This year’s Learning and Teaching Week carried a deliberately provocative theme – Less is More – designed to encourage critical reflection and inform the University’s new learning and teaching strategy.
“What does a strategy defined by our values rather than our processes look like?” asked Professor John Simons, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) in his shared keynote address with Professor Sherman Young, Pro Vice Chancellor (Learning & Teaching). “And what does learning and teaching look like in our new brand positioning of ‘nurturing to break free’,” added Professor Young.
Together they spoke of the imperative for change being driven by factors including global market forces, pending federal government decisions about deregulation, and the technological and pedagogical expectations our ‘digital native/active learner’ current and future student cohorts. “They’re expecting a completely different environment to what we currently offer,” said Professor Young, “and we need to be braver and bolder in our thinking and practice”.
Staff and student attendees took on this challenge with great enthusiasm in the subsequent workshops, talks and seminars, collaborating across departments and disciplines.
“Learning and Teaching Week is one of the few opportunities we have to come together as an institution and share with each other our developments and ideas,” said Associate Professor Ian Solomonides, Director of the Learning and Teaching Centre, “and each year I am amazed at the range of innovative practices on show.”
Further reading:
- Faculty of Arts PhD candidate Cheryl Ware wins our Three Minute Thesis (3MT) final.
- Students told a room full of learning and teaching staff what they want to see done differently or better.
- The poster and postcard competition winners.
- Dom Verity’s ‘Uncle Bob Verity’s Rice ‘n’ Peas’, inspired by what he calls the ‘best ever’ Learning and Teaching Week.
- Educational Designer (and first-time attendee) Chris Froissard’s reflections on the week.
- The social media highlights from #mqLTweeek.