Feature article

Advice on applying quality assurance to digital teaching in higher education

How to ensure effective quality assurance for digital teaching and learning

How university teaching staff can ensure that their digital teaching maintains the same quality as their on-campus face-to-face delivery, by Tim Thompson

Tim Thompson

Teesside University

Universities need to promote pluralism and thinking across the divide in order to strengthen democracy

Universities must promote pluralism to ward off threats to democracy

Once the moral basis of anyone who disagrees with us is rejected, then democracy inevitably implodes, says Matthew Flinders

Matthew Flinders

University of Sheffield

Man working with laptop, pen and paper and coffee, OERs

A guide to using open educational resources: an experiential case study

The benefits of OERs to researchers and students in the Global South affect all levels of scholarship, from teaching to publishing, writes Innocent Chirisa

Innocent Chirisa

The University of Zimbabwe

Advice on promoting democracy among students in higher education

How universities can promote ‘democratic competences’ among students

A guide to how higher education can help develop a culture of democracy among students, through study programmes, a whole institution approach and community engagement, by Sjur Bergan

Sjur Bergan

Council of Europe

How universities can advance social justice within and beyond their campus walls

Social justice in, through and beyond higher education

Higher education institutions can work individually and together to advance social justice well beyond their campus walls, as Pardis Mahdavi explains

Pardis Mahdavi

Arizona State University

Universities and higher education institutions need to sever ties with oil companies and get their ethics in order if they want to tackle the SDGs

Universities aren’t walking the walk on sustainability – not even close

While HEIs continue to take tens of millions of pounds from oil companies, their integrity and commitment to the SDGs looks shaky at best, says James Derounian

James Derounian

Visiting professor

Advice on using online and blended learning tools to teach data science skills

Using online and blended learning tools to teach data science skills

Advice on teaching data science skills using online and blended learning tools and resources, by Philip Leftwich

Philip Leftwich

The University of East Anglia

Career action plans: assignments to inform students about job options and start preparing them to their preferred careers

Assessing career action plans: improving graduate employability

Career action plans are assignments designed to guide students in making informed choices and preparing for future jobs. Alexander Bradley explains how they work

Alexander Bradley

The University of Portsmouth

Healthcare professionals need help from universities and higher education when implementing new tech into their practice

Health workers need tech training – for themselves and their patients

There are huge risks involved if current and future healthcare professionals have to take up new forms of practice such as video consultations without sufficient training

Stefan Rennick-Egglestone

University of Nottingham

Advice on supporting academics to engage with equity and diversity issues as part of their teaching

Making space for academic colleagues to think about race as part of pedagogy

Kevin Brazant shares tips on how to use digital content creation to deconstruct themes of equality, diversity and inclusion with colleagues and inform their learning and teaching practice

Kevin Brazant

London Metropolitan University

More university students require or prefer self-directed learning, and academics must be ready to provide it

Things to consider when designing a self-directed course model

With increasing numbers of students learning remotely and showing high levels of independence, the ability to offer self-directed courses is more important than ever

Blanca Benavente , Estela Murrieta

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Advice on delivering efficient and effective feedback that helps students learn and

Making feedback effective for your students and efficient for you

Effective feedback is vital to aid students’ learning and progress but must be managed in a way that is realistic for professors’ workloads. Loïc Plé shares his tips

Loïc Plé

IÉSEG School of Management

A PhD student falling asleep on their books in a higher education university - check out these five top tips for completing your thesis

Five tips for surviving your doctorate after moving over from industry

Moving into the academy after a professional career can be daunting and difficult – and never more so than when penning your thesis

Kumud Wijayaratna , Ed Cottam

Northumbria University

Advice on why and how to bring movement into your classes to improve learning outcomes

Why and how to bring physical movement into the classroom

There are multiple benefits to bringing regular movement into the classroom, research shows. Stephen Braybrook lists the concerns that prevent educators from doing so, and offers guidance to overcome them

Stephen Braybrook

Brain Move

Equity, diversity and inclusion work: Advice on sparking renewed enthusiasm among faculty and university staff

Rekindling passion for equality, diversity and inclusion work

Equality, diversity and inclusion work is too often dogged by scepticism and dismissed as a tick-box exercise. So how can institutional leaders rekindle enthusiasm and belief in the work? Rajani Naidoo shares her top recommendations

Rajani Naidoo

University of Bath

How to stop unintentionally discriminating against international university students in your classroom through your pedagogy

How to stop unconsciously discriminating against international students

Using enquiry-based learning gives overseas students agency and helps them decide for themselves how they want to be included in the learning process, says Dylan Williams

Dylan Williams

Seoul National University

Key considerations for designing a university curriculum

Shaping a curriculum framework: the fundamental principles

Adrian Lam outlines a list of fundamental principles for consideration when shaping a curriculum framework

