Inclusivity versus devotion to the cult of STEM Is an underlying global STEM culture of devotion getting in the way of a more inclusive academy, asks Andrew PyeAndrew PyeThe University of Exeter
Brainstorming can breathe new life into your classesIn education, brainstorming has been regarded mostly as a classroom engagement tool, but it can be so much more than that, says Mattia MianiMattia MianiThe University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Engaging students with careers resources early and oftenHere’s how career centres can reach out to students before they’ve even set foot on campus, and why it matters for their future job search and developmentAmaka Nwoko, Widalys Santiago, Davia Woulard Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities
Bring your learners to life through personasUnderstanding your learners and their needs enables you to develop more engaging courses, and personas are a great tool to help you achieve this, as Andrés Ordorica explainsAndrés Ordorica The University of Edinburgh
Move student communication from passive to active using ‘I like, I wish, I wonder’ Rebeca Elizabeth Alvarado Ramírez introduces a methodology that encourages effective communication in digital learning processesRebeca Elizabeth Alvarado Ramírez Tecnológico de Monterrey
Why micro-mentoring works for Generation ZBreaking the support experience into bite-size exchanges does more to increase younger students’ appetite to keep going than the traditional one-to-one mentoring modelRaphaella PrangeMaryville University
Life after publication: promote your work for maximum impactSeeing your work in print is by no means the end of the story. Chris Tancock offers advice on how you can make your published work stand out and benefit from the broadest visibilityChristopher Tancock Elsevier
Circular impact: a call to action for research on grand societal challengesHow to enact a ‘circular’ approach to research and impact so outcomes feed back into the work to inform ongoing planning and improvementRyan Nolan The University of Exeter, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)
How can generative AI intersect with Bloom’s taxonomy? Like in a video game, AI allows us to jump multiple levels, but that doesn’t mean the much-used framework becomes obsolete – we might just need a new approachChristine Rivers, Anna HollandUniversity of Surrey
Pathways to prosperity in casual academiaThe journey from adjunct to permanent requires adaptability, foresight and self-awareness. Here, Andrew Stapleton offers tips – such as diversifying skills, strategic branding and mobility – to enhance an academic career Andrew StapletonIndependent academic
Perfect doesn’t exist and other lessons from developing a whole-university well-being strategyChallenges to staff and student well-being are part of university life, regardless of how much support is in place. But iterative strategies can improve the entire community’s experience, write Ben Goose and Cassie WilsonBen Goose, Cassie WilsonUniversity of Bath
Free your content! A guide to creating sustainable open licensed mediaA guide to creating teaching and learning materials as open educational resources that can be shared and reused by allLorna CampbellThe University of Edinburgh
Using active learning to increase student engagement and understandingCreating an active learning environment in a large group setting is challenging. Ingrid Sierp shares ways to increase engagement, encourage attendance and gauge understanding in real timeIngrid SierpAdelaide University
Teaching from the heart in 13 steps Engaging your students through empathy requires teachers to share their own stories and vulnerabilities and foster a safe space for learning. Here, Beiting He offers 13 ways to create a caring classroomBeiting HeMacau University of Science and Technology
How to support more international student applications UK universities can increase their appeal for international students with better transparency and support through the application and enrolment process, Christina Matthews explainsChristina Matthews Aston University
Collaborating with artificial intelligence? Use your metacognitive skills Metacognition in humans holds the key to ‘collaborative intelligence’ – making the most effective use of the complementary strengths of human and artificial intelligenceClaire Mason, Sidra, Andrew Reeson, Cécile Paris Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
How ‘service learning’ can improve outcomes for students, educators and local communities A guide to using service learning, in which students oversee projects in the community, to enhance theoretical classroom teachingTachagorn Chansema Siam University
Using film to prompt discussion in legal studiesMovies and television programmes can challenge students’ perceptions and enrich their understanding of the law. But designing an effective module requires more than a must-watch list, writes Michael RandallMichael Randall University of Strathclyde
A look back over 10 years of MoocsLessons learned over a decade of developing and delivering massive open online courses (Moocs)Melissa HightonThe University of Edinburgh
Show students that the flipped classroom is much more than self-directed learningTan Bhing Leet provides three suggestions to help educators maximise the benefits of flipped classroomsTan Bhing Leet Singapore Institute of Technology
It’s time to change the narrative on affirmative actionPublic institutions are doing the heavy lifting of levelling the playing field, writes Jonathan Koppell, so let’s amplify access-oriented institutions as instruments of social mobility and equityJonathan KoppellMontclair State University
Four strategies that rethink whole-group discussionsA guide to organising class discussions in different formats so that all students feel able to participate, based on insight from Harvard educatorsJeremy T. Murphy , Meira LevinsonCollege of the Holy Cross, Harvard University
Universities need to show – not just tell – students what they stand forModern institutions must adjust their recruitment approaches from data-driven to values-driven and realise the importance of putting people, not spreadsheets, first, says Dan BarcroftDan BarcroftUniversity of Sheffield
Online teachers need professional development, tooTeacher presence significantly influences students’ engagement, satisfaction and learning. So educators need professional development focused on adjusting their classroom teaching skills to online learning environmentsJay Cohen, Andrew VincentLa Trobe University, Australian Catholic University
A guide to evaluating and managing climate risks to universitiesIn the third part of their series, Rob Wilby and Shona Smith explain how universities can determine their climate risk exposure, then identify actions to reduce associated threats to people, property and operationsRobert Wilby, Shona SmithLoughborough University, University of Leeds
The benefits of leveraging student interest groupsKelly Lam shares how universities can work with student interest groups to add value to the university and aid student developmentKelly LamThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University
How to promote primary interest in basic medical education at the undergraduate levelA major challenge for educators is to present the theoretical beauty of medicine to students who have a broad spectrum of prior experience, ability and motivation – whether their interest is clinical or theoreticalAttila MócsaiSemmelweis University
Supported social groups and student belonging: how do I get started?Connecting students who share a lived experience such as bereavement, family estrangement or loneliness can help to foster a sense of community and belonging at university, explains Hannah MooreHannah MooreUniversity of Bath
A practical approach to tackling eco-anxietyWe induce eco-anxiety by teaching students about climate change, so training them in practical and achievable solutions to it are needed, too, write Helen Hicks and Dawn Lees Helen Hicks, Dawn LeesThe University of Exeter
How to encourage students to engage in the broader university offeringGetting involved in campus life beyond the classroom brings multiple benefits for students, so how can universities encourage greater participation in the range of activities on offer? Irina ShcheglovaXi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
How to work with industry in mutually beneficial waysCollaboration through professional societies offers students real-world learning opportunities and universities a way to enhance graduate employability. Here’s how to do itAli ZwainAl-Mustