Practical learning

Reflection and advice for hands-on university teaching practice – from online lab work to work placements and real-world experience.

Image of a young woman working with school children

Community-engaged learning: a pedagogic approach to civic outreach

Sonia Kumar shares a guide to developing community-engaged learning projects that benefit the student participants and the communities where they work

Sonia Kumar

University of Leeds

Community projects for students can help with critical thinking

How community projects can promote students’ critical thinking skills

Embedding project-based learning and participatory research in degree courses can provide students with the critical-thinking skills that employers require

Tom Dobson

York St John University

When to use online laboratories for STEM teaching and why

A guide to help STEM educators understand which aspects of practical laboratory learning can most effectively be delivered online and the benefits of this approach

Helen Lockett

The Open University

A digital boost to music teaching and performance

Drawing on an audiovisual project to create a virtual studio where researchers and students can test sound in multiple settings, from a cathedral to a cave, William Minty shares lessons on how to manage institution-wide tech developments

William Minty

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

Home labs and simulations to spark curiosity and exploration

Francesco Fornetti explains how home lab kits and simulation tools can help spark curiosity and exploration among engineering students

Francesco Fornetti

The University of Bristol

Using immersive tech to enrich healthcare education

As virtual reality technology has become more affordable and user friendly, it opens opportunities to enhance teaching of clinical skills. Here’s how one team brings VR into the classroom

Chris McKenzie, Janet Skinner, Amy Poole

The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University

Experiential education through a simulated summit to combat human trafficking

Advice on setting pedagogical goals and planning a simulated international summit to support experiential learning for remote students, by Clara Chapdelaine-Feliciati

Clara Chapdelaine-Feliciati

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

The fundamentals of successful student knowledge exchange

What basics must be considered in order to build a successful student knowledge exchange project? Sharon Ingram shares insight based on supporting a student-led chemistry consultancy

Sharon Ingram

University of Strathclyde

Image of a lecturer teaching a class of adult students

Tutor training for architect-educators: twinning, observation, reflection and testing

Staff development and training for architecture tutors is very limited. This resource looks back at a tutor training programme that ran from 1996 to 2002, and draws lessons for future architect-educators

Martin W. Andrews, Mary Caddick

The University of Portsmouth

Lessons in running workshops to train students in basic electronics

Workshops that train pre-university students in open-source electronics and programming platform Arduino can broaden access to and knowledge of readily available technology. Here‘s a guide for how to design them

Jorge N. Gutiérrez

Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC)

A remote student working in a group with other students via an online meeting

Lessons in helping remote students obtain practical work experience

Universities face obstacles in helping distance learners access practical work experience. Ewout van der Schaft and Alex Mackrell share insight from initiatives at their business school

Ewout van der Schaft, Alex Mackrell

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Critical thinking is a crucial skill for students to be taught at university

Starting from scratch to promote critical thinking in your classes

Critical thinking is a crucial skill for all areas of life. Adriana González Nava and Paulo Mendoza Rivera explain how to promote it in course design

Adriana González Nava , Paulo Mendoza Rivera

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Giving students the chance to work in a professional company housed in a university has benefits for all

We started a commercial software company at our university – and you should too

Staffed by students, epiGenesys provides profits for the university and allows students to work in a lively, supportive and successful business environment

Mike Holcombe

University of Sheffield

Outside help for local communities can have unintended negative consequences

Is that overseas field trip you’re looking forward to really necessary?

However well-intentioned, outside interventions can have unintended consequences for local communities if carried out without rigorous research, says James Derounian

James Derounian

University of Bolton

University staff and leadership should not forget that the academic and the vocational are deeply intertwined

Don’t forget that the ‘academic’ and the ‘vocational’ are deeply intertwined

It’s not enough to focus solely on academic mission, but neither is it enough to think of universities as little more than training schools, says Sir Chris Husbands

Chris Husbands

Sheffield Hallam University

Challenge-based learning: design and delivery in undergraduate courses

Courses that incorporate real problems from real companies offer students a rare chance to acquire knowledge while also developing useful professional skills

Nelly Ramirez Vásquez , Maria del Rosario Rosas Escalona

Tecnológico de Monterrey

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

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

Advice on using project-based learning to get students learning away from their screens

