tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca/topics/university-study-19534/articlesUniversity study – The Conversation2023-02-27T16:57:21Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2002482023-02-27T16:57:21Z2023-02-27T16:57:21ZChatGPT and cheating: 5 ways to change how students are graded<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511716/original/file-20230222-14-ufch1c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C65%2C5472%2C3112&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Teachers and university professors have relied heavily on 'one and done' essay assignments for decades. Requiring students to submit drafts of their work is one needed shift.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Universities and schools have entered a new phase in how they need to address academic integrity as our society navigates a <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2020/03/04/letter-to-toronto-how-profound-innovations-are-making-our-city-a-leader-in-the-digital-age.html">second era of digital technologies</a>, which include publicly available generative artificial intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT.
Such platforms allow students to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/chatgpt-student-benefits-1.6731105">generate novel text for written assignments</a>. </p>
<p>While many worry these advanced AI technologies are ushering in a <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10031827">new age of plagiarism and cheating</a>, these technologies also introduce opportunities for educators to rethink assessment practices and engage students in deeper and more meaningful learning that can promote critical thinking skills. </p>
<p>We believe the emergence of ChatGPT creates an opportunity for schools and post-secondary institutions to reform traditional approaches to assessing students that rely heavily on testing and written tasks focused on students’ recall, remembering and basic synthesis of content. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Hands seen on a keyboard." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511720/original/file-20230222-26-7qud13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511720/original/file-20230222-26-7qud13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511720/original/file-20230222-26-7qud13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511720/original/file-20230222-26-7qud13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511720/original/file-20230222-26-7qud13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511720/original/file-20230222-26-7qud13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511720/original/file-20230222-26-7qud13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Schools and post-secondary institutions should revisit testing and written assignments.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Cheating and ChatGPT</h2>
<p>Estimates of cheating <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-83255-1_4">vary widely across national contexts and sectors</a>. </p>
<p>Sarah Elaine Eaton, an expert who studies academic integrity, cautions cheating <a href="https://theconversation.com/cheating-may-be-under-reported-across-canadas-universities-and-colleges-129292">may be under-reported</a>: she has estimated that at Canadian universities, <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-university-students-cheating-exams/">70,000 students</a> buy cheating services every year.</p>
<p>How the recent launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI will impact cheating in both compulsory and higher education settings is unknown, but how this evolves may depend on whether or not institutions retain or reform traditional assessment practices.</p>
<h2>Evading plagiarism detection software?</h2>
<p>The ability of popular plagiarism detection tools to identify cheating using ChatGPT to generate assignments remains a challenge. </p>
<p><a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.04335">A recent study</a>, not yet peer reviewed, found that 50 essays generated using ChatGPT produced sophisticated texts that were able to evade the traditional plagiarism check software. </p>
<p>Given that ChatGPT reached <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/chatgpt-sets-record-fastest-growing-user-base-analyst-note-2023-02-01/">an estimated 100 million monthly active users</a> in January, just two months after its launch, it is understandable why some have argued AI applications such as ChatGPT will spur <a href="https://repositorio.grial.eu/handle/grial/2838">enormous changes</a> in contemporary schooling.</p>
<h2>Policy responses to AI and ChatGPT</h2>
<p>Not surprisingly, there are opposing views on how to respond to ChatGPT and other AI language models. </p>
<p>Some argue educators should embrace AI as a valuable technological tool, provided <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4334162">applications are cited correctly</a>. </p>
<p>Others believe <a href="https://aaee.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AAEE2019_Annual_Conference_paper_180.pdf">more resources and training</a> are required so educators are better able to catch instances of cheating. </p>
<p>Still others, such as New York City’s Department of Education, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2023/01/30/chatgpt-going-banned-teachers-sound-alarm-new-ai-tech/11069593002">have resorted to blocking AI applications such as ChatGPT from devices and networks</a>.</p>
<h2>Forward-thinking assessment</h2>
<p>The figure below depicts three critical elements of a forward-thinking assessment system. Although each element could be elaborated, our focus is in offering educators a series of strategies that will allow them to maintain academic standards and promote authentic learning and assessment in the face of current and future AI applications.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Three circles are seen overlapping in the middle; the circles say AI, student assessment and academic integrity." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510970/original/file-20230219-4224-9widvf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510970/original/file-20230219-4224-9widvf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510970/original/file-20230219-4224-9widvf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510970/original/file-20230219-4224-9widvf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510970/original/file-20230219-4224-9widvf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510970/original/file-20230219-4224-9widvf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510970/original/file-20230219-4224-9widvf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Institutions and educators must examine the intersection of AI, academic integrity and how we assess students.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Louis Volante)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Teachers and university professors have relied heavily on “one and done” essay assignments for decades. Essentially, a student is assigned or asked to pick a generic essay topic from a list and submit their final assignment on a specific date. </p>
<p>Such assignments are particularly susceptible to new AI applications, as well as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-83255-1_9">contract cheating</a> — whereby a student buys a completed essay. Educators now need to rethink such assignments. Here are some strategies.</p>
<p><strong>1. Consider ways to incorporate AI in valid assessment.</strong></p>
<p>It’s not useful or practical for institutions to outright ban AI and applications like ChatGPT. </p>
<p>AI has already been incorporated into some <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-using-ai-tools-like-chatgpt-in-my-mba-innovation-course-is-expected-and-not-cheating-198957">university classrooms</a>. We believe AI technologies must be selectively integrated so that students are able to reflect on appropriate uses and connect their reflections to learning competencies. </p>
<p>For example, Paul Fyfe, an English professor <a href="https://news.dasa.ncsu.edu/professor-paul-fyfe-brings-a-humanistic-approach-to-data/">who teaches about how humans interact with data</a> describes a “pedagogical experiment” in which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-022-01397-z">he required students to take content from text-generating AI software and weave this content</a> into their final essay.</p>
<p>Students were then asked to confront the availability of AI as a writing tool and reflect on the ethical use and evaluation of language modes.</p>
<p><strong>2. Engage students in setting learning goals.</strong></p>
<p>Ensuring students understand how they will be graded is key to any good assessment system. </p>
<p>Inviting students to collaboratively establish learning goals and criteria for the task, with consideration for the role of AI software, would help students to evaluate and judge appropriate contexts in which AI can work as a learning tool. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/unlike-with-academics-and-reporters-you-cant-check-when-chatgpts-telling-the-truth-198463">Unlike with academics and reporters, you can't check when ChatGPT's telling the truth</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p><strong>3. Require students to submit drafts for feedback.</strong></p>
<p>Although students should still complete essay assignments, research into academic integrity policy in response to generative AI suggests students should be required to <a href="https://edarxiv.org/mrz8h?trk=public_post_main-feed-card_reshare-text">submit drafts of their work for review</a> and feedback. Apart from helping to detect plagiarism, this <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/emip.12382">kind of “formative assessment” practice is positive for guiding student learning</a>.</p>
<p>Feedback can be offered by the teacher or by students themselves. Peer- and self-feedback can serve to critically evaluate work in progress (or work generated by AI software). </p>
<p><strong>4. Grade subcomponents of the task.</strong></p>
<p>Students could receive a grade for each subcomponent — including their involvement in feedback processes. They would also be evaluated in relation to how well they incorporated and attended to the specific feedback provided. </p>
<p>The assignment becomes bigger than a final essay, it becomes a product of learning, where students’ ideas are evaluated from development to final submission. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Students seen sitting with a teacher." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511717/original/file-20230222-21-mo6jbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511717/original/file-20230222-21-mo6jbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511717/original/file-20230222-21-mo6jbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511717/original/file-20230222-21-mo6jbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511717/original/file-20230222-21-mo6jbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511717/original/file-20230222-21-mo6jbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511717/original/file-20230222-21-mo6jbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Engaging students in establishing learning goals is part of creating meaningful assessment practices.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>5. Move to more authentic assessments or include performance elements.</strong></p>
<p>Good assessment practice involves an educator observing student learning across multiple contexts. </p>
<p>For example, educators can invite students to present their work, discuss an essay in a conference format or share a video articulation or an artistic representation. The aim here is to encourage students to share their learning through an alternative format. An important question to ask is whether or not you need the essay component at all? Is there a more authentic way to effectively assess student learning? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A educator seen in a library with students." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511713/original/file-20230222-14-61sitj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511713/original/file-20230222-14-61sitj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511713/original/file-20230222-14-61sitj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511713/original/file-20230222-14-61sitj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511713/original/file-20230222-14-61sitj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511713/original/file-20230222-14-61sitj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511713/original/file-20230222-14-61sitj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Encouraging students to present their work is a way educators can observe student learning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/Kampus Production)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Authentic assessments are those that relate content to context. When students are asked to do this, they must apply knowledge in more practical settings, often making AI tools less helpful. </p>
<p>For help in rethinking assessment practices towards more authentic and alternative approaches, educators can consider taking the free course, <a href="https://queens-aeg.ca/transforming-assessment/">Transforming Assessment: Strategies for Higher Education</a>.</p>
<h2>Improve benefits for students</h2>
<p>Collectively, these suggestions may be more time-consuming, particularly in larger undergraduate classes. </p>
<p>But they do provide greater learning and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/emip.12382">synergy between forms of assessment</a> that benefit students: formative assessment to guide teaching and learning, and “summative assessment,” primarily used for grading and evaluation purposes. </p>
<p>AI is here and here to stay, and we must embrace it as part of our learning environment. Incorporating AI into how we assess student learning will yield more reliable assessment processes and valid and valued assessment outcomes.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200248/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Louis Volante receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Don A. Klinger receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christopher DeLuca does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Educators need to carefully consider ChatGPT and issues of academic integrity to move toward an assessment system that leverages AI tools.Louis Volante, Professor of Education Governance and Policy Analysis, Brock UniversityChristopher DeLuca, Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies & Professor, Faculty of Education, Queen's University, OntarioDon A. Klinger, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Te Wānanga Toi Tangata Division of Education; Professor of Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation, University of WaikatoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1891732022-09-07T18:13:22Z2022-09-07T18:13:22ZChoosing university or college courses? 5 questions for students to consider<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/483055/original/file-20220906-16-vkvxrf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C29%2C4446%2C2492&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Why are you taking the course? Knowing the answer will help you choose a balanced courseload. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2020.1823864">sudden shift</a> from on-campus teaching to remote learning in March 2020 changed the ways university and college faculty taught courses. </p>
<p>While some professors reverted to old ways after returning to campus, others sought new approaches. The result is a mixture of different types of courses available <a href="https://theconversation.com/professor-flexibility-recorded-lectures-some-positive-university-legacies-of-the-pandemic-187652">to university and college students</a>.</p>
<p>It’s no longer just a question of whether a course fits a student’s program and schedule. Students need to ask additional questions. Yet, times are changing rapidly and information can quickly become out of date.</p>
<h2>1. How much time does the course require?</h2>
<p>The online pivot encouraged some professors to either add or drop course material. The result is that the amount of time students spend on a course may vary greatly from one professor to another. This may especially be an issue for students who have heavy course loads while balancing other professional and personal responsibilities. </p>
<p>Aside from practicums and field classes, most universities and colleges have few standards on how much time students should spend outside the classroom. </p>
<p>Ask, how much reading is required? Are there heavy writing requirements in papers and online discussions? A course with weekly assignments is easier to manage than a course with just one major assignment due at the end. Course advisors may have copies of syllabi or an instructor’s course syllabus may be available online.</p>
<p>While students should not take only “easy” courses, it is important to appropriately manage workloads. Stress is a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-021-09552-y">contributor to students’ mental health challenges</a>. It’s good to be challenged, but don’t take on too much. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A backpack seen with notebook, glasses, a clock." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/483053/original/file-20220906-16-he753.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=21%2C58%2C3650%2C2587&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/483053/original/file-20220906-16-he753.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483053/original/file-20220906-16-he753.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483053/original/file-20220906-16-he753.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483053/original/file-20220906-16-he753.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483053/original/file-20220906-16-he753.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483053/original/file-20220906-16-he753.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Having a good sense of the time a course will require and how you can meet its demands amid other commitments matters.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>2. Do I need to attend classes? Can I work remotely?</h2>
<p>Many students are now combining <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2022.2081225">online and face-to-face courses into their programs.</a></p>
<p>The difference between online and face-to-face courses has blurred. Many face-to-face classes now have significant online components. If instructors record lectures, provide comprehensive lecture materials and allow assignments or tests to be submitted online, the class grading structure may make it possible to take a face-to-face course and rarely show up for classes. </p>
<p>This may benefit students juggling family or professional commitments with college or university. </p>
<p>But be aware of how missing lectures could affect your grades, experience and learning. Teachers work hard in the <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Creating+Significant+Learning+Experiences:+An+Integrated+Approach+to+Designing+College+Courses,+Revised+and+Updated-p-9781118124253">classroom to engage and inspire.</a> Lectures can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/03098260802276771">entertaining, interesting and can open new possibilities for learning.</a> Professors’ body language communicates additional information. They may edit out parts of a recorded lecture they feel are too spontaneous to be preserved.</p>
<p>Whether or not learning outcomes depend on peer collaboration, many students find it motivating to be surrounded by their peers. At the same time, the creation of learning communities can also take place in online environments.</p>
<p>It’s also easy to spend more time than anticipated replaying recorded lectures.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Students seen sitting in a classroom." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/483054/original/file-20220906-5322-2ouar1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/483054/original/file-20220906-5322-2ouar1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483054/original/file-20220906-5322-2ouar1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483054/original/file-20220906-5322-2ouar1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483054/original/file-20220906-5322-2ouar1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483054/original/file-20220906-5322-2ouar1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/483054/original/file-20220906-5322-2ouar1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some professors became more understanding and sympathetic to student needs during COVID-19 chaos.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>3. Is the professor approachable and flexible?</h2>
<p>Some professors became <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2022.2081225">more understanding and sympathetic to student needs during COVID-19 chaos.</a> Others less so. Faculty are typically required to describe how students can reach them, including preferred communication method and email or online message system response time in the syllabi. This will also describe any flexibility built into their course.</p>
<p>Students often share their experiences with different courses and instructors with one another, and this can be helpful. Bear in mind, however, that such experiences may have changed through the pandemic.</p>
<p>Another way to gain information is to ask the professor directly. Their reply (or lack thereof) may be useful. Just respect the work-life boundaries most professors have established concerning digital communication outside regular work hours as they are also juggling commitments amid increasing workloads, <a href="https://theconversation.com/survey-of-academics-finds-widespread-feelings-of-stress-and-overwork-130715">all while attempting to mitigate burnout during the pandemic.</a> </p>
<h2>4. Will I need special equipment and materials?</h2>
<p>It became clear during the pandemic <a href="https://theconversation.com/online-learning-during-covid-19-8-ways-universities-can-improve-equity-and-access-145286">that some students struggled with internet connections, under-powered devices and equitable access.</a> </p>
<p>Operating systems may be an issue when installing specialist software (such as ArcGISPro GIS software used in our field of geography). Campus computer labs are commonly set up for specific software, but it’s worth investigating how responsive IT support is for students using their own devices.</p>
<p>Students should also ensure they will be able to access textbooks. Anecdotally, we have seen situations where copyright constraints affect how international students can access digital textbooks, or deliveries are delayed or held up by customs.</p>
<h2>5. Does the grading scheme show off my capabilities?</h2>
<p>Many professors had to rethink traditional grading. Some are now more flexible with respect to deadlines and formats.</p>
<p>Some professors offer the opportunity for students to resubmit. Open book exams became more common during COVID-19. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-may-have-changed-university-teaching-and-testing-for-good-158342">How the COVID-19 pandemic may have changed university teaching and testing for good</a>
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<p>Find out: How many quizzes and exams are included in a course? What type of questions are on a test? How are tests administered and graded? What are the assignments? Do grading rubrics clearly show how the professor will grade assignments?</p>
<p>And ask yourself why you’re taking the course? Do the assignments help you learn, or do they simply allow you to prove you already know something? What matters most to you for this particular course?</p>
<p>Different professors teach differently. If you’re a student with choices in a program, it makes sense to find out what you’re getting.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189173/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Different professors teach differently. If you’re a student with choices in a program, it makes sense to find out what you’re getting.Terence Day, Adjunct Professor of Geography, Simon Fraser UniversityPaul N. McDaniel, Associate Professor of Geography, Kennesaw State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1854832022-08-24T04:26:39Z2022-08-24T04:26:39Z5 problems with the Student Experience Survey’s attempt to understand what’s going on in higher education post-COVID<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469914/original/file-20220621-21-icn7t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3997%2C2656&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Brooke Cagle/Unsplash</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Each year tens of thousands of higher education students complete the <a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/student-experience-survey-(ses)">Student Experience Survey</a>. It’s seen as a litmus test of student engagement, satisfaction and educational quality. But do the ways in which institutions and governments try to understand student experiences still add up? </p>
<p>The pandemic has transformed enrolment patterns and the ways in which students interact with their institutions and the courses they offer. We suggest the <a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2021-ses-national-report.pdf">data from the 2021 survey released today</a> no longer adequately capture students’ experience of study. The current version of the survey was designed for a time when modes of study were more clearly defined than they have become since COVID-19 emerged. </p>
<p>The student survey is part of the Australian <a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/">Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching</a> (QILT) suite of measures for higher education. The <a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2021-ses-national-report.pdf">2021 report</a> shows ratings are more positive compared to 2020 for younger and internal (classroom-based) students. According to the report, this “can likely be attributed to some return to on-campus learning and also a change in the expectations and experience of students”. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-has-changed-students-needs-and-expectations-how-do-universities-respond-172863">COVID has changed students' needs and expectations. How do universities respond?</a>
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<p>But how are “internal” students engaging in their studies? Does learning look the same today compared to 2019, and should it?</p>
<p>New forms of flexibility in student mode of study have to be matched with new forms of support to enable students to make smart choices. The mode of study categorised as internal for the survey now includes so much variation that it no longer serves a useful function for reporting and analysis purposes. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-learning-is-real-world-learning-thats-why-blended-on-campus-and-online-study-is-best-163002">Digital learning is real-world learning. That's why blended on-campus and online study is best</a>
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<h2>Why QILT results matter</h2>
<p>Individual higher education providers might use results to:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>set key performance indicators – for example, “by 2030, we will be in the top 3 universities for learner engagement”</p></li>
<li><p>market themselves – “we are the top Australian university for teaching quality”</p></li>
<li><p>undertake evidence-informed planning – “develop sense-of-belonging roadmap to increase scores”. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Student survey data are also used in research that informs policymakers. Drawing on many years of survey results, social scientists analyse datasets to answer big, high-level questions. </p>
<p>It’s more than a matter of comparing universities and providers. Questions of equity and access are investigated. For example, how are rural and regional students engaging in higher education? </p>
<p>These data are used in research with other national datasets. For example, reports from the <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/">National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education</a> at Curtin University demonstrate the importance of such data.</p>
<h2>COVID has changed how we study</h2>
<p>The pandemic shone a light on issues of student equity as mode of study shifted (as a recent <a href="https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2de31ec">review</a> showed). <a href="https://heimshelp.dese.gov.au/2015_data_requirements/2015dataelements/329">Mode of attendance</a> is defined as:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>internal: classroom-based</p></li>
<li><p>external: online, correspondence, and electronic-based (the language used for data-collection purposes shows how outdated it is)</p></li>
<li><p>multimodal: mix of internal and external.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>In 2019, about 75% of Australian higher education students were enrolled as internal students. Multimodal studies accounted for roughly 14%. </p>
<p>Even at that time, it could have been argued that the lines between internal (classroom-based) and external (online) were already becoming blurred. Lecture recordings, learning management systems, flipped classrooms, endless debates about the “lecture”, and growth in digital technologies not only broadened access to knowledge but also enabled a mix of online and in-class interaction. </p>
<p>The use of existing technologies was a key reason the higher education sector could pivot online in a week when the pandemic hit in early 2020. Imagine if the pandemic had happened in 2005 instead of 2020? Higher education institutions would have simply shut down without these technologies. </p>
<p>Now we have had two years’ experience of online learning and new modes of study. Examples include attendance via Zoom rooms, live online, hi-flex (making class meetings and materials available so students can access them online or in person), swapping from on-campus to online due to lockdowns, students moving between internal and external study on a week-by-week basis. Does the either-or categorisation of modes of attendance – internal or external – still make sense? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="illustration of hybrid learning with some online students interacting with a physical class" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470147/original/file-20220621-21-24ljn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470147/original/file-20220621-21-24ljn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470147/original/file-20220621-21-24ljn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470147/original/file-20220621-21-24ljn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470147/original/file-20220621-21-24ljn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470147/original/file-20220621-21-24ljn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470147/original/file-20220621-21-24ljn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The old hard-and-fast divisions between learning online or in a physical class are no longer appropriate – technology means students can be involved in both at the same time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-zoom-teams-and-video-lectures-what-do-university-students-really-want-from-online-learning-167705">Beyond Zoom, Teams and video lectures — what do university students really want from online learning?</a>
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<h2>5 problems with categorising attendance this way</h2>
<p>We have identified at least five problems with the current survey categorisation of modes of attendance:</p>
<p><strong>1.</strong> categorising attendance as purely one or other mode, rather than a combination of modes, stifles research and analysis of important national datasets </p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> the existing categorisations stifle innovation, limiting institutions from creating distinctive blends of modes of teaching and learning</p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> it perpetuates an outdated, either/or mindset that permeates discussion in the sector</p>
<p><strong>4.</strong> it masks important implications of differences between new and established modes of attendance, including:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>hidden workloads for staff, leading to questions of burnout and mental health</p></li>
<li><p>unclear expectations for students, which hinders decision-making and effective study approaches</p></li>
<li><p>hidden costs and unclear planning processes for differing modes of study</p></li>
<li><p>lack of clarity about blurred modes of study being offered, which can restrict access to higher education and create obstacles to success for equity students.</p></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>5.</strong> the sector is missing opportunities to gather relevant mass-scale data on modes of attendance to guide policy and practice. </p>
<h2>Sector needs to agree on a new model</h2>
<p>The crude categorisation of modes of study is hindering evidence-based decision-making. Across the sector, institutions are scrambling to sort out how best to maintain the flexibility many students now demand while ensuring students meet expected learning outcomes. And institutions need to do so in ways that are sustainable and healthy for staff. </p>
<p>As the chaos of the pandemic hopefully subsides, the higher education sector would benefit from a sector-wide process of developing an agreed way of describing the full range of modes of attendance. A framework is needed that enables shared understanding of all these modes. This will enable institutions to better plan, resource, innovate and engage students and staff. </p>
<p>Such a framework could then inform ongoing national data collection, such as QILT, so social scientists and educational researchers can, in turn, better guide policy and practice.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185483/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kelly E Matthews has received funds from the Australian Department of Education, Skills and Employment in a project with the co-authors and Matthias Kubler. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jason M Lodge has received funds from the Australian Department of Education, Skills and Employment in a project with the co-authors and Matthias Kubler.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Melissa Johnstone has received funds from the Australian Department of Education, Skills and Employment in a project with the co-authors and Matthias Kubler.</span></em></p>The annual Student Experience Survey is a litmus test of student engagement, satisfaction and educational quality. But the survey’s categories of study no longer match the post-COVID experience.Kelly E Matthews, Associate Professor, Higher Education, Institute of Teaching and Learning Innovation, The University of QueenslandJason M Lodge, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, School of Education & Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation, The University of QueenslandMelissa Johnstone, Research Fellow, The Institute for Social Science Research, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1728632021-12-16T19:09:45Z2021-12-16T19:09:45ZCOVID has changed students’ needs and expectations. How do universities respond?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437462/original/file-20211214-15-pz6wax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C7%2C5334%2C3542&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>One could be forgiven for thinking moving lectures online is the only change to the higher education experience to come from the COVID-19 pandemic. Barely a day goes by without a headline that another university will conduct “lectures” in online mode only. But there is so much more potential for change in the wake of the pandemic. Our experiences in Australia and the UK have shown one significant change is that university decision-making has <a href="https://doi.org/10.5334/jime.649">become more student-centred</a> in response to students’ demands for flexibility.</p>
<p>Flexibility is often understood as student preferences for modes of learning. Some students see benefits in fully online learning and may decide to continue in that mode. The majority, though, have expressed a strong desire to return to campus. But they want to retain the flexibility of online learning. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-learning-is-real-world-learning-thats-why-blended-on-campus-and-online-study-is-best-163002">Digital learning is real-world learning. That's why blended on-campus and online study is best</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>How can universities meet these expectations?</h2>