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

Advice on creating opportunities for early career researchers to develop their teaching skills

Mind the gap: creating a pathway for post-doctoral researchers to gain teaching experience

Postdoctoral researchers often struggle to secure teaching experience so institutions need to develop opportunities for these academics to support or lead classes. Ellen Bull explains how this can be done

Ellen Bell

The University of East Anglia

Cycling, running and other forms of exercise can be encouraged among university students by tutors who offer academic credits for exercise

Want students to exercise more? Make it part of their course

The body hears everything the mind says, so it is said. That is certainly true when teachers offer extra academic credits in return for physical activity, says Roberto Villaseñor-Roldán

Roberto Villaseñor-Roldán

Tecnológico de Monterrey

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

Advice on moving from printed to digital teaching materials to improve student engagement and sustainability

How using digital workbooks can increase student engagement and help institutions go green

How to move from printed to digital workbooks rich with interactive content such as audio, video and quizzes, to improve online learning outcomes while boosting sustainability

Yan Wei, Paul Tuck

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Scientists and academics must practise humility and empathy when communicating with the public over issues such as climate change

We’ve forgotten how to communicate science to the public at a crucial time

As we try to tackle climate change, it feels like the pandemic has pushed us back decades to the bad old mode of scientists lecturing the public, says John Womersley

John Womersley

University of Oxford

seedling in test tube illustrating resource about greener life science labs

Greener life science labs: the challenge to save energy and reduce waste

How to decrease the environmental footprint of a life science research centre? Annegrät Daujeumont shares how following a certification programme can help labs embrace sustainability and eco-friendly practices

Annegrät Daujeumont

University of Luxembourg

Building your research profile via social media, with a focus on LinkedIn

A guide to creating effective researcher profiles on social media, with practical tips for using LinkedIn

Tjitske Dijkstra

Academic Career Coach

University teachers must work hard to ensure students become comfortable with the process of peer review

Fostering student collaboration rather than competition using peer review

When students are involved in peer review, they can more easily see the ‘problems’ with classmates’ writing – and this creates opportunities in their own work, too

James Meredith

Colorado State University Global

Using 'career corners' to present employment options to students

Career corners: a simple way to improve student job preparation

Many students enter their final year with no idea what they wish to do after university. Career corners aim to help by providing job and industry overviews that facilitate informed choices

Alexander Bradley

The University of Portsmouth

Advice on using photography to complement written materials when teaching human rights

Using photography as a teaching tool in human rights and international affairs

Photography is a powerful way to bring topics to life and enhance students’ understanding of different perspectives and representations of world events and people, as Noam Schimmel explains

Noam Schimmel

University of California, Berkeley

University libraries and academic publishers need to find a long-term solution to the issue of e-textbooks

We must end the ‘us and them’ standoff between libraries and publishers

University libraries and publishers remain at a damaging impasse over digital textbooks – the solution requires communication, collaboration and openness to big ideas

Libby Homer

Anglia Ruskin University

Group of protesters illustrating article about vaccine hesitancy, difficult conversations, empathy, listening

How to disagree about Covid vaccination and manage other difficult university staff discussions

Jonathan Lord outlines the role of empathy and listening skills in navigating potential conflict when colleagues disagree about sensitive issues such as vaccination

Jonathan Lord

University of Salford

How to address breakout room anxiety: advice for teaching academics

Four ways to address breakout room anxiety

Ari Badlishah draws on her recent experience completing a master’s degree largely online to offer advice on how educators can help minimise students’ anxiety about virtual breakout rooms

Ari Badlishah

The University of Edinburgh

Questions to ask to examine your own role in perpetuating racism in higher education and what steps to take

Questions you should ask yourself about your role in institutional racism

Questions individuals working in academia should ask themselves to gain an honest appraisal of their role in institutional racism and take active steps to counteract it, by Henrika McCoy and Madeline Y. Lee

Henrika McCoy, Madeline Lee

University of Illinois Chicago, California State University San Marcos

Black, Latinx and first-generation students need help garnering social capital if their higher education investment is to pay off in terms of a career

If we truly want a level playing field, we must focus on social capital

For minoritised students to really benefit from HE, they need support to understand the world of work, build connections and activate networks

Andy Chan, Kristina Francis

Wake Forest University, JFFLabs

Tips for creating digital university modules

How to design and incorporate a digital module

Digital modules lend themselves well to competency-based training. Adela Vega and Laura Castillo offer a guide to designing and incorporating them into a digital learning experience

Adela Vega, Laura Castillo

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Advice for educators to take proactive steps that help students form social bonds and support networks, in person and online

WhatsApp and campus trails: supporting students in building peer-support networks