Using project-based learning to boost student motivation and engagement

Worapoom Saengkaew shares key lessons from using project-based learning to get students away from their screens and into the real world, boosting their enthusiasm for their studies

Worapoom Saengkaew

Siam University

Study trips and experiential learning: from preparation to post-trip reflection

Rebecca Wang outlines the key steps to take before, during and after a successful international field trip

Rebecca Wang

University of Westminster

Insight on how community based research projects can motivate students as their apply their learning to real world problems

Using community-based research projects to motivate learning among engineering students

Trithos Kamsuwan explains how community-based research projects can be used to motivate students, creating opportunities to apply principles they have learned in class to solve real-world problems

Trithos Kamsuwan

Siam University

Advice on bringing real world practical training into the online classroom through case studies

Keeping it real: bringing practical dimensions into online teaching

Pamela Henderson sets out how to bring real world training into the online classroom by developing effective simulated case studies, based on her experience teaching law

Pamela Henderson

Nottingham Trent University

How to revitalise student knowledge exchange with local communities

How co-creating an ‘umbrella’ programme can help institutions innovate student knowledge exchange and improve engagement with local communities and businesses, a team from Queen Mary University of London explain

Patrick McGurk, Joanne Zhang, Fezzan Ahmed, Olivia Reid

Queen Mary University of London

Medical training has had to adapt quickly to the shift online

How to deliver healthcare education in a hybrid world

Hannah McGee explores solutions to address the unique challenges that universities face in preparing healthcare students for frontline roles

Hannah McGee

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Advice on developing external partnerships which create opportunities for real world learning

How to develop partnerships that offer students real-world learning experiences

Rhianedd Smith shares insight on how to collaboratively create real-world learning experiences for students with professional partners

Rhianedd Smith

University of Reading

Virtual and augmented reality can provide powerful experiences for university students, and they are probably not as hard to create as you think

Immersive tech in teaching and learning: first steps into the metaverse

Virtual, augmented and mixed reality can provide powerful experiences for students, and it’s probably not as difficult as you think. Neil McDonnell provides simple, practical advice

Neil McDonnell

University of Glasgow

Advice on creating virtual fieldtrips to complement in-person teaching

Developing virtual experiential learning: key takeaways

Well-designed virtual experiential learning could have far-reaching useful applications. Here three academics share lessons from developing effective virtual tours and field trips during the pandemic

Mei Yee Leung, Yvonne Yuen Kei Leung, Jacky Tsz Kin Yiu

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Advice on inviting industry professionals to share their expertise with students

Hosting industry professionals: embedding vocational skill-building into higher education

Liam Jarvis sets out three common pitfalls and three points of advice for facilitating productive encounters between students and industry professionals in higher education

Liam Jarvis

University of Essex

Advice on university strategies for civic engagement

How to be a civic university: lessons in collaborating with local communities

Deborah Bull outlines how institutions can make their civic duties a strategic priority, developing mutually beneficial partnerships with local communities and organisations

Deborah Bull

King’s College London

Insight on a new approach to training students in applied learning from the medical school team at NUS

Collaborative learning cases: a fresh approach to applied learning

A group of medical educators introduce a new teaching model being used to improve students’ ability to apply learning in clinical or real-world settings through collaborative work on specific cases

Dujeepa Samarasekera

National University of Singapore

Advice on using digital simulations to prepare students for workplace challenges

How to use digital simulations to prepare students for future careers

How institutions should use digital simulation technology to train students in practical, real-world skills, based on her experience in healthcare courses

Stephanie West

Arden University

Student holding a wallet illustrating challenge of buying textbooks, affordability

We need to help students overcome their textbook troubles

As institutions re-examine the costs of attending university, the affordability of course materials is again moving to the centre of the conversation, writes Raj Kaji

Raj Kaji

Akademos

Advice on moving practical application based teaching to online formats

New modes of practicum – synergising online and offline teaching modes

Rohnii Tse provides insight on how teaching the practical application of a subject can be adapted to work via online or remote channels

Rohnii Tse

Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education

Advice on establishing creative collaborations between students in different disciplines to further their learning

Connecting research and humanities through creative collaborations

Creative collaborations between students in different disciplines can offer opportunities to gain “real world” experience and apply their knowledge in new contexts. Allison Schwartz explains how

