Enhancing the quality of teaching in Semester 2: The lessons from Semester 1
The evidence from the Semester 1 experience, assembled from a variety focus groups, questionnaires and student comments, indicates there are three principal areas where improvement can be achieved.
Students have identified aspects of teaching and learning delivery that have been less effective or frustrating for them. These issues can be addressed as we prepare for Semester 2.
Academic staff who are coordinating and teaching in Semester 2 subjects are invited to review how their plans and practices might address these key areas.
- INTERACTION and ENGAGEMENT The degree of interaction and engagement in online classes and with the online material, particularly between staff and students, but also between students, and students’ dynamic interaction with digital, discipline-based content.
- ACADEMIC STAFF PRESENCE This is closely related to interaction and engagement but refers specifically to the high visibility, availability and approachability of lead academic(s) within the subject. It refers to teaching staff extensively communicating with students about how they are going and how the subject is progressing in general.
- CLARITY in LMS SITE STRUCTURE The clarity of the structures for subjects and the sequence, relationships and logic of the curriculum and its materials. This includes the clarity and thoroughness of the explanations and advice to students on what is required of them and how they can most effectively and successfully participate, remembering that the modes of remote teaching and learning are still quite new to most of the University’s students.
For more details on each of these areas, including suggestions and ideas on how to improve them, view this PDF document (login required).
Further resources:
BEL+T has developed a series of guidance and support materials in response to the semester 1 move online. You can find advice on improving delivery, interaction, and assessment at the following pages:
Many of the suggestions above are covered in some detail on these three Learning Environments sites:
- Learning Environments
- Learning Environments: Implementing online learning quality
- Learning Environments: Fundamentals of online learning
The Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education has developed a series of short guides and brief discussion papers on key topics related to online teaching, learning and assessment. They are available here and are listed below:
- Seven ways to improve students’ online learning experiences
- What is student engagement in online learning and how do I know when it is there?
- Effective feedback in digital learning environments
- Designing authentic online collaboration
- Multiple choice questions: An introductory guide
- Assessment consideration in moving from closed-book to open-book exams