<p>Let’s take timetabling as one example. For decades, timetables have been produced to maximise the use of expensive campus infrastructure. Students had to fit their complex lives around that. </p>
<p>During emergency remote teaching many students were able to choose an online class or watch a recording at a time that suited them. Having experienced this flexibility, there is increasing evidence of a demand for 24/7/365 access to learning. Or is there? Have we really understood students’ “demands” for flexibility and are we making decisions in their best interests? </p>
<p>Such 24/7 flexibility involves a significant trade-off for students. For one thing, it means they lose consistent contact with the same peers as they dip in and out of different classes.</p>
<p>Current timetables mean students sometimes travel significant distances for a single one-hour class. It’s not surprising these students would prefer to access a class remotely or at a later time. </p>
<p>But could we use technology to build timetables that cluster classes over fewer days to reduce students’ total travel time? In this way, a student-centred approach would fit in with students’ lives rather than the other way around. At the same time, it would protect the essential elements of the on-campus experience.</p>
<p>Consider what kind of post-COVID, on-campus experiences students want. Students enrolled at campus-based institutions often said they <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0250378">missed the social environment during lockdown</a>. So it is no surprise they now seek social opportunities to make new friends, build new networks through social activities like clubs and societies, engage with different perspectives and be physically located within the academic community. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young masked woman standing on a train" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437463/original/file-20211214-23-r43uis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437463/original/file-20211214-23-r43uis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437463/original/file-20211214-23-r43uis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437463/original/file-20211214-23-r43uis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437463/original/file-20211214-23-r43uis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437463/original/file-20211214-23-r43uis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437463/original/file-20211214-23-r43uis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Universities need to devise more student-centred timetabling that reduces weekly travel times while still offering rewarding on-campus experiences.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Managing change in a time of constraints</h2>
<p>A shift to more student-centred decision-making will need to confront external constraints. One is the urgent need to find ways of meeting the costs of education. </p>
<p>Governments worldwide had already <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS">reduced spending on higher education</a> before the pandemic. The pandemic has left governments facing a challenging financial situation: the government debt legacy and economic recession resulting from COVID as well as <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/FlagPost/2020/October/HELP_statistics_2019-20">rising student loan debt</a>. They are now seeking to lower public spending on higher education further. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/after-2-years-of-covid-how-bad-has-it-really-been-for-university-finances-and-staff-172405">After 2 years of COVID, how bad has it really been for university finances and staff?</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<p>Another challenge is the demand to prepare highly skilled graduates to overcome <a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/australias-great-skills-shortage-235914173.html">skills shortages</a> made worse by COVID. Employers are seeking capabilities such as problem solving, resilience, social influence and stress tolerance, in addition to particular knowledge and skills.</p>
<p>To reduce costs, teaching may need to draw on freely available open education resources or online content from commercial providers. But universities still have to make sure they design active learning experiences on campus to allow students to make friends, experience student life and feel part of the academic community. </p>
<p>Crucially, active learning experiences provide the environment for meaningful activity, whether online or in person. This can be supported by scaffolded learning to progressively develop students’ academic, metacognitive and professional skills from orientation through to graduation. </p>
<h2>Caring has to be a priority</h2>
<p>An added dimension is the pastoral and caring role universities play in the lives of students. Caring has always been an important facet of teaching, but never more so than during the pandemic. </p>
<p>Academics have spent long hours giving academic and pastoral care to students. A <a href="https://tinyurl.com/r9ymy5tf">UCL study</a> provides evidence of the additional (often unaccounted) time and emotional labour academics invested in supporting students online. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman talks to a group of people on her computer screen" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437460/original/file-20211214-19-t25w38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437460/original/file-20211214-19-t25w38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437460/original/file-20211214-19-t25w38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437460/original/file-20211214-19-t25w38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437460/original/file-20211214-19-t25w38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437460/original/file-20211214-19-t25w38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437460/original/file-20211214-19-t25w38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Academics have invested many extra hours in supporting their students through the pandemic.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As we return to campus, caring has to continue. Students still face uncertainties that cause them anxiety. Mental health is at an all-time low.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-has-increased-anxiety-and-depression-rates-among-university-students-and-they-were-already-higher-than-average-167787">COVID has increased anxiety and depression rates among university students. And they were already higher than average</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The added costs of caring for students come at a time of major financial pressure on all institutions. So, student-centred decision-making will be vital in determining how this care can be provided as an integral part of our teaching. </p>
<p>The big questions for higher education go beyond which parts of the student experience should be online and which should be on-campus. The bigger question is how we can accommodate demands for flexibility while preserving the social aspects that provide crucial academic and pastoral support at the same time as ensuring sustainability. </p>
<p>Taking a student-centred approach to decision-making in higher education, informed by a careful analysis of students’ experiences, might be a start.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172863/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Since the pandemic began university decision-making has become more student-centred in response to students’ demands for flexibility.Shirley Alexander, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Education and Students), University of Technology SydneyAllison Littlejohn, Professor and Director of Knowledge Lab, UCLRhona Sharpe, Director, Centre for Teaching and Learning, University of OxfordSue Bennett, Professor of Education, University of WollongongTunde Varga-Atkins, Senior Educational Developer (Digital Education), Centre For Innovation In Education, University of LiverpoolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1696252021-10-19T19:13:32Z2021-10-19T19:13:32ZHow a maximum security prison offers a pathway to academic excellence and a PhD<p>The person taking notes during our meeting, we later learn, is averaging a high distinction in their studies for a bachelor degree. If this level of performance is maintained this student is heading for a university medal – an award recognising exceptional academic achievement. Clearly this is a highly motivated student. </p>
<p>Our PhD candidate was happy he could concentrate on our conversation and didn’t need to worry about keeping notes. Besides studying for a PhD, the candidate is training five prison inmates in a specialised professional 3D design and manufacturing software package typically used in the design industry. </p>
<p>Sounds very busy and under pressure to perform. Yet, in his first months as a PhD student, his paper was accepted at an international sustainable design conference. </p>
<p>Where did we find such high-achieving students? Inside a maximum security prison in New South Wales! It seems it is possible to excel at university studies in jail. </p>
<p>Furthermore, the <a href="https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/perspectives/PE300/PE342/RAND_PE342.pdf">US</a> and <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524013/education-review-report.pdf">UK experience</a> suggests inmates who undertake higher education re-offend at dramatically lower rates than others following their release from prison.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="university graduation ceremony" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/426127/original/file-20211013-17-h4lctg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/426127/original/file-20211013-17-h4lctg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/426127/original/file-20211013-17-h4lctg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/426127/original/file-20211013-17-h4lctg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/426127/original/file-20211013-17-h4lctg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/426127/original/file-20211013-17-h4lctg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/426127/original/file-20211013-17-h4lctg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When prison inmates join the ranks of university graduates their rate of re-offending after release falls dramatically.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.inside.unsw.edu.au/campus-life/8000-graduates-join-the-ranks-unsw-alumni">UNSW</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/by-freeing-prisoners-from-cycle-of-crime-education-cuts-re-offending-42610">By freeing prisoners from cycle of crime, education cuts re-offending</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What sort of prison is this?</h2>
<p>The corrections officer accompanying us said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“The inmates have been judged in a court by a judge, so we don’t need to do it again.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>His statement reflects the spirit of this institution. Its focus is on genuine rehabilitation through being respectful, building skills and encouraging further education. It also has a strict anti-violence policy.</p>
<p>The jail that enables these endeavours is not the sort we’re used to seeing in popular movies. Features of the Macquarie Correctional Centre include private bathrooms, and beds are in private cubicles in a dorm with a kitchenette. The inmate are afforded privacy and dignity. </p>
<p>These are features based on <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330237153_Understanding_desistance_a_critical_review_of_theories_of_desistance">desistance theory</a> of how criminal offenders stop their offending behaviour. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/crime-and-punishment-and-rehabilitation-a-smarter-approach-41960">Crime and punishment and rehabilitation: a smarter approach</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zGUEVpGREVo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">At Macquarie Correctional Centre, inmates have greater access to education and programs to rehabilitate them and reduce re-offending.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After passing through security and being escorted to our meeting, my colleague was a bit uneasy as we passed inmates in the long corridors. After all we were inside a maximum security prison. The inmates were there for offences that warranted maximum security incarceration. </p>
<p>However, the people we encountered were polite and greeted us in a friendly manner.</p>
<p>This environment was familiar to me because I’ve been to jail a few times myself – not as an inmate, but as a facilitator and participant in <a href="https://avp.international">Alternative to Violence Project (AVP)</a> workshops. </p>
<h2>What are the challenges of studying ‘inside’?</h2>
<p>When studying “inside”, there is no internet access. Emails are printed out or relayed. If information needs to be viewed online it is under supervision of an authorised officer. To quickly check a fact or find a reference from the online library is not possible. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/offline-inmates-denied-education-and-skills-that-reduce-re-offending-38709">Offline inmates denied education and skills that reduce re-offending</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>All these study activities need to be planned and approved and timed. Procedures and processes need to be learned, understood, applied and adhered to. My colleague struggled at first to come to grips with this, and so did the university’s postgraduate school. </p>
<p>To even get enrolled into a PhD was no easy feat, despite a well-developed research proposal. The inmate had previously applied unsuccessfully to another university. Today, less than a handful of inmates have completed a PhD while incarcerated in NSW.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.2025.unsw.edu.au">UNSW’s 2025 Strategy</a> has a strong commitment to improving quality of life, sustainable development and to equity, diversity and inclusion. Therefore the Graduate Research School could approve this rare request. </p>
<p>There were many more problems to overcome. While it is possible to watch online tutorials without a full name being disclosed or face shown (to stop being identified as inmates for legal reasons), it is not possible to actively participate while maintaining complete confidentiality. Also how to access the ubiquitous <a href="https://moodle.telt.unsw.edu.au/login/index.php">online learning platform</a>, submit online assignments and meet supervisors?</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"653178176173006848"}"></div></p>
<p>Working from home and online learning are now commonplace. Yet at first in this case it was not thought possible. However, support from the prison administration made it possible.</p>
<p>The student proposed, designed and made a special computer desk to enable participation in supervisory meetings. This solution was driven by the prison education officer. We can now see and talk to our student and vice versa.</p>
<h2>It isn’t just the inmates who benefit</h2>
<p>Besides these issues, what good will university study do? </p>
<p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524013/education-review-report.pdf">UK data</a> on re-offending highlight the difference university education can make. In the UK, 46% of all prisoners will re-offend within a year of release – this rises to 59% for short-sentence prisoners. Among prisoners who undertake university courses less than 5% of parolees re-offend. </p>
<p>Rates of re-offending are similar in NSW. The <a href="https://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Pages/bocsar_pages/Re-offending.aspx">percentages of sentenced prisoners who re-offended</a> within a year of release from 2017-2019 were a pretty steady 42% of adults and about 64% of juveniles.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tq9l2dmZ444?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The PBS series College Behind Bars explores how education can change lives, slashing rates of re-offending in the process.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/teaching-in-americas-prisons-has-taught-me-to-believe-in-second-chances-112583">Teaching in America's prisons has taught me to believe in second chances</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>So what is our PhD candidate investigating? The topic is <a href="https://cea.cals.cornell.edu/about-cea/">controlled environment agriculture</a> in correctional facilities. </p>
<p>Currently, prison food is centrally prepared and delivered over long distances. These “food miles” have significant economic, health and environmental impacts. Producing food on site also helps reduce opportunities to smuggle in contraband, increasing inmate safety. </p>
<p>Growing fresh produce “inside” would increase sustainability, improve nutrition and reduce economic and mental health impacts. The result could be a commercially viable food-production system, franchised to other NSW, Australian and international prison facilities. <a href="https://theconversation.com/national-press-club-address-ian-jacobs-on-universities-australias-hidden-asset-101517">Education</a> is one of Australia’s <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/snapshots/economy-composition-snapshot/">biggest industries</a>, and this is an opportunity to expand it further.</p>
<p>Maximum security prisons have the potential to become centres of academic excellence. It would surely be a win for correctional facilities, inmate food quality, health and wellness, society and the environment.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169625/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christian Tietz has previously received funding from the Federal Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. He has also been a facilitator of Alternative to Violence Project (AVP) workshops.</span></em></p>Prisons seem an unlikely source of outstanding university students, but it is. What’s more, those who have done such study are much less likely to reoffend when they get out.Christian Tietz, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1670552021-10-12T04:04:49Z2021-10-12T04:04:49ZHow AI can guide course design and study choices to help graduates get the jobs they want<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425374/original/file-20211008-13-120p8it.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C6000%2C3979&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Graduates entering an ever-more-competitive job market are often unaware of the skills and values they offer employers. The challenge is greater with emerging job roles that require certifications and both multidisciplinary skills and specialist knowledge, even for entry-level positions. </p>
<p>We seek to empower our graduates and maximise their career prospects. New research has enabled us to harness the power of artificial intelligence for a custom-designed course planning and recommendation system for students based on the skills their desired jobs actually require. We named these curriculum delivery models JobFit and ModuLearn. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/migration-is-a-quick-fix-for-skills-shortages-building-on-australians-skills-is-better-159207">Migration is a quick fix for skills shortages. Building on Australians' skills is better</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>JobFit: a career-driven curriculum</h2>
<p>JobFit builds on a simple premise of informing students about the skills they will gain by completing a knowledge unit. This helps students to analyse skills gained from an individual study pathway and how these relate to career prospects. </p>
<p>Students can explore and experiment with various pathways. This “what if?” analysis is tailored to their career goals and knowledge preferences. The system monitors their study progress and proactively offers alternative pathways to maximise their acquisition of skills related to their goals. </p>
<p>We base the skills on recognised frameworks. For science, technology and business, we use the Skills for Information Age (<a href="https://sfia-online.org/en">SFIA</a>) framework version 8, defining 121 skills, each on seven different levels. </p>
<p>For example, performing a basic risk assessment in an organisation requires “<a href="https://sfia-online.org/en/sfia-7/skills/information-security">information security</a>” skill at the lowest level. At the highest level it enables the person to design organisational and governmental policies assuring global information security. </p>
<p>Governments and organisations in <a href="https://sfia-online.org/en/tools-and-resources/standard-industry-skills-profiles/australian-public-service/aps-digital-career-pathways">Australia</a>, <a href="https://sfia-online.org/en/tools-and-resources/standard-industry-skills-profiles/usa-national-initiative-for-cybersecurity-education-nice-work-roles">United States</a>, <a href="https://sfia-online.org/en/tools-and-resources/standard-industry-skills-profiles/uk-government-ddat-roles">United Kingdom</a> and <a href="https://sfia-online.org/en/tools-and-resources/standard-industry-skills-profiles/european-union">European Union</a> have created datasets using SFIA skills to define desired job profiles. </p>
<p>Drawing on these datasets, we designed a <a href="https://employability-tomitrescak.vercel.app/">prototypical course-planning tool</a>. (To login, please provide your email and role you would like to play in the system. A password is not required.) Western Sydney University students can use it to explore their skill compatibility with ICT job roles. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425135/original/file-20211006-25-ey272.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Chart showing employability ratings for various IT job roles based on skills acquired by students" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425135/original/file-20211006-25-ey272.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425135/original/file-20211006-25-ey272.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=230&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425135/original/file-20211006-25-ey272.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=230&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425135/original/file-20211006-25-ey272.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=230&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425135/original/file-20211006-25-ey272.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=289&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425135/original/file-20211006-25-ey272.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=289&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425135/original/file-20211006-25-ey272.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=289&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Students can see their employability rating for various job roles based on the skills they acquire.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The chart above shows the compatibility with general role profiles, for Bachelor of ICT students considering junior-level positions. The video below shows the possibilities of this tool.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hXXaY4V0cc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The author explains how students can match the skills they acquire with the jobs they desire.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This approach has several benefits. First, students understand how their studies develop their skills. They can then set career-driven goals and make well-informed decisions about their study pathways. </p>
<p>Solid understanding of skills and knowing how to express these in CVs and cover letters are increasingly important. This is because human resource departments are adopting <a href="http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8215662/">automated approaches</a> to search for and filter out candidates, using algorithmic processing and text mining. </p>
<p>We can use SFIA to express skills in technology-related areas. However, it does not apply to other areas such as engineering, human sciences, law or medicine. </p>
<p>We are looking at acquiring data from an <a href="https://www.burning-glass.com/">external partner</a> to analyse and process required skills from live job offers across all industries. We will then be able to inform students on the quantity, variety and compatibility of actual job offers in any industry based on their knowledge profile. </p>
<p>This approach will also benefit curriculum designers facing the challenges of new subjects being rapidly introduced to maintain an advantage over competitors. The result is often an incoherent curriculum, particularly when it comes to meeting industry and employer needs. </p>
<p>A lack of understanding of what skills are desired in the job market and ad-hoc additions have led to programs that do not provide clear study pathways and relevance to work roles. Our model allows curriculum designers to analyse and validate their curriculum against job market needs.</p>
<p>Last, working with industry partners, we defined custom job profiles for the industry area of interest and locality. Students who target such custom skill sets are in a stronger position when applying for work with an industry partner.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/419673/original/file-20210906-21-1rvneva.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="screen shot of the curriculum design system that students can use to ensure their skills are compatible with their desired jobs" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/419673/original/file-20210906-21-1rvneva.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/419673/original/file-20210906-21-1rvneva.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419673/original/file-20210906-21-1rvneva.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419673/original/file-20210906-21-1rvneva.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419673/original/file-20210906-21-1rvneva.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=477&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419673/original/file-20210906-21-1rvneva.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=477&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419673/original/file-20210906-21-1rvneva.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=477&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The system helps guide students in choosing units of study that provide skills to match their desired jobs.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-work-integrated-learning-helps-to-make-billions-in-uni-funding-worth-it-166017">How work-integrated learning helps to make billions in uni funding worth it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>ModuLearn: promoting cross-disciplinary skills</h2>
<p>Informing students on the skills they are acquiring is only half of the job. A student must also acquire all their desired skills in a relatively short period. </p>
<p>In undergraduate degrees, much of the course is typically pre-defined with core subjects. Students are often left with only one or two semesters to focus their knowledge on particular employers’ desired skill set. It’s even more of problem in shorter courses such as diplomas or certificates.</p>
<p>It’s likely too that a student’s faculty or school does not offer some critical skills. Students are often reluctant to study in a different school or faculty, fearing the challenge of a new environment.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425376/original/file-20211008-16-1azv8r9.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Charles Sturt University's Topic Tree" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425376/original/file-20211008-16-1azv8r9.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425376/original/file-20211008-16-1azv8r9.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=1073&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425376/original/file-20211008-16-1azv8r9.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=1073&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425376/original/file-20211008-16-1azv8r9.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=1073&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425376/original/file-20211008-16-1azv8r9.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1349&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425376/original/file-20211008-16-1azv8r9.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1349&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425376/original/file-20211008-16-1azv8r9.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1349&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Charles Sturt University’s Topic Tree offers a dizzying array of choices, but artificial intelligence can help.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.csu.edu.au/engineering/curriculum">Charles Sturt University</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To overcome these issues, we looked at ways to increase the variety and number of knowledge units with diverse skills. We found inspiration in Charles Sturt University’s <a href="https://www.csu.edu.au/engineering/curriculum">Engineering Topic Tree</a>. It allows students to customise their degree by choosing from over 1,000 different topics. Topics are organised by disciplines, with well-organised prerequisites and pathways. </p>
<p>What this topic tree lacks is the backing of technology that allows students to easily explore all their options. We built on the topic tree idea and designed skill-informed modules. These are study units usually lasting two to eight weeks. Each module clearly defines the skills required as prerequisites and the skills it delivers. </p>
<p>An intertwined network of modules delivers fundamental and applied knowledge but each module requires less of a commitment from students than semester-long subjects. We hope in this way to encourage students to study across disciplines. </p>
<p>However, managing all the possible module combinations, prerequisites and user preferences is a significant technological challenge. This called for novel research, not just an application of existing AI approaches. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/artificial-intelligence-is-now-part-of-our-everyday-lives-and-its-growing-power-is-a-double-edged-sword-169449">Artificial intelligence is now part of our everyday lives – and its growing power is a double-edged sword</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Working with the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (<a href="https://iiia.csic.es/en-us/">IIIA</a>) in Barcelona, we developed technological means to design and maintain a module-based curriculum for both curriculum designers and students. Delivery models can be adapted to different public or private financing options and educational standards, such as the Australian Qualifications Framework (<a href="https://www.aqf.edu.au/">AQF</a>). </p>
<p>Curriculum development tends to lag behind technology development and shifting market needs. Ideally, curriculum development should be more responsive and future-focused rather than reactive. With smaller modules instead of semester-long subjects, it is possible to adapt much more quickly to ever-changing job market needs.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>I would like to acknowledge the rest of our team, Professor Juan Antonio Rodriguez and Dr Filippo Bistafa from IIIA, Spain, Ms Lynn Berry, Professor Simeon Simoff and Professor Andrew Francis from Western Sydney University.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167055/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tomas Trescak does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Artificial intelligence makes it possible to create a highly adaptable, module-based curriculum backed by a system that actively guides students’ choices based on their desired jobs.Tomas Trescak, Senior Lecturer in Intelligent Systems, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1674392021-09-16T20:07:09Z2021-09-16T20:07:09ZLocal, face-to-face support offers a lifeline for uni students in regional and remote Australia<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421298/original/file-20210915-12-5udrwi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=229%2C0%2C1572%2C1046&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">CUC Far West</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>For university students living out of reach of a campus and studying online, the growing presence of <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/regional-university-centres">Regional University Centres</a> is proving to be a lifeline in times of COVID-19. An early evaluation shows these centres in regional and remote Australia are highly effective in supporting students who have been historically under-represented at university and are at high risk of not completing courses. As one student said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I probably would not have persisted with the course if I had not seen [their centre’s learning skills adviser] to help me.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Managed locally by indepedent, not-for-profit boards formed from community members, the number of centres has grown to 26 around the country. These centres collaborate with universities to offer face-to-face learning communities for students in regional and remote areas. Within each centre are quiet study spaces, computers, internet, study support and the company of peers. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-can-put-city-and-country-people-on-more-equal-footing-at-uni-the-pandemic-has-shown-us-how-164492">We can put city and country people on more equal footing at uni — the pandemic has shown us how</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Map of Australia showing distribution of 26 Regional University Centres" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.dese.gov.au/regional-university-centres">Department of Education, Skills and Employment</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why are these centres needed?</h2>
<p>People in regional and remote Australia are <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/98861">about half as likely</a> as those living in major cities to have a university qualification. This educational divide starts early, with high school students from these areas being about <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/quality-schools-package/independent-review-regional-rural-and-remote-education">30% less likely</a> on average to complete year 12 than their city-based peers. </p>
<p>Yet <a href="https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/167">research indicates</a> this is not because these young people don’t want to go to university. Both the <a href="https://theconversation.com/four-barriers-to-higher-education-regional-students-face-and-how-to-overcome-them-49138">cost</a> and the physical and emotional <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1755458618302226?via%3Dihub">disruption of leaving home</a> are the key <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/community-influence-university-aspirations/">barriers</a> for students and their families. </p>
<p>The pandemic has led to a greater <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/practice/covid-19/">appreciation and expansion of online learning</a>. It has given more regional and remote <a href="https://ajet.org.au/index.php/AJET/article/view/5504">students of all ages</a> the flexibility to stay and study within their local communities. Studying regionally is also <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/access-and-participation/resources/national-regional-rural-and-remote-tertiary-education-strategy-final-report">more likely to lead to regional work</a>, which boosts the local economy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-regional-universities-and-communities-need-targeted-help-to-ride-out-the-coronavirus-storm-143355">Why regional universities and communities need targeted help to ride out the coronavirus storm</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The shift to online learning has thrust the challenges of online study into the spotlight. Until recently only a minority experienced these challenges. Now there is more awareness of the need to improve support for online students, including those outside major cities.</p>
<p>The challenges of online learning include <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=5524">technology and internet connectivity</a> problems, which are more likely in regional and remote Australia. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10371656.2018.1472914">Isolation</a> from teachers and other students can be another barrier. </p>
<p>Regional University Centres are helping students to overcome these challenges.
