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Online learning

The rise of online learning has revolutionised university teaching. Whether students study in-person, remotely or take a hybrid approach, much higher education is now delivered via digital platforms, supported by a proliferation in educational technology (ed-tech). Find out how lecturers can adapt their teaching methods for digital delivery, build online learning communities and use the latest technology to support immersive learning, gamification and AI-adaptive learning.

Teachers and instructional designers can learn to work together in universities

Instructional designers: how to work well with teachers

Time, trust and agreeing goals are common difficulties when academic and non-academic staff design an online course together. Here, Viviana Cáceres outlines how to overcome them

Viviana Cáceres

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Extended reality and the metaverse must become a research priority for universities

The metaverse will change everything – including academic research

We must push XR research boundaries if we’re to understand and shape our future reality – here’s how, says Neil McDonnell

Neil McDonnell

University of Glasgow

Why edtech is key for engaging international students

As higher education enters the blended learning era, institutions can use technology and creativity to enrich the learning environment

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The hologram professor project beams a life-sized video of university lecturers into classrooms

Missing face-to-face interaction? Try becoming a ‘hologram professor’

Beaming a hologram of lecturers into classrooms offers greater closeness than video systems, say Carla Victoria Ramírez López, Leticia Castaño Sánchez and Patricia Aldape Valdés

Carla Victoria Ramírez López , Leticia Castaño Sánchez , Patricia Aldape Valdés

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Advice on how to use virtual reality in order to enhance learning through real-world immersive experiences

How to apply virtual reality to enhance learning experiences

Ithai Stern outlines how best to shape and deploy virtual reality as a tool to enhance learning experiences, while acknowledging its limitations

Ithai Stern

INSEAD

Man with a laptop computer over his head and a Help! sign

What to do when technology fails: an educator’s survival guide for online classrooms

Jack Wang offers seven solutions to common tech problems during online teaching – from slow internet connection to lack of resources

Jack Wang

The University of Queensland

Using immersive tech, such as augmented reality, can revolutionise assessment in universities

Using technology to revolutionise the way you evaluate

Even amid the great shift online, assessment methods have often remained mired in the traditional system, says Monica Francesca Contrino

Monica Francesca Contrino

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Universities can learn a great deal from the way Amazon embraced digital tech and constantly evolves

What can universities learn from Amazon?

From putting the customer first to the buzzword that is ‘fulfilment’, there’s much to be gleaned from the way Amazon and its ilk embraced digital technology, says Peter Vervest

Peter Vervest

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Advice on using a free online mindfulness programme to support student well-being

How to foster student well-being with online mindfulness training

Adam Kay explains how educators can effectively use an innovative, freely available, research-backed online mindfulness programme for student well-being

Adam Kay

The University of Queensland

Virtual and augmented reality can provide powerful experiences for university students, and they are probably not as hard to create as you think

Immersive tech in teaching and learning: first steps into the metaverse

Virtual, augmented and mixed reality can provide powerful experiences for students, and it’s probably not as difficult as you think. Neil McDonnell provides simple, practical advice

Neil McDonnell

University of Glasgow

Empty desks and chairs in classroom illustrating classroom design

Returning to on-campus classrooms – are they fit for purpose?

Gunter Saunders explains why classroom design must take technology into account in facilitating active, student-centred learning

Gunter Saunders

University of Westminster

Advice on teaching trends sparked by the growth of ed-tech

Two ed-tech trends that educators should watch for

The growth of ed-tech has sparked fresh approaches to teaching. Here, Vikas Nand Kumar Batheja shares two teaching trends worthy of educators’ attention

Vikas Nand Kumar Batheja

Capital University College

Consideration for how to build your digital capacity to enhance student learning outcomes

A framework for building capacity in digital teaching and learning

Dale Johnson presents a framework to help institutions decide where to focus their efforts in the use of digital systems and resources to enable student success

Dale Johnson

Arizona State University

Online learning in its current form is not good at engaging learners, or even at teaching them

The shift online could set digital learning back by years

The digital tools used during the pandemic may help address access and scale, but they do little to help students actually learn, says Tom Adams

Tom Adams

Quantic School of Business and Technology

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

THE podcast: bridging higher education’s new digital divide

Lauren Herckis from Carnegie Mellon University discusses her research into the new digital divide in ed-tech knowledge and pedagogical training among faculty and how universities can work to fill it

Lauren Herckis

Carnegie Mellon University

A magnifying glass among scattered letters represents problem solving

Follow the (learning) science and put problem solving at the centre of teaching

Rather than a digital transformation, universities should undergo a learning transformation that supports effective technology and evidence-based teaching, argue Carl Wieman and Bror Saxberg

Carl Wieman , Bror Saxberg

Stanford University

Advice on selection ed-tech tools that will improve the students' learning experience rather than distract from teaching

How to assess if online tools will enhance learning experiences

Elizabeth Ellis offers five tips for assessing and selecting digital education tools that will improve rather than distract from your teaching

Elizabeth Ellis

Arden University

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

THE podcast: what’s needed to successfully scale higher education?

