Teaching in the online environment
At the University of Adelaide, learning in the online environment is designed to be active, student-centred, and to foster a sense of community.
These resources offer both evidence-based principles and practical guidance for designing and delivering effective learning experiences in the online environment, whether the delivery is fully online or blended with on-campus learning. They will be constantly updated as needed.
Please email teachexcellence@adelaide.edu.au if you have any feedback or suggestions for content.
Response to Student Survey on Remote Learning
Read the Rapid Student Feedback Survey Report and view the webinars where the findings were discussed. This survey was conducted in Semester 1.
Rapid Peer Review (RPR)
To assist in the transition and ongoing practice of remote learning, we are introducing a new peer support program – Rapid Peer Review (RPR).
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Pedagogical principles and high impact approaches
Community of inquiry approach for designing learning environments
Five ways to increase the effectiveness of instructional videos
Looking for ways to design effective online lectures? This journal article outlines the evidence and theories behind five techniques for the creation of effective instructional videos: dynamic drawing; gaze guidance; generative activity; perspective; and subtitles. It also warns against the use of seductive details that do not contribute to learning.
Online Learning Consortium (OLC)
The mission of the OLC is to create community and knowledge around quality online, blended, and digital learning while driving innovation and you create your own account and affiliate it with the University of Adelaide institutional membership. In April 2020 the OLC recently held an event designed to address the challenges of teaching during the pandemic. You can access the nearly 50 OLC Ideate recorded sessions covering topics such as building inclusive learning environments, radical openness, caring for students, and humanizing online learning. Access a full list of the sessions and descriptions.
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Assessment design and communication
University of Adelaide Guide to Open-Resource Exam Design
This guide provides principles and practice advice to support the maintenance of quality and rigour in online, open-resource exams. It has a particular focus on designing assessment to improve academic integrity.
10 points to consider when choosing alternative assessments
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Assessment considerations in moving from closed-book to open-book exams
Advice from the Melbourne University Centre for the Study of Higher education on ways to ensure assessment design will provide valid and reliable evidence of students’ achievement of learning outcomes.
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Providing feedback for learning
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Building rapport and community in the online environment
7 strategies to promote community in online courses
The Director of Teaching and Learning at RMIT Online explains the why and how on topics such as communication, engagement, and feedback links, and provides examples.
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Maintaining staff and student wellbeing
The eSafety Commissioner has created two resources for academic and teaching staff which provide core tools for identifying, preventing and responding to online abuse of students. They also provide advice on how academics can protect themselves online.
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Enabling engagement
Achieving learning in online practicals
The department of Multidisciplinary Engineering Education at the University of Sheffield have developed a playbook of tactics for when practicals need to be taught without access to the laboratories on campus.
Promoting critical thinking in online discussions
A review of the literature that identifies evidence-based approaches to instructional design and facilitation for fostering critical thinking in asynchronous online discussions (summary table in conclusion).
Online learning beyond the technology: Reconceptualising online engagement
Using an evidence-based online engagement framework, this webinar hosted by the UK’s Association for Learning Technology (ALT) with presenters from USQ, provides practical strategies for enabling engagement.
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Online learning guides
The Online programs team have developed principles and guidance for online learning informed by the Technology Enhanced Learning Accreditation Standards (TELAS), Quality Matters (QM) and the TEQSA Higher Education Standards Framework (HESF).
The following guides are for educators who would like to enhance the online portion of their blended courses.
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Further support
After accessing the above resources to investigate approaches to enriching learning which are evidence-based and appropriate for your context, you can find further guidance on the University of Adelaide supported technologies through the services provided by Learning Enhancement and Innovation or by accessing the MyUni Learning Centre.
Would you like to develop further skills in designing learning in the online environment? The courses and resources in this curated list provide a wide choice of learning experiences, both for those at novice and advanced levels.
If you have any suggestions or requests for further support resources please contact Teaching Excellence.