At each of the centres, they can study, link up with other students, have access to high-speed internet and information technology and get help with their study skills. </p>
<p>Of the 26 centres across Australia, 13 are operating within the <a href="https://www.cuc.edu.au/">Country Universities Centre</a> (CUC) network. A student at one these centres said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I have unreliable internet as I live 20km from town. Having access to CUC has helped so much. I am more motivated to continue with my studies because I love going there.” </p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young man working at a computer" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The centres provide students with IT facilities and high-speed internet in areas where connectivity is often poor.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">CUC Parkes</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/will-australias-digital-divide-fast-for-the-city-slow-in-the-country-ever-be-bridged-60635">Will Australia's digital divide – fast for the city, slow in the country – ever be bridged?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Early evaluations show centres are effective</h2>
<p>The number of Regional University Centres has steadily increased around the country since 2018. This growth has been fuelled by community willpower and funded by a combination of governments and local industry. Early evidence from CUC evaluations is starting to show the positive impact on students. </p>
<p>One example is the <a href="https://www.cuc.edu.au/all_news/how-cuc-is-supporting-regional-students-to-succeed/">Learning Skills Advisor (LSA) program</a> begun in 2020 to provide generic academic skills sessions across the CUC network. The first in-house evaluation provides an interesting snapshot of the students who came to LSA sessions from March 2020 to July 2021, and of the impact of the program in general. </p>
<p>Students from government equity categories were strongly represented. They included students from low socioeconomic status (SES) (72%) and Indigenous (9%) backgrounds. As well, 53% were the first in their families to be at university, 65.5% were aged 25 and over, and 46% were studying part-time. </p>
<p>Other <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/opportunity-online-learning-improving-student-access-participation-success-higher-education/">research</a> tells us that part-time, mature-age, low-SES, Indigenous and online students have been historically under-represented at university. If they do manage to get to university, they are more likely to withdraw without qualification. </p>
<p>The recent snapshot tells us the centres are reaching the students most at risk.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two female students at a Regional University Centre" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Regional University Centres are reaching groups of students who have been under-represented in higher education.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.dese.gov.au/newsroom/articles/keeping-it-local-regional-university-centres">Department of Education, Skills and Employment</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/where-are-the-most-disadvantaged-parts-of-australia-new-research-shows-its-not-just-income-that-matters-132428">Where are the most disadvantaged parts of Australia? New research shows it's not just income that matters</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Student feedback is very positive</h2>
<p>The positive impacts of the LSA program are clear. The evaluation found:</p>
<ul>
<li>93% of participating students reported feeling more confident about their studies</li>
<li>96% were more motivated</li>
<li>97.5% achieved higher grades</li>
<li>95% were more likely to continue with their studies. </li>
</ul>
<p>Students said they found the practical information helpful. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I learned about different ways to look up information. There were ideas about how to arrange information and structure essays more efficiently.” </p>
<p>“I learned to reference as I go, add the reference to my bibliography as I found the source.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1427425555834564630"}"></div></p>
<p>As students’ confidence improved, so did their grades and their motivation to continue. Their responses make this clear:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Managed a HD/D average. I attribute this to the support I have received from [LSA].”</p>
<p>“Gave me the edge on exam day.”</p>
<p>“My confidence is up and my marks are following suit.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They also valued having a space to study, with the facilities they need:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Perfect study space, away from distractions and everything that is needed right in the one place.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>These preliminary evaluation findings are highly encouraging. They show that the right type of <a href="https://studentsuccessjournal.org/article/view/1312">locally available</a> support can encourage and motivate regional and remote students. Building their confidence and skills helps them to persist and succeed. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1267263474381381632"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-there-is-still-a-long-way-to-go-in-providing-equality-in-education-80136">New research shows there is still a long way to go in providing equality in education</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A more formal evaluation of the CUC student experience is under way. The results are due to be published in early 2022. </p>
<p>The early results indicate that Regional University Centres are <a href="https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/publications/pathway-to-success-for-rural-higher-education-students">successfully complementing</a> the online education universities are providing. The physical space, technology and face-to-face support the centres offer are making a difference. </p>
<p>This is a win-win, not only for students and universities, but also for the economic, social and educational capital of regional, rural and remote communities. </p>
<hr>
<p><em>The author acknowledges the help of Monica Davis, CEO, and Chris Ronan, Equity & Engagement Director, of the Country Universities Centre in the writing of this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167439/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cathy Stone consults with Country Universities Centre in her capacity as an independent consultant and researcher. She is also a researcher/author in other work cited within this article. </span></em></p>Community-run centres in regional and remote Australia are having positive impacts on students who were historically under-represented at university and at high risk of dropping out.Cathy Stone, Conjoint Associate Professor, School of Humanities & Social Science, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1659522021-08-23T20:10:02Z2021-08-23T20:10:02ZUp to 80% of uni students don’t read their assigned readings. Here are 6 helpful tips for teachers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416888/original/file-20210819-25-10wje0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=34%2C0%2C3888%2C2584&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/frustrated-stressed-out-student-looks-high-71947789">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>University course readings are pivotal to advance student knowledge and prepare them for class discussions. Despite this, only <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10963758.2020.1868317">20-30% of students</a> read the assigned materials. Drawing on research findings that help explain this alarmingly low rate, this article offers some strategies to help students engage with their required readings.</p>
<p>Over the past two decades educators have raised concerns about changing patterns of student motivation, engagement and comprehension of academic reading. The power of technology, media and apps have affected student reading patterns. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/if-you-can-read-this-headline-you-can-read-a-novel-heres-how-to-ignore-your-phone-and-just-do-it-116524">If you can read this headline, you can read a novel. Here's how to ignore your phone and just do it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Studies indicate that <a href="https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-09-24-students-are-reading-slower-and-comprehending-less-here-s-what-to-do-about-it">students are reading more slowly and comprehending less</a>. They often struggle to <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-fall-and-rise-of-reading/">read anything beyond an excerpt</a>. </p>
<p>The challenging statistics on reading show a steep decline in student reading compliance. These trends are emerging not just at primary and secondary education level, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2017.1359702">increasingly at a university level</a>.</p>
<p>Students often underestimate the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2010-11460-001">centrality of course readings</a>. They rarely regard textbooks and academic papers as their <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED418374.pdf">primary source of information</a>.</p>
<p>This often results in a lack of class participation, rich conversations and, at times, assessment quality. </p>
<p>In our increasingly technological world, new online and application solutions have assisted students with motivation and supported their learning preferences. Digital technology has made access to academic texts more flexible. However, some <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12269">researchers</a> argue screen-based reading may compromise the quality of the readers’ engagement.</p>
<h2>Why are readings so often left unread?</h2>
<p>A comprehensive <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2016.1222577">study</a> identifies four main reasons university students don’t engage with course readings:</p>
<ol>
<li>unpreparedness due to language deficits</li>
<li>time constraints</li>
<li>lack of motivation</li>
<li>underestimating the importance of the readings. </li>
</ol>
<p>“Unpreparedness” is an alarming finding, as it highlights deficits in language understanding and use. Some students have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.324">limited knowledge of technical terms</a> used in courses, which explains why they struggle to understand assigned course literature.</p>
<p>Social and cultural dimensions also influence student engagement (or disengagement) with readings. For example, students’ previous experiences, year in university, and native versus non-native (English) speakers can all play an important role in their perception of, and attitudes to, readings. </p>
<p>Students naturally approach the assigned content with their own unique expectations and strategies. Some may review the reading, take notes and google summaries, while others may <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2011.644778">translate each unknown word or difficult concept</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Female student sitting at table with laptop takes notes as she reads in a library." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416892/original/file-20210819-23-1fq0o4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416892/original/file-20210819-23-1fq0o4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416892/original/file-20210819-23-1fq0o4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416892/original/file-20210819-23-1fq0o4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416892/original/file-20210819-23-1fq0o4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416892/original/file-20210819-23-1fq0o4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416892/original/file-20210819-23-1fq0o4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Students vary greatly in how they manage assigned reading material.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/female-student-taking-notes-book-library-516640027">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-my-students-taught-me-about-reading-old-books-hold-new-insights-for-the-digital-generation-127799">What my students taught me about reading: old books hold new insights for the digital generation</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Don’t just blame the problem on students</h2>
<p>The engagement with readings is often seen as an exclusively student-centred problem. I urge a move away from this view. Instead, I invite educators, learning designers and educational developers to reconsider the methods we use to integrate assigned academic literature in the course design.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2019.1696740">Research</a> indicates that educators struggle to clearly communicate the rationale for why students need to read and how these texts contribute to their learning. We need to recognise different student personalities and anxieties, and to develop flexible ways for students to interact with academic literature.</p>
<p>But don’t students know that reading matters? Isn’t that what being at uni is about? Maybe, but here’s the problem. </p>
<p>Teachers regularly engage with complex papers, books and reports. Over the years they develop effective approaches to tackling the academic content. </p>
<p>Most students, on the other hand, have limited, if any, exposure to such texts. Many have <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol17/iss2/2/">low reading confidence</a>. This results in situations where students face a black box (of readings) and are simply expected to know what to do with it, how to do it and, importantly, why. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2020.1779028">First-year and international students</a> are particularly familiar with this scenario.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Male student reads a book with a pile of other books next to hhim" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416916/original/file-20210819-23-onzfql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416916/original/file-20210819-23-onzfql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416916/original/file-20210819-23-onzfql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416916/original/file-20210819-23-onzfql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416916/original/file-20210819-23-onzfql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416916/original/file-20210819-23-onzfql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/416916/original/file-20210819-23-onzfql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Getting through all their required reading can be hard work for students.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/intellectual-attractive-man-reading-concentrated-book-159921464">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How can educators improve engagement with readings?</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2016.1222577">Educators often use questions and reflections</a> to determine whether students have learned or missed anything in the readings. While it is a good starting point, quite often these sessions are done to test students rather than foster their learning. So, what else can we do?</p>
<p>With the development of <a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-learning-is-real-world-learning-thats-why-blended-on-campus-and-online-study-is-best-163002">blended</a> (in person and online) and technology-rich learning environments, educators can use mixed approaches to engage students with assigned readings. We can divide these into pre-class and in-class strategies.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-learning-is-real-world-learning-thats-why-blended-on-campus-and-online-study-is-best-163002">Digital learning is real-world learning. That's why blended on-campus and online study is best</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Ideas for pre-class strategies:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Students participate in pre-class activities online. <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-teacher-recommended-tools-for-online-learning/2020/11">Learning management systems and collaborative tools</a> – such as quizzes, polls and collaborative apps – offer multiple interactive options. Invite students to practise different approaches, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10790195.2020.1734885">unfamiliar reading strategies</a>. </p></li>
<li><p>Offer clear expectations and strategies on what, how and why to read. For example, should I skim, review the text or look for best practice? Sometimes a discussion early on is enough.</p></li>
<li><p>Gradually introduce <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.324">technical terms and cognitive load</a>. Don’t assume students know all specific terms from the start.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Ideas for in-class strategies:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Invite students to apply the readings to real-life experience, <a href="https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/educational-assessment/keeping-students-engaged-how-to-rethink-your-assessments-amidst-the-shift-to-online-learning">assignments or projects</a>. Activities with clear longer-term agendas not only engage students but also allow educators to observe how students grasp new information.</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.5172/ijpl.2013.8.2.106">Gradually increase informed learning concepts</a> and strategies to help students develop critical and creative academic skills.</p></li>
<li><p>Provide a safe space for students to clarify confusing aspects. Weekly reading groups, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10963758.2020.1868317">talking circles or other collaborations</a> enable students to share and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2016.1222577">ask genuine questions</a>. These conversations can encourage students to tackle complex content.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Various techniques are effective in different contexts. What strategies have you found to meaningfully engage students with readings?</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165952/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sandris Zeivots does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Rather than just blaming the students, educators must consider why course materials are not being read and develop strategies to tackle the problems students face.Sandris Zeivots, Lecturer in Educational Development, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1644922021-07-27T19:54:05Z2021-07-27T19:54:05ZWe can put city and country people on more equal footing at uni — the pandemic has shown us how<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/412838/original/file-20210723-15-1wdxuhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6016%2C4007&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-working-on-laptop-lies-next-1694985559">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>University study is out of reach for many people in regional Australia. Most of our universities are based in a handful of capital cities. The result is <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/ncsehe-focus-successful-outcomes-for-regional-and-remote-students-in-australian-higher-education/">persistent educational inequity</a> between our capital cities and regions. </p>
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has forced universities to move their activities online. This shift has created <a href="https://theconversation.com/stressed-out-dropping-out-covid-has-taken-its-toll-on-uni-students-152004">challenges for students</a>, but has also temporarily erased the longstanding disparity in university access between cities and regions. <a href="https://theconversation.com/regional-australia-is-crying-out-for-equitable-access-to-broadband-69711">Internet connections permitting</a>, regional students have been able to participate on equal footing with their city colleagues.</p>
<p>As universities look to return to campus, the temptation is for city campuses to abandon the video link and rush back to business as usual. Yet this misses a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tackle longstanding inequities for regional students. The innovations in online delivery forced on universities by the pandemic now point to ways to permanently improve regional students’ access and experience of tertiary education. </p>
<p>Regional people – the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population/latest-release">32% of Australians living outside a capital city</a> – are a recognised <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/practice/regional-and-remote-students">equity group</a> in higher education. They are <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/ncsehe-briefing-note-equity-student-participation-australian-higher-education-2014-2019">less likely to attend university</a> than their metropolitan counterparts – only one in five Australian university students is from a regional area. And if born in a <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/d3310114.nsf/home/remoteness+structure">remote area</a>, they are only <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/NCSEHE-Briefing-Note_2019-20_Final.pdf">one-third as likely</a> to go to university as those born in a major city.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-there-is-still-a-long-way-to-go-in-providing-equality-in-education-80136">New research shows there is still a long way to go in providing equality in education</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What obstacles do regional students face?</h2>
<p>The educational divide is the result of the multiple <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/ncsehe-focus-successful-outcomes-for-regional-and-remote-students-in-australian-higher-education/">barriers to university access</a> that regional students face. Many of their <a href="https://www.gie.unsw.edu.au/research/rural-remote-and-regional-students">disadvantages</a> relate to the economic, social and cultural costs of <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/regional-student-participation-and-migration-analysis-of-factors-influencing-regional-student-participation-and-internal-migration-in-australian-higher-education/">moving away from home to study</a>, particularly to a large and distant city. </p>
<p>Students face a raft of changes at once: they must leave family and community behind and fend for themselves in unfamiliar environments. Families must find money for housing and other costs. For “mature age” students who already have families and local commitments, moving away to study is often simply impossible.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/four-barriers-to-higher-education-regional-students-face-and-how-to-overcome-them-49138">Four barriers to higher education regional students face – and how to overcome them</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00343404.2021.1899156?journalCode=cres20">Regional university campuses</a> play an important role supporting equitable access to education. These campuses can offer great face-to-face study experiences, but many are small and have limited course options. </p>
<p>And across the width and breadth of Australia, we have few regional campuses. Most regional Australians do not live near a campus. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/412784/original/file-20210723-27-1osnpmy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="map of Australia showing locations of university main campuses and other campuses" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/412784/original/file-20210723-27-1osnpmy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/412784/original/file-20210723-27-1osnpmy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412784/original/file-20210723-27-1osnpmy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412784/original/file-20210723-27-1osnpmy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412784/original/file-20210723-27-1osnpmy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=679&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412784/original/file-20210723-27-1osnpmy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=679&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412784/original/file-20210723-27-1osnpmy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=679&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/policy-submissions/teaching-learning-funding/university-campus-map/">Universities Australia</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-regional-universities-and-communities-need-targeted-help-to-ride-out-the-coronavirus-storm-143355">Why regional universities and communities need targeted help to ride out the coronavirus storm</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Online study is often mooted as an alternative, but it often has <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/online-learning-australian-higher-education">poorer outcomes than on-campus study</a>. Internet connectivity in regional areas can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-australias-digital-divide-fast-for-the-city-slow-in-the-country-ever-be-bridged-60635">a problem</a>, too. And online study can be isolating; new students in particular often need interaction and support to succeed.</p>
<p>To reduce these systemic inequities, we need to do regional education differently. </p>
<h2>We’ve had a glimpse of the solutions</h2>
<p>In response to the pandemic, many universities have moved coursework and community engagement activities fully online. Lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops and even graduations have gone on-screen. While not the same as face-to-face interaction, these online engagements have had the unexpected benefit of opening access for those who previously couldn’t participate at all. </p>
<p>Universities have learned to use video conferencing and online platforms in new ways to maximise interactivity for students at a distance. In some cases “hybrid” activities mix face-to-face and digital participation all at once: some participants gather in the room and others join from the screen. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-learning-is-real-world-learning-thats-why-blended-on-campus-and-online-study-is-best-163002">Digital learning is real-world learning. That's why blended on-campus and online study is best</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>When done well, with good technology and good manners, hybrid interactions are fluid and the hierarchy between “here” and “there” disappears. These hybrid activities suggest a new way to approach the challenge of providing university education across distance.</p>
<p>For the first time, regional students and communities have had access to activities and resources previously available only on capital city campuses. So long as internet connections are reliable, it no longer matters if the student is five kilometres from the city centre or 500. </p>
<p>Now, with universities planning to move back to campuses, we find ourselves at a vital crossroad. To bring campuses back to life, students are being urged back into classrooms. Video links disappear. Expectations of a physical presence on city campuses return. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1394207197995884546"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/where-are-the-most-disadvantaged-parts-of-australia-new-research-shows-its-not-just-income-that-matters-132428">Where are the most disadvantaged parts of Australia? New research shows it's not just income that matters</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A once-in-a-lifetime shot at equitable education</h2>
<p>For regional students, this “return to campus” means we risk reverting to inequity as usual. Policymakers and universities must not miss this window of opportunity to reduce longstanding inequities for regional students. We have a chance to retool our approach to make the <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/student-equity-2030">future of higher education an equitable one</a>.</p>
<p>On a vast lightly populated continent like Australia, there will never be a university campus near every town. Yet university education can be hybrid, multi-sited and inclusive. There can be local places for students to gather and interact, and hybrid classrooms where students can join their preferred course without moving house. </p>
<p>A few towns already host spaces where regional students can enjoy in-person interactions with other students and academics. These also provide free work spaces and fast internet speeds – which students might not have at home. Regional university campuses, <a href="https://www.cuc.edu.au/">country university centres</a>, <a href="https://www.guc.edu.au/study-hubs-network-unites-to-deliver-university-to-regional-australia">regional study hubs</a> and even online centres and libraries can provide the infrastructure for a hybrid and multi-sited university presence that includes regional students on equal footing. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Frustrated looking man sits at laptop next to window" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/412839/original/file-20210723-15-1wrovtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/412839/original/file-20210723-15-1wrovtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412839/original/file-20210723-15-1wrovtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412839/original/file-20210723-15-1wrovtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412839/original/file-20210723-15-1wrovtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412839/original/file-20210723-15-1wrovtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/412839/original/file-20210723-15-1wrovtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Low-speed and unreliable internet connections frustrate many people trying to study online in regional Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-hoodie-sitting-behind-laptop-next-1713414793">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/will-australias-digital-divide-fast-for-the-city-slow-in-the-country-ever-be-bridged-60635">Will Australia's digital divide – fast for the city, slow in the country – ever be bridged?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>However, effective hybrid classrooms require buy-in and participation from all sites – including city campuses. There has to be a commitment to investing resources in <a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-learning-is-real-world-learning-thats-why-blended-on-campus-and-online-study-is-best-163002">excellent, interactive digital learning</a>. Local infrastructure and in-person academic support in regional towns need to be strengthened too.</p>
<p>As universities navigate the current <a href="https://theconversation.com/big-spending-recovery-budget-leaves-universities-out-in-the-cold-160439">landscape of scarcity and uncertainty</a>, there is a real risk regional students will drop off the radar. Before rushing back to business as usual, let’s consider the alternative: equitable access to education, no matter where you live.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164492/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robyn Eversole does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>People living outside our big cities face many obstacles to going to university, but the innovations during lockdowns have opened a door to permanently improving their access and experience of study.Robyn Eversole, Professor and Director, RegionxLink, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1627662021-07-20T20:07:55Z2021-07-20T20:07:55ZWhat to look for when choosing a university as the digital competition grows<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411797/original/file-20210719-17-1qfmyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Online teaching became the norm almost overnight when the pandemic hit. For students, the situation’s complexity was brutal, the shift frustrating but unavoidable. </p>
<p>Prospective students weighing up study options might have been confused too. However, they are now better placed to understand what universities offer in an increasingly competitive digital learning market. They also have more choices.</p>
<p>Incoming University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott has warned competition for enrolments is intensifying as students’ options grow. “The [news] media experience demonstrated clearly that your competitors in the digital space went well beyond your traditional competitors in the analog space,” <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/university-of-sydneys-mark-scott-says-universities-cant-be-complacent/news-story/9c4da7e509bca1e1d99bbd75f83d1915">said</a> Scott, a former managing editor of the ABC and senior executive at Fairfax Media.</p>
<p>“Digital” education will redefine how students view and select universities. It may allow for more personalised learning paths, lifelong and more accessible learning, upskilling for employment and a more remote and diverse body of students. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-learning-economy-challenges-unis-to-be-part-of-reshaping-lifelong-education-144800">New learning economy challenges unis to be part of reshaping lifelong education</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>There’s no going back to the old model</h2>
<p>As learning became removed from the campus experience last year, learner-teacher engagement and peer networking altered dramatically. The digital transition was a monumental and urgent task. </p>
<p>But time has passed. Fully or partly digitalised university programs have proliferated. And many have become more sophisticated as academics and students receive support to take the leap. </p>
<p>A recent <a href="https://www.pwc.com.au/government/government-matters/higher-education-digitisation.html">PwC report</a> on higher education digitisation affirms: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“The changes forced by the rapid digitisation of the sector will not be undone.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>“Digital” in education can now mean anything from simple videoed lectures, online documents and tutorials to high-end digital animation and simulation tools. </p>
<p>Just before the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-17/nsw-records-111-covid-19-cases/100300492">current</a> <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-16/victoria-awakes-to-its-fifth-coronavirus-lockdown/100296390">lockdowns</a>, Macquarie University, among others, <a href="https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs/information-for-students/teaching-pause-covid-19">announced</a> most lectures would continue online while “small group” in-person learning would require students to wear masks. Melbourne University <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/coronavirus/attending-campus">said</a> it was “planning to deliver around 90% of semester 2 subjects on campus”. It is also rolling out “<a href="https://lms.unimelb.edu.au/staff/guides/dual-delivery-support-resources/blended-synchronous-learning-quick-start-guide">blended synchronous learning</a>” using in-venue microphones and cameras so remote and campus-based students come together in a single class, its DVC (Academic) Gregor Kennedy said. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-learning-is-real-world-learning-thats-why-blended-on-campus-and-online-study-is-best-163002">Digital learning is real-world learning. That's why blended on-campus and online study is best</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>RMIT University <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/return-to-campus">posted</a>: “Classes that require specialist spaces or equipment will be prioritised for on-campus learning.” At <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/covid-19/">Sydney University</a>, the campus was to remain open during lockdown for critical teaching and research activity only. The <a href="https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/online-supervised-invigilated-exams">University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://www.monash.edu/exams/electronic-exams/supervision">Monash University</a>, among many others, have introduced online invigilated examinations. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1394207197995884546"}"></div></p>
<p>The gap between the best and worst of what institutions offer digitally is vast. </p>
<p>In the worst cases, digital learning means students are asked to read scanned textbook chapters and have academics or tutors talk at them through a recording without any interaction. It’s a terribly disengaging experience for the student and hence less effective for learning. But it requires very little investment by universities. </p>
<p>In the best cases, universities offer active learning through digitally driven simulations and well-designed activities. These include peer group activity, networking and technology-enhanced alternatives to on-campus experience. The result is a varied and engaging experience, but it requires substantial investment by the university.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-unis-eye-more-instagram-worthy-campus-experiences-they-shouldnt-treat-online-teaching-as-a-cheap-and-easy-option-156585">As unis eye more ‘Instagram-worthy’ campus experiences, they shouldn't treat online teaching as a cheap and easy option</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What should students look for?</h2>
<p>So, how can prospective students tell which universities provide worthwhile digital education? They should consider the following criteria:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>Focus on online/blended student experience</strong> </p>
<p>What is the value given to students feeling connected, being part of a learning community, having a social dimension in addition to agency over their learning, and being on campus when possible?
