Course design

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

Advice on supporting academics staff in taking their first steps towards decolonising curricula

How to support academic staff starting the journey of decolonising the curriculum

How do you support the endeavours of academic staff and build student voice into an institution-wide effort to decolonise the curriculum? Mhairi Taylor and Nighet Riaz share lessons from the University of Glasgow’s action plan

Mhairi Taylor, Nighet Riaz

University of Glasgow

Universal design for learning involves creating courses that all university students can use effectively

Universal design for learning: an introduction and getting started

UDL offers ways to plan teaching and learning to accommodate diverse students and help learners develop the self-efficacy they need to be successful, says Dara Cassidy

Dara Cassidy

RCSI, University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Advice on designing worthwhile multiple choice questions for higher education assessment

Creating worthwhile multiple choice questions for higher education assessment

Multiple choice questions are often frowned on as an assessment tool in higher education. But when well constructed, they offer a clear and transparent way of evaluating student progress, as Anthony Evans explains

Anthony J Evans

ESCP Business School

Chatbots can be vital tools for university careers services, with one-to-one discussions set to become a thing of the past

How AI and chatbots can deliver personalised career planning

The development of careers chatbots could be considered a threat to guidance practitioners, but the reverse is true, says Caroline Tolond

Caroline Tolond

Arden University

Advice on developing students' identities as learners rather than consumers of their higher education

Building student identities as learners, not consumers, for better academic outcomes

Students who think and act like consumers have worse academic outcomes, research shows. Louise Taylor Bunce shares practical steps to help build students’ identities as learners rather than as consumers of education

Louise Taylor Bunce

Oxford Brookes University

Using immersive tech, such as augmented reality, can revolutionise assessment in universities

Using technology to revolutionise the way you evaluate

Even amid the great shift online, assessment methods have often remained mired in the traditional system, says Monica Francesca Contrino

Monica Francesca Contrino

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Practical and authentic assessment is crucial for students hoping to show employers what they're capable of

How to make sure assessment practices are as authentic as possible

We all want employers to be confident that students have the skills to do the job. And these skills still require assessment, it’s just done a little differently, says Paula Reilly

Paula Reilly

Arden University

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

University lecturers should use reverse grading to turn the grading process on its head

Turn the marking process on its head by using ‘reverse grading’

Davita Günbay explains how reversing the narrative between ‘what I got’ and ‘what I was given’ can help learners engage and take responsibility for their learning

Davita Günbay

Near East University

Advice on using peer assessment to encourage deeper student learning

Recommendations for incorporating and guiding peer assessment in the classroom or online

Claudia Hernández and Karla Banda offer practical advice on how to incorporate and direct productive peer assessment among students

Claudia Janeth Hernández Cardona, Karla Margarita Banda Martínez

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Advice on guiding reflective practices among students as part of their university curricula to aid their professional and personal development

Students as reflective practitioners: a personal development journey

Professional development is often taken for granted and seldom well embedded into university curricula. Alexandra Mihai looks at how intentional learning design can help make it an integral part of students’ learning experience

Alexandra Mihai

Maastricht University

Teaching students to self-assess their written work as a crucial academic skill

Vivid language: teaching online students to assess writing

Audra Spicer explains how online classes can provide opportunities to make student self-assessment visual, engaging, immediate and comprehensible

Audra Spicer

Colorado State University Global

Advice on practical considerations when ungrading

So, you want to take the grades out of teaching? A beginner’s guide to ungrading

Susan D Blum shares her key recommendations for anyone wishing to remove grades from their teaching, in order to focus their students’ energies upon learning

Susan D Blum

University of Notre Dame

How to set up university mentorship schemes to support students to become the socially responsible leaders of the future

Foster mentorship skills to create the socially responsible leaders of the future

Institutions should look to set up mentorship practices that help students develop the skills they will need to create successful and sustainable companies. Laura-Jane Silverman explains how

Laura-Jane Silverman

London School of Economics and Political Science

Advice on guiding meta-reflection among students to get the most out of class discussion forums

Using meta-reflection for professional development: how to tap into the full potential of online discussion forums

Adrian Lam offers guiding questions and prompts that help students reflect on their own ways of thinking and working to aid their professional growth