Group activities and social networks help students to feel supported. Here’s how to facilitate interactions that build peer-support networks

Kelly Edmunds , Helen Leggett, Becky Lewis

The University of East Anglia

Advice on overseeing new curriculum development based on the general education reforms in Hong Kong

Seven lessons from interdisciplinary general education curriculum reform

Adrian Lam highlights lessons drawn from the implementation of interdisciplinary general education curriculum reform in Hong Kong universities

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

Immediacy cues such as eye contact can be critical tools for professors and lecturers when connecting to higher education students

Immediacy cues are a great starting point for fostering inclusive classes

Both verbal and non-verbal cues, such as pronouncing names correctly, smiling and making eye contact signal to students that they are welcome, respected and valued

Flower Darby

Northern Arizona University

Advice on taking a trauma sensitive approach to teaching

A trauma-sensitive approach to teaching and learning

A four-step framework for taking a trauma-sensitive approach to teaching in universities, explained by Kitty Wheater

Kitty Wheater

The University of Edinburgh

Sessional academics early in their careers should learn how to balance the competing demands of teaching and research

Sessional academics: how to balance the demands of teaching and research

Teaching and research are the pillars of academia, yet these two roles often end up in opposition to one another, says Tara East

Tara East

The University of Southern Queensland

Advice on steps universities should take to ensure pandemic doesn't result in a long-term reversal of gender equality work

Urgent steps to prevent the pandemic stalling women’s academic careers

The pandemic put a disproportionate strain on female academics, research suggests, so now universities need to take robust action to ensure these women do not lose out in tenure and promotion decisions, reducing future diversity

Adrian Daub, Alison Dahl Crossley

Stanford University

remote ed-tech assistance, students helping educators, graduate employment programme

Students supporting educators: are you harnessing the talent of your own graduates?

Employing students to support educators not only boosts overall digital expertise but elevates graduate employability, course design and the student voice

Lisa Harris, Caitlin Kight

The University of Exeter

Advice on using literary reviews to create a narrative and context for new research projects

Using literature reviews to strengthen research: tips for PhDs and supervisors

Anne Wilson explains how to develop a narrative and context for new research through your literature review, with tips for early career researchers and their supervisors

Anne Wilson

Royal Literary Fund

Advice on adapting courses to teaching online using small chunks of material

Non-linear approaches to course structure that improve learning

Breaking up teaching content into chunks that can be repeatedly revisited offers educators a non-linear approach to learning. Chris Jones shares advice for designing online courses

Chris Jones

Pearson College London

Academics looking to move up the higher education career ladder might consider becoming a dean

How to become a dean

Paul Baines talks through the pros and cons of being a dean, plus the skills you’ll need to display during the recruitment process to get there

Paul Baines

University of Leicester

Arrow leading up steps illustrating article about Wordle, mastery experiences, the power of success

What Wordle teaches us about the power of success

Offering more mastery experiences will greatly reduce the mental and emotional fatigue that permeates so many post-Covid university classrooms

Thomas R. Guskey

University of Kentucky

Advice on instilling democratic principles into your assessment methods

Democratic assessment: why, what, and how

Divya Bheda shares five ways educators can embody democratic principles through their assessment practices to help students learn civic-minded values and behaviour

Divya Bheda

ExamSoft

Advice on supporting Black women to progress in academic careers

Hidden in plain sight: spotlighting invisible Black female academics

Jummy Okoya outlines actions higher education institutions should take to encourage more Black women into academia and support their career progression

Jummy Okoya

University of East London

University admissions policies could be hold back diversity efforts for students wanting to study STEM subjects

Are STEM admissions processes hindering our diversity efforts?

The requirement for potential STEM students to have studied traditionally related subjects such as maths and physics seems outdated and unnecessary, says Judy Raper

Judy Raper

TEDI-London

The university library needs a dramatic pivot to online to help academics and students alike in the new normal

The academic library requires digital evolution

As we face our post-Covid reality, library services need a new vision, becoming ubiquitous and available no matter the challenges of time and space

José Vladimir Burgos Aguilar

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Advice on the key steps to design and deliver effective microcredentials that meet diverse learner needs

Three steps to developing useful microcredentials

The key considerations for developing an effective microcredentials portfolio that meets the needs of diverse learners and employers

Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, Bajinder Pal Singh , Warinya Chemnasiri , Pietro Borsano

Chulalongkorn University

Academia showed it can slow down in the early days of the pandemic, so why has higher education gone back to warp speed again now?

Slowing down earlier in the pandemic went well – so why speed back up?

The online tools adopted in the past two years do have positives, but they’ve also created a new kind of pressure – the pressure to be everywhere at once

Shari Boodts, Frederik van Dam

Radboud University

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