Do study options suit life and lifestyle needs that the pandemic brought to light as important?</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Transparency about digital quality</strong> </p>
<p>Does the university adequately communicate its definition of “digital” quality? Pay special attention to assessment mechanisms, to avoid having to deal with postponed exams, for example. </p>
<p>The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) has provided <a href="https://www.teqsa.gov.au/online-learning-good-practice">guidelines</a> for online learning quality. Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge has <a href="https://ministers.dese.gov.au/tudge/new-higher-education-standards-panel-appointed">announced</a> a renewed Higher Education Standards Panel with online and hybrid course quality as part of its new tasks. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Evidence of agility, convenience and accessibility</strong></p>
<p>What solutions can be adapted to post-COVID educational expectations, both locally and internationally?
Are there options for polysynchronous learning: some on one’s own time, some with others?
What does inclusive digital education – accessibility for vision-impaired students, for example – look like? </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Clarity about pricing</strong></p>
<p>Is the program or unit priced to be a low-cost standardised product, or is it priced for high value? Does the university offer financial support options?</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Ambition of digital design</strong> </p>
<p>Does the program and learning design have a focus on long-term COVID-resilient learning and career outcomes? Is there solid evidence of industry relations?</p>
<p>And (for the most ambitious) does the university explore and/or use artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to customise learning paths for individuals?</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-world-of-digital-bystanders-the-challenge-is-for-all-of-us-to-design-engaging-online-education-147195">In a world of digital bystanders the challenge is for all of us to design engaging online education</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>An emerging digital divide among unis</h2>
<p>Some universities are using digital education to tap into new markets. These universities include Melbourne, RMIT (boasting RMIT Online), Adelaide and Griffith. At different price points, their offerings increasingly include demonstrated digital expertise, blended synchronous learning options and well-defined online engagement and connection. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Student looks at university website promising 'the best learning environment in the world'." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411796/original/file-20210719-17-1w40p3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411796/original/file-20210719-17-1w40p3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411796/original/file-20210719-17-1w40p3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411796/original/file-20210719-17-1w40p3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411796/original/file-20210719-17-1w40p3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411796/original/file-20210719-17-1w40p3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411796/original/file-20210719-17-1w40p3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The education market is bigger and more competitive than ever before.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/school-website-on-tablet-screen-young-796587181">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Universities are also responding to industry demand for accessible upskilling and enhanced learning (often “micro” qualifications). Again, their offerings vary, especially across disciplines. </p>
<p>The PwC report predicts most universities will compete with mid-range offerings. This group will offer customised learning in parallel to mass offers, keeping revenue streams open, maintaining a brand in a technology-enhanced world and counterbalancing border restrictions on international students. </p>
<p>Some universities will opt for a serious quantum leap into online or blended education programs. These universities are likely to outcompete other providers and diversify their student bodies in ways that enhance the student experience. </p>
<p>Others continue with minimal investment or low-cost solutions. These providers are looking to return to the “old normal” of a strictly face-to-face experience. They aim to manage learners’ frustrations as they arise, rather than invest in long-term quality digital services. </p>
<p>This approach may be understandable for universities with serious cashflow issues. In the long run it’s probably shortsighted and may lead to student and industry dissatisfaction. </p>
<p>We can see the divide between these approaches in <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/australian-strategy-international-education-2021-2030/consultations/australian-strategy-international-education-20212030">submissions</a> from each higher education provider to the federal government in consultations on a new <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/australian-strategy-international-education-2021-2030">strategy for international education</a>. Interestingly, providers’ views show little correlation with type of institution, whether highly ranked or not, rural or urban. Our discussion above is based on our deep dive into those submissions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/162766/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gabriele has worked in or with various higher education organisations and digital service providers mentioned in this article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Angelito Calma does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Digital technology and COVID-19 have transformed the ways universities are delivering courses. But some are taking a minimalist low-cost approach, while others are aiming higher.Gabriele Suder, Professor, RMIT UniversityAngelito Calma, Senior Lecturer in Higher Education, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1630022021-07-13T20:11:10Z2021-07-13T20:11:10ZDigital learning is real-world learning. That’s why blended on-campus and online study is best<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410915/original/file-20210712-25-r3j9lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C47%2C7951%2C5249&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/video-call-group-business-people-meeting-1752871988">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Social distancing and lockdowns have disrupted university study for the past 18 months. Students are understandably stressed as shown by a dramatic drop in student satisfaction across Australia reported in the annual <a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/docs/default-source/ses/ses-2020/2020-ses-national-report.pdf">Student Experience Survey</a>. Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge has drawn attention to this in <a href="https://www.alantudge.com.au/latest-news/our-priorities-for-strengthening-australias-universities/">calling</a> for a “return” to on-campus study. </p>
<p>But the world is increasingly digital. Old notions of lecture halls will not help graduates to thrive in their careers. We need university study that supports students to succeed by preparing them for a digital future.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-killed-the-on-campus-lecture-but-will-unis-raise-it-from-the-dead-152971">COVID killed the on-campus lecture, but will unis raise it from the dead?</a>
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<p>Many studies have reported that work will become more <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/10/20/is-a-blended-office-model-the-future-of-work/?sh=4902ba2a1002">blended</a>, with less time spent in the office as working from home increases. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/the-five-day-office-week-is-dead-long-live-the-hybrid-model-says-productivity-boss-20210706-p587d4.html">accelerated this trend</a>. </p>
<p>Diverse industries have found they can move online effectively, making it an authentic workplace. Telehealth has become the default option for consulting your GP, while the first place to find a service or product is an online search engine. Professionals need to translate their skills into any environment – physical or virtual – and have confidence to use new spaces and formats.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Doctor consults with patient in a telehealth appointment" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410914/original/file-20210712-18-1s8yqru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410914/original/file-20210712-18-1s8yqru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410914/original/file-20210712-18-1s8yqru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410914/original/file-20210712-18-1s8yqru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410914/original/file-20210712-18-1s8yqru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410914/original/file-20210712-18-1s8yqru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410914/original/file-20210712-18-1s8yqru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Professionals in the real world, including doctors, must now be prepared to work in a blended environment of online and physical interactions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/telemedicine-concept-doctor-pharmacist-headset-during-1683782122">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What about the impacts on learning?</h2>
<p>Learning is created through interactions – with teachers, peers and information. Decades of research show learners learn best when learning is <a href="https://library.educause.edu/resources/2017/9/7-things-you-should-know-about-research-on-active-learning-classrooms">active</a>, <a href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:155197747">engaging, relevant</a>
and <a href="https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/designing-learning-and-assessment-in-a-digital-age/approaches-to-learning-design">intentionally designed</a>. Those principles are true wherever the learning happens: on campus, online or in the workplace. </p>
<p>The real question is how to balance the best of online with the best of on-campus and workplace delivery.</p>
<p>Universities are already pursuing this path. University study has been blended for more than two decades as study resources, activities and assessments were moved to subject and course websites in <a href="http://www.educause.edu/ecar/research-publications/foundations-for-a-next-generation-digital-learning-environment-faculty-students-and-the-lms/ngdle-the-wave-of-the-future">virtual learning environments</a>. </p>
<p>At first, the aim was to organise learning for access anywhere and anytime. Today, digital learning environments have become far more sophisticated. They now also offer tools for group learning, projects and creativity.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-unis-eye-more-instagram-worthy-campus-experiences-they-shouldnt-treat-online-teaching-as-a-cheap-and-easy-option-156585">As unis eye more ‘Instagram-worthy’ campus experiences, they shouldn't treat online teaching as a cheap and easy option</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>‘Emergency remote teaching’ is not the ideal</h2>
<p>Online learning during the pandemic was often a compromise. Good learning design takes time as teachers create curriculum, resources and assessment to suit their learners and the discipline. In March 2020, like most Australian universities, academics at my institution, Deakin University, had one week to rebuild our courses to allow our 41,000 on-campus students to keep studying. Of course, many of the activities we had planned became impossible and online substitutes were quickly developed over following weeks. </p>
<p>This global rapid shift was dubbed “<a href="https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning">emergency remote teaching</a>” by US professor <a href="https://about.me/hodges.chuck">Charles Hodges</a> and colleagues. They warned we should be careful not to judge online learning by this experience.</p>
<p>Good online learning <a href="https://coronavirus.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2020/08/28/helping-online-communities-of-learners-flourish/">creates a sense of community</a>. It engages students with rich resources and activities. It helps learners to find study buddies and places for their independent work. </p>
<p>However, engagement looks different online. Instead of meeting in a café, students chat online to share ideas and solve problems as they do in their daily lives. Social learning can happen on campus or online.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-world-of-digital-bystanders-the-challenge-is-for-all-of-us-to-design-engaging-online-education-147195">In a world of digital bystanders the challenge is for all of us to design engaging online education</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>Some activities work best online, others in person</h2>
<p>Some activities should always be online. For a start, contemporary information is digital. Although we enjoy their physical spaces, university libraries are now essentially digital with the vast majority of books, journals and images provided and used online. Data sets, too, are largely digital and analysed with digital tools ranging from spreadsheets to sophisticated software. </p>
<p>Digital learning is great for exploration. The world is at your fingertips, and computers never get tired of practising foundation skills with you.</p>
<p>Other activities need to be in physical space. Using specialist equipment or experiencing a workplace often means being in a purpose-built space. Being in the field develops observation skills and provides more sensory inputs to consider. Collaborating with peers in the same room develops human interaction skills using different social cues from the ones we have online. </p>
<p>Online work can augment these activities with focused preparation and follow-up.</p>
<h2>Build on the best of recent experiments</h2>
<p>The emergency remote teaching response has pushed teaching teams to consider alternative ways to learn. They have trialled and refined new online activities. Many teachers report they will keep at least some of these. </p>
<p>Professor <a href="http://ericmazur.com/about.php">Eric Mazur</a> at Harvard is famous for his use of peer instruction to make classes active and social. He <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/newsletter/teaching/2021-05-27">reports</a> his online model developed during 2020 has improved learning and support so convincingly that he intends to continue with that format. Breaking assumptions about what works best has opened the door to a better understanding of online teaching.</p>
<p>Students in all education sectors have struggled with emergency remote teaching and its backdrop of disrupted life. They have reported difficulties with <a href="https://www.teqsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/student-experience-of-online-learning-in-australian-he-during-covid-19.pdf?v=1606953179">online provision</a>, lack of motivation, loneliness and decreased <a href="https://theconversation.com/stressed-out-dropping-out-covid-has-taken-its-toll-on-uni-students-152004">mental well-being</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="young male university student stares at laptop screen" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410913/original/file-20210712-26-vypoxh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410913/original/file-20210712-26-vypoxh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410913/original/file-20210712-26-vypoxh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410913/original/file-20210712-26-vypoxh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410913/original/file-20210712-26-vypoxh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410913/original/file-20210712-26-vypoxh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410913/original/file-20210712-26-vypoxh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Universities must work to counter the negative impacts on students of emergency remote teaching by refining their online learning offerings.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/search/struggling+university+student+online">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/stressed-out-dropping-out-covid-has-taken-its-toll-on-uni-students-152004">Stressed out, dropping out: COVID has taken its toll on uni students</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<p>But universities are refining their courses. When students experience well-designed online learning over time, they build familiarity and confidence. We asked campus-enrolled students at Deakin about their experience of study during the pandemic with regular “pulse-check” surveys. Their feedback shows their confidence in online study and assessment has increased strongly over the past 18 months as they built skills and familiarity. </p>
<p>As we move to more sustainable models for today’s learners, universities are rethinking learning activities. Sitting and listening to the sage on the stage is being <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-killed-the-on-campus-lecture-but-will-unis-raise-it-from-the-dead-152971">replaced</a> by active learning using real-world information and scenarios. </p>
<p>We need to invest in intentional learning design that combines the best of online and on-campus delivery. This will show students they can learn, thrive and build the skills they need however they study.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/163002/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elizabeth Johnson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Universities can best prepare students by teaching them in ways that reflect the realities of how professionals and the wider community now operate.Elizabeth Johnson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1612742021-06-24T20:10:16Z2021-06-24T20:10:16ZPodcasting overcomes hurdles facing unis to immerse students in the world of workers’ experiences<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407797/original/file-20210623-26-1w1zxe2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5742%2C3828&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pensive-woman-wearing-wireless-headphones-relaxing-1953753604">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Podcasting is helping to revolutionise tertiary education. Universities have found themselves caught between shrinking budgets and an official insistence that they make graduates job-ready. Academics have had to be creative and flexible about how they engage their students with crucial learning, and podcasting is one way to do this. </p>
<p>In the past year, universities have been <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/australian-pm-no-special-deal-universities-bailouts">denied JobKeeper</a> payments to retain staff, seen the government’s “<a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/job-ready">job-ready graduates</a>” funding and tuition fee changes <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-is-making-job-ready-degrees-cheaper-for-students-but-cutting-funding-to-the-same-courses-141280">prioritise some disciplines</a> over others, and then had <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/13/australian-universities-brace-for-ugly-2022-after-budget-cuts">funding cut</a> despite <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-hopes-of-international-students-return-fade-closed-borders-could-cost-20bn-a-year-in-2022-half-the-sectors-value-159328">international student revenue losses</a>. </p>
<p>Despite the constraints of this post-COVID world, universities must still produce graduates for the caring professions <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/gender-indicators-australia/latest-release">dominated by women</a>, such as health and community services, that we arguably need most. The budget did increase funding for sectors such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/budget-package-doesnt-guarantee-aged-care-residents-will-get-better-care-160611">aged care</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-extra-1-7-billion-for-child-care-will-help-some-it-wont-improve-affordability-for-most-160163">child care</a> – but what about the education of the future workers needed to provide social services? </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/big-spending-recovery-budget-leaves-universities-out-in-the-cold-160439">Big-spending 'recovery budget' leaves universities out in the cold</a>
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<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1392055313184948228"}"></div></p>
<p>The business world has been talking about “pivoting” in the post-COVID environment, and academics have had to do the same. Universities have been known for their large lecture theatres, but these are <a href="https://theconversation.com/lecture-theatres-to-go-the-way-of-the-dodo-9893">no longer acceptable</a> in a world of social distancing. </p>
<p>Instead, university courses are now being taught either remotely, with students studying from home, or in a blended fashion involving a combination of home engagement and smaller face-to-face classes. Academics have had to meet the challenge with shorter pre-recorded lectures, smaller classes and flexible modes of delivery that students can engage with from home. </p>
<p>This has been easier for some degrees than for others. It’s a challenge for health and social sector degrees, such as social work and human services, that have a large practical component. </p>
<p>We know the best way to teach a student to work with people is to have them work with people. In the current climate, this has become more difficult. </p>
<p>Despite these challenges, academics have found it’s possible to teach core practice skills remotely. Using technologies such as podcasting is one way to prepare students for eventually working with people. </p>
<h2>Why are academics choosing podcasting?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/10713/podcast-listeners-in-the-united-states/">popularity of podcasting</a> has <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/308947">increased in recent years</a> as a direct and accessible way to consume large amounts of content, and this includes its use in education. Increasing numbers of education-focused podcasts are appearing on free online platforms. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/michelle-obama-podcast-host-how-podcasting-became-a-multi-billion-dollar-industry-142920">Michelle Obama, podcast host: how podcasting became a multi-billion dollar industry</a>
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<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407791/original/file-20210623-15-33r0c0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Members of the Social Work Stories Podcast team" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407791/original/file-20210623-15-33r0c0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407791/original/file-20210623-15-33r0c0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407791/original/file-20210623-15-33r0c0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407791/original/file-20210623-15-33r0c0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407791/original/file-20210623-15-33r0c0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407791/original/file-20210623-15-33r0c0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407791/original/file-20210623-15-33r0c0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Social Work Stories team has been creating podcasts tailored to students’ needs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It has been a natural step for academics to use these podcasts in their teaching. They are also creating their own podcast content. This ensures these podcasts are discipline-specific and tailored to their students’ needs.</p>
<p>Podcasting has the potential not only to tell stories for passive listening, but also to engage the listener in the practice of <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-thinking-helps-kids-learn-how-can-we-teach-critical-thinking-129795">critical thinking</a>. Critical thinking is highly regarded across disciplines as a key graduate attribute that contributes to a job-ready workforce. </p>
<p>It is crucial in the flexible study environment that students are able to engage in critical thinking, regardless of where that study takes place. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-thinking-helps-kids-learn-how-can-we-teach-critical-thinking-129795">Thinking about thinking helps kids learn. How can we teach critical thinking?</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The discipline of social work, taught at universities across Australia, is no exception. As an allied health profession employed largely in the health and community services sector, current circumstances have had direct impacts on social work practices and education. Job-ready graduates need to have professional practice skills built into their studies.</p>
<h2>The Social Work Stories Podcast</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://socialworkstories.com">Social Work Stories Podcast</a> showcases examples of de-identified cases from the coalface. The hosts analyse the anonymous social workers’ stories. Drawing out the complexities of social work practice enables listeners to critically engage with the content along the way. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403250/original/file-20210528-15-vd0aq1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403250/original/file-20210528-15-vd0aq1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=678&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403250/original/file-20210528-15-vd0aq1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=678&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403250/original/file-20210528-15-vd0aq1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=678&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403250/original/file-20210528-15-vd0aq1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403250/original/file-20210528-15-vd0aq1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403250/original/file-20210528-15-vd0aq1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://socialworkstories.com">The Social Work Stories Podcast</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>Listeners are asked to “listen out” for theories that are being used, or moments of practice dilemmas or inspiration. In this way they are getting a taste of the experience of social work. </p>
<p>In one episode a social worker discusses the dilemmas involved in providing end-of-life care in hospital. In another a social worker discusses the challenges of providing information on consent to a group of male adolescents. It is as though listeners themselves are working on the cases being discussed. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-are-in-a-bubble-that-is-set-to-burst-why-urgent-support-must-be-given-to-domestic-violence-workers-141600">'We are in a bubble that is set to burst'. Why urgent support must be given to domestic violence workers</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<p><audio preload="metadata" controls="controls" data-duration="266" data-image="" data-title="Social Work Stories audio clip" data-size="8527956" data-source="" data-source-url="" data-license="Author provided" data-license-url="">
<source src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/2189/sw-stories-promo.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">
</audio>
<div class="audio-player-caption">
Social Work Stories audio clip.
