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An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including 'challenges of teaching street-level bureaucracy (SLB) theory to a small group of students enrolled onto a Professional master's degree in Brazil', and 'assessment and feedback practices'.

The doctoral journey is a complex endeavour, and like any complex project, deserves to be managed accordingly. Agile Project Management has been used successfully by practitioners in the Software industry for the last two decades and recently is being adopted in other industries, including in Higher Education. Based on the author's personal experience, this autoethnographic paper discusses the situations in which a model based on Agile principles might be applied to doctoral research and thesis write-up and the ways in which it might make the process more predictable and successful. The model developed in this paper can be generalised at least in part to various types of doctoral programmes, where candidates and supervisors can benefit from risk reduction through incremental knowledge creation, continuous learning, and increased visibility into progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whole-of-course approaches have emerged as an important topic in the contemporary outcomes-based education environment. While research-informed accounts of whole-of-course approaches exist, most take undergraduate education as the default. Few examples feature postgraduate education where students seek career enhancement rather than entry. Employing case study methodology, this paper discusses an innovative whole-of-course approach taken in the design and delivery of an Australian postgraduate education course. What marks it as innovative, is that the whole-of-course approach consists of two interrelated strands: One follows a (more familiar) whole-of-course practice of scaffolding graduate attributes, course and subject learning outcomes and is primarily driven by university interests and academics. A second whole-of-course process works alongside the first but is driven by postgraduates' professional practice and career goals. The paper concludes by suggesting that a whole-of-course approach to design combined with a whole-of-course student process can reconcile postgraduates' learning needs with the interests of the university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AI-enabled assessment of student papers has the potential to provide both summative and formative feedback and reduce the time spent on grading. Using auto-ethnography, this study compares AI-enabled and human assessment of business student examination papers in a law module based on previously established rubrics. Examination papers were corrected by the professor and then subjected to a series of tests by Gen-AI tools. While we were impressed with the personalised feedback of Gen-AI tools, the accuracy of grading and the learning capacity of AI tools, we found that Gen-AI tools used are not fully satisfactory to enable fully autonomous correction due to erroneous grading, the hallucination phenomenon and verbose feedback that is not always personalised. The 8C model of challenges of AI-enabled correction is outlined. This paper has implications for professors, HEIs and instructional designers and all those who correct student papers in a third-level institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postgraduate Taught study (PGT) students are often assumed to be confident and independent learners, and many possess a strong sense of professional identity and thus are perceived as not requiring support. This paper aims to address these perceptions. This paper presents a qualitative study of the experiences of PGT students at an Australian university who participated in a Transition In program that has been embedded in the curriculum. The primary aim was to explore the effectiveness of the Transition In program, which is the first step in a program-wide employability curriculum strategy. The findings of this study demonstrated that students' levels of confidence and engagement as well as their connection with their profession increased as a direct result of feeling supported. This paper highlights the importance of, and benefits gained by providing PGT students structured support to enable them to successfully transition into their program of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As academic research evolves into distinct identities of specialised knowledge, institutional and paradigmatic barriers are formed between research teams, which demand enhanced research collaboration and cross-fertilisation of ideas. Drawing on the concept of cross-fertilisation, this paper adds original contributions to literature on research collaboration in three ways. First, it underlines key barriers facing academics in undertaking research. Second, it demonstrates why research collaboration helps to drive research output and enrich research cultures. Third, it offers valuable insights into technological and social initiatives supporting research collaboration. This paper reports on a study within the University of Portsmouth's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice – the UK's largest criminology department. It reveals universities must address four key issues to enhance research collaboration. These involve managing researchers' workload pressures, fostering positive research cultures, improving knowledge of and access to research and funding processes, and exploring collaborative technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various topics within the issue including impact of virtual learning environments (VLEs), innovations in cloud learning environment (CLE), and use of technology to enhance student employability skills.