How can universities meet the growing global demand for higher education, increasing access to a wider pool of students while maintaining the quality of their teaching and learning?

Ian Jacobs, Jude Sheeran

UNSW Sydney

Advice on how to put the basic tech tools in place to support online learning

Building a tech toolkit to solve online teaching challenges

Duminda Jayaranjan and Kanthima Kongsathitsuwan outline how to build a basic tech toolkit that will support effective online teaching

Duminda Jayaranjan, Kanthima Kongsathitsuwan

Siam University

Advice on developing an educational app to link students learning to the world around them

Developing an educational app to engage students in the world around them

Niki Vermeulen and Kate Bowell describe a creative approach to place-based learning involving an app that offers educational walking tours linking students’ studies to the world around them

Kate Bowell, Niki Vermeulen

The University of Edinburgh

Indian students on campus. It seems unlikely that online or blended learning would find an environment to thrive in India

Is blended learning just a pipe dream for Indian HE?

It’s unlikely we are ready for a seismic shift while simultaneously trying to improve the quality of university education in general, say Gunjan Rajput and Swapnarag Swain

Gunjan Rajput , Swapnarag Swain

Rishihood University, International Management Institute Kolkata

Advice on selecting the right ed-tech tools to support your teaching and learning

A guide to selecting the right ed-tech tools for your university 

Vikas Nand Kumar Batheja presents the key considerations and questions to ask when selecting new technological tools to support your teaching and university support services

Vikas Nand Kumar Batheja

Capital University College

This is our chance to create the classroom of the future

This is our chance to create the classroom of the future

We know what works best for learning, and most of it is easier to implement in the online world, says Daphne Koller

Daphne Koller

Stanford University

Webinar discussion how to reduce student drop out rates in the context of the pandemic and online learning

Campus webinar: Innovative teaching

As we emerge from the pandemic, what innovations in online teaching have come about in the last year? Four experts in digital and teaching innovation from the UK and US discuss effective ways of teaching that harness new technological tools

Sarah Dyer, Dale Johnson, Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, Ian Turner

The University of Exeter, Arizona State University, The Open University, University of Derby

Advice on using existing online resources to support your teaching

Making the most of online educational resources: a case study

Pascal Grange explains how online educational resources can be used to complement teaching and enhance students’ opportunities for learning

Pascal Grange

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Learn how applying game techniques to online learning improves engagement

Serious play: boosting engagement in online courses through games

Gaming techniques should be taken seriously as a way to keep students engaged in online courses, explains Dario De Notaris, based on his research into improving Mooc completion rates

Dario De Notaris

University of Naples Federico II

Made in China. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated China's position as the world leader in edtech.

Covid-19 has reinforced China’s role as global leader in ed-tech

The country’s giant companies benefit from an ecosystem that supports online learning and a cultural propensity to prioritise education, says Tom C. Varghese

Tom C. Varghese

University of Oxford

Guidance on responsible collection and use of student data to enhance online teaching

Secure and transparent use of student data

Bronwen Swinnerton and James Pickering outline the steps all universities should take to ensure ethical and transparent collection and use of student data via ed-tech platforms

Bronwen Swinnerton, James Pickering

University of Leeds

Advice on the guidance available to frame responsible use of learner analytics to improve students' university experience

Responsible use of learning analytics to improve the university experience

Rebecca Ferguson presents useful guidelines and frameworks for using learner analytics safely and effectively to inform improvements to teaching and student services

Rebecca Ferguson

The Open University

Zoom meetings do not have to be quite so painful for academics and university staff.

Zoom meetings don’t have to be quite so painful

Simple actions can help avoid common pitfalls in the design and execution of online team meetings, say Rob Angell and Ben Marder

Rob Angell, Ben Marder

University of Southampton, The University of Edinburgh

Guidance on ensuring the cybersecurity of your online teaching and ed-tech

Cybersecurity in online learning

Mohammed Rehman explains what steps universities should take to educate staff and students about cybersecurity and how to protect themselves when teaching and learning online

Mohammed Rehman

Arden University

Sharing knowledge and becoming 'intellectually dependable' are intertwined and should be placed at the forefront of education

Teaching students to think for themselves is not enough

The critical thinking ideal is too individualistic and self-focused − students must learn to help others think well, too, says T. Ryan Byerly

T. Ryan Byerly

University of Sheffield

How learning technology can help build students employability skills

Using learning technologies to enhance students’ professional communication skills