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span><span class="download"><span>8.13 MB</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/2189/sw-stories-promo.mp3">(download)</a></span></span>
</div></p>
<p>The Social Work Stories Podcast comes from a collaboration between the University of Wollongong and social work practitioners. It now has an international reach of 96 countries and more than 250,000 downloads. Social work graduate programs regularly use the podcast in their curriculum across Australia. </p>
<p>Podcasting has allowed academics to be creative in their course delivery despite the political and financial pressures on the sector. It offers one way forward in a difficult time for academia in Australia. </p>
<p>The Social Work Stories Podcast is available on iTunes and Spotify, with Twitter handle and Instagram @SOWKStoriesPod.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/podcasts-and-cities-youre-always-commenting-on-power-114176">Podcasts and cities: 'you’re always commenting on power'</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/161274/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mim Fox receives funding from the National Health & Medical Research Council.</span></em></p>Tight funding and COVID-related limits on face-to-face contact have forced academics to find other ways to expose students to the real-life work they are preparing them for.Mim Fox, Senior Lecturer in Social Work, University of WollongongLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1565892021-03-22T18:52:43Z2021-03-22T18:52:43ZAs one gets out, another gets in: thousands of students are ‘hot-bedding’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390767/original/file-20210322-13-146v1cj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C62%2C6000%2C3925&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/beautiful-young-girl-pink-pajamas-calmly-263078642">Mendelex/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>International students commonly share bedrooms so they can afford the rent. What is perhaps much more surprising is that our research suggests thousands are “<a href="https://www.apia.org.nz/apia-blog/hot-bedding-what-landlords-need-to-know">hot-bedding</a>” – their beds are available to them for only some hours of the day or night so others can use them the rest of the time. If <a href="https://internationalstudentsandhousing.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/international-students-and-housing-survey-report-final-report.pdf">our survey</a> of more than 7,000 international students renting privately in Sydney and Melbourne is representative of the <a href="https://internationaleducation.gov.au/research/international-student-data/Documents/MONTHLY%20SUMMARIES/2019/Dec%202019%20MonthlyInfographic.pdf">758,154 international students</a> in Australia in December 2019, this equates to about 22,750 students hot-bedding.</p>
<p>In our survey, 3% of all students answered yes to the question, “Do you have to hotbed (i.e. our bed is only available for a few hours of the day/night)?”. The survey also found about four in ten of these hot-bedding students were going without meals. And this was before <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-one-would-even-know-if-i-had-died-in-my-room-coronavirus-leaves-international-students-in-dire-straits-144128">nearly two-thirds of international students</a> lost their jobs in the COVID-19 pandemic. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-one-would-even-know-if-i-had-died-in-my-room-coronavirus-leaves-international-students-in-dire-straits-144128">'No one would even know if I had died in my room': coronavirus leaves international students in dire straits</a>
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</p>
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<p>Another extraordinary finding is that 14% of hot-bedders said their employer had threatened them with visa cancellation (compared to 2% of non-hot-bedders). One in five (20%, compared to 5% of non-hot-bedders) answered yes when asked: “Has the landlord/real estate agent/property manager ever taken away your passport?”</p>
<p>These findings suggest a sizeable proportion of hot-bedders are struggling financially and in a vulnerable situation. Many said their circumstances were having a negative impact on their studies. </p>
<p>Despite this, almost eight in ten agreed or strongly agreed that they “enjoy living and studying in Australia”.</p>
<h2>Who are the hot-bedders?</h2>
<p>In our survey, 45% of hot-bedders were female. Just under two-thirds (65%) were university students, rather than studying at vocational or English language colleges. </p>
<p>Hot-bedding was spread across all age groups and countries of origin. Thus 4% were aged 18, a quarter were 19 to 21, 42% were 22 to 25, 18% were 26 to 30 and 11% were over 30. </p>
<p>Just under a third came from low-income countries, half came from middle-income countries and 15% from high-income countries.</p>
<h2>How do they feel about rent costs?</h2>
<p>Hot-bedders were generally satisfied with their rent – 23% disagreed with the statement, “I think the rent I pay is fair.” </p>
<p>However, one in two (51%) strongly agreed or agreed they worried about paying rent each week (compared to 35% for non-hot-bedders) and only 21% (36% non-hot-bedders) disagreed.</p>
<p>Most students (58%) living less than 40 minutes away from their education provider paid more than $250 a week in rent. </p>
<p>About four in ten hot-bedders agreed they “go without necessities like food so I can pay for my accommodation” and had failed to make a rent payment because of a lack of funds. The rates for students who didn’t hot-bed were two in ten.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="student with head in hands looks at how little money they have" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390774/original/file-20210322-19-1nochcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390774/original/file-20210322-19-1nochcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390774/original/file-20210322-19-1nochcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390774/original/file-20210322-19-1nochcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390774/original/file-20210322-19-1nochcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=626&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390774/original/file-20210322-19-1nochcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=626&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390774/original/file-20210322-19-1nochcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=626&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many hot-bedding students have gone without meals because of lack of funds.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/freelance-man-not-have-salary-stressed-712764829">Simpili/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/god-i-miss-fruit-40-of-students-at-australian-universities-may-be-going-without-food-156584">'God, I miss fruit!' 40% of students at Australian universities may be going without food</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Almost half (48%) of hot-bedders agreed concern about paying the rent was having a negative impact on their studies.</p>
<h2>How do they view their accommodation?</h2>
<p>Despite having to hot-bed, just under eight in ten (78%) of these students said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the home they are renting.</p>
<p>Just over seven in ten (72%) agreed with the statement, “The home I rent is suitable for my needs.” Only 7% disagreed. </p>
<p>Only one in ten hot-bedders agreed the person they rent from did not keep the property well-maintained.</p>
<p>Just over one in four (27%) hot-bedders felt their home was overcrowded compared to 12% of non-hot-bedders. </p>
<p>The cramped situation appeared to have a negative impact on their academic work. About one in three (35%) agreed or strongly agreed that “the condition of my accommodation has a negative impact on my studies”, compared to 13% of those who didn’t hot-bed.</p>
<p>Remarkably, just under one in four (23%) hot-bedding students answered “yes” when asked if the “balcony of the property is used as a bedroom”, compared to 5% of students who did not hot-bed. A similar percentage of hot-bedders (and 4% of non-hot-bedders) said the garage is used as a bedroom.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/informal-and-illegal-housing-on-the-rise-as-our-cities-fail-to-offer-affordable-places-to-live-116065">Informal and illegal housing on the rise as our cities fail to offer affordable places to live</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How secure do they feel?</h2>
<p>Most hot-bedders reported they had a good relationship with their landlord or real estate agent. Only 6% said it was “bad” or “not very good”.</p>
<p>Close to half (45%) of hot-bedders said the person they pay rent to lives in the same accommodation. It’s unclear whether this is the actual landlord, or a person who sub-lets the property.</p>
<p>Two in three hot-bedders sensed they “could stay in this rental property as long as they want to”. Despite the seemingly good relationship of most hot-bedders with their landlord, just under one in three agreed that if they “complain about the standards of the property and maintenance problems [they] might be asked to leave”. </p>
<p>Although maintenance did not seem to be a major issue, just under four in ten hot-bedders agreed they were concerned the rent might be increased if they did ask for repairs. And 38% were anxious they “might be told to leave [their] property and be given a short time to leave”. </p>
<p>When asked, “In the last year, have you ever felt that you could become homeless?”, 37% answered yes. This compares to 17% of non-hot-bedders.</p>
<p>Just under four in ten hot-bedders agreed or strongly agreed that “stress around the possibility of losing my accommodation is affecting my academic studies”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-coronavirus-impacts-are-devastating-for-international-students-in-private-rental-housing-134792">Why coronavirus impacts are devastating for international students in private rental housing</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What is their employment status?</h2>
<p>Half of the students who hot-bed had paid work at the time of the survey and of those employed 48% reported that their landlord employed them, compared to 17% of the other students in paid work.</p>
<p>A large proportion felt they were poorly paid and their job was insecure. Less than half of the hot-bedders felt they were well-paid. Only one in four disagreed with the statement, “My current job is insecure.”</p>
<p>Just over eight in ten said losing their job would cause them financial difficulties.</p>
<h2>Financial stress is widespread</h2>
<p>The chart below shows eight measures of financial stress adapted from the Australia Bureau of Statistics. We added an item on affordability of textbooks.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390764/original/file-20210322-21-1pn6xj2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="chart showing international students' responses to 8 questions relating to financial stress indicators" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390764/original/file-20210322-21-1pn6xj2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390764/original/file-20210322-21-1pn6xj2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=747&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390764/original/file-20210322-21-1pn6xj2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=747&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390764/original/file-20210322-21-1pn6xj2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=747&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390764/original/file-20210322-21-1pn6xj2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=938&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390764/original/file-20210322-21-1pn6xj2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=938&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390764/original/file-20210322-21-1pn6xj2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=938&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://internationalstudentsandhousing.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/international-students-and-housing-survey-report-final-report.pdf">The Conversation. Data: Author provided</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>On every measure students who hot-bed were two to three times more likely to have answered yes to the question, indicating financial stress. Perhaps the most alarming statistic is that 39% of hot-bedders went without meals. So did 20% of non-hot-bedders.</p>
<p>One in ten hot-bedders suffered from all eight indicators of financial stress. A worrying 34% of hot-bedders reported five or more indicators of financial stress. Only 9% of non-hot-bedders reported five stress indicators. Less than one in 100 endured all eight. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/tracking-the-rise-of-room-sharing-and-overcrowding-and-what-it-means-for-housing-in-australia-107265">Tracking the rise of room sharing and overcrowding, and what it means for housing in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156589/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alan Morris receives funding from Australian Research Council.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gaby Ramia receives funding from The Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Catherine Hastings does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Even before the pandemic added to their financial stresses, a survey of international students suggests more than 20,000 were renting beds that are available to them for only certain hours.Alan Morris, Professor, Institute of Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology SydneyCatherine Hastings, Assistant Researcher, Institute for Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology SydneyGaby Ramia, Professor of Policy and Society, Department of Government and International Relations, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1529712021-02-14T18:49:39Z2021-02-14T18:49:39ZCOVID killed the on-campus lecture, but will unis raise it from the dead?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383924/original/file-20210212-13-10bjxj4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C41%2C3932%2C2570&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sleeping-student-414549313">Markus Pfaff/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://eprints.utas.edu.au/34123/">Throughout the world</a>, COVID-19 health regulations have made the on-campus lecture mostly defunct. And <a href="https://www.acode.edu.au/pluginfile.php/9235/mod_resource/content/7/white%20paper.pdf">most Australian universities</a> won’t be offering on-campus lectures in 2021.</p>
<p>The Australasian Council on Open, Distance and e-Learning (ACODE) recently published a <a href="https://www.acode.edu.au/pluginfile.php/9235/mod_resource/content/7/white%20paper.pdf">white paper on lectures</a>, based on survey responses from 43 member universities (91% response rate). About two-thirds indicated they would not be conducting on-campus lectures this year.</p>
<p>University of Southern Queensland (USQ), for example, sent a document to all staff and students announcing on-campus classes, such as tutorials, lab work and small-group seminars, will continue in 2021, with the notable exception of the traditional lecture. At USQ, when didactic content does need to be delivered, it will be done online, in smaller <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/more-universities-planning-drop-lectures-after-pandemic">chunks</a>, with student learning activities interspersed.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="half-empty lecture theatre" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383927/original/file-20210212-15-1avrv5y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383927/original/file-20210212-15-1avrv5y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383927/original/file-20210212-15-1avrv5y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383927/original/file-20210212-15-1avrv5y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383927/original/file-20210212-15-1avrv5y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383927/original/file-20210212-15-1avrv5y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383927/original/file-20210212-15-1avrv5y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Traditional lectures are often poorly attended and several universities have already decided to abandon them permanently.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/videos-wont-kill-the-uni-lecture-but-they-will-improve-student-learning-and-their-marks-142282">Videos won't kill the uni lecture, but they will improve student learning and their marks</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The lecture was ailing before COVID</h2>
<p>Now that COVID-19 has forced universities to cease on-campus lectures, many report that they will not return after the pandemic. Only 23% of <a href="https://www.acode.edu.au/pluginfile.php/9235/mod_resource/content/7/white%20paper.pdf">ACODE</a>-surveyed universities said they would return to full lecturing. </p>
<p>Times Higher Education <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/student-profile-key-lectures-future-australia">reported</a> last month that Curtin, Murdoch and Victoria universities believe in-person lectures are a mode of the past.</p>
<p>Some universities started “killing off” lectures long before the pandemic. In 2012, for example, <a href="https://theconversation.com/lecture-theatres-to-go-the-way-of-the-dodo-9893">The Conversation</a> reported the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) was tearing down its lecture theatres. </p>
<p>Many new and redesigned tertiary campuses are not including blueprinted lecture theatres. The University of Tasmania, for example, is in the process of creating the <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/northern-transformation/inveresk-campus/precinct-plan">Inveresk Precinct</a> with non-traditional teaching and learning spaces. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-tips-on-how-unis-can-do-more-to-design-online-learning-that-works-for-all-students-144803">5 tips on how unis can do more to design online learning that works for all students</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>Why are lecture theatres on the way out?</h2>
<p>Mostly this is happening because there are better ways to learn and to prepare for employment. In 2014, <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/initiatives/city-campus-master-plan/campus-development-news-archive/2014-news/april-2014-news/its-whats-inside-counts-guide-new-learning-spaces-uts">UTS explained</a> its rationale for demolishing lecture theatres was not physical, but educational. </p>
<p>For universities, a primary reason for cancelling lectures is to improve pedagogy or teaching methods. In the <a href="https://www.acode.edu.au/pluginfile.php/9235/mod_resource/content/7/white%20paper.pdf">ACODE survey</a>, only 7% disagreed with this rationale. </p>
<p>Times Higher Education <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/lectures-dont-work-but-we-keep-using-them/2009141.article">reported</a> that, by 2013, more than 700 studies had all found lectures are an ineffective teaching approach. There is little <a href="https://pure.bond.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/27948857/Does_digital_scholarship_through_online_lectures_affect_student_learning.pdf">empirical evidence</a> to prove that lectures are an optimal way to learn or to develop graduate career skills.</p>
<p>Lectures are passive. They seldom get students to do anything, beyond listening and perhaps taking notes. Lectures fail to foster deep learning and student engagement. The purpose of the lecture is called into question.</p>
<p><a href="https://espace.curtin.edu.au/handle/20.500.11937/60852">Australian students</a> have been voting with their feet. They have continually chosen to <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol3/iss2/3/">forgo lectures</a>, <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol17/iss5/15/">preferring</a> content delivered online. </p>
<p>This learning mode particularly appeals to mature-aged students, who are working while studying and have difficulty fitting long lecture blocks into their schedules. And this <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/student-profile-key-lectures-future-australia">description</a> fits a high proportion of university students today. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="young woman takes notes as she sits in front of a laptop at home" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383926/original/file-20210212-21-xc98qx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383926/original/file-20210212-21-xc98qx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383926/original/file-20210212-21-xc98qx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383926/original/file-20210212-21-xc98qx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383926/original/file-20210212-21-xc98qx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383926/original/file-20210212-21-xc98qx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383926/original/file-20210212-21-xc98qx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">University students with busy schedules clearly prefer to engage with much of the traditional lecture content online.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">fizkes/Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lecture-recordings-mean-fewer-students-are-turning-up-does-it-matter-131988">Lecture recordings mean fewer students are turning up – does it matter?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Are students or employers concerned?</h2>
<p>Early in the pandemic (June through September 2020), i-graduate conducted a <a href="https://www.ieaa.org.au/blog/i-graduate-covid-19-survey-results">survey</a> of Australian domestic and international students. Of the 24,000 respondents, 70% were satisfied with how the universities adapted to COVID-19 and 68% with their overall online learning experience. </p>
<p>While students expressed current satisfaction with online lectures (about 70%), only half thought they should remain. Notably, students were not surveyed about their preference for the online recorded long-form lecture versus alternatives.</p>
<p>A recent FutureLearn <a href="https://www.futurelearn.com/info/do-employers-value-online-learning">survey</a> of just over 1,000 American employers asked: “Are you more likely to hire applicants with online education since the pandemic?” While 75% responded yes, 63% said they would need to “rethink” the hiring process.</p>
<h2>But how will students learn what they need to know?</h2>
<p>The questions within these surveys are asked in a Shakespearean binary: to lecture, or not to lecture. On-campus or online. The reality is not so simple. </p>
<p>Lectures are not the only approach to university education. Furthermore, the choice of on-campus or online learning is now mostly redundant. </p>
<p>All students spend a lot of their time within online “learning management systems”. Even before the pandemic, curriculum without an accompanying website was rare. </p>
<p>The lecture is still the lecture, whether on-campus, or recorded and posted online. The lecture does not teach any better just because it is digital.</p>
<p>Searching for, planning and booking travel is flourishing online (or at least it was during non-pandemic times). Streaming services have radically changed how people watch television. It is time for universities to catch up to other industries and take full advantage of the opportunities of the internet. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/universities-need-to-train-lecturers-in-online-delivery-or-they-risk-students-dropping-out-133921">Universities need to train lecturers in online delivery, or they risk students dropping out</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>It might be time to let the lecture die, now that other modes of learning and interactions (<a href="https://learningportal.iiep.unesco.org/en/issue-briefs/improve-learning/teachers-and-pedagogy/effective-and-appropriate-pedagogy">pedagogies</a>) can thrive.</p>
<p>The University of Southern Queensland, for example, is rolling out a <a href="https://digitalfirst.usq.edu.au/">suite of alternative teaching approaches</a>. Most of these are available online. Examples include panel discussions, animated explanations, online experimentation, problem-solving demonstration videos and website hunts. </p>
<p>Such approaches are a sign of the nature of educational change brought forward by the pandemic, which was perhaps long overdue in the higher education sector.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/152971/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>About two-thirds of Australian universities won’t be offering on-campus lectures in 2021. But that’s not all the pandemic’s fault – it simply accelerated a shift away from the traditional format.Shelley Kinash, Professor of Higher Education, University of Southern QueenslandColin Jones, Associate Professor and Senior Academic Developer, University of Southern QueenslandJoseph Crawford, Lecturer, University of TasmaniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1493082021-01-03T13:56:45Z2021-01-03T13:56:45ZOutdoor education at universities can be a positive legacy of COVID-19<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370402/original/file-20201119-22-1xgujri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C700%2C4877%2C2856&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">An orientation week organizer wearing a shirt promoting physical distancing of two metres sits in a new outdoor ampitheatre at Université de Sherbrooke piloted this past fall.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Michel Caron/UdeS ) </span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Universities have faced major <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/education/what-college-students-in-canada-can-expect-during-covid/">planning challenges</a> due to COVID-19. While there has been significant media coverage about <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/online-university-burnout-1.5793757">universities offering students online learning</a>, what has been less discussed is how some activities have continued in face-to-face settings.</p>
<p>My research is <a href="https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00833a">concerned with outdoor science education</a> so I have long been engaged in studying outdoor learning. At the Université de Sherbrooke, among our measures to promote student and staff safety during the pandemic was <a href="https://www.usherbrooke.ca/actualites/nouvelles/sur-les-campus/sur-les-campus-details/article/43014/">setting up outdoor sheltered and ampitheatre-style learning environments</a>. Since the university was already planning to develop outdoor spaces that could be used for teaching, the pandemic provided an opportunity for pilot testing. </p>
<p>To develop our outdoor learning environments, we appointed a committee with diverse expertise in learning and teaching, health and safety and a variety of logistical and technical considerations such as managing audiovisual resources. Together, we created a <a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11143/17311">guide to support outdoor education in higher education in Canada during the context of COVID-19</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368710/original/file-20201110-19-1q4m0l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368710/original/file-20201110-19-1q4m0l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368710/original/file-20201110-19-1q4m0l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368710/original/file-20201110-19-1q4m0l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368710/original/file-20201110-19-1q4m0l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368710/original/file-20201110-19-1q4m0l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368710/original/file-20201110-19-1q4m0l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368710/original/file-20201110-19-1q4m0l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Université de Sherbrooke students participate in a course about elementary school science education.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Teaching and learning considerations</h2>
<p>In times of pandemic, outdoor classes allow students to meet their professor or classmates in person, when they would not otherwise have had the chance to do so.