In recent times ‘publish or perish’ has become the motto of academia. This paper provide some basic insights into the process of publishing, the view from the perspective of the editor of the journal and gives helpful hints to improve the odds of getting published in the right journal and communicating with the right audience. The need for perseverance is emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ensuring a pedagogical emphasis on practical entrepreneurial experiences and technology literacy is essential across all educational stages. This paper presents a pioneering case study of curriculum innovation in higher education, specifically within real estate and planning programmes. The ‘Managing Change in the Real Estate Sector’ module is examined as a transformative initiative that integrates entrepreneurship and technology literacy in a subject-specific curriculum. Leveraging experiential learning principles, the module design addresses industry demands and aligns with contemporary educational paradigms. The systemic impact of the module is explored at the student, curriculum, and wider university levels. The study reveals positive outcomes, marked by enhanced student satisfaction, skills development, and industry engagement. The impact extends beyond the classroom, influencing curriculum design and receiving commendation at both internal and external levels. The paper concludes by discussing the broader implications for higher education, emphasising adaptability and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commencing study for a PhD or other higher degree by research (HDR) constitutes a significant educational transition. To date, little research has been undertaken on the orientation or induction experiences of commencing HDR candidates and there is little guidance for HE providers of induction. This paper reflects upon understandings of student transition within the HE literature highlighting the role played by the sociocultural context surrounding research in shaping commencing candidates’ expectations. The paper argues that candidate expectations at the point of transition into the research degree reflect prevailing sociocultural norms about what it means to be a doctoral student. We also share a pedagogical strategy that can be used at induction events to reveal and to engage candidates in an exploration of the underlying experiential templates they bring to their upcoming degree experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flipped classroom approaches have increasingly been adopted in the Australian higher education sector. However, current research on this approach is predominantly quantitative and focused on domestic students. Little is known about the flipped classroom learning experiences of undergraduate international students in Australia. This paper sets out to investigate undergraduate international students' challenges in a flipped classroom environment, based on thirty-two semi-structured interviews with undergraduate international students at an Australian university. We identified several challenges, including language issues, barriers to autonomous learning, as well as technical and technological challenges. International students in our study also provide constructive recommendations to improve the design of the flipped classroom. This paper contributes new insights into the nuances of undergraduate international students' challenges in a flipped classroom environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doctoral supervision is increasingly becoming a complex enterprise, calling for highly skilled and competent supervisors. This paper considers a comparative analysis of a three – pathway model and graduate manuals of selected Ugandan universities to forecast the role of pedagogical training in doctoral supervision. The handbooks were in some instances in consistence with the model tracks. However, they, to a larger extent, envisioned informal training of PhD supervisors. The paper discerns, from the model and documents that a doctoral supervisor with pedagogical training may enlist conceptualised and differentiated supervisory skills. A supervisor on- the- job training has the opportunity to develop crystallized skills. A neophyte supervisor is a candidate of 'supervisory accidents'. In contemporary times, the process of doctoral supervision takes the supervisor's aptitude, which to a bigger extent is an upshot of formal pedagogical learning. An empirical analysis of the concepts considered in this paper is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a cognitive load perspective, successful collaborative learning occurs if groups achieve their goals, and if each member processes information in a way that contributes to individual learning. This research looked at group work among postgraduate STEM students in South Korea (N = 55) to see if successful collaborative learning and individual contribution were associated with greater individual course success. Results showed that students who participated in successful group work showed higher levels of germane cognitive load, which contributes to learning, and also earned higher scores on the final research paper for the course. Implications of this study highlight the need for synchronous collaborative writing to be used as a way of sharing ideas and knowledge to produce higher levels of individual understanding and quality writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review maps patterns in research on Challenge Based Learning (CBL) in higher education (HE) between 2009 and 2020. How is CBL defined in HE settings? How is CBL in HE grounded scientifically in the research? The results show a shift of CBL from being a concept coined by a multinational technology company targeting learning in schools, to being embraced by HE, first and foremost as a method for transformation of adult learning. A critical scientifically grounded approach towards learning is however absent or marginally present in the papers reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of artificial intelligence in academia is a hot topic in the education field. ChatGPT is an AI tool that offers a range of benefits, including increased student engagement, collaboration, and accessibility. However, is also raises concerns regarding academic honesty and plagiarism. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges of using ChatGPT in higher education, and discusses the potential risks and rewards of these tools. The paper also considers the difficulties of detecting and preventing academic dishonesty, and suggests strategies that universities can adopt to ensure ethical and responsible use of these tools. These strategies include developing policies and procedures, providing training and support, and using various methods to detect and prevent cheating. The paper concludes that while the use of AI in higher education presents both opportunities and challenges, universities can effectively address these concerns by taking a proactive and ethical approach to the use of these tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore the narrative expression skill of design students through manipulating image structure. Moreover, narrative expression is the skill of interpreting design with narrative. The study is a classroom experiment conducted naturally, and the experimental data is obtained and analysed by quantitative analysis. We found differences in students' narrative tendencies and richness in overall narrative expression. The teaching and training of design narrative can effectively help students familiarise themselves with the design process and personal skill integration and encourage students to pay attention to the design of elements and content. This will improve students' design competencies under skills different from technology. The paper concludes that students must improve and integrate design competencies through practical methods under other narrative tendencies. Furthermore, the lecturer can explore and adjust design teaching through design narrative training to strengthen or balance students' design performance competency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures during the pandemic, online classes have become a normal and indispensable part of college students' lives. Analysis of the factors affecting college students' behavioural intention towards online classes will help improve online class quality. This paper sets up a model to analyse the factors that may affect such intentions. The results show that social influence, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have a significant positive effect on college students' behavioural intention, and enabling environment(i.e. the infeasibility of offline teaching due to the pandemic)has a significant negative effect on it. Gender and voluntariness, as moderator variables, also clearly influence behavioural intention. Based on pandemic prevention and control measures, along with education reform and modernisation, this paper offers valuable suggestions to online learning platform and education administrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt of curricula improvement, many seek to create new approaches that would help develop the necessary knowledge within a shorter period of time. The primary purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of interactive piano teaching in distance learning. The paper suggests new learning approaches to interactive piano instruction. The training programme is based on interactive groups, the Flowkey application, technical and psychological aspects, improvisation, changing role positions, and the development of self-control. The programme results showed that 83% out of 120 students demonstrated a high level of knowledge, and only 2% showed a low level, which was explained by absenteeism. 28% out of 120 students learned to recognise melodies, 27% improved rhythm and tempo, 25% gained two-handed playing skills, and 20% out of 120 students developed improvisation skills. The results have scientific value for researchers engaged in studying various training programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines ChatGPT’s capability in evaluating educational learning outcomes, investigating its effectiveness in assessing SMART criteria alignment and identifying the presence of fundamental components. The hypothesis posits that ChatGPT can proficiently accomplish these tasks, offering potential benefits to educational design and assessment processes. Through exemplar learning outcomes, the study showcases ChatGPT’s ability to discern SMART criteria alignment. Furthermore, it demonstrates ChatGPT’s competence in identifying the fundamental components, substantiated by cogent explanations. The analysis underscores the congruence between ChatGPT’s evaluations and human assessors’ judgements, underscoring its potential utility in educational quality assurance. Implications for educational practice emphasise ChatGPT’s potential to assist educators in formulating effective learning objectives, meeting SMART criteria and encapsulating crucial components. While ChatGPT’s capabilities are promising, human expertise remains vital for nuanced evaluation. In conclusion, this paper illuminates ChatGPT’s role in shaping educational outcomes and encourages further exploration into AI’s potential impact on educational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Block mode delivery is widely practised in higher education institutions across the world. It is popular at postgraduate level, such as in business and management fields, but is less common at undergraduate level, especially for studio design teaching. There is a lack of literature on the block mode delivery for studio design teaching. The aim of this paper is to identify the favourable attributes and challenges of the block mode delivery for studio design teaching through the analysis of three undergraduate design studio units at an Australian university as case studies. Students' written feedback of studying these three units were collected and reviewed to evaluate strategies for enhancing student engagement. Challenges of block teaching to students and staff are discussed. The findings suggest that there are various ways to engage with students for active learning in block teaching, which are valuable for curriculum design and continuous improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper's second author is a doctoral student, based in Erbil, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, whose study focuses on peer education in refugee camps in that region. The other three co-authors are her supervisors, whom, to