Come along to TELFest to learn from your colleagues about innovative things they are doing in their teaching! We have an exciting line up of presentations spanning four key themes. Here’s a sneak peak of what’s in store:
Theme: Tools
Using Wattleâs âLessonâ activity to guide student learning
Presented by Dr. Cathy Day (College of Health and Medicine)
The âLessonâ activity in Wattle allows a lecturer to tailor the learning path for individual students according to a range of criteria. Despite being more complex to develop than the âBookâ resource, it is a very flexible tool for the lecturer and provides students with a fully interactive experience. Cathy Day will demonstrate how âLessonsâ were developed to teach Fundamentals of Epidemiology, including controlling the flow based on the individual studentâs understanding of the material. The presentation will include live demonstrations of some Lessons.
Theme: Engagement
Boosting Participation with Poll Everywhere
Presented by Associate Professor Salman Durrani (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
Teaching with a classroom response system is well recognized as an effective method for active in-class learning, when coupled with appropriate pedagogies. Salman Durrani will discuss the pedagogy (adapted from the cognitive apprenticeship model) employed when using Poll Everywhere to enhance student learning and engagement in first and second year electronics courses in the ANU Bachelor of Engineering program. He will (i) discuss the technical implementation aspects, such as standalone and embedded PowerPoint operation, (ii) share lessons learned, including student feedback, and (iii) provide advice on best practices when using live interactive audience participation tools to boost in-class participation, demystify student misconceptions and enable tough engineering concepts to sink in.
Theme: Course and Curriculum Design
Field studies and tech: six design principles to flip classrooms inside out
Presented by Timothea Turnbull (College of Asia and the Pacific)
For courses that are taught in the field, tech can be the answer to many challenges, such as building virtual teaching environments and crafting on-the-go assessment tasks. Careful preparation and design are crucial so that students and teaching staff are enabled rather than overwhelmed by the constraints of learning-in-the-field. Timothea Turnbull, course convenor for the 2018 ANU IARU Global Summer Program, will share six design principles she prototyped this year during the 3-week intensive course on Australian foreign policy, which followed the guiding principle of âzero classroomsâ and included over 60 experts in 24 venues around Canberra.
Theme: Innovation
Considering blockchain for higher education: the possibilities
Presented by Anneka Ferguson (College of Law)
Used appropriately, aspects of the blockchain technology could be an effective way of addressing issues of meaningful student engagement, effective communication between markers and students, the development of a professional reputation and even a way to improve the âproof of valueâ of an education beyond that of a certification. As an online (as well as face-to-face) convenor for 10 years, and an action based and empirical researcher into how to provide tertiary education in a way that promotes the best student wellbeing and professionalism outcomes, Anneka Ferguson will explore the possibilities of blockchain technologies to extend both the online and face-to-face educational experience in exciting new ways.
To hear about these and other engaging talks by passionate educators from across the university, attend TELFest on Monday 5 November! Registration is free and open to all staff at ANU.