However, even during regular non-pandemic times, outdoor classes may also allow professors to incorporate outdoor education into their lessons directly on campus.</p>
<p>Outdoor learning environments should be used only when activities have an added value. In other words, not all courses have to be held there. They can be used in a complementary manner with indoor or online learning when they support the learning objectives.</p>
<p>In a university context, outdoor education can have several benefits. It provides the opportunity to draw on the environment to explore different disciplinary knowledge. For example, students might engage with the outdoor environment to learn more about social behaviours on campus; they might explore natural phenomena or examine technical phenomena such as building construction.</p>
<p>Open spaces can also encourage teachers to combine physical activity with educational content. Activities that put students physically in action <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000341">are associated with the potential to increase academic achievement</a>. </p>
<p>In the university context, where appropriate student accommodations can be made when necessary, this could include field activities with classmates or a guided walk with the teacher to explore the surrounding area.</p>
<p>Some research suggests that for people without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) “<a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.2105%2Fajph.94.9.1580">inattention and impulsivity are reduced after exposure to natural views and settings</a>,” but it is unclear what these findings could mean for students with ADHD. It is important to consider accessibility when planning to create an inclusive gathering space for all students.</p>
<h2>Student and faculty experiences</h2>
<p>This fall, a total of 57 teachers made 137 reservations in the 10 outdoor classrooms. Of the 1,275 students who had at least one outdoor activity, 94 per cent were at the undergraduate level. Fifty-seven per cent of them were entering their first year at the university. These outdoor activities allowed them to experience the campus during this time of physical distancing.</p>
<p>The faculty of education and the faculty of arts and humanities were the most represented. Instructors led courses in a wide variety of fields, such as primary science education, drama and film writing, physical activity anatomy, psychology and research methodology.</p>
<p>We conducted a survey to better understand the students’ experience. Most striking was the potentially positive and negative effects of outdoor learning environments on concentration. </p>
<p>While some students mentioned that the outdoors allowed them to be more focused, others mentioned the opposite. These insights highlight the importance of selecting locations that enhance positive stimuli (for example, feeling the warmth of the sun or being surrounded by nature) while reducing nuisance stimuli such as passers-by and ambient noise.</p>
<p>These preliminary observations will lead to first adjustments when our outdoor learning environments reopen in May 2021.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1CEdZ79jqDE?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet discusses outdoor education at Université de Sherbrooke.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Looking forward</h2>
<p>While education at all levels has been shaken over the past months, the pandemic is an opportunity to think about new learning environments. Outdoor settings were an opportunity for students to discover the campus, meet their teacher and develop relationships with new fellow students. Paradoxically, the current context does not allow teachers to fully benefit from one of the important principles of outdoor education: active teaching methods.</p>
<p>Since teachers in higher education institutions are generally not familiar with teaching outdoors, it is essential to develop training or offer a community of practice within the institution to support them. This process must be embedded in a broader change from a paradigm centred on teaching to one centred on student learning.</p>
<p>Much research is being conducted to better understand the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00305">effects of experiences with nature on cognitive, physical, mental and educational components</a> for students between kindergarten to Grade 12. In higher education, we still need to develop a co-ordinated research agenda to answer important questions. How can outdoor learning promote inclusiveness in higher education? What teaching methods are most conducive to outdoor learning in higher education?</p>
<p>At Université de Sherbrooke, outdoor learning environments will be a legacy of the pandemic, in terms of both infrastructure and pedagogical practices. I invite all those interested to join us in these new avenues of research.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/149308/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet has received funding from SSHRC, FQRSC, and MEES.</span></em></p>Université de Sherbrooke introduced 10 new outdoor classrooms during COVID-19 and created a guide about outdoor teaching. It will fine-tune outdoor teaching in response to student feedback.Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet, Professor, Department of Preschool and Primary Education, Université de Sherbrooke Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1305412020-08-05T19:58:16Z2020-08-05T19:58:16Z5 tips on writing better university assignments<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350566/original/file-20200731-33-awj0f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C26%2C5991%2C3961&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/8TKF-8cLGRg">Bermix Studio/Unsplash</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>University life comes with its share of challenges. One of these is writing longer assignments that require higher information, communication and critical thinking skills than what you might have been used to in high school. Here are five tips to help you get ahead.</p>
<h2>1. Use <em>all</em> available sources of information</h2>
<p>Beyond instructions and deadlines, lecturers make available an increasing number of resources. But students often overlook these. </p>
<p>For example, to understand how your assignment will be graded, you can examine the <a href="http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/112001/chapters/What-Are-Rubrics-and-Why-Are-They-Important%C2%A2.aspx">rubric</a>. This is a chart indicating what you need to do to obtain a high distinction, a credit or a pass, as well as the course objectives – also known as “learning outcomes”. </p>
<p>Other resources include lecture recordings, reading lists, sample assignments and discussion boards. All this information is usually put together in an online platform called a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_management_system">learning management system</a> (LMS). Examples include <a href="https://www.blackboard.com/teaching-learning/learning-management">Blackboard</a>, <a href="https://moodle.com/lms/">Moodle</a>, <a href="https://www.instructure.com/canvas/en-au">Canvas</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5fJJw4WVlI">iLearn</a>. <a href="https://www.utpjournals.press/doi/abs/10.3138/jelis.57.4.255">Research shows</a> students who use their LMS more frequently tend to obtain higher final grades. </p>
<p>If after scrolling through your LMS you still have questions about your assignment, you can check your lecturer’s consultation hours.</p>
<h2>2. Take referencing seriously</h2>
<p>Plagiarism – using somebody else’s words or ideas without attribution – is a serious offence at university. It is a form of cheating.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350571/original/file-20200731-21-1kl1coe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Hands on a keyboard using the Ctrl C copy function" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350571/original/file-20200731-21-1kl1coe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350571/original/file-20200731-21-1kl1coe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350571/original/file-20200731-21-1kl1coe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350571/original/file-20200731-21-1kl1coe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350571/original/file-20200731-21-1kl1coe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350571/original/file-20200731-21-1kl1coe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350571/original/file-20200731-21-1kl1coe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">It’s so easy to copy and paste sentences, but using someone else’s words without attribution is a serious offence in the academic world.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/boy-press-ctrl-c-on-keyboard-570135163">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In many cases, though, students are unaware they have cheated. They are simply not familiar with referencing styles – such as <a href="https://apastyle.apa.org/">APA</a>, <a href="https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/uqharvard">Harvard</a>, <a href="https://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/c.php?g=508212&p=3476168">Vancouver</a>, <a href="https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html">Chicago</a>, etc – or lack the skills to put the information from their sources into their own words. </p>
<p>To avoid making this mistake, you may approach your university’s library, which is likely to offer face-to-face workshops or online resources on referencing. Academic support units may also help with paraphrasing. </p>
<p>You can also use referencing management software, such as <a href="https://endnote.com/">EndNote</a> or <a href="https://www.mendeley.com/reference-management/reference-manager/">Mendeley</a>. You can then store your sources, retrieve citations and create reference lists with only a few clicks. For undergraduate students, <a href="https://www.zotero.org/">Zotero</a> has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20551">recommended</a> as it seems to be more user-friendly. </p>
<p>Using this kind of software will certainly save you time searching for and formatting references. However, you still need to become familiar with the citation style in your discipline and revise the formatting accordingly. </p>
<h2>3. Plan before you write</h2>
<p>If you were to build a house, you wouldn’t start by laying bricks at random. You’d start with a blueprint. Likewise, writing an academic paper requires careful planning: you need to decide the number of sections, their organisation, and the information and sources you will include in each. </p>
<p><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0128309">Research shows</a> students who prepare detailed outlines produce higher-quality texts. Planning will not only help you get better grades, but will also reduce the time you spend staring blankly at the screen thinking about what to write next.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350747/original/file-20200803-25-25b6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Young woman sitting at desk with laptop and checking notes for assignment" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350747/original/file-20200803-25-25b6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350747/original/file-20200803-25-25b6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350747/original/file-20200803-25-25b6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350747/original/file-20200803-25-25b6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350747/original/file-20200803-25-25b6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350747/original/file-20200803-25-25b6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350747/original/file-20200803-25-25b6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Spend some time planning your assignment before you start writing. Research shows it does pay off.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/millennial-indian-girl-sit-desk-living-1646694124">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>During the planning stage, using programs like <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-365/onenote/digital-note-taking-app?ms.url=onenotecom&rtc=1">OneNote</a> from Microsoft Office or <a href="https://outline.app/mac">Outline</a> for Mac can make the task easier as they allow you to organise information in tabs. These bits of information can be easily rearranged for later drafting. Navigating through the tabs is also easier than scrolling through a long Word file. </p>
<h2>4. Choose the right words</h2>
<p>Which of these sentences is more appropriate for an assignment?</p>
<p>a. “This paper talks about why the planet is getting hotter”, or
b. “This paper examines the causes of climate change”. </p>
<p>The written language used at university is more formal and technical than the language you normally use in social media or while chatting with your friends. Academic words tend to be longer and their meaning is also more precise. “Climate change” implies more than just the planet “getting hotter”. </p>
<p>To find the right words, you can use <a href="https://skell.sketchengine.co.uk/run.cgi/skell">SkELL</a>, which shows you the words that appear more frequently, with your search entry categorised grammatically. For example, if you enter “paper”, it will tell you it is often the subject of verbs such as “present”, “describe”, “examine” and “discuss”. </p>
<p>Another option is the <a href="https://writefull.com/">Writefull</a> app, which does a similar job without having to use an online browser. </p>
<h2>5. Edit and proofread</h2>
<p>If you’re typing the last paragraph of the assignment ten minutes before the deadline, you will be missing a very important step in the writing process: editing and proofreading your text. A <a href="https://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/alls/article/view/4641">2018 study</a> found a group of university students did significantly better in a test after incorporating the process of planning, drafting and editing in their writing.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350748/original/file-20200803-22-19446k1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Hand holding red pen to edit paper." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350748/original/file-20200803-22-19446k1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350748/original/file-20200803-22-19446k1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350748/original/file-20200803-22-19446k1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350748/original/file-20200803-22-19446k1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350748/original/file-20200803-22-19446k1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350748/original/file-20200803-22-19446k1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/350748/original/file-20200803-22-19446k1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Plan to give yourself time to read through and check your assignment. Assessors are not impressed by obvious careless mistakes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hand-working-on-paper-proofreading-747423190">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>You probably already know to check the spelling of a word if it appears underlined in red. You may even use a grammar checker such as <a href="https://www.grammarly.com/">Grammarly</a>. However, no software to date can detect every error and it is not uncommon to be given inaccurate suggestions. </p>
<p>So, in addition to your choice of proofreader, you need to improve and expand your grammar knowledge. Check with the academic support services at your university if they offer any relevant courses.</p>
<p>Written communication is a skill that requires effort and dedication. That’s why universities are investing in support services – face-to-face workshops, individual consultations, and online courses – to help students in this process. You can also take advantage of a wide range of web-based resources such as spell checkers, vocabulary tools and referencing software – many of them free. </p>
<p>Improving your written communication will help you succeed at university and beyond.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/130541/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexandra Garcia does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There’s no mystery about how to improve your grades. The same steps apply to all assignments to ensure the work you produce is as good as it can be.Alexandra Garcia, Lecturer in Student Learning and Communication Development, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1319022020-07-14T20:01:20Z2020-07-14T20:01:20Z1 in 5 PhD students could drop out. Here are some tips for how to keep going<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/347236/original/file-20200714-50-1bjste2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/selective-focus-concentrated-asian-young-phd-1145042171">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Doctoral students <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt.4089">show high levels of stress</a> in comparison to other students, and ongoing uncertainty in terms of graduate career outcomes can make matters worse.</p>
<p>Before the pandemic, <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-36330/v2">one in five research students</a> were expected to disengage from their PhD. Disengagement includes taking extended leave, suspending their studies or dropping out entirely.</p>
<p>COVID-19 has made those statistics far worse. In a <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-36330/v2">recent study</a>, 45% of PhD students surveyed reported they expected to be disengaged from their research within six months, due to the financial effects of the pandemic. </p>
<p>Many <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/07/why-do-so-many-graduate-students-quit/490094/f">factors influence</a> whether a student completes their doctorate. They include supervision support (intellectual and pastoral), peer support (colleagues, friends and family), financial stability and good mental health.</p>
<p>In our recently published book <a href="https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030181987">The Doctoral Experience
Student Stories from the Creative Arts and Humanities</a> – which we edited with contributions from PhD students – students outlined their experiences of doing a doctorate and shared some useful strategies for how to keep going, and ultimately succeed, in the doctoral journey. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/347242/original/file-20200714-58-1c9d0c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/347242/original/file-20200714-58-1c9d0c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/347242/original/file-20200714-58-1c9d0c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347242/original/file-20200714-58-1c9d0c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347242/original/file-20200714-58-1c9d0c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347242/original/file-20200714-58-1c9d0c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1069&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347242/original/file-20200714-58-1c9d0c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1069&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347242/original/file-20200714-58-1c9d0c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1069&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Palgrave Macmillan</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A deeply personal journey</h2>
<p>Completing a doctorate involves much more than generating knowledge in a specific discipline. It is a profoundly transformational process evolving over a period of at least four years — and often longer. </p>
<p>This entails <a href="https://nitro.edu.au/articles/2019/10/4/research-learning-complexity-and-autonomy-in-the-creative-doctorate">personal questioning</a>, development in many areas of life, and often a quite significant personal and intellectual reorientation. The PhD brings with it high expectations, which in turn creates high emotional stakes that can both inspire and derail students. This is coupled with coming to see and think about the world very differently — which for some can be a daunting prospect, as all previously held assumptions are thrown into disarray.</p>
<p>Such a profoundly existential process can itself engender anxiety, depression and trauma if students are not equipped with the self-care strategies that enable resilience. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/phd-completion-an-evidence-based-guide-for-students-supervisors-and-universities-99650">PhD completion: an evidence-based guide for students, supervisors and universities</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Every chapter in our book, written by a different student, emphasises the need to engage in deep thinking and planning regarding their personal goals, strengths and weaknesses, and ways of working before starting the PhD. </p>
<p>This is important preparatory work to ensure any challenges that arise are surmountable.</p>
<p>In her chapter, Making Time (and Space) for the Journey, AK Milroy writes she learnt to </p>
<blockquote>
<p>[…] analyse and break down the complicated doctoral journey into a manageable, achievable process with clear tasks and an imaginable destination. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>She writes this includes involving family and friends in the process because </p>
<blockquote>
<p>[…] it is paramount to ensure these people understand the work that lies ahead, and also that they too are being respected by being included in the planning.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Relationships were, above all, a critical component of the experience for many of the student writers. The supervisory relationship is the most obvious one, which Margaret Cook describes as the student undertaking a form of academic apprenticeship. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-types-of-phd-supervisor-relationships-which-is-yours-52967">Ten types of PhD supervisor relationships – which is yours?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The student authors also identify strategies for the “thinking” part of the research process once enrolled. These include acknowledging that the free and creative element of mind-wandering and downtime are as legitimate as the focused, task-oriented work of project management, such as preparing checklists and calendars. </p>
<p>AK Milroy calls these “strategic side-steps”. </p>
<p>Peter Mackenzie, who researched regional jazz musicians, went a step further to connect with his participants.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I felt like an outsider but once I started to play with the guys on the bandstand that night at the Casino, I sensed a different level of appreciation from them. After playing and taking on some improvisations, I could feel the group relax. I was no longer an outside musician. Even better, I wasn’t seen as an academic. I was one of them.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Struggling with self doubt</h2>
<p>The task of writing, of course, cannot be ignored in the long doctoral journey. </p>
<p>Drafting and redrafting, jettisoning ideas and arguments along the way, is acknowledged as a core component of the doctoral learning process itself, and the many attempts are not proof of failure. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/347243/original/file-20200714-34-1v8hl2g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/347243/original/file-20200714-34-1v8hl2g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/347243/original/file-20200714-34-1v8hl2g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347243/original/file-20200714-34-1v8hl2g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347243/original/file-20200714-34-1v8hl2g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347243/original/file-20200714-34-1v8hl2g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347243/original/file-20200714-34-1v8hl2g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/347243/original/file-20200714-34-1v8hl2g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">It’s important to employ healthy strategies, like exercise, during your doctoral journey.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dog-walker-strides-his-pet-on-1399290365">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Gail Pittaway writes about extending networks beyond one’s supervisors and university to collaborate with those in the discipline nationally and internationally. </p>
<p>This can be productive and lead to co-written articles and editing special issues of journals, which can positively influence the PhD thesis.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>[…] by developing confidence in sharing ideas, seeking peer review feedback and editorial advice from a wider range of readers as some of these sections are submitted for publication, the writing of the thesis is encouraged and energised.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Many of the student authors acknowledge questioning, self-doubt and fear of the unknown are central to creating and performing research. While this might be frightening, they say it should be embraced as this is where innovation and novelty can arise. </p>
<p>Charmaine O'Brien writes about how transformative learning is dependent on this period of complexity and not-knowing. While “failure to make experience conform to what we already know is threatening because it destabilises a sense of how we know the world, and ourselves in it, resulting in psychological ‘dis-ease’”, staying with it – and having supportive supervisors – ensures the student becomes a doctoral-level thinker. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mindfulness-can-help-phd-students-shift-from-surviving-to-thriving-106608">Mindfulness can help PhD students shift from surviving to thriving</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Lisa Brummel writes of extending requirements of occupational health and safety into her own life. This takes forms such as family, friends and exercise, assisting with work-life balance and good mental health. </p>
<p>After all, two of the most significant resources PhD students possess to do the work required are their physical and mental capacity.</p>
<p>Finally, students must love their topic. Without an innate fascination for the field in which they are researching, this often tumultuous intellectual, emotional and personal journey may derail.</p>
<p>In the four-plus years spent doing a doctoral degree, any range of major life events can occur. Births, deaths, marriages, separations and divorces, illnesses and recovery, are all possible. Being willing to seek help and knowing who to ask can be the difference between completing and collapsing. </p>
<p>There is no pleasure without pain in the doctoral journey, but with the right frame of mind and supportive supervisors, the joys certainly outweigh the suffering.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131902/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alison Owens works for the Australian Catholic University.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Craig Batty, Donna Lee Brien, and Elizabeth Ellison do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There is no pleasure without pain in the doctoral journey, but with the right frame of mind and supportive supervisors, the joys certainly outweigh the suffering.Craig Batty, Professor of Creative Writing, University of Technology SydneyAlison Owens, Senior Lecturer, Learning and Teaching Centre, Australian Catholic UniversityDonna Lee Brien, Professor, Creative Industries, CQUniversity AustraliaElizabeth Ellison, Senior Lecturer, Creative Industries, CQUniversity AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1370672020-04-24T05:56:26Z2020-04-24T05:56:26ZANU will invigilate exams using remote software, and many students are unhappy<p>The Australian National University (ANU) is facing a backlash from students over the proposed use of a digital platform to invigilate exams remotely. The university <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/covid-19-advice/learning-remotely/remote-examinations">recently announced plans</a> to use the Proctorio platform to ensure the legitimacy of exams conducted away from campus during the COVID-19 pandemic. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1252478905069387776"}"></div></p>
<p>Students aren’t happy. A <a href="https://www.facebook.com/No-Proctorio-at-ANU-112247750446698/">Facebook page</a> and a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/australian-national-university-tell-anu-students-say-no-to-proctorio">Change.org petition</a> with more than 3,700 signatures have gained significant media attention. </p>
<p>But the use of technology to solve COVID-19 related challenges has been widespread. So what’s different now?</p>
<h2>What is Proctorio?</h2>
<p>In essence, <a href="https://proctorio.com/">Proctorio</a> is the digital equivalent of the invigilators walking up and down the aisles during student examinations. The software is already used by various institutions around the world, including <a href="https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/11544/files/2420382/download?verifier=J84eQ3dJ92MuPd5EINg3Sy0rThJ63NmfySF0lO5F&wrap=1">Harvard University</a> and other <a href="https://www.kent.edu/sites/default/files/file/Proctorio_StudentFAQ_Final.pdf">US universities</a>. The University of Queensland has also <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/uq-students-raise-privacy-concerns-over-third-party-exam-platform-20200419-p54l77.html">announced plans</a> to use a similar platform, ProctorU.</p>
<p>To use the Proctorio software, the student taking the exam has to install it on their computer and allow the program to access their camera and microphone. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/329991/original/file-20200423-47841-zh66r0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/329991/original/file-20200423-47841-zh66r0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/329991/original/file-20200423-47841-zh66r0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/329991/original/file-20200423-47841-zh66r0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/329991/original/file-20200423-47841-zh66r0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/329991/original/file-20200423-47841-zh66r0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/329991/original/file-20200423-47841-zh66r0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A range of permissions are required by the Proctorio browser extension.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The software is a <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/proctorio/fpmapakogndmenjcfoajifaaonnkpkei">browser extension</a> for Google Chrome. Along with camera access, Proctorio requires permission to:</p>
<ul>
<li>access web page content to allow the extension to function correctly</li>
<li>capture the screen to facilitate screen recording</li>
<li>manage other extensions to monitor other tools being used in the browser</li>
<li>display notifications</li>
<li>modify clipboard data to prevent copy-and-paste capability</li>
<li>identify storage devices to allows the extension to “see” system resources and</li>
<li>change privacy settings to allow an external technical support function.</li>
</ul>
<p>While the provider gives <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/proctorio/fpmapakogndmenjcfoajifaaonnkpkei">reassurance in each category</a> (and there’s no evidence any of it’s untrue), it’s understandable some students are daunted by the extent of permissions requested.</p>
<p>The second part of the system is in the cloud. Data collected on a user’s computer is transmitted to the company’s servers to be analysed. This could include video and audio recordings, as well as images captured of a user’s screen.</p>
<p>In a statement to The Conversation, an ANU spokesperson said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Data will be stored in a secure location in Australia. Only ANU staff who are trained in privacy and the use of Proctorio will have access to this data. These staff members are also responsible to the University’s privacy policy. Data will be deleted once exams are over and course results are finalised.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Facial detection (but not recognition)</h2>
<p>Proctorio claims to use <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-machine-learning-76759">machine learning</a> and <a href="https://towardsdatascience.com/face-detection-for-beginners-e58e8f21aad9">facial detection</a> to identify the likelihood a student is cheating. It’s important to distinguish facial detection from the more controversial technology of facial recognition.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/facial-recognition-is-spreading-faster-than-you-realise-132047">Facial recognition is spreading faster than you realise</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>By <a href="https://proctorio.com/platform/exam-monitoring">observing a student</a> throughout the exam, Proctorio’s system may be able to detect if the student:</p>
<ul>
<li>is looking at a second screen or reading from another source</li>
<li>is copying content</li>
<li>is being prompted by another person</li>
<li>has been replaced with someone else.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/apr/20/concerns-raised-australian-universities-plan-use-proctorio-proctoru-exam-monitoring-software">Concerns have been raised</a> that the system will monitor keystrokes (typing), potentially compromising students’ personal information.</p>
<p>But an ANU spokeperson told The Conversation that “Proctorio does not monitor what keys are typed – just that keys have been typed”.</p>
<h2>What are the issues being flagged?</h2>
<p>Students may nevertheless feel Proctorio is “spying” on them. Any tool that overtly monitors a user’s behaviour, particularly when downloaded on a personal laptop, merits thorough examination.</p>