date, she has not physically met. Yet, we have created and sustained a productive 'learning community' from a distance. In this paper, we provide a critical reflection on the way this supervision learning community has worked and continues to work. We analyse the elements that make this a productive partnership and team, whilst also addressing some of the challenges. We use each other's reflections to discuss the elements that contribute to effective supervision from a distance. This case study demonstrates that creating and sustaining a human-centred learning community of peers forms the crucial foundation of and for effective distance doctoral supervision that nurtures independence and agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Corona virus-19 pandemic has forced universities globally to shut down and shift their educational and assessment activities to online platforms. This study explores the perception of undergraduate preclinical medical students about online assessment during the ongoing pandemic. A cross-sectional study based on a semi-structured online self-administered questionnaire was conducted on 654 preclinical medical students following the final online exams at Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University. Perception was investigated using a 3-point Likert scale. The overall mean score of students' satisfaction with the quality of online assessment was (31.7 ± 3.1), and they agreed that online exams create a sense of security. However, 69.7% of students preferred paper-based exams to online exams. Furthermore, high cost, lack of ability to concentrate and only knowledge-based exams were some of the reported drawbacks. These findings highlight the importance of students' perception through online assessment for promoting successful educational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 and its imposed social confinement entailed a radical shift in research, supervision and learning in doctoral education. Heightened flexibility in delivery, sensitivity and compassion and greater reliance on technology sought to address not merely scholars' pedagogical but holistic needs, which became more prominent during the pandemic. Face-to-face doctoral supervision and academic events were conducted online to overcome hurdles presented by 'social distancing'. We examine how the dynamics of our group supervision for international doctoral scholars changed after shifting to online mode. We employed an autoethnographic approach to highlight evolving rewards and challenges in conducting online meetings with a group of international scholars. Focusing on this group is timely since the 'working-from-home' mode contributed to doctoral scholars' isolation and stress that they experienced. This paper: a) exemplifies the psychological benefits fostered by online meetings; and b) highlights creative virtual pedagogies and practices worth adopting even after the pandemic is over. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which editor discusses various articles within the issue on topics including teaching of essential skills; case-based learning designed to develop students' skills and need to reduce assessment burdens and enhanced student engagement.

This opinion paper focuses on foregrounding the issue of the hidden curriculum in L2 writing and how addressing its negative sides can greatly move forward our understanding of students’ writing learning experiences and further promote more effective and equal writing teaching. Specifically, this paper argues that the negative sides of the hidden curriculum could partially account for students’ dissatisfying writing development and unpleasant writing learning experiences and discusses its possible harm to educational effectiveness and equality. The paper then outlines recommendations for future research and proposes strategies for teaching practitioners to better handle the hidden curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within an international context, the role Online Learning Environments (OLEs) play in offering students opportunities to engage with other students to co-create positive experiences is complex. This paper examines the engagement facilitated by an OLE between students at a UK university and its Chinese partner. Findings show that OLEs can facilitate international student-to-student engagement and provide opportunities to co-create positive student experiences when the value offerings are engaged with (i.e. the OLE is used as intended). It is through students’ active engagement, or non-and negative engagement (i.e. intentional or accidental misuse), with the OLE that ultimately affects their student experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global pandemic has led to an explosion of open learning opportunities for academics to connect, share and develop ideas together. This paper presents a collaborative autoethnographic case study on the educational leadership approaches enacted and experienced in the voluntary Creativity for Learning in Higher Education (#creativeHE) community. The authors reflect, critically analyse and review the leadership of this open peer support community as it is experienced by them using visual metaphors and paired conversations. Insights gained through this inquiry seem to suggest that the leadership within this community is characterised by and experienced as communityship, a highly participatory and democratic way of leading that brings harmony, offers refuge and stretches the leadership team. Their humane and affective bonds as a collective provide a safe and calm working space in which everybody can flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment is a central feature of teaching and learning. It is both complex and challenging in ordinary times, and these aspects are magnified in an online learning environment. Given its central role, it is crucial that its design and purpose is rigorous and robust. This paper presents justification for using interactive oral assessment as an online, innovative, authentic assessment approach that prepares students for professional life, combats plagiarism and promotes academic integrity. It shares findings through four brief case study examples of using interactive oral assessments in computing, education, French literature, and aviation. This study also demonstrates