Adrian Man Ho Lam

University of Hong Kong

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 implementing ungrading to improve student learning outcomes

Feedback rather than ranking: how to start ungrading in order to improve learning

Katharine Johanesen explains how to replace traditional grading with self-assessment and feedback throughout a course in order to improve learning outcomes

Katharine Johanesen

Juniata College

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

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 designing and delivering more authentic, equitable and transparent assessment and feedback

Equity, agency and transparency: making assessment work better for students and academics

Carol Evans explains how to design assessment and feedback practices that are authentic and deepen students’ learning and confidence in the long term

Carol Evans

Cardiff University, University of Southampton

How to apply systems thinking to sustainability related news items as a way to educate students about the SDGs

Studying sustainability by applying systems thinking to news stories

A guide to framing, modelling and acting on sustainable development issues highlighted in the news, shared by Cameron Guthrie

Cameron Guthrie

TBS Education

Advice on designing assessments that encourage students to show off their learning in authentic ways

Assessment design that supports authentic learning (and discourages cheating)

Catherine Wehlburg shares tips for creating a learning environment and assessment design that encourages authentic learning and reduces the temptation to cheat

Catherine Wehlburg

Athens State University

Advice on creating equitable pathways to better engage all students regardless of background or prior knowledge

Co-creation and empowerment: pathways to better student engagement

Effective approaches universities can take to promote equity and improve student learning outcomes and employability, shared by a team from the University of Salford

Sara Namvar, David Greensmith, Niroshini Nirmalan

University of Salford

Advice on how developing a growth mindset and experimenting can result in better teaching

Developing a growth mindset and experimenting for better teaching outcomes

Catherine Seeds explains how a growth mindset and willingness to experiment should be embraced as powerful teaching tools

Catherine Seeds

(SRUC) Scotland’s Rural College

Female students looking at phone outdoors illustrating embodied learning

Embodied learning: how to bring movement into the classroom, and why it matters

Susan Hrach offers practical advice on using physical activity and outdoor space to enhance learning

Susan Hrach

Columbus State University

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

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

Advice on using campaign based assessments in higher education

Putting the case: campaigning documents as assessments on vocational degrees

Russ Woodward looks at the merits and practicalities of using campaign-based assessments on vocational higher education courses

Russell Woodward

University Centre, Grimsby: The TEC Partnership

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

Purposefully building identity and belonging among students

Blake McKimmie outlines why proactively building students’ sense of identity and belonging is vital for positive learning outcomes and gives advice on how it can be achieved

Blake McKimmie

The University of Queensland

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 creating a "Hitchikers Guide" to curriculum design

Creating a ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to Curriculum Design’

Russell Crawford explains how to create a ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to Curriculum Design’ that pools all relevant information to support everyone involved in working towards positive student learning outcomes

Russell Crawford

Falmouth University

Sustainability modules can be crucial for universities

The dos and don’ts of creating a large-scale sustainability module

Rachel Lander, Sylvia Snijders and Gustavo Espinoza Ramos discuss lessons learned from creating a sustainability module that’s taken by 600-plus students per year

Rachel Lander, Sylvia Snijders , Gustavo Espinoza Ramos

University of Westminster

Advice on fostering interdisciplinary learning in large scale doctoral programmes

Fostering interdisciplinary learning in large-scale doctoral programmes

Corina Sas highlights key insights for design and delivery of large-scale doctoral training programmes that foster supportive and cooperative interdisciplinary learning environments

Corina Sas

Lancaster University

Advice on creating short online courses that help drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals

Three steps to designing online learning that supports a sustainable future

Lizzy Garner-Foy offers practical guidance on how to plan, design and develop open, accessible online learning materials that support work towards the SDGs

Lizzy Garner-Foy

University of Edinburgh

Advice on developing advice resources in the form of short videos for students

Creating advice videos to help students and support your teaching

Nicholas Morton tackles five basic questions about creating advice videos designed to help students easily source guidance and information when they need it

Nicholas Morton

Nottingham Trent University

Advice on how to effectively bring co-creation with students into your teaching practices

Co-creating with students: practical considerations and approaches

Stacy Katz explains how to develop meaningful learning experiences by collaborating with students, rather than determining for them

Stacy Katz

Lehman College CUNY

Advice on using films to support your teaching

Using films to encourage reflection and critical thinking in your teaching

Noam Schimmel shares advice on how to leverage the pedagogical and emotive power of films to support your teaching

Noam Schimmel

University of California, Berkeley

How to ensure online teaching benefits the education of sustainability issues

Engaging students in applied research to tackle Sustainable Development Goals

Jen O’Brien describes a pedagogical project that engages students in applied research carried out in partnership with external organisations, related to the Sustainable Development Goals

Jen O'Brien

University of Manchester

Advice on getting students thinking about and preparing for their future careers

Preparing students for an uncertain future through career planning

Lessons in engaging students in future career planning and preparation as part of their university studies, shared by Stephen Warrington, Katherine Cameron and Matt Vickers

Stephen Warrington, Katherine Cameron , Matt Vickers

University of Edinburgh

Consideration for how to build your digital capacity to enhance student learning outcomes

A framework for building capacity in digital teaching and learning

Dale Johnson presents a framework to help institutions decide where to focus their efforts in the use of digital systems and resources to enable student success

Dale Johnson

Arizona State University

Advice on using productive failure to activate deeper learning

Using productive failure to activate deeper learning

Manu Kapur explains how using a flipped-classroom approach, setting students problems that they are unable to tackle properly until they have been taught the associated concepts, deepens their learning through ‘productive failure’

Manu Kapur

ETH Zurich

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

Figure at the top of a ladder illustrating skills for career progression, online learning

Creating opportunities to enhance student employability online

Working online presents opportunities for students to develop their employability in the digital space. Ruth Donnelly lists how remote programmes can prepare them for the changing workplace

Ruth Donnelly

University of Edinburgh

Advice on how to get business school students engaging with wider societal issues as part of their programmes

Embedding social impact considerations into business programmes

Ridhima Aggarwal shares effective strategies for fostering a deep understanding of how business and society are interlinked and embedding social impact considerations within business school teaching

Ridhima Aggarwal

INSEAD

Advice on how LEGO can facilitate learning across many disciplines in higher education

Serious play: building knowledge with LEGO bricks

Using LEGO blocks to aid brainstorming has migrated from boardrooms into university classrooms. This guide explores how to get the most out of it in your teaching – whether virtual or on campus

Caitlin Kight, Holly Henderson

University of Exeter

Advice on why and how to use podcasts to supplement your online teaching

Listen to this! Using podcasts for online learning

Emily O’Reilly explains why and how to use educational podcasts to supplement your online teaching

Emily O'Reilly

University of Edinburgh

Advice on using popular social media platforms to support your university teaching and academic research

Fake news, educated views and how-tos: social media for teaching and research

Terese Bird shares her ideas on how to use some of the most popular social media platforms to support your teaching and research

Terese Bird

University of Leicester

Webinar discussion how to reduce student drop out rates in the context of the pandemic and online learning

Place-based learning in digital universities

A discussion of how the exploration and understanding of a place can be the backbone of higher education teaching and learning, whether delivered online or in-person

Elizabeth Langran, Reneta Lansiquot , Robbie Nicol, Abbey S Willis

Marymount University, New York City College of Technology, University of Edinburgh, Siena College

How to use design methods such as scenario building to guide students in tackling real world challenges

Designing back from the future: building scenarios to engage students with global challenges

Anke Schwittay shows how design methods such as scenario building can help students think creatively about diverse challenges and imagine responses to them

Anke Schwittay

University of Sussex

Advice on working with employers to develop courses that teach the skills needed in the workplace

Teaching the skills wanted by employers in 2021 and beyond

Dilshad Sheikh makes a case for universities to work more closely with employers to shape industry-relevant courses and expose students to more real-world practical training and assessment

Dilshad Sheikh

Arden University

Lessons in effective pedagogy that should be applied long after the pandemic

Flexi-learning on a shoestring

Four Australian academics discuss how universities can deliver quality flexible teaching and learning on already stretched budgets

Jane Frost, Garth Maker, Michael Sankey , Amanda White

University of Canberra, Murdoch University, Charles Darwin University, University of Technology Sydney

Webinar discussion how to reduce student drop out rates in the context of the pandemic and online learning