<p>ANU has released a <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/files/guidance/ANU-CyberAdvisory-Proctorio-Guidance_updated.pdf">cyber security advisory statement</a> and <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/files/guidance/Proctorio_PIA_0.pdf">privacy assessment</a> that aim to address concerns. The key points are:</p>
<ul>
<li>all data is encrypted in transit and storage, and is only available to designated ANU staff. Proctorio has no access to the student data</li>
<li>students may have to show their room to the camera (presumably to verify they are alone)</li>
<li>the system doesn’t record keystrokes or mouse movements</li>
<li>camera, microphone and browser are used to monitor the user. However, the document does make reference to a rather nondescript “other means” of monitoring.</li>
</ul>
<p>In a YouTube video statement, ANU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Grady Venville reassured students the university’s IT security team had undertaken a thorough assessment of the software, and were “very satisfied” it met ANU’s “rigorous cybersecurity standards”.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hGqklmHhqok?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">ANU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) on the use of Proctorio.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is perhaps not entirely reassuring, given the university’s own cyber advisory recognised its “recent security challenges”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/19-years-of-personal-data-was-stolen-from-anu-it-could-show-up-on-the-dark-web-118265">19 years of personal data was stolen from ANU. It could show up on the dark web</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Can ANU force students to use Proctorio?</h2>
<p>ANU, like any university, is entitled to implement assessment strategies it deems appropriate. Given the current situation, finding alternatives to traditional examinations is essential to adhere to social-distancing measures.</p>
<p>The university is somewhat vague with regards to the specific use of Proctorio. In its <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/covid-19-advice/learning-remotely/remote-examinations/proctorio-faqs">FAQ</a> it states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Course conveners will determine if your course requires the use of Proctorio for the assessment for your course.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>ANU has confirmed to The Conversation that students have the option to defer the exam instead of using the software. Those without a suitable device can also use a university computer on campus, or enquire about alternative assessments with their convener. An ANU spokesperson also said course conveners “can use a range of other assessment methods” if appropriate.</p>
<p>Some students have asked to be notified before May 8 (the deadline to withdraw from units) if they will be forced to use Proctorio. </p>
<h2>What’s next?</h2>
<p>The legal situation is currently unclear. While ANU may be allowed to force the use of Proctorio for exams conducted on university-owned devices, mandating its use on privately owned devices is less certain.</p>
<p>If students do use Proctorio on their personal devices, they may want reassurance their device will be safe from surveillance when not being used for exams.</p>
<p>Also, while ANU offers the option to defer exams, students may feel pressure to unwillingly use the system simply to avoid a delayed graduation.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-accept-government-surveillance-for-now-110789">Australians accept government surveillance, for now</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137067/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paul Haskell-Dowland does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The Australian National University is turning to digital proctoring to replace the role of a walking invigilator. But who watches the proctor, what are the risks, and what data will be collected?Paul Haskell-Dowland, Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1339212020-03-24T22:22:13Z2020-03-24T22:22:13ZUniversities need to train lecturers in online delivery, or they risk students dropping out<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322461/original/file-20200324-45650-1vpx63w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/brisbaneaustralia-2019-university-queensland-brisbane-1642694173">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most <a href="https://itnews.com.au/news/online-mass-exodus-how-australian-unis-are-coping-with-the-covid-19-pandemic-539630">Australian universities</a> are moving courses online to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19. This <a href="https://about.uq.edu.au/coronavirus-advice-uq-community">includes lectures</a> and tutorials, <a href="https://students.unimelb.edu.au/student-support/coronavirus/information-for-all-students">which will likely</a> be delivered via the university learning management systems such as Moodle or Blackboard.</p>
<p>Some students believe universities are waiting until the census date (the date students can withdraw from the course without incurring a fee) before the transition, so they are locked into an inferior online experience while paying money for what they believe is a superior mode of teaching.</p>
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<p>When done right, <a href="https://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2007/Jahng_Krug_Zhang.htm">online learning</a> can actually be as effective as face-to-face education. But Australian universities haven’t upskilled their staff to deliver this kind of quality online education.</p>
<p>If Australian universities don’t provide intensive upskilling to lecturers to deliver online classes and support effectively, they might see many students disengaging and dropping out early.</p>
<h2>Why online learning can fail</h2>
<p>Australian universities introduced online degrees more than a decade ago. The hope was, and still is, that online learning would provide access for students who have historically been prevented from completing a higher education because they were unable to attend university in person. </p>
<p>These include students from low socio-economic backgrounds, students with a disability, and regional and remote students.</p>
<p>Completion rates for students studying fully online in many countries are <a href="https://sr.ithaka.org/publications/interactive-learning-online-at-public-universities-evidence-from-randomized-trials">considerably lower</a> than for those studying face-to-face. In Australia, <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/CathyStone_EQUITY-FELLOWSHIP-FINAL-REPORT.pdf">dropout is at least 20% higher</a> for online students compared with on-campus students and degree completions are 2.5 times lower. </p>
<p>Those most likely to drop out are the very groups access to online learning was meant to reach.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/opportunity-online-learning-improving-student-access-participation-success-higher-education/">national 2017 study</a> investigated these dropout rates. It found many academic and professional staff at Australian universities perceived online delivery as less important or lower priority than face to face. </p>
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<p>The same report also identified a lack of skill and experience among many academic staff when it came to online course design and online teaching which, in turn, impacted negatively on student learning and engagement. </p>
<p>A 2016 <a href="https://ajet.org.au/index.php/AJET/article/view/2053">study showed</a> a lot of online learning in Australian universities consisted of lecturers simply uploading materials they used in their face-to-face courses to online learning platforms. </p>
<p>Many university teachers have had no experience themselves of online learning and have not been upskilled in online course design and pedagogy.</p>
<hr>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-unis-may-need-to-cut-staff-and-research-if-government-extends-coronavirus-travel-ban-132175">Australian unis may need to cut staff and research if government extends coronavirus travel ban</a>
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<p>Where online students are out of sight and out of mind and lecturers do not have the skills to teach in an online environment it’s the perfect storm for disengagement and dropout.</p>
<h2>When online learning is done right</h2>
<p>Learning management systems such as Moodle are designed to support online learning. These systems effectively organise learning resources, including multimedia resources, that students can easily access. </p>
<p>Students can engage in collaborative activities with their peers and lecturers, through tools such as discussion boards and wikis (a website or database developed collaboratively by a community of users, allowing any user to add and edit content).</p>
<p><a href="https://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2007/Jahng_Krug_Zhang.htm">An analysis of studies</a> conducted between 1995 and 2004 compared achievement for students who had completed online and face-to-face tertiary education courses. It found the results were largely similar. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-coronavirus-outbreak-is-the-biggest-crisis-ever-to-hit-international-education-131138">The coronavirus outbreak is the biggest crisis ever to hit international education</a>
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<p>Students who completed online courses learnt as much as those in face-to-face instruction, achieved as well and were equally satisfied with their overall experience. The key word here is completion. There are higher dropout rates and lower completions across the higher education sector internationally for students who study online. </p>
<p>When online learning is well-designed, conducted in a learning management system and is in the hands of skilled teachers, it offers a comparable learning experience to face-to-face.</p>
<h2>What many uni courses may look like online</h2>
<p>In the current scenario, a lecturer may deliver the same lecture or tutorial via video that they would deliver face to face. They may use online discussion boards or chat rooms to try and replicate small group work in tutorials. </p>
<p>Students may work through course materials on their own and have little connection with each other or their lecturer beyond the real-time video or chat interactions. They may not get the opportunity for the kinds of peer-to-peer and student-lecturer interaction that support engagement and learning.</p>
<p>Research <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2158244015621777">shows these sorts of practices</a> – which can be more accurately described as “remote learning” rather than “online learning” - promote student disengagement and dropout.</p>
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<h2>So, what can lecturers do to improve learning?</h2>
<p>In the immediate future, university staff moving to online teaching can use some of the following tips to help students stay satisfied and engaged.</p>
<p><strong>1. Communicate with students as much as possible</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><p>get to know your students in the online environment. Ask them to introduce themselves by completing an “about you” page</p></li>
<li><p>students are likely to have many questions. One way to manage this is to set up a Frequently Asked Questions discussion board and ask students to post their question on it. In that way, all students can see the response </p></li>
<li><p>set up a weekly 30 minute live, but also recorded, Q & A session. Students can send in questions for you to respond to or ask you live. This way, students will see you “in person”.</p></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>2. Make sure students know where to get support</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><p>make clear to students where they can access support for the different areas that impact them, such as academic advice and finance. You will need to work closely with student support services to do this</p></li>
<li><p>set up a student support services discussion board in your subject, which student support officers could manage.</p></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>3. Help build your students’ technology skills</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><p>help students who aren’t so sure about the online platform to learn the technological skills they need. It’s not just you who needs upskilling. </p></li>
<li><p>you can ask your student group to self-nominate as online mentors if they have good online skills. It’s a great way to build connections. </p></li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li><strong>Get across the resources</strong> </li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li><p>your students will need to collaborate and share knowledge in new ways now they are not in the same physical space. Use discussion boards and wikis to encourage them to work on collaborative activities. If you don’t know how to do this, ask your learning and teaching specialists at your university. Edinburgh University also has some <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/learning-technology/more/teaching-continuity?fbclid=IwAR2AnoEAXMzT8aBxaxq-nMtsRskHzwnOG63-84ggiyWn6VdKpDe-WADfeJo">helpful resources</a>. Stephen Downes’ <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ux3lTnUTpzZRuvxE3rAsSQ4Ihub96S8_OYECNh8wv-A/edit#heading=h.fgw09mp7xsa1">creating an online community guide</a> is also helpful</p></li>
<li><p>for course design ideas, Professor Gilly Salmon’s <a href="https://www.gillysalmon.com/carpe-diem.html">carpe diem resources</a> are excellent.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Universities should also move, as quickly as they can, to provide intensive training in online course delivery to their lecturers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133921/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Online learning can actually be as effective as when classes are delivered face-to-face. But teachers need training to do this effectively.Pauline Taylor-Guy, Professor, Australian Council for Educational ResearchAnne-Marie Chase, Course coordinator, Australian Council for Educational ResearchLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1329732020-03-10T19:03:40Z2020-03-10T19:03:40ZStudying one uni subject in four weeks has benefits – but students risk burnout if it’s not done right<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/319494/original/file-20200310-61076-1yomfzi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/trying-learn-much-stressed-young-man-329892314">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For the past two years, Melbourne’s Victoria University has been delivering its bachelor degrees using a <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/study-at-vu/why-choose-vu/vu-block-model">block model</a>, where students study one unit at a time rather than four units at once. Each unit, or block, is four weeks long and the study year is broken into ten blocks – four in each semester and optional winter and summer blocks. </p>
<p>Victoria University’s <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/new-data-reveals-the-success-of-victoria-universitys-block-teaching-model/news-story/97e4d711fb873fdd7d9ea1609043321a">figures show</a> 87% of its first-year students passed their units in 2019, the year after the block model was introduced, compared with 74% in 2017. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/new-data-reveals-the-success-of-victoria-universitys-block-teaching-model/news-story/97e4d711fb873fdd7d9ea1609043321a">university says</a> student attendance has been at 90% compared with around 40% before the block model. Other benefits include more high distinctions, and increased pass rates for students of low socioeconomic backgrounds.</p>
<p>But an anonymous <a href="https://overland.org.au/2020/02/against-the-block-model/">letter by a student</a> recently published in literary journal Overland protested against the block model. Among the many complaints were that students didn’t have time to let material sink in and were effectively “cramming” information.</p>
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<p>I led <a href="https://ltr.edu.au/resources/SP14-4624_Male_Report_2018.pdf">a study</a>, from 2015 to 2017, into intensive mode teaching of which the block model is an example. We found intensive mode worked well for all courses. Students and teachers reported many benefits of the model, as long as it was carefully planned to mitigate risks, such as student and staff burnout.</p>
<h2>How intensive mode works</h2>
<p>Our study involved a survey of 105 academics in charge of intensive units at 26 Australian universities.</p>
<p>We also studied eight intensive units and three matched traditional units in engineering and business at four universities. This involved workshops or focus groups with students and follow up surveys, and interviews with teaching staff.</p>
<p>Commonly, university students complete about four units at the same time per semester. Lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions are dispersed throughout the weekly timetable during a full 12 or 13 weeks of a semester.</p>
<p>In intensive mode, students attend classes for longer per day, and on fewer days, than in the traditional mode. Most Australian universities teach some units using intensive mode, especially in health courses and in postgraduate business and law courses.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/study-at-vu/why-choose-vu/vu-block-model">Victoria University’s model</a>, students complete a whole unit, including assessment, in four weeks. Students can complete four units in a semester, in four separate blocks. Students also attend classes on only three days a week. </p>
<p>Other examples of <a href="https://ltr.edu.au/resources/SP14-4624_Male_Report_2018.pdf">intensive models</a> involve two full days of classes, a full week of classes, and a full day of classes each week for seven weeks.</p>
<h2>Why use the block model?</h2>
<p>The most common reason survey participants gave for using intensive mode was to allow students and teachers to take on activities between classes. With longer classes on fewer days, students and staff have more days available to study, gain practical experience, work or complete research. </p>
<p>Students can also take intensive units in summer or winter blocks to catch up. And universities use the model to bring guest speakers in from industry.</p>
<p>Many academics – across science, engineering, maths and humanities – in our study said they enjoyed using intensive mode in their subjects. But they said the model would not work for subjects different from theirs that were, for example, in some way more technical or more project-based.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/319505/original/file-20200310-61070-yuqtn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/319505/original/file-20200310-61070-yuqtn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/319505/original/file-20200310-61070-yuqtn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/319505/original/file-20200310-61070-yuqtn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/319505/original/file-20200310-61070-yuqtn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/319505/original/file-20200310-61070-yuqtn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/319505/original/file-20200310-61070-yuqtn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/319505/original/file-20200310-61070-yuqtn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Victoria University offers bachelor degree study via the block model.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/melbourne-vicaustraliajune-12th-2018buildings-victoria-university-1383498035">Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>But this was only an assumption, and it was inconsistent with the diversity of units taught by survey participants.</p>
<p>University teachers and students told us long classes in intensive mode provided opportunities to bond and for extended practical activities. They also enjoyed the retreat-like focus on one or two units.</p>
<h2>Problems with the intensive model</h2>
<p>The intensive study model could be a problem for students who would rather study part time due to commitments such as care, work or needing to access health services. Students with difficulties such as disability or weak English could also suffer under the block model as they may need more time to learn than others. </p>
<p>These groups of students are unlikely to have the option of part-time study in a block model such as offered across undergraduate courses at Victoria University.</p>
<p>To see if students could grasp difficult concepts in intensive mode study, we focused our research on the hurdles they need to overcome in a unit. </p>
<p>Students said that, in the long classes in intensive mode, they could learn about a concept, apply it and face and overcome difficulties all in one day. This only happens if the student tries to apply the difficult concepts early in the unit, therefore tackling the most challenging learning during class time where guidance is available. </p>
<p>We recommend academics structure the unit and assessments to ensure students progress through these particular aspects of the course early and are supported to learn together in the long classes.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-block-subjects-might-not-be-best-for-university-student-learning-102909">Why block subjects might not be best for university student learning</a>
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<p>Academics should also design programs with connected units to ensure students revisit these particular hurdles, as is necessary in any mode.</p>
<p>In our study, many students did not understand the intensive mode until they were already behind. Students who fall behind in intensive mode have little time to catch up. </p>
<p>So they need to be warned their block model workload should be equivalent to the workload they would normally give a unit over a full semester. They need to know to work intensively from the first day. </p>
<p>Students also reported burning out if they took too many consecutive intensive units, so sufficient breaks need to be structured in between.</p>
<p>Students told us they can become overloaded when block models are combined with other models. And we found academics can struggle in intensive mode to provide feedback on time and have students apply it. Assessment design and marking resources must allow for timely feedback to students.</p>
<p>Careful design is important to overcome difficulties. Good teaching is especially important in intensive modes to mitigate the risks and take advantage of the opportunities.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132973/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sally Male received funding for the Intensive Mode Teaching Project, which was supported by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training (Strategic Priority Grant SP14-4624). The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government Department of Education and Training.</span></em></p>The intensive mode offers opportunities to enhance student learning. It also risks exhausting academics and students, and leaving students behind. But careful design can mitigate these risks.Sally Male, Researcher in Engineering Education, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1029092018-10-10T18:41:11Z2018-10-10T18:41:11ZWhy block subjects might not be best for university student learning<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238612/original/file-20181001-19006-f3nd4c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">It isn’t clear whether or not block subjects are a form of cramming or not.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.jcu.edu.au/students/enrolment/block-mode-subjects">Block subjects</a> is a model of teaching students one subject at a time over two to four weeks, rather than several subjects at a time over ten to 13 weeks in a semester. </p>
<p>For some, like <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/about-vu/university-profile/teaching-learning-at-vu/innovative-approach-to-tertiary-education">Victoria University</a>, the model is a stunning success. There are already tangible <a href="https://online.vu.edu.au/blog/vu-transformative-block-model">improvements in pass rates</a> in the first year of implementation.</p>
<p>What’s less clear is what the long term implications of these approaches are for student learning. It may seem, on the surface, that focusing on shorter subjects one at a time is better than the traditional semester model. But research on effective learning shows learning over a long period and studying multiple subjects at a time is more effective.</p>
<h2>Massed vs. spaced learning</h2>
<p><a href="http://psychologicalresources.blogspot.com/2015/01/massed-vs-spaced-learning.html">Research</a> on learning shows “massed” learning is inferior to “spaced” learning. In other words, when learning is spread out over a longer time-frame, the retention of and capacity for using the knowledge is better than when it’s blocked together. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/revising-for-exams-why-cramming-the-night-before-rarely-works-67459">Revising for exams - why cramming the night before rarely works</a>
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<p>The best example of massed learning is cramming – as in “cramming” for an exam. Information might be adequately stored for a short time – enough to complete an exam – but it doesn’t stick as well as it would if it had been studied over a longer period. </p>
<p>Research consistently shows <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071009104548/http://www.bmb.psu.edu/courses/psu16/troyan/studyskills/cramming.htm">cramming</a>, <a href="http://ojphi.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/7729">bingeing</a> or otherwise learning for a short, focused period isn’t the most effective way to remember new information.</p>
<p>In addition to spacing study out, there are also benefits to mixing up study across different topics. This process of switching is called “<a href="https://academicaffairs.arizona.edu/Interleaving">interleaving</a>” and it might also point to a benefit provided by studying multiple subjects at the same time. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238613/original/file-20181001-19012-1222oat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238613/original/file-20181001-19012-1222oat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238613/original/file-20181001-19012-1222oat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238613/original/file-20181001-19012-1222oat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238613/original/file-20181001-19012-1222oat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238613/original/file-20181001-19012-1222oat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238613/original/file-20181001-19012-1222oat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Research shows ‘cramming’ for an exam is less effective than learning over a longer period of time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>The advantages of spaced practice and interleaving are shown in <a href="https://theconversation.com/study-habits-for-success-tips-for-students-89147">robust findings</a> in the psychology laboratory. But basic <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325415789_Learning_lab_to_lecture_hall">research</a> on learning in the brain and mind is difficult to make sense of in the real world. There are many complexities in university education that cannot be tested or controlled for in laboratory studies. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.slrc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/HELF-isbn.pdf">evidence</a> about what constitutes quality learning is difficult to see in the university classroom. </p>
<p>This makes it difficult to know if studying subjects in short blocks will lead to the same problems as cramming or not. Students might pass, might report greater levels of satisfaction but might not be able to remember and use what they have learned as effectively long-term. </p>
<h2>The evidence problem</h2>
<p>It isn’t clear whether block subjects are a form of cramming or not. So it’s not certain there are any long-term negative effects of this approach. </p>
<p>The recent national discussion about effective delivery of higher education has been dominated by economists, consultants and accounting firms. Economic indicators provide a crude but easy proxy and have been <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=2438">prioritised</a> over quality learning in policy and practice. In the process, the link between indicators such as completion rates or student satisfaction and learning is being lost. </p>
<p>This means universities are making substantial changes without necessarily knowing what they mean for student learning. University students might be satisfied, complete their degrees and get a job. But there is a real risk they may not have the necessary knowledge and skills to <a href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/Media-and-Events/HIGHER-ED-ITION/Articles/2016-2017/The-Future-of-Work-and-Learning">thrive and adapt</a> in the 21st Century. </p>
<h2>Testing innovations</h2>
<p>The role played by the now disestablished <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-office-for-learning-and-teaching-and-why-does-it-matter-59079">Office for Learning and Teaching</a> (OLT) was critical for this kind of problem. The OLT provided a vital mechanism for testing out innovations such as the block model. </p>
<p>An OLT project could have examined under what conditions the model is most effective, for which students and how to get it to work best in different disciplines and year levels. While important, crude indicators such as <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/measures-of-college-quality/">pass rates</a> and <a href="https://www.campusreview.com.au/2017/03/opinion-is-it-time-to-retire-student-experience-surveys-in-universities/">satisfaction</a> are not enough to provide this kind of evidence base.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238614/original/file-20181001-19009-16nszem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238614/original/file-20181001-19009-16nszem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238614/original/file-20181001-19009-16nszem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238614/original/file-20181001-19009-16nszem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238614/original/file-20181001-19009-16nszem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238614/original/file-20181001-19009-16nszem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238614/original/file-20181001-19009-16nszem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Innovations in student testing need to be rigorously examined to ensure they’re effective.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>Sadly, the small investment in a mechanism for ensuring these kinds of questions could be answered was deemed <a href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/Media-and-Events/media-releases/Abolition-of-Office-for-Learning-and-Teaching-a-loss#.W5i0dS1L1N0">too expensive</a> for the federal government. It’s now difficult to systematically figure out whether approaches like the block model are good for learning in the long term and whether they’ll work elsewhere. </p>
<p>This lack of a mechanism for rigorously testing innovations also risks our global reputation for high quality higher education. <a href="https://evolllution.com/programming/credentials/innovative-credentials-turning-a-drop-in-the-bucket-into-a-transformative-tidal-wave/">Micro-credentials</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/universities-must-prepare-for-a-technology-enabled-future-89354">artificial intelligence</a> and other innovations are poised to have a substantial impact on higher education in the near future. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/six-things-labors-review-of-tertiary-education-should-consider-93496">Six things Labor’s review of tertiary education should consider</a>
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<p>There is <a href="https://theconversation.com/innovation-in-learning-and-teaching-is-too-important-to-cut-58629">currently no mechanism</a> to fund rigorous, national studies into how <a href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/Media-and-Events/media-releases/Record-numbers-confirm-Australia-as-international-education-powerhouse#.W5i8Ui1L1N0">Australian higher education</a> can remain competitive in this rapidly evolving environment. </p>
<p>There is every likelihood the students who complete their studies in a block model are receiving quality instruction, leading to quality learning. The results at Victoria University certainly <a href="http://paidcontent.theage.com.au/victoria-university/first-year-victoria-university/article/living-learning-victoria-universitys-new-model-first-year-students/">look promising</a>. But it’s difficult to determine this until student learning and development are made the priorities over crude economic indicators.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/102909/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jason M Lodge works for The University of Queensland and has an honorary appointment with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at The University of Melbourne. Statements made in this article do not represent the official position of either institution and have not been made in order to promote or endorse learning and teaching practices at either. Jason has received funding from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council and Office for Learning and Teaching. He was also employed as part of the Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC). The SLRC was funded through a Special Research Initiative of the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p>Block subjects at university are receiving a lot of attention, but research says they may not be as effective for learning.Jason M Lodge, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, School of Education & Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/996852018-08-06T03:22:04Z2018-08-06T03:22:04ZMeet me at the bar! How uni students interact on a campus, and why chocolate can help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229768/original/file-20180730-106496-1l6qepa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Students like to join a number of societies, but does that encourage them to mix between different cultures?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock/Ann Hodgson</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A university is not only a place where people go to study. It’s also where people go to meet others, to forge new friendships and networks that can last a lifetime. </p>