the value of a Community of Practice in developing expertise, confidence, and resources to support the effective application of interactive oral assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature indicates that collaborative activities can support professional learning (PL) for academics teaching in higher education (HE). Nevertheless, limited approaches for collegial PL exist that can be embedded in the day-to-day work of busy academics. This paper reports on an evidence-based approach to practice that was undertaken to develop an authentic, structured, collegial approach to PL for academics. This involved a review and synthesis of relevant literature, which revealed that collegial PL could be supported through self-initiated communities of academics; collaborative, social interaction with peers; safe, non-judgemental, supportive, conversations; critical reflection; sustained inquiry into practice; an exploration of perspectives; and bespoke resources. These findings informed the development of the Collaborative Peer-Observation Learning Circles (CPO/LC). The approach includes a four-stage process and adaptable template resources designed to facilitate academics' collegial PL while also meeting the needs of accreditation requirements in HE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UN locates education at the heart of the process to achieve a more sustainable future and deliver the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) by 2030. Within this context, this paper outlines the experience of designing and delivering an international virtual mobility workshop which brought together university students from the UK and Ghana. It offers a critical evaluation of the extent to which the workshop's objectives were achieved, through comparison of pre- and post-workshop survey results, with a particular emphasis on changing levels of understanding of the UN-SDGs and the development of key intercultural competencies. The discussion highlights positive trajectories of change in student learning, and the challenges of delivering workshops of this nature. It is concluded that such challenges can be embraced as learning opportunities and that the associated discomfort and uncertainty is important to facilitate impactful learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In post-millennial societies, creativity is heralded as crucial to individuals and societies, valuable for the economy, essential for leadership and vital for the future of work. In our unprecedented times, creativity is a necessary attribute that universities are embracing to ensure future-proof and employable graduates. However, there is a scant literature on how creativity is embraced in the assemblage of higher education. To ascertain if a common definition of creativity is used by higher education institutes, we conducted a systematic literature review that initially identified 2990 papers. Findings confirm that a definition of creativity in higher education does not exist nor is there a commonly cited definition, and several domains (e.g. social and cultural) influence the definition of creativity. Although creativity remains elusive, it is necessary for growth, survival and success. The potential dilemma of an agreed and shared definition of creativity applicable to the heterogeneous demands of higher education is presented [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hackathon has been growing and taking various industries by storm thanks to its flexibility and ability to fit into them. It has been proven successful and helpful in solving different IT and non-IT challenges. They also serve as an intriguing educational and networking tool, encouraging people to pursue innovative studies and activities. However, a hackathon is like a two-edged sword with its downsides – it requires significant investment and can fail if mismanaged. It is critical to recruit and gather participants suitable to face a particular technological or non-technological challenge and to motivate a group to perform innovative action and benefit from the learning-by-doing approach. This paper identifies 21 reasons to attend hackathons backed by existing research and presents a study conducted on 109 hackathon participants that help to score, rank and explain those attributes. Results have proven the importance of challenge and networking over monetary prizes and glory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer programming and municipal engineering (ME) students' specialised knowledge are still poorly integrated, leading to limited improvement of students' programming abilities. This paper describes an effective attempt in ME at Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology (XAUAT). Students were divided into several teams and required to develop software tools for ME design problems using Visual C++ 6.0. In this teaching approach, students need to identify the solutions by integrating knowledge in mathematics, physics, chemistry, basic engineering science, and ME. Moreover, students should develop programmes with friendly interfaces, essential prompts, and reliable results. The example programmes, positive feedback from the survey, and better performance in the final examination proved that the students' abilities of knowledge application and problem-solving had been developed, and their motivation in learning programming had been improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of non-formal professional learning in higher education remains a relatively under-researched area. This paper aims to contribute to the literature by exploring the impact of an implementation of non-formal professional learning operating at an Irish university since April 2017. The initiative – called The Sipping Point – aims to promote and facilitate conversations about teaching among staff through a consistent format of monthly gatherings, short talks, and open discussion. This paper reports findings from an open-ended survey exploring the impact on participants' practice and views about education. Following a process of thematic analysis, key themes included the value of connecting with peers, the perception of the space as a source of new ideas, and a sense of encouragement to try new things in teaching practice. The study includes analysis from a lead facilitator who reports strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats potentially of interest to those considering similar activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge associated with energy conservation is important but it may appear difficult and monotonous to students due to the presence of jargon and complex scientific concepts. This research created two digital question-and-answer games and compared them with a traditional paper-and-pencil learning method to explore how different learning approaches would affect college students' learning for knowledge of energy conservation. This research conducted a between-subject experiment with random assignment to examine short-term effects of the three different learning methods on motivation, attention, and learning outcomes. The results revealed that participants who played the digital game equipped with more cartoon-style, animated, and interactive features scored significantly higher than the lower-complexity digital game group as well as the traditional paper-and-pencil group on the learning outcome tests. Moreover, in contrast to many previous studies, use of these digital games was not found to affect learning motivation and attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an insight into the use of poster presentations as a means of helping students prepare and develop their arguments for their final project work to be submitted for assessment. The five students, all from a Masters in Social Work course in Gothenburg, Sweden participated in an international conference in Bratislava, Slovakia. The use of poster presentations, understood in this paper from a constructionist theory of education perspective, also created the opportunities for building student’s self-confidence and helping them develop their own academic voice. Furthermore it is argued that this process helped scaffold their knowledge building before the final submission of their course work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers issues that continue to shape doctoral education in Australia in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of relevant issue, and to identify opportunities for future research. It describes examples of responses taken at an institutional level, and their implications for the norms and practices associated with postgraduate research, supervision and candidate support. Comments from discussions with a small number of Australian Deans of Graduate Research are used to illustrate the challenges faced, and the responses taken. The article provides a concise outline of the policy and historical context for these responses, and concludes by considering some of the issues that continue to shape doctoral education in Australia today. It highlights the rise of location-independent graduate research and the prospect of generational change in the higher education workforce as significant factors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as potentially fruitful avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyber security environment, its threats, and its defence strategies are constantly changing. Educational programmes and their curriculum are known to be slow changing and at times out-of-date, resulting in content that may not be as relevant to their students and the industry. This research paper will 1 – present an overview of the curriculum development (CDev) process when using committees and their hindrance, 2 – describe the concept of crowdsourcing and its benefits when using domain experts, 3 – propose a Curriculum Development using Crowdsourcing Framework (CDC-F) to integrate expert crowdsourcing into parts of the CDev process (specifically the identification of industry-relevant topics and sub-topics for further curriculum content development), and 4 – present the process and results of ang experiment utilising the CDC-F. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on the experience of faculty learning to do the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Our two studies uncovered similar threshold concepts in SoTL in two contrasting contexts; one study done in the United Kingdom with teaching-focused academics while the other study, done in North America, focussed on educational leaders at a research-intensive university. Both studies revealed similar ontological and epistemological transformations of learning and doing SoTL. Underpinning the results of these studies is the reality that educational leaders are situated within a complex cultural network of personal, professional, and financial tensions. There are two levels of institutional culture: university level and departmental level. But, institutional policies are only useful if also supported locally. This paper is of interest to those developing their expertise in supporting SoTL, as well as faculty on a teaching and scholarship career route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the usage of smartphones in university classrooms across three different countries from the instructor’s perspective. Using a qualitative, cross-cultural approach, we interviewed 30 instructors via semi-structured interviews to understand their viewpoints and experience with student smartphone usage in class. Instructors reported positive benefits that included active learning and the accessibility and sustainability of the smartphone as a learning tool. Participants also highlighted the challenges that include preventing critical thinking and direct instructor issues including distraction, loss of control, and discouragement. Instead of implementing new technology strategies in a top-down manner, organisations should co-create strategies with students and instructors to enhance motivation and focus. With technology being a common cohabitant in the classroom, this paper adds value from the perspective of instructors regarding their struggles, opportunities, and strategies when dealing with smartphones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

\nSummaryVirtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment where scenes and objects appear to be real, immersing the user in their surroundings. This systematic review aims to explore the benefits and challenges of VR and AR in higher education and to identify the trends and issues regarding courses and teaching methods in which VR and AR are integrated. 95 articles from the past 7 years were reviewed to gather comprehensive insights. According to findings, VR and AR in higher education have been used most frequently in medical courses, while simulations have been predominantly implemented as teaching strategies in VR and AR. The most common types of research methods have been experimental and survey studies. The findings indicate that, while VR/AR has promising potential in higher education, certain challenges such as understanding how and when virtual and augmented reality can be most effective must be addressed before widespread adoption in higher education.What is already known about this topic Virtual and augmented reality-based learning modes, in terms of motivation and engagement, may attract and motivate learners to learn and boost their confidence.Virtual and augmented realities are not widely used in education due to limitations such as required technologies, cost, etc.Virtual and augmented reality-based learning modes, in terms of motivation and engagement, may attract and motivate learners to learn and boost their confidence.Virtual and augmented realities are not widely used in education due to limitations such as required technologies, cost, etc.What this paper adds Virtual and augmented realities in higher education have been implemented mostly in medical courses. These courses include medicine, biology, surgery, and nursing.In terms of interaction and collaborative learning, the teaching strategies used with virtual and augmented realities do not provide an interactive environment and opportunity for collaborative learning for students, contrary to expectations.Simulations have been used mostly in virtual and augmented reality research in higher education. Simulations are explained as scenario-based learning in some research, and students were expected to complete some tasks based on the scenario.Virtual and augmented realities in higher education have been implemented mostly in medical courses. These courses include medicine, biology, surgery, and nursing.In terms of interaction and collaborative learning, the teaching strategies used with virtual and augmented realities do not provide an interactive environment and opportunity for collaborative learning for students, contrary to expectations.Simulations have been used mostly in virtual and augmented reality research in higher education. Simulations are explained as scenario-based learning in some research, and students were expected to complete some tasks based on the scenario.Implications for practice and/or policy It is crucial to identify how and when learning with virtual and augmented realities is effective.Virtual and augmented realities in higher education have both advantages and disadvantages in the context of technology-enhanced learning, and its use is up to the learning designers.It is crucial to identify how and when learning with virtual and augmented realities is effective.Virtual and augmented realities in higher education have both advantages and disadvantages in the context of technology-enhanced learning, and its use is up to the learning designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research addresses a significant literature gap by investigating academic perceptions of delivering intensive teaching in higher education, contextualised to Victoria University’s (VU) Block Model®. Through semi-structured interviews with nine participants, qualitative data was gathered to examine the benefits and challenges of block model delivery. Thematic data analysis revealed three interrelated themes. Firstly, the intensive and focused elements of the design were perceived to impact student and staff experiences, apparent as demanding in preparation time yet beneficial for fostering active and in-depth learning. Secondly, reciprocal relationship building with teachers and students and between students was facilitated in the delivery mode, providing repeated interactions and opportunities for meaningful connections. Lastly, assessment practices were observed to shape learner-centred delivery towards a formative assessment programme, emphasising assessment for learning. Drawing upon current findings and literature, this paper highlights the complex dynamics inherent in intensive teaching and its potential for enhancing pedagogical practices in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper employs an exploratory framework to evaluate the potential of ChatGPT as an Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) tool in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Thailand. The main objective is to investigate how well ChatGPT can assess students’ writing using prompts and pre-defined rubrics compared to human raters. Moreover, the study examines its strengths and weaknesses as an assessment tool by analysing the teachers’ reflections during the assessment process. Quantitative analyses revealed significant relationships between trial accounts in comparison with the human ratings. Qualitative analysis unearths patterns in the feedback, shedding light on ChatGPT’s strengths and its limitations as an AWE tool. ChatGPT displays substantial promise as an AWE tool, offering distinct features such as human-like interface, consistency, efficiency, and scalability. Nonetheless, educators must be cognisant of its limitations. This study recognises that the strategic use of ChatGPT could enhance the evaluation process among teachers and foster the development of EFL students’ written communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcripts and testamurs serve to confirm the award of a degree but offer limited information on what a student can actually do. This conceptual paper considers the problem of how graduate achievements are represented by universities in typically reductive and limited ways that do not enable student achievements and distinctiveness to be communicated to future employers, communities and students themselves. It argues that refinements to existing methods for the design and development of assessment are needed to encompass both university validated and contextualised credentials along with student-constructed portrayals of achievement and personas. Significant change is needed to assessment design, data capture and storage and the ways in which learning outcomes are tracked across a program and over time. Innovations