Cultivating creativity in higher education

Academics from the UK and the US discuss the role of creativity in higher education, its many forms and how to foster it through teaching and research

Bashir Makhoul, Giovanni Moneta, Linda Watts, Yong Zhao

University for the Creative Arts, London Metropolitan University, University of Washington, Bothell, University of Kansas, University of Melbourne

Three benefits of moving final year assignments online

Virtual classroom connections: enhancing three presence elements via online tools

Nguyen Hoang Thuan and Pham Cong Hiep provide practical tips for enhancing three types of presence – teaching, social and cognitive – in online learning and teaching, based on their research

Nguyen Hoang Thuan, Pham Cong Hiep

RMIT University Vietnam

A framework for guiding students in effective peer review to boost their learning outcomes

Guiding students to learn from each other through peer feedback

Sam Evans and David Collett share a framework to guide students in effective peer review to boost learning outcomes

Sam Evans, David Collett

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Advice on why and how teaching using your voice only can be effective to reach remote students

How to teach online with voice only

Yutthana Srisavat explains why and how he adapted his teaching to instruct using just his voice via a messenger app, as a way to keep classes accessible to remote students

Yutthana Srisavat

Siam University

Advice on using digital simulations to prepare students for workplace challenges

How to use digital simulations to prepare students for future careers

Stephanie West advises on 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

Advice on developing regular quizzes that test students' understanding so they can address any gaps in their knowledge

Designing ‘knowledge checker’ quizzes that motivate students to review feedback and revise learning

Jonathan Sim advises on designing regular quizzes as a tool to ensure students review their assignment feedback and address gaps in their understanding

Jonathan Sim

National University of Singapore

Advice on using lego to support active learning in lectures

Teaching with LEGO: using plastic bricks to encourage play and interaction in class

Dan Swanton explains how using LEGO to demonstrate and apply lessons in class promotes play and interaction leading to better engagement and peer discussion as part of active learning design

Dan Swanton

University of Edinburgh

Advice on selection ed-tech tools that will improve the students' learning experience rather than distract from teaching

How to assess if online tools will enhance learning experiences

Elizabeth Ellis offers five tips for assessing and selecting digital education tools that will improve rather than distract from your teaching

Elizabeth Ellis

Arden University

Guidance on building space into curricula for creative exploration and discussion of topics

Making space for creativity in higher education

Paul Moss explains why and how university tutors should create opportunities for creative exploration among students within their courses

Paul Moss

The University of Adelaide

Advice on developing a pedagogy with care and compassion at its core

A pedagogy of kindness: the cornerstone for student learning and wellness

Fiona Rawle outlines a pedagogy founded on human connection, care and compassion that improves student learning outcomes

Fiona Rawle

University of Toronto Mississauga

Advice on designing university curricula that nurture creativity

How to embed creativity more fully into university curricula

Gareth Loudon highlights five key strategies to enhance student creativity through university curricula that encourage exploration and enquiry

Gareth Loudon

Royal College of Art

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 fostering fruitful relationships between students from all over the world

Relationship building among globally diverse students in a borderless university

Monika Foster offers insights into why and how to encourage relationship-building between global learners by celebrating diversity and encouraging collaboration in teaching, learning and assessment

Monika Foster

University of Sunderland

Advice for designing and building immersive, large-scale teaching experiences in video games

Generating immersive, large-scale teaching experiences in video games

Richard Fitzpatrick and Thomas Little offer insights for designing and developing immersive learning experiences using video games, based on their experience using Minecraft in their teaching

Richard Fitzpatrick, Thomas Little

University of Edinburgh

Advice on using blogs to showcase and assess students' knowledge

Students as educators: the value of assessed blogs to showcase learning

Matt Davies explains how assessed blogs help translate the thrill of interactive learning into tangible outcomes that enrich and showcase students’ knowledge

Matt Davies

University of Chester

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

Connecting research and humanities through creative collaborations

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

Allison Schwartz

University of West Florida

Advice on explaining to students why they should keep their cameras on during online classes

Stay in the frame: how to persuade students to keep cameras on in lessons

Paul Moss shares advice on how to convince students that making themselves visible during online classes is in their own interest and will aid learning outcomes

