2021 Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Symposium

The 2021 Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Symposium has now concluded. All 2021 SoLT Symposium abstracts and symposium recordings are available on the 2021 SoLT Symposium recordings page. (*please note these require login to view).

Symposium Awards

Award recipients for 2021 are:

Best contribution award – decided by Steering Group:

  • Effective assessment design in digital learning environments in the context of the SC Model
    Dr Mo Kader, The Hotel School Sydney

Highly commendable awards – decided by Steering Group: (two new awards for 2021)

  • Collaborative design team process: Building branching scenarios
    Ellie Magee-Jessup, Dr Alessandro Pelizzon, Ros Walpole, Nikola Kalamir, Thalia Kalkipsakis
  • Heart centered teaching - enabling a pedagogy of kindness
    Dr Airdre Grant, Centre for Teaching and Learning and Deakin University, and Dr Mieke Witsel, Centre for Teaching and Learning

Most thought-provoking contribution – decided by popular vote:

  • Keynote presentation - What qualities and values build a collaborative community of practice?
    Rachel Lynwood, Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples

Pre-recorded video contributions – decided by popular vote:

  • Practical approaches to improving online learning experiences through enhancing existing content
    Will Richardson-Davis, Centre for Teaching and Learning

MS Teams Greenhouse contribution

  • To be determined – keep the conversations going!

2021 Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Symposium was held online - Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10, and Thursday 11 November

The theme this year was:

The Southern Cross Model: Learning Centred Education

Southern Cross University (SCU) has developed a distinctive academic model, one that offers deeper, more focussed, and more engaging learning – and teaching – experience. This new academic model puts learning at the heart of our teaching practice: it promotes guided and active learning experiences for our students across locations, courses, and levels of offering.

A number of course awards are already being offered within the new SC Model. From 2022, the majority of our courses will be delivered in the 6-week study period format. By 2023, all students will have started studying in the new academic model. As Faculties and Colleges are at various stages in this process, we encourage you to share your diverse experiences, ideas, and strategies with peers. We look forward to hearing about your insights into the design, delivery, and reflective experiences of the new SC Model, and thoughts on enhancing student connection; strategies for design and future delivery; and ways of creating an engaging learning environment.

Parallel Session Abstracts & Recordings

View Abstracts

View Recordings

Symposium Program

The Symposium event was delivered online over three consecutive days.

The MS Teams SoLT Symposium space was used again to facilitate a community of practice presence before, during, and after the Symposium. This space encourages the sharing of teaching practices and expertise. 

Day/Time (NSW) Activity
Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 November
10:30am to 12:15pm

Opening Plenary
 

Welcome to Country:
Aunty Irene Harrington
 

Symposium Welcome and Opening:

Professor Tyrone Carlin, Vice Chancellor
  The Southern Cross Model:
Professor Erica Wilson, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic Innovation) and Professor Thomas Roche, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic Quality)
 

Presentation:
Associate Deans (Education)
1:30pm to 2:30pm

Parallel sessions

Breakout room 1:

  • Encouraging critical thinking and independent learning among non-traditional students in the Southern Cross Model, Dr Liz Goode, Academic Portfolio Office, Associate Professor Suzi Syme and Dr Johanna Nieuwoudt from SCU College, view abstract.
  • A digital first Library Services experience, Bruce Munro and Tanya St Clair Honey, SCU Library Services, view abstract.
  • Application of a Puzzle-based learning approach in teaching IT@SCU, Dr Vinh Bui, Faculty of Science and Engineering, view abstract.

Breakout room 2:

  • Diploma student pathway to success: On-demand support strategy within the new Southern Cross Model, Dr Michael Brickhill and Dr Sue Muloin, SCU College, view abstract.
  • Practical approaches to improving online learning experiences through enhancing existing content, William Richardson-Davis, Centre for Teaching and Learning, view abstract.
  • From zero to hero: A lived experience in the new academic model, Kayleen Wood, Faculty of Business, Law and Arts and Chris King, Centre for Teaching and Learning, view abstract.