Learning technology offers an opportunity to embed useful workplace skills training into university courses, as Kyle Bowen and Allison Hall explain

Kyle Bowen , Allison Hall

Arizona State University

Guidance on how to teach practical, creative subjects online

Singing on mute: facilitating practical creative work online

Rebecca Berkley shares lessons on creating an immersive, inspiring digital learning environment to teach practical and creative subjects online

Rebecca Berkley

University of Reading

Advice on building durable links between faculty and digital design teams to improve online teaching

Building durable links between faculty and educational development teams

Learning designer Alexandra Mihai on how to build bonds between faculty and educational developers that translate into high-quality learning experiences

Alexandra Mihai

UCL

Advice on how you can use virtual reality in your online teaching to enhance the digital learning experience

Using virtual reality to enhance learning

Neil McDonnell explains how academics can use virtual reality platforms to enhance student learning experiences now and post-pandemic

Neil McDonnell

University of Glasgow

Advice on giving students the skills they need to learn online successfully

Training students to learn successfully online

Universities need to help students develop a whole new set of skills to ensure they get the most out of remote learning, says Nikita Hari

Nikita Hari

University of Oxford

Advice on developing digital capability courses that help students learn online

Lessons in developing digital capability courses for students

Gunter Saunders explains how to design courses that engage and incentivise students to gain the digital skills they need to flourish in the online learning environment and beyond

Gunter Saunders

University of Westminster

Design online courses from a student's point of view for better user experience

UX for teaching: designing online courses from a student’s point of view

Gearoid O’Suilleabhain explains how academics can improve the ‘user experience’ of their online courses by looking at the design from a student’s perspective

Gearoid O'Suilleabhain

Munster Technological University

How can faculty get the most out of their collaboration with educational technologists

How to enhance collaboration between faculty and digital teams

Educational technologist Roland Sherwood explains how faculty can get the most from their work with digital experts to enhance online teaching

Roland Sherwood, Tamara Kaup

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Where to focus training and resources upskill staff for digital teaching

Your greatest asset: how to focus efforts to upskill staff

Online teaching demands new pedagogical and digital skills among faculty, so universities need to consider how best to focus training and resources, as Susanna Kohonen explains

Susanna Kohonen

University of Eastern Finland

Using learning analytics to enhance digital teaching delivery

DIY learning analytics: using data to improve online teaching

Jennifer Lawrence explains how to use small-scale data analytics to monitor student progress and improve digital teaching delivery

Jennifer Lawrence

University of New England

How academics can foster digital skills in their students and themselves for better online learning outcomes

Bringing teaching and digital together: skills needed to teach online

Sean Morris talks about how academics can foster digital skills in their students and themselves for better online learning outcomes

Sean Morris

University of Colorado Denver

Lessons on motivating students to learn on mandatory courses

Lessons in motivating students to learn online

Teaching interdisciplinary modules online can be an uphill battle but it offers important lessons in the art of motivating students to learn, as Jonathan Sim explains

Jonathan Sim

National University of Singapore

Digital first: how to thrive in HE’s online future

Four leading academics from around the world discuss how universities can harness technology to enhance their teaching and learning, at the virtual launch of THE Campus

Kylie Readman, Erle Lim, Moira Fischbacher-Smith, Gary Grant

Murdoch University, National University of Singapore, University of Glasgow, Griffith University

Tips on using technology to identify and help struggling students before they fall behind in online courses

Use technology to catch students before they fall

Working remotely with no face-to-face contact is a challenge for many students. May Lim and Li Siong Lim explain how educators can use technology to identify and help struggling students before they fall behind

May Lim, Li Siong Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

Sage on the screen? Lessons in using technology to enhance learning

It’s time for the sage to step down from the stage, according to Steve Davies. Here, he shares simple steps to ensure technology enhances learning outcomes

Steve Davies

University of South Wales, Learna

Selecting digital tools that support your pedagogy and teaching strategies

Tech tools to help enhance online and blended learning

With thousands of educational apps all promising to enhance online learning, choosing the right technology is a challenge. Miral Gibson explains why how pedagogy and teaching strategies should inform these decisions

Miral Gibson

University of Roehampton

How to measure how much ‘immersification’ is needed in online courses

Immersification – a fresh dimension to learning design

Many online courses can benefit from immersive technologies to enhance the learning experience. Here Chek Tien Tan and May Lim outline their method for ensuring technology is chosen to support the desired student outcomes

Chek Tien Tan , May Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

Using virtual reality to record videos with avatars for online classes

Using virtual reality to create avatar videos for teaching online

Avatars can be a useful tool when recording lectures and classes for online teaching. Kojiro Yano describes how he uses virtual reality to make recording avatar-led online classes easier

Kojiro Yano

Osaka Institute of Technology

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