Paul Moss

The University of Adelaide

Advice on why introducing time for reflection deepens undergraduates understanding of research methods

Creating time and space for reflection in undergraduate research methods

Adrian Lam offers insights on how keeping a weekly application diary helps enhance students’ reflections on the power and limits of research methods

Adrian Man Ho Lam

University of Hong Kong

Advice for taking a course like maths requiring detailed step by step instruction online

Taking challenging courses requiring step-by-step instruction online

Pam Benz offers tips for translating challenging courses, which necessitate students seeing problems worked out step by step, to online instruction modes

Pam Benz

University of West Florida

Creative writing activities that help students develop their critical thinking skills

Creative writing to hone critical thinking

Parag Dandgey shares creative writing activities designed to improve students’ critical thinking skills by developing their understanding of multiple perspectives

Parag Dandgey

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

An overview of how cognitive load can be used to determine how challenging your learning content can be before it risks alienating students

How challenging can my content be?

Paul Moss explores the concept of cognitive load as a way to determine how challenging your learning content should be to remain effective

Paul Moss

The University of Adelaide

Advice on how online review exercises can be used to improve student performance

Online review exercises to improve student performance in large courses

Online review exercises, used in combination with other learning activities, improve student engagement and learning performance in large online courses, Peng Cheng and Rui Ding explain

Peng Cheng, Rui Ding

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Advice on working with employers and leveraging technology to train students in creative problem solving

Using tech to train students in creative problem-solving 

Alison Watson explains how institutions can guide students in developing creative solutions to real-world problems, better preparing them for the demands of the future workplace

Alison Watson

Arden University

Advice on facilitating peer support among students in large online lectures

Embedding peer support among students in large online lectures

David Quinn explains how strategies that work in person to facilitate active participation and peer support among students can be adapted to large online lectures

David Quinn

University of Edinburgh

Three tips for making instructional videos that support better student engagement

Three video techniques for increasing student engagement

Joe Arton shares three evidence-based techniques for creating teaching and learning videos that will improve student engagement and learning outcomes

Joe Arton

University of Edinburgh

Advice on training students in presenting

Make yourself presentable

Richard Gratwick sketches a course designed to develop students’ presentation skills, whether in person or online, using principles that are universal

Richard Gratwick

University of Edinburgh

Advice on teaching big classes by getting students doing rather than listening

Big-class energy: how to get large groups learning by doing, not just listening

Charlie Reis shares advice on successfully teaching large cohorts by getting students actively involved in learning activities rather than passively listening

Charlie Reis

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Lessons from testing gamification strategies in online teaching

Gamification in the classroom: what have we learned?

Shuhan Li and Olivia Sun share what they learned when testing out gamification strategies and technologies to tackle some of the challenges presented by online learning

Shuhan Li , Olivia Sun

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

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

Advice on developing an educational app to link students learning to the world around them

Developing an educational app to engage students in the world around them

Niki Vermeulen and Kate Bowell describe a creative approach to place-based learning involving an app that offers educational walking tours linking students’ studies to the world around them

Kate Bowell, Niki Vermeulen

University of Edinburgh

Advice on teaching large classes to try and keep all students actively engaged in learning

Teaching at scale: reaching all your students in large classes

Heather McQueen explains how lecturers can fulfil their responsibility to facilitate learning for all students, particularly in large classes where individual student contact is minimal

Heather McQueen

University of Edinburgh

Advice on creating accessible inclusive reading lists for students

How to develop inclusive reading lists for distance and blended learning

Jude Wilson offers advice on how academics can work with their university library teams to ensure course reading lists are accessible and inclusive for all students

Jude Wilson

Arden University

Advice on selecting the right ed-tech tools to support your teaching and learning

Enabling staff-student co-creation of experiential learning at scale

Simon Riley and Gavin McCabe share a reflective learning and assessment framework for staff and students to co-create experiential learning that is scalable and effective

Simon Riley, Gavin McCabe

University of Edinburgh

Advice on recognising the pros and cons of online teaching and what to bring forward after covid

Pandemic teaching: storm clouds and silver linings

Glenn Geher talks through the highs and lows of teaching during a pandemic and the lessons we can learn from them

Glenn Geher

State University of New York at New Paltz

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