Breakout room 3:

  • Effective assessment design in digital learning environments in the context of the SC Model, Dr Mo Kader, The Hotel School Sydney, view abstract.
  • One size does not fit all: Personalised approaches to intensive online learning by leveraging technology, Dr Nasim Salehi and Dr Diarmuid Hurley, Faculty of Health, view abstract.
  • Facilitating student and teacher interactions with VoiceThread – Sandpit in action! Toni Ledgerwood and Dr Mieke Witsel, Centre for Teaching and Learning, view abstract.
Wednesday 10 November
10:30am to 11:20am

Internal keynote presentation

What qualities and values build a collaborative community of practice? Rachel Lynwood, Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples, view abstract.
11:20am to 11:40am

Parallel sessions

Breakout room 1:

  • Challenge, opportunity, voice, and safety: Using VoiceThread for staff conversations about institutional change, Southern Cross Model Community of Practice group members from across SCU: Dr Liz Goode, Dr Mieke Witsel, Tina van Eyk, Associate Professor Suzi Syme, Dr Nicci Whiteing, Dr Vinh Bui, Rachel Lynwood, Dr Paul Whitelaw, and CoP group, view abstract.

Breakout room 2:

  • Problem-solving from page to practice: Empowering healthcare students to enact change, Dr Nasim Salehi and Dr Diarmuid Hurley, Faculty of Health, view abstract.

Breakout room 3:

  • How the EAP learning site is preparing ELP pathway students for the Southern Cross Model, Neil McRudden, SCU College, view abstract.
12:30pm to 1:30pm

Parallel sessions

Breakout room 1:

  • Community wellbeing support: Industry partner-led inter-professional learning, Associate Professor Christina Aggar, Professor Sandra Grace, Professor Mark Hughes, Dr Golam Sorwar, Associate Professor Jacqui Yoxall, view abstract.
  • The role of information and communication technology knowledge in the success of the new Southern Cross Model, Dr Ali Reza Alaei, Faculty of Science and Engineering, view abstract.
  • Heart centered teaching - enabling a pedagogy of kindness, Dr Airdre Grant, Centre for Teaching and Learning and Deakin University, and Dr Mieke Witsel, Centre for Teaching and Learning, view abstract.

 Breakout room 2:

  • “I can’t do it…yet”: Challenging limiting beliefs about maths in the Southern Cross Model, Dr Kerrie Stimpson, Associate Professor Suzi Syme, Dr Liz Goode, view abstract.
  • Teaching research can be fun and engaging: A unique approach to teach research in an online intensive atmosphere, Dr Nasim Salehi and Dr Diarmuid Hurley, Faculty of Health, view abstract.
  • Collaborative design team process: Building branching scenarios, Ellie Magee-Jessup, Dr Alessandro Pelizzon, Ros Walpole, Nikola Kalamir, Thalia Kalkipsakis, view abstract.

 Breakout room 3:

  • The Southern Cross Model, time pressure, and mental health: An exploratory study, Dr Johanna Nieuwoudt, SCU College, view abstract.
  • Creating Casual Connections, Dr Paul Weeks, The Hotel School, view abstract.
  • Teaching with collaborative technologies: The MS Teams experience, Dr Owen Hogan, Faculty of Business, Law and Arts, view abstract.
1:45pm to 2:45pm

Technology Q&A presentations

Technology presentations from the Centre for Teaching and Learning and Technology Services teams:

Room 1:

  • Using good design to enhance student learning with H5P and other technologies, Ellie Magee-Jessup and Ashley Filipe
  • Using Mediasite Mosaic to spice up your delivery: Benefits of video engagement, David Duverge

Room 2:

  • Blackboard tools for assessment, Roger Murphy
  • Using Turnitin to ease your marking, Chris King
Thursday 11 November

10am to 10:45am

Class: Workshops and tutorials in the SC Model, Dr Mieke Witsel, Chris King and Tina van Eyk from the Centre for Teaching and Learning
11:30am to 12:30pm

Parallel sessions

Breakout room 1:

  • “Meet your new mentor”: Embedding student-alumni engagement in the curriculum, Dr Julia Caldicott and Janne Van Wulfften Palthe from Faculty of Business, Law and Arts, and Gina Werner and Leanne Baker from Careers & Employability, view abstract.
  • Careers & Employability service new online delivery platform for customised, authentic teaching and assessment, Suzie Grissell, Gina Werner and Joseph Donnelly, Careers & Employability, view abstract.

Breakout room 2:

  • Support and sustain diverse and effective ways of teaching and learning mathematics, Dr Christos Markopoulos and Patrick Bruck, Faculty of Education, view abstract.
  • Getting interactive with ClickView, Zoe Hancock, SCU College, view abstract.