Allison Schwartz

University of West Florida

Advice on getting students involved in community projects which boost their learning experience in creative and practical ways

Creative ways to boost student learning through community-based projects

Jamie Darwen explains how community projects offer creative and practical ways to enhance student learning and shares advice on building successful partnerships outside the university

Jamie Darwen

University of the West of England Bristol

Why and how to introduce random error into virtual experiments

Striving for imperfection: introducing randomness into virtual experiments

Rachel Martins explains how she introduced random error into her lab simulations when teaching online physics, to better replicate real-world experiments for her students

Rachel Martins

Leeds International Study Centre

Advice on creating virtual fieldtrips to complement in-person teaching

Playing the field: how virtual field trips can benefit student learning now and in future

Theresa Mercer and colleagues explain how to develop virtual field trips that support in-person learning, boost accessibility and help future-proof teaching against unforeseen challenges

Theresa Mercer

University of Lincoln

Advice on implementing rapid response public engagement projects

Three steps to successful rapid-response civic engagement with students

Kathleen Riach outlines key lessons from successfully leading a rapid-response civic engagement project with students to help over 50s gain better digital access

Kathleen Riach

University of Glasgow

With more and more students achieving high grades, online micro courses can help graduates stand out in the jobs market

Short online courses can grease the wheels of student employability

The degree has transitioned from differentiating factor to basic benchmark. Online microcredentials can help graduates stand out from their rivals, says Madina Tash

Madina Tash

University of Sussex

A student takes part in an online work placement. Given the huge backlog of placements created by Covid-19, universities should consider e-placements.

It’s time for the sector to embrace online work placements

Placement capacity has been shaken to its core by the Covid-19 pandemic, creating a huge backlog. We must look for sustainable alternative solutions, says Gilly Salmon

Gilly Salmon

Swinburne University of Technology

How to set up virtual work placements for students to gain real world experience online

Developing internship opportunities for students online

Lecturer Dorothy Kwok offers three strategies institutions can take in setting up digital work placements and industry projects to ensure students get real-world experience when learning online

Larry Ching, Dorothy Kwok, Candy Law

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Advice on redesigning assessment in the digital space, to test skills needed in future careers

Rethinking assessment in line with the changing world of work

Sarah Montano offers insight on redesigning assessment in the digital space to test the skills students will need in their future careers

Sarah Montano

University of Birmingham

Guidance on how to teach practical, creative subjects online

Singing on mute: facilitating practical creative work online

Rebecca Berkley shares lessons on creating an immersive, inspiring digital learning environment to teach practical and creative subjects online

Rebecca Berkley

University of Reading

Five steps to moving practical learning online

Five simple ways to recreate the practical sides of teaching online

It can be a challenge to shift physical elements of teaching online. Eoin Coakley shares five approaches to recreating the experience of in-person learning for remote students

Eoin Coakley

Coventry University

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

Approaches to moving practical courses to more remote learning

Innovative approaches to moving practical learning online

A major challenge of the move to remote learning has been how to teach practical subjects. Here, Lesley Saunders and Lucy Kirkham discuss how they adopted a combination of online, blended and socially distanced teaching for a large nursing course

Lesley Saunders , Lucy Kirkham

Sheffield Hallam University

Encourage students to take their online learning outside

Take your online teaching outside

Being outdoors can offer students and teachers dozens of benefits, from improved learning outcomes to better mental health. Aimée Little talks about taking online classes outside

Aimée Little

University of York

How to offer real-world training and fieldwork through digital channels as part of its online courses

How to tackle fieldwork and real-world training online

Francine Ryan explains how the Open University law school offers real-world training and fieldwork through digital channels as part of its online courses

Francine Ryan

The Open University

Use 360-degree video to create a more immersive digital learning experience

Using 360-degree video to bring online classes to life

Using 360-degree video can help create a more immersive digital learning experience, making practical aspects of online classes more realistic. Here Jane Frost draws on her experience of training nurses to explain how it can be used

Jane Frost

University of Canberra

Remote vs virtual labs

The move to online teaching has led to a huge rise in the use of both remote and virtual laboratories. Here Dr Yeung explains how each works and outlines their strengths and weaknesses

Yau-Yuen Yeung

The Education University of Hong Kong

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