<p>But our research, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.07.001">published online in Computers in Human Behavior</a>, found that students don’t always mix outside their area of study or cultural cliques.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-we-know-about-why-chinese-students-come-to-australia-to-study-97257">What we know about why Chinese students come to Australia to study</a>
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<p>That could change, however, if universities supported social networks that are shown to encourage a greater diversity and interaction among students.</p>
<h2>Student societies</h2>
<p>Many universities are proud of their active clubs and societies that organise numerous social events aimed at bringing students together. The societies also typically record who participates in their activities.</p>
<p>While it is increasingly common to analyse data from social media of <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=_3SQAgAAQBAJ">online interactions on campus</a>, the use of data from face-to-face social activities of students is underused.</p>
<p>So our study analysed tens of thousands of anonymised records gathered by societies at the University of Sydney to learn how and where students socialise.</p>
<p>We use heat maps to visualise the data. The diagram below reveals which places are popular on and off the campus for students to socialise.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/227274/original/file-20180712-27021-191n690.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/227274/original/file-20180712-27021-191n690.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/227274/original/file-20180712-27021-191n690.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227274/original/file-20180712-27021-191n690.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227274/original/file-20180712-27021-191n690.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227274/original/file-20180712-27021-191n690.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227274/original/file-20180712-27021-191n690.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227274/original/file-20180712-27021-191n690.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Social network map based on locations of students’ events. The colours correspond to the density of social interactions in each area. The red locations are most popular among students, followed by yellow, and green. Blue areas are on the periphery of students’ social lives.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.07.001">Faezeh Karimi and Petr Matous</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Although this map is based on the location of events, it is not a geographical map. The distance between two places is proportional to the number of students who like to socialise in both locations. </p>
<p>For example, the two bars (Herman’s and Manning) in the red-hot centre of social activity of this university are actually on the opposite sides of the campus but close to one another in this diagram because they attract the same kind of students. </p>
<p>We notice three main centres of social activity, corresponding to three main cliques of students.</p>
<p><strong>1: Bars</strong></p>
<p>There are many students who like to spend their time together in bars on and around the campus, as is evident in the two (red coloured) bars on the map. </p>
<p>The two main bars alone account for 10% of students’ social activity recorded in the data. Aggregated over the course of one year, students visit the two bars for their society events almost 3,500 times.</p>
<p><strong>2: Engineering</strong></p>
<p>We can see a separate cohort of students who socialise in and around the facilities of the engineering faculty. </p>
<p>The Peter Nicol Russell Building (PNR), in the heart of the engineering precinct, is designed as a large-scale teaching space but it also a home for most popular social events such as “Free Pizzas”.</p>
<p>Students socialising around the building and on the lawns outside tend to be affiliated with engineering societies. Their activities typically focus on barbecues and drinking events, and are less often attended by non-engineers. </p>
<p>Similarly, students affiliated with engineering societies are less likely to participate in non-engineering events (even if they are held in a pub on their side of the campus).</p>
<p>Social scientists have previously tried to explain the apparently <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1533-8525.1991.tb00166.x">distinct culture of engineering</a>, with some blaming a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003975609990129">special mindset of students attracted to technical disciplines</a>. </p>
<p><strong>3: International students</strong></p>
<p>The third large group of students socialise together mainly in facilities dedicated to international students. They tend to be affiliated with societies that cater mainly for students from different Asian countries. </p>
<p>Many events organised in this cluster focus on the cuisine of a student’s country of origin. This is the only major group whose events tend to be non-alcoholic. </p>
<p>So while alcohol brings many students together, it seems to push away some others who organise their own events without drinking.</p>
<h2>International vs domestic students</h2>
<p>Deeper analysis confirms that there is a gap between the networks of international and domestic students.</p>
<p>The numbers of international students in Australia has been <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-18/australia-hosting-unprecedented-numbers-international-students/9669030">increasing in recent years</a>. Students from diverse backgrounds can ideally contribute to the educational experience of anyone preparing for a global career or to live in a multicultural society.</p>
<p>International students are also a crucial source of income for Australian universities but our study highlights a concern about the degree of inclusion of international students on our campuses. </p>
<p>For example, the Vietnamese students’ society, Chopsticks Australia-Chinese Cultural Appreciation Society, and WASABI Japanese Cultural Society are among the largest and most active on campus. There is a lot of interaction between these societies in the international students’ cluster. </p>
<p>It appears that international students like to socialise with other international students, even if they come from a different country. But a relatively smaller proportion of international students seem to participate in events popular among local students. </p>
<p>For example, an average member of the Taiwanese Students Association is almost eight times less likely to participate in Oktoberfest, the German-themed beer festival, than an average member of any engineering society. </p>
<p>The disconnect between international students and domestic students is evident in the map above, with the International Students’ Lounge being a popular social activity centre but relatively isolated from other locations. </p>
<p>If international students feel comfortable only around other international students, they miss valuable opportunities for developing friendships with local students.</p>
<h2>Chocolate brings people together</h2>
<p>There is another way of looking at the data. Instead of locations, the diagram (below) shows the names of student societies on campus. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/227273/original/file-20180712-27024-1q1suew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/227273/original/file-20180712-27024-1q1suew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/227273/original/file-20180712-27024-1q1suew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227273/original/file-20180712-27024-1q1suew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227273/original/file-20180712-27024-1q1suew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227273/original/file-20180712-27024-1q1suew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=611&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227273/original/file-20180712-27024-1q1suew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=611&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/227273/original/file-20180712-27024-1q1suew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=611&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Social network map based on students’ membership in clubs and societies.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.07.001">Faezeh Karimi and Petr Matous</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>While the first diagram was based on the joint participation of students in events, the second diagram is based solely on their joint membership of societies.</p>
<p>Societies that attract similar people (that is, societies that have a high membership overlap) are close to each other in this map. Red spots highlight locations with high overlap between different societies.</p>
<p>The societies that stand out in the core of the diagram attract members from diverse groups. For example, the Chocolate Society seems to connect students from different ethnic backgrounds, disciplines, hobbies and political interests.</p>
<p>Engineering still makes a popular show but is not the dominant discipline as before. Arts seem to be taking a lead in attracting diverse members. </p>
<p>Being in the same club does not always lead to socialising together at various club events (as the first diagram showed) but it is potentially a first step towards meeting people from different backgrounds.</p>
<h2>Encouraging interaction</h2>
<p>Although this data comes from only one university, it echos some common concerns about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9771-8">the social integration of international students</a> and some stereotypes about the <a href="https://www.downey.sts.vt.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/1997-Engineering-Selves-.pdf">distinct social lives of engineers</a>.</p>
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<p>University societies can be a welcoming environment for a diverse range of students to engage in meaningful interactions with one another. But universities cannot tell students whom they should socialise with in their free time. </p>
<p>What they could do though is to support those societies and events that encourage students to mingle outside of their study discipline and cultural identity. This type of data and analysis can give universities some idea where to start.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/99685/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Petr Matous receives funding from the government and international organizations. The authors have no evidence to believe that the institution at which this data was collected is unusual among Australian universities in the way their students interact with one another. The presented results are intended to illustrate general practical lessons that can be learnt from this type of analysis.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Faezeh Karimi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>University students don’t always mix outside their own area of study or cultural cliques. But that can change with a little encouragement, and food helps.Petr Matous, Associate Dean (Indigenous Strategy and Services), University of SydneyFaezeh Karimi, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/927502018-03-14T14:32:54Z2018-03-14T14:32:54ZWhy universities need to invest in strong advice systems for students<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209505/original/file-20180308-30965-1sds1h3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Proper guidance, support and advice can help university students enormously.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>It is relatively rare for a young person to leave school knowing on their own exactly what they want to do next. And, even if they do, it’s unusual to seamlessly and independently go to university, complete the degree of their choosing, graduate, and move into the working world.</p>
<p>For most young people the world beyond school is complicated. They need a great deal of support – particularly from their families and universities – to navigate their higher education choices. This is borne out by <a href="http://www.africanminds.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/9781928331698_web.pdf">a recent study</a> which tracked the experiences of 73 students who, some six years before, had started bachelor’s studies at one of three research-intensive South African universities.</p>
<p>The study focused on how young people navigate the opportunities and constraints of university study. One of the key findings was that the country’s universities seem mostly to have limited capacity for giving students advice about academic choices. In some other parts of the world, most notably the US, <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-za/Academic+Advising:+A+Comprehensive+Handbook,+2nd+Edition-p-9780470371701">this is a whole field of expertise within a university</a>, with dedicated staff focused solely on giving students advice.</p>
<p>There is substantial literature showing the <a href="https://works.bepress.com/samuel_museus/12/">positive effects of academic advising</a> on student retention and progress, especially for those from underrepresented groups in higher education.</p>
<p>As we <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-class-and-social-capital-affect-university-students-92602">point out elsewhere</a> in the book on which this research is based, many of the students we interviewed didn’t have the support structures at home that could offer informed advice about issues such as the choice of institution, degree, funding routes. Proper advisory systems in universities can be especially helpful in this context. </p>
<p>It’s not easy. South Africa’s universities are dealing with a <a href="https://www.iol.co.za/saturday-star/dispelling-myths-around-higher-education-funding-12947553">huge resource crunch</a> and it takes money to set up many of the systems that would be needed. </p>
<p>But it’s a worthwhile investment. Universities that can formalise academic advising and make it more accessible are likely to see better results in students progressing from enrolment to graduation. </p>
<h2>Some interventions</h2>
<p>While few universities appear to have formal, full-time advising structures, there are one-off or informal interventions at some South African institutions.</p>
<p>At one institution for example, there were sample introductory lectures at the start of the year. Students found this very helpful though they pointed out that attending just one lecture wasn’t necessarily enough to make a fully informed decision about whether to pursue that course or degree path.</p>
<p>Some universities also allowed students to change courses within the first few weeks of the academic year. But this can be tricky because students then need to make up what they’ve missed.</p>
<p>Some students spoke of establishing a rapport with individual lecturers and even their deans. This meant they could discuss their plans and choices with someone who was well informed. But this was relatively rare at the larger universities and was left largely to chance – requiring both students with confidence and initiative, and supportive, engaged academics</p>
<p>It also wasn’t always a successful approach: in our study we did hear of situations where the advice students received from academics was incorrect or even insulting. One student who was struggling in a science degree, for example, was told that she was a “pretty girl” and maybe she should change to a degree in education.</p>
<h2>Flexibility</h2>
<p>Some work is being done in South Africa to improve the situation. The National Student Financial Aid System is <a href="http://www.nsfas.org.za/content/publications/FINAL%20-%20A%20NSFAS%20Response%20to%20the%20MTT%20Missing%20Middle%20Report%2031%20January%202017.pdf">looking at models</a> for more broader support for the students it funds. This is good news, since these students are often those whose families may not have the social capital and information to support their decisions. </p>
<p>Another thing that universities should consider is a more flexible curriculum structure. Our research also found that where the curriculum is fairly fixed and university rules preclude much movement between programmes, there is little opportunity for navigating a successful pathway. This is a problem for students who only become aware of their skills and passions along the way and wish to change their degree course. A flexible curriculum coupled with strong advice structures could make a real difference to such students.</p>
<p>_This is an edited abstract from “Going to University: The influence of Higher Education on the lives of young South Africans” (2018) Case, J., Marshall, D., McKenna, S. & Mogashana, D. African Minds. Available for <a href="http://www.africanminds.co.za/dd-product/going-to-university-the-influence-of-higher-education-on-the-lives-of-young-south-africans/">download here</a>. </p>
<p><em>The other authors of the book from which this piece is extracted are Professor Sioux McKenna (Head of Postgraduate Studies, Rhodes University), Professor Delia Marshall (Faculty of Natural Science at the University of the Western Cape) and Dr Disaapele Mogashana (student success coach and consultant at <a href="http://www.mytsi.co.za/">True Success Institute</a>).</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92750/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors of the book 'Going to University: The influence of higher education on the lives of young South Africans' are grateful for the financial support of the NRF.</span></em></p>Formal, accessible academic advice systems can help university graduation rates.Jennifer M. Case, Department Head and Professor, Department of Engineering Education, Virginia TechLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/926022018-03-06T14:59:24Z2018-03-06T14:59:24ZHow class and social capital affect university students<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208477/original/file-20180301-152575-1494gth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=44%2C160%2C849%2C837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Work hard, read your books, and university will be a breeze...or will it? </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There’s a great deal of comfort to be had in the idea that success at university is primarily or exclusively the result of a student’s hard work. All that’s needed is for students to do their best and fairness will prevail. Students who don’t apply themselves will fail. End of story. </p>
<p>Or is it?</p>
<p>A far more complex picture of student success and failure has emerged from <a href="http://www.africanminds.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/9781928331698_web.pdf">a study</a> tracking the influence of higher education on young people’s lives. We worked with 73 people who first registered for a BA or BSc six years before the data was collected. They had pursued these degrees at three South African research-intensive universities.</p>
<p>Many of the participants shared a strong sense that their university years had provided them with access to powerful knowledge. They felt better able to act in ways aligned to their values and goals. But not all had been able to attain this overwhelmingly positive experience equally. Social class – as well as a range of other factors in the institutions themselves – played a huge role in people’s experiences of accessing and succeeding in higher education, and then getting into the workplace.</p>
<p>Those from impoverished rural settlements or towns, or from peri-urban townships, experienced far more significant hurdles than their urban, middle-class counterparts. This was in part about connections: middle-class, urban students were able to draw on networks before, during and after university. So they tended to enjoy shorter, smoother routes through the institution.</p>
<p>This finding is neither new, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/212017/the-tyranny-of-the-meritocracy-by-lani-guinier/9780807078129/">nor specific to South Africa</a>. The study refutes common sense explanations of higher education success and failure that continue to dominate in our <a href="https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1391&context=ij-sotl">universities</a>. These understand higher education success to be predominantly a function of attributes inherent in the individual. Failure is understood to result from the student’s <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03075079.2015.1072148">lack of such attributes</a>. </p>
<p>Similarly, common sense explanations <a href="http://cristal.epubs.ac.za/index.php/cristal/article/view/80">conceptualise universities</a> as being acultural, apolitical spaces where people acquire skills. This maintains the fiction that higher education is a <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674088023&content=reviews">meritocracy</a> which fairly rewards individual students’ hard work, motivation, “language skills” and intelligence.</p>
<p>Our data shows the institutional culture, the curriculum structure, teaching and learning approaches, and family support and relatives’ own knowledge of how universities work all played a role in students’ making their way through the system.</p>
<p>Our findings raise a number of concerns for institutions – and individuals – who would like to see fair opportunities for young people wanting to advance their education. </p>
<h2>Family support</h2>
<p>In South Africa, as in similar economies, it is a huge investment for a family to have a young person who is not earning for a number of years after school, and who might also add costs to the household during this period. </p>
<p>The families of some of the participants were able to manage this investment. Some funded their studies through a combination of resources from bursaries, family, or part-time work.</p>
<p>Others, though, came from families with absolutely no financial flexibility and were frequently in financial crisis. This pressure took a toll on the students’ academic progress. Even those who had some funding from the <a href="http://www.nsfas.org.za/content/">National Student Financial Aid Scheme</a> struggled: they had no safety net for any crisis. It took a great deal of energy to manage their basic financial requirements. </p>
<p>But the extent to which the family was able to foster aspirations and engage with the young person’s deliberations and choices was perhaps even more important than financial support. </p>
<p>The data showed that having people with whom to discuss their decisions played a very important role in participants’ higher education journey. This meant having informed people – not necessarily graduates themselves – to talk through their choices. </p>
<p>For instance, a young person might not get access to their first choice of university, and could turn to relatives for discussions and alternative ideas. A more challenging experience for some participants was when they failed academically in their chosen degree and had to figure out a new course of action. </p>
<p>Much of this kind of understanding came from another family member’s experience of going to university. But it was also closely tied to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0142569042000236952">cultural capital</a>: social class played <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01425692.2011.527723">a significant role</a>. The transition to the expectations of the university, to its peculiar and discipline specific knowledge making practices for example, is difficult for all students. But access to these powerful knowledge practices is uneven and it is a disservice to pretend <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/08/books/review/degrees-of-inequality-by-suzanne-mettler.html">otherwise</a>. </p>
<p>The social side of university life was also enormously important to these young people, as might be expected. Fitting in, making friends and experiencing campus life were often mentioned. Students from less well-off families sometimes struggled, feeling they had to keep up with more affluent friends in a materialistic culture.</p>
<h2>Cohesion</h2>
<p>How can prospective students from settings where family members or teachers do not have the cultural capital related to university study get support in making decisions? And how can universities assist in attending to these needs once they have made their way into higher education? </p>
<p>While universities can’t attend to all societal problems, the data would suggest that institutions have some role to play in forging social cohesion among their own staff and student body.</p>
<p><em>This is an edited abstract from “Going to University: The influence of Higher Education on the lives of young South Africans” (2018) Case, J., Marshall, D., McKenna, S. & Mogashana, D. African Minds. Available for <a href="http://www.africanminds.co.za/dd-product/going-to-university-the-influence-of-higher-education-on-the-lives-of-young-south-africans/">download here</a>.</em> </p>
<p><em>The other authors of the book from which this piece is extracted are Professor Jenni Case (Head of Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech), Professor Delia Marshall (Faculty of Natural Science at the University of the Western Cape) and Dr Disaapele Mogashana (student success coach and consultant at <a href="http://www.mytsi.co.za/">True Success Institute</a>).</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92602/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors of the book 'Going to University: The influence of higher education on the lives of young South Africans' are grateful for the financial support of the NRF.</span></em></p>Social class plays a huge role in people’s experiences of accessing and succeeding in higher education.Sioux McKenna, Director of PG Studies & Higher Education Studies PhD Co-ordinator, Rhodes UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/880822017-11-29T23:08:50Z2017-11-29T23:08:50ZSupporting part-time and online learners is key to reducing university dropout rates<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/196857/original/file-20171129-28899-16i080n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Attrition rates are high for part-time and online students, but it's important we keep providing these modes of study.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The most recent statistics show <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/45216">first-year attrition rates</a> in Australian universities are at 15%. This has caused the Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, to <a href="http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/new-figures-highlight-need-for-uni-performance-funding/">say</a> universities “need to be taking responsibility for the students they enrol.”</p>
<p>Attrition does not mean dropping out. It just means the student did not continue their study in the following year. For example, attrition includes students who suspend studies due to personal circumstances, but return to study a later year. However, the <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/completion-rates-cohort-analyses">evidence</a> is that most students who discontinue their studies do not end up completing. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/which-students-are-most-likely-to-drop-out-of-university-56276">Which students are most likely to drop out of university?</a>
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<h2>How does Australia compare to other countries?</h2>
<p>To analyse comparative performance, we looked at attrition rates in a number of countries, as well as regions within some countries. As with Australia, most countries focus their attention on nationals (that is, not international students) entering university for the first time. </p>
<p>Australia’s national attrition rate was 14.97%, with institutions ranging as low as 3.92% and as high as 38%. The best-performing state was New South Wales and the worst was Tasmania. Of 39 institutions, 12 had an attrition rate over 20%. </p>
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<p><a href="https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/overviews?keyword=All&&year=620&page=5">England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland</a> and Ireland all performed better than Australia.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary-education/retention_and_achievement">Aotearoa, New Zealand</a>, had an overall attrition rate of 16%, slightly higher than Australia’s. This was also the case with <a href="https://nscresearchcenter.org/snapshotreport28-first-year-persistence-and-retention/">US</a> public higher institutions offering four-year degrees, where the attrition rate was 17.7%. </p>
<p><a href="http://cou.on.ca/numbers/cudo/">Universities in Ontario</a>, which is 40% of Canada, had an average attrition rate of 12.8% for full time students. But the overall attrition rate (which includes part-time students) would likely place this figure even closer to Australia’s attrition rate, though we can’t say this for certain.</p>
<h2>What causes student attrition?</h2>
<p>Many things <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-students-are-most-likely-to-drop-out-of-university-56276">affect student attrition</a>, including age, socio-economic status, location and time on campus. Our study focused on three elements that have the potential to contribute to higher rates of attrition. The first is above-average student-to-staff ratios, as an indicator of student-lecturer interaction.</p>
<p>The second is above-average ratios of part-time enrolments, suggesting students are juggling study with work and personal commitments. The third is above-average ratios of external enrolments (such as students studying online), since these students have little or no access to the majority of on-campus support services. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/better-academic-support-for-students-may-help-lower-university-attrition-rates-66395">Better academic support for students may help lower university attrition rates</a>
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<p>The issues of part-time enrolments and external enrolments are closely related, as most students studying externally also study part-time. </p>
<p>We searched in the official higher education <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-statistics">statistics</a> for relationships between attrition and these three elements. That is, were attrition rates higher for universities that had more students per lecturer, or higher part-time enrolments, or more students studying externally? </p>
<p>We found some links between attrition rates and student-to-staff ratios. Some 15 universities had higher than average attrition rates when they also had higher than average student to staff ratios.</p>
<p>And nine universities that had better than average student-to-staff ratios also had better than average attrition rates.</p>
<p>But that still meant 15 universities bucked the trend. They either had better attrition despite having worse student-to-staff ratios, or the opposite. </p>
<p>There was a much stronger relationship between attrition rates and external enrolment ratios. Some 20 universities had below average attrition and external enrolment rates, and ten had above average attrition and external enrolment rates. </p>
<p>The correlation was even stronger between attrition rates and part-time enrolments, with 31 universities displaying a direct relationship between the two factors. </p>
<p>Looking at our international comparisons, we saw similar trends. The overall attrition rate in the UK was 9.8%. But this hid an attrition rate of 35.5% for part-time students. For those studying through the UK Open Universities (so, externally), the attrition rate was even higher, at 43.5%. </p>
<p>In the US, the attrition rate for part-time students was 37.2%. In New Zealand, it was 26%.</p>
<h2>What type of higher education system do we want?</h2>
<p>Students who don’t complete their courses are not only missing out on a personal opportunity, there’s also lost potential to society. Students and universities must aim to further reduce attrition. Universities are changing their admission, teaching and student support to increase their students’ success. But completion rates also reflect what kind of higher education system we want.</p>
<p>That said, Australia’s attrition rates are not unusually high by these international comparisons. We should accept a modest level of attrition so we can keep providing opportunities for part-time students and others who don’t fit the conventional mould. Students studying part-time, especially those studying externally, need specialised support to help them balance their studies with their work and life commitments. But they don’t need to see their opportunities for flexible study reduced, just so an institution can improve its retention rate.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88082/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We should accept a modest level of attrition so we can keep providing opportunities for part-time and online students, who might not otherwise be able to study.Tim Pitman, Researcher in Higher Education Policy, Curtin UniversityGavin Moodie, Adjunct professor, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.