Breakout room 3:

  • Quality assurance rather than quality review: Moving from moderation to calibration, Dr Mieke Witsel, view abstract. 
  • Sticky questions for developing a shared practice in the Southern Cross Model, Southern Cross Model Community of Practice group members from across SCU: Dr Liz Goode, Dr Mieke Witsel, Tina van Eyk, Associate Professor Suzi Syme, Dr Nicci Whiteing, Dr Vinh Bui, Rachel Lynwood, Dr Paul Whitelaw, and CoP group, view abstract.
  • Two Birds, One Stone: Using the Scholarly Practices Model to improve teaching and drive research output, Dr Paul Whitelaw, Hotel School Partnership, view abstract.
1:30pm to 2:40pm

Keynote presenter

Trish McCluskey – Associate Provost Learning and Teaching (Interim), Director Connected Learning, Victoria University

BLOCK MATTERS: Sharing learning and creating networks
 

Closing Plenary

The following topics and questions will guide our discussion at the Symposium and are provided to stimulate and add depth to your contributions.

1. Providing active learning experiences

  • How can we design active learning experiences for the new academic model?
  • What andragogic approaches could be effective? What strategies can we use for flexible and student centred learning? What strategies can enhance in-depth learning and decrease the risk of surface learning?
  • How can learning sites be redesigned to encourage active leaving?
  • What activities or resources could be used to encourage active and real-world learning?

2. Facilitating learning and teaching interactions

  • How will our relationships change with students? What kinds of specific activities encourage interaction in class and online?
  • What methods, applications and current technologies, available to SCU and external partners, can we use to connect with students in different time zones, spaces, and places? How can we use technology to provide a personalised and interactive approach to teaching?
  • Are there any open-source and freeware technologies which may facilitate learning and teaching interactions?
  • What support techniques could help to further assist students to feel connected and engender a sense of belonging in our new teaching and learning spaces?

3. Effective assessment design

  • What new designs and assessment types will be important to our practice during the transition?
  • How can technology assist the efficiency and effectiveness of the assessment process?
  • How can learning activities support assessment preparation and address learning outcomes both in class and via self-access modules?
  • What types of assessments can we use for evidence-based and practical tasks to facilitate real-world issues?
  • If an exam is no longer required in your unit, what assessment are you using or intend to use?
  • What challenges do you anticipate or have you experienced so far?

4. Encouraging the student voice

  • What is the student perspective of the Southern Cross Model; in anticipation or from first-hand experience? How and/or when should we address students’ concerns?
  • How do we encourage students from diverse backgrounds to share their perspective and have their voices heard in the new academic model?
  • What are the experiences and concerns of onshore and offshore cohorts? Are there differences between groups? How can we ensure students have accessibility, and can participate and collaborate in active learning interactions in the same way?
  • What kinds of activities encourage the student voice? How can technology assist with promoting the student voice for example in an online workshop?

5. Nurturing collaborative and multidisciplinary learning approaches

  • How will (or have) unit design teams work (or worked) together on the Southern Cross Model?
  • How can or will we effectively build communities of practice to share our experiences?
  • What multi-disciplinary and international collaborations have enhanced your creation and deployment of innovative teaching strategies?
  • How can benchmarking (internal and external) be used to assess and improve the impact of the new model upon student success and learning outcomes?

Southern Cross University. (2021, January 19). Introducing the Southern Cross Model [Online Module]. MySCU Blackboard learning site.

Steering Group

The Symposium Steering Group have been meeting regularly to provide guidance to the Centre for Teaching and Learning in organising this event and is responsible for reviewing contributions.

The 2021 Symposium Steering Group members from across SCU:

Faculty of Business, Law and Arts: Dr Patrick Gillet, Course Coordinator
Faculty of Education: Dr Wendy Boyd, Associate Dean (Education)
Faculty of Health: Dr Nasim Salehi, Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Science and Engineering: Dr Raina Mason, Senior Lecturer
SCU College: Dr Michael Brickhill, Associate Lecturer
Centre for Teaching and Learning: Dr Mieke Witsel, Senior Lecturer
Centre for Teaching and Learning: Tina van Eyk, Steering Group Chair and Coordinator
Centre for Teaching and Learning: Dr Lachlan Forsyth, Director.