2020 Learning and Teaching Forum: "Learning without limits: Leading the change"
This year, the Forum focused on sharing the challenges, triumphs and tips through the transition of face to face classes, to remote delivery, during this disruptive learning and teaching period of 2020. As one of the many examples of disruption in education this year, for the first time, the forum was run fully online over two half-day morning sessions.
33 presentations were delivered over the course of the Forum, with 4 key all-delegate presentations, and 29 parallel presentations.
The Forum's Poster eGallery showcased 20 examples of effective teaching practice from academic and professional staff across the University, and also provided an opportunity for attendees to enter Zoom meeting rooms where Poster Authors had the opportunity to provoke discussions and shared ideas for improving student outcomes at UNSW.
There were two winning posters this year; in first place, "Engineering identity via inclusive online impromptu design", by Peter Neal, Nicholas Gilmore, and Jane Artup. In second place, was "Rethinking Assessment: A Virtual Conference for online learning and community building", by Susann Beier, Xinxing Chen, William Armour, Danny Tan, and Vivian Lun.
The UNSW Awards for Teaching and Awards for Research, were also presented to Awardees in person, on-campus, whilst live-streamed for attendees to view this year. Congratulations; we are glad your efforts have been formally recognised, especially during this turbulent year.
A recording of all presentations is available via the Moodle course site for UNSW staff (self-enrolment key: lntforum).
Keynote
This year's keynote was Professor Sally Kift; a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and elected President of the Australian Learning & Teaching Fellows. She has held several university leadership positions, including as JCU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic). In 2017, Sally received an Australian University Career Achievement Award for her contribution to Australian HE. She was a member of the AQF Review Panel that reported to Government in September 2019.
Sally's presentation focused on "Higher Education Leading the Change? Enabling a Lifelong Learning Ecosystem". As a tumultuous year for higher education policy and practice draws to a close, what does it mean to ‘learn without limits’ and how might our sector ‘lead the change’? Pre-pandemic, we had been reimagining learning pathways, provision and aggregation for a future of work impacted by Industry 4.0 technologies, globalisation and demographic shifts. COVID-19 has now accelerated the urgency of that revisioning and exacerbated educational and labour market disadvantage. If education, fairness and national prosperity go hand-in-hand (OECD, 2019), business-as-usual responses to future-fit ‘limitless learning’ seem unlikely to deliver the what, when and how of tomorrow’s workforce needs, let alone socially just outcomes for underserved citizens and regions. Lifelong learning must become a practical reality for all. Our universities must become lifelong learning institutions. This presentation will consider the promise of a connected lifelong learning ecosystem, founded on universal access to tertiary education and collaboration between schools, learners, universities, vocational education providers and industry.
A recording of the keynote is available via the Moodle course site for UNSW staff (self-enrolment key: lntforum).
Program
The forum celebrated and shared good practice in learning and teaching, and specifically teaching and student support experiences during 2020.
Topics discussed included:
- Future of assessment
- Online assessment
- Developing an online learning community
- Using synchronous or asynchronous lectures as a preferred method of delivery
- Capability building
- Rethinking assessment
- Student assisted course design.
There were 29 parallel presentations delivered on the day, either 10 minutes or 20 minutes in length, plus a 5 min Q&A at the end of each session.
There were also four all-delegate presentations, including:
- Higher Education Leading the Change? Enabling a Lifelong Learning Ecosystem
Keynote presented by Prof. Sally Kift
- Learning without limilts: Leading the change - Panel discussion
Presented by Dr Gail Crimmins, Prof. Eileen Baldry, and Mary Teague
- Future of Assessment - Student panel
Chaired by Dr Shannan Maisey and Dr Jose Bilbao, with UNSW student panelists: Rachael Brown (FASS/Art & Design), Yuval Kandal (Engineering), Shivani Chokkam (Business PG), and Nishchith Nanjappa (Engineering PG)
- Future of Assessment - Academic panel
Chaired by Prof. Rorden Wilkinson, with UNSW academic panelists: Prof. Shirley Scott, Prof. Gary Velan, and Prof. Alex Steel
View the short version of the Forum program here (an overview of presentations and schedule over the two days)
View the long version of the Forum program here (includes abstracts and bios for each presentation)
A recording of all presentations is available via the Moodle course site for UNSW staff (self-enrolment key: lntforum).
Posters
Poster Authors were provided with two options this year; synchronous or asynchronous delivery.
Synchronous delivery: Authors would be available in a dedicated Zoom meeting room for their Poster, for attendees to enter and have the opportunity to discuss the poster and share thoughts and ideas, aiming to replicate an in-person experience of walking around in Leighton Hall and provoking discussions with authors.
Asynchronous delivery: Authors would discuss their poster through a video recording, where attendees could watch the video, and email authors at any time to strike a discussion at a later date.
View posters from the Forum in the 2020 Poster eBooklet
For information regarding criteria and submission for Posters, head to the Poster templates and guidelines page
Resources
All presentation slides and recordings from the 2020 UNSW Learning and Teaching Forum will be available shortly on the Moodle Course site (self-enrolment key: lntforum).