Are you still finding your feet in your first few years of university teaching, and looking for a little more structure to your professional development? Contemporary Approaches to University Teaching is a free massive open online course (MOOC) for the Australian Higher Education sector. It’s designed for those new or in the first years of university teaching, and offers self-paced study in two-hour modules over a semester, so you can access at times to suit your schedule.
The MOOC introduces learning and teaching concepts and strategies through modules and resources developed by 36 content experts from 20 universities across Australia, including UTS’s Amanda White, Jacqueline Melvold and Kathy Egea. Kathy’s module on first year transition, drawing on this Successful Student Transition guide as well as FFYE grants and forums, will be included in the MOOC from 2023.
What’s in the MOOC?
Topics in the MOOC are wide-ranging, from the basics of teaching your first class, planning and curriculum design, assessment, and feedback for learning, to key topics such as designing, implementing and supporting online learning, teaching diverse learners and collaborative learning. You’ll also have opportunities to learn about theories behind learning and teaching approaches, scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching, as well as practical topics on quality assurance and our responsibilities.
Specialty topics include teaching mathematics, managing student teams, Work Integrated Learning, and the politics of Australian higher education, with additional resources provided on sessional staff, professional wellbeing, and a guide for librarians.
How to participate
The course is hosted by the Council of Australasian University Leaders in Learning and Teaching (CAULLT) and is led by A/Prof Agnes Bosanquet (Macquarie University) and A/Prof Marina Harvey.
Semester 2 of the MOOC has just started, and will run through to 16 December this year. Register for free to join 8,000+ participants from 106 countries who have participated in the MOOC since 2018. To find out more, contact agnes.bosanquet@mq.edu.au.