Academic and researcher in Victoria University’s College of Law and Justice, Ruth Liston is applying the principles of Design Thinking, an approach commonly used in the design world for software development, to a law setting instead. At VU’s recent Learning and Teaching Symposium, Ruth explained that Design Thinking focusses heavily on the empathy of the […]
Read MoreDigital Learning
Camera use in Zoom: make the right choices for your class
For many teachers – students not turning on their cameras in Zoom can sometimes feel like teaching in a black hole. Paul G Moss suggests that most students are actually “on the fence” about turning their cameras on, and can be persuaded by the benefits if you clearly articulate them. Benefits like: increasing student attention […]
Read MoreVU Accessibility Fix Your Content Day
VU has a commitment to increasing accessibility for all. All universities are required to provide accessible learning resources and websites under Disability Discrimination Act (1992). Next Friday 28th of May we are holding workshops at VU in line with the Worldwide Accessibility Fix your Content Day! On this day, we will be running a series of short […]
Read MoreTeaching with tech in 2021
It is a new year with new possibilities, yet for many of us, it looks like 2021 is going to be another year of remote and blended learning. The difference? This year, with hours of practice and peer collaboration under our belt, we are going to do it better. Why not try some new tools […]
Read MoreNo two blocks are the same: A paramedicine case study
In this video First Year College lecturer, Meg McInnes shares how she has adapted to digitally supported remote teaching and how the block model supports online learning and teaching. By July 2020 she was already in her 6th block teaching Bachelor of Paramedicine units remotely, allowing her to rapidly adjust and improve. Meg says that […]
Read MoreGamifying Learning 101
A challenge many instructors are facing, not only in the online classroom but the physical classroom as well, is how to keep students active and engaged. In this podcast, we get to meet Nick Lekakis, a Learning Designer at Victoria University and expert on gamifying learning. Listen to the podcast below to find out what […]
Read MoreDigital Pedagogies: industry leading live performance events
In this video, we get to meet Nick Cooper, the Unit Convenor of Live Performance Management at Victoria University. Nick explains how he helped his students to deliver real live music events online during COVID-19, including local emerging and established artists and superstar DJ’s! “Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many serious they considering […]
Read More“Doing a presentation in a very quiet Zoom classroom… it takes a lot of guts!”
What new skills have you learnt during your virtual teaching/learning? Let’s hear what new skills VU students have gained during their online studies in this short (3 min) video…
Read MoreDigital Pedagogies for Remote Learning: Bringing the bush online
In this video, we are meeting Dr Christine Connelly a senior lecturer in Environmental Science at Victoria University. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Christine couldn’t take her students on their usual field trips and therefore she decided to create virtual field trips for her students instead! Watch the (4 min) video to find out […]
Read MoreDigital Pedagogies for Remote Learning: Hairdresser Apprentices
How do practical disciplines like hairdressing adapt to the new online study environment? In this short video, we meet Veronica Di-Girolamo, a teacher in Certificate III Hairdressing at Victoria University Polytechnic. It turns out that this challenge has led to new and better ways of teaching and engaging with industry. Watch the (3:45 min) video […]
Read MoreStudent voice: web accessibility through alternative formats
In the web accessibility for all series part 3, we are interviewing VU student Sharyl Brockett about her experience using the new web accessibility tool ‘Alternative formats‘ in VU Collaborate (Victoria University’s LMS). Sharyl explains that being vision impaired and studying online has its own set of challenges. What can we do to be more […]
Read MoreStudent voice: online vs face to face learning
How does the online study experience compare to face to face learning? Let’s see what VU students had to say about this…
Read MoreGetting more out of your Zoom classroom!
By now most of us are familiar with how to facilitate sessions online using Zoom. But how do we keep our students engaged online? That’s the million dollar question… Watch this video to find out how to use engaging visuals in Zoom!
Read MoreExtended Classroom: Plan B for the Block
In the current environment, certain circumstances might require you to extend your class online with minimal notice. Building on the principles of the Block, in the event that you may not be able to come to class, we want to continue to foster a sense of belonging for our students. We want to mirror our […]
Read MoreWebsite accessibility is everyone’s business
Hey Learning Designers/Developers: do you format VU Collaborate resources with a view to their accessibility? Accessibility is complicated. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG vs 2.1) distills a set of thirteen guidelines for designing web pages for people with blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, limited movement, speech disabilities, photo-sensitivity, and learning and cognitive restrictions – but at twenty thousand words, it’s a pretty hefty read. Here’s […]
Read MoreAbstracts due July 15th for the 2019 VU L&T symposium
What excites you about teaching this year? Tell us about it! Submit a 300 word abstract by July 15th to present in the: 5 minute lightning round 25 min plenary sessions the active learning room the tech garden More information about the 2019 Learning and Teaching Symposium. Come to our drop-in information sessions until the […]
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