in assessment representation should strengthen employer trust in the value of degrees, student trust in assessment processes and scaffold student agency in curating their employability narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there has been considerable post hoc research on student views of supervisors, there is little on how candidate expectations are constituted at or close to the point of commencement. This study reads students' commentary about the 'ideal supervisor' at the point of institutional induction to examine commencing candidate expectations, concluding that student discourse reflects historical, guild notions of the supervisor as 'master', and institutional messaging about the primary responsibility of the supervisor for positive research degree outcomes. The 'ideal' supervisor imagined by commencing candidates possesses highly esteemed character virtues and research mastery such that they can meet all needs and guarantee a successful outcome and a positive candidate experience. The paper concludes that institutional representations of the supervisor role need to change to re-situate supervision within wider networks of engagement and support and this needs to be reflected in the design of institutional orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Career exploration has always been the key to career development, but exploring the formation mechanism of career exploration behaviour from teachers' perspective is still inadequate. A three-stage time-lagged research design is used to obtain a valid sample of 1246 college students from mainland China. Based on self-determination theory, this paper analyzes the causal mechanisms of career exploration from the dual motivation of controlled motivation of teachers' support and autonomous motivation of future work self-salience of college students to explore the mechanisms and function boundaries of career exploration of college students. The results showed that: (1) Students' perceived teacher support positively influences career exploration; (2) Future work self-salience positively moderates the mediating effect of learning engagement on the relationship between perceived teacher support and career exploration. This research contributes to how to enhance the positive effects of career exploration are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual Reality (VR) is gradually integrating into classroom teaching, emerging as a new trend in educational development in the era of artificial intelligence. Desktop virtual reality stands out due to its lower cost and greater convenience. To elucidate the effectiveness of desktop virtual reality in learning, this paper employs a meta-analysis to systematically analyze 31 relevant studies. The findings suggest that desktop virtual reality can effectively enhance students’ academic achievement, fostering improvements in their knowledge, emotions, and abilities. Moreover, its effects in developing countries surpass those in developed countries. There is a linearly increasing relationship between the duration of the experiment and students’ academic achievement. Notably, there is no significant difference in learning outcomes across different subjects, with the implementation in high school showing the most promising results. The immersive VR teaching effectiveness in the control group slightly exceeds that of traditional teaching, particularly at higher levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to understanding the role of task conflicts in team-based online learning. The X-Culture network has created an online learning community that involves students all over the world. Correlation and regression analysis revealed that a higher diversity of teams by nationality positively affected team performance. The indirect effect of team diversity on team performance mediated by task conflicts accounted for 59.6% of the total effect. Moderate task conflicts improved team performance. However, instructors and coaches have to prepare students at the early stage of their project cooperation to distinguish between task conflicts and relationship conflicts influenced by motivation, free riding, and online communication habits of team members living in different time zones. Suggestions for preparing students to manage conflicts in online international team projects are presented. These suggestions are relevant for innovative learning projects in higher education involving students from many countries to knowledge co-creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on responses of 645 students (N = 6540) on 4 University of London (UoL) distance learning courses to a variety of course components. Published research on best practice in student learning stresses the value of active learning and of student collaboration. By contrast, our respondents report that they regard more active individual learning components such as reflection and self-assessment exercises as less helpful than course content such as readings, and they rate peer engagement much less highly than individual learning. We discuss why these learning behaviours and preferences seem to be at odds with accepted best practice, and explore possible implications for design and operation of online learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the redesign of an MSc module to enhance students’ engagement and learning through embedding social media technologies into the academic curriculum as a learning and assessment strategy, and in a complementary manner that facilitated and enhanced the achievement of the module’s learning outcomes. This paper describes the process and some of the components of the module redesign. Although the eventual redesign allowed for incorporation of social media both as a learning strategy and for assessment purposes, this paper is focused on use/application of social media in academic curriculum as a learning strategy. Grounding the new module in constructivist pedagogy, and an enquiry-based action learning model, the redesign leveraged the use of social media to expand the interrelational dimensions of students’ learning. This increased the students’ engagement and the depth and breadth of their learning, while enhancing their appreciation for e-professionalism and personal learning networks. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]