-divers

Interactive learning: more than teamwork makes the dream work

Educators can engineer, harness and guide social dynamics towards a positive learning experience rather than leaving students’ interaction to chance

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

illustration of outline of heads showing different emotional states, detail, emotions and learning

Emotions and learning: what role do emotions play in how and why students learn?

If educators understand the factors that interplay with emotional states to affect learning, they can work with this to enhance the learning experience. Here are six strategies to manage the role of emotions in learning

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Red squirrel and hazelnut illustrating video about teaching statistics with storytelling

Using storytelling to make introductory statistics less scary: a contextualised approach

Carl Sherwood explains how imaginative, contextualised writing tasks can make mathematical concepts less abstract and more engaging for diverse student groups

Carl Sherwood

The University of Queensland

Young woman works on engineering planning project, contextual learning, HELF

Contextual learning: linking learning to the real world

Experience in the professional world can set your students up for a seamless transfer from higher education to the world of work

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Learning as becoming, lifelong education, holistic approach, HELF framework

Learning as becoming: what do students become as a result of their higher education experience?

A learning framework can help students understand their transition from higher education to the professional world as well as support their holistic experience of university life

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Illustration of hands holding puzzle pieces

Intersectionality and why in 2022 inclusion must allow for multiple identities

University diversity policies must include intersectionality, and now is the time make it happen. Paul Harpur, Dino Willox and Brooke Szucs offer five strategies for using diversity as a source of strength and opportunity

Paul Harpur, Dino Willox, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Empty lectern illustrating opinion article about lack of university leadership with visible or stated disability

Where are the leaders with a disability in higher education?

While support is available for people with a disability in universities, this is not translating to senior leadership positions – to the detriment of individuals and the sector as a whole, say Paul Harpur and Brooke Szücs

Paul Harpur, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Tree growing out of book illustrating storytelling-based assessment task CLEAR-JEs

How to use storytelling-based assessment to increase student confidence

Carl Sherwood explains how to set up an authentic assessment task using students’ own contextualised writing

Carl Sherwood

The University of Queensland

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

THE podcast: ‘Higher Ed Heroes’ and their water-cooler chats about teaching

We speak to the academics behind the podcast ‘Higher Ed Heroes’ about why informal corridor conversations can be the best way for teachers to share classroom tips, advice and success stories

Sebastian Kaempf, Alastair Stark

The University of Queensland

Woman on rock at beach dipping toes in water illustrating work-integrated learning

Helping students to see the future career value of their work-integrated learning

Real-world experience and outputs tailored to industry allow students to see the relevance of what they learn in the classroom

Sabine Matook

The University of Queensland

Noisy big megaphone. Speaker announcing news to target audience, science communication

Get your research out there: 7 strategies for high-impact science communication

From news angles to dealing with trolls, here are seven areas to consider when sharing your findings with the media and wider public

Christina Zdenek

The University of Queensland

Yellow paper figure surrounded by headlines about health and money anxieties, Covid uncertainty

How educators can help manage Covid anxieties on campus

Simple strategies can allow teachers to connect more deeply with students and help prepare them for stressful professional environments

Michael Ellwood

The University of Queensland

Two young women in eating sandwiches in park

How to facilitate the small changes in teaching that make a big difference

Through their podcast, Alastair Stark and Sebastian Kaempf champion the ‘sandwich conversations’ between colleagues that lead to impactful incremental shifts in teaching practice

Alastair Stark, Sebastian Kaempf

The University of Queensland

Man with a laptop computer over his head and a Help! sign

What to do when technology fails: an educator’s survival guide for online classrooms

Jack Wang offers seven solutions to common tech problems during online teaching – from slow internet connection to lack of resources

Jack Wang

The University of Queensland

Advice on using a free online mindfulness programme to support student well-being

How to foster student well-being with online mindfulness training

Adam Kay explains how educators can effectively use an innovative, freely available, research-backed online mindfulness programme for student well-being

Adam Kay

The University of Queensland

Advice on why and how to build a sense of identity and belonging among students for better learning outcomes

Building identity and belonging among students

Proactively building students’ sense of identity and belonging is vital for positive learning outcomes, explains Blake McKimmie. In this video, he gives advice on how it can be achieved

Blake McKimmie

The University of Queensland

Boosting student employability via digital learning

Boosting student employability through virtual experience

From digital industry projects to virtual internships, employability can be enhanced online in many ways, but it is how students reflect upon and learn from their experiences that is important, as Dino Willox and Laura-Anne Bull explain

Dino Willox, Laura-Anne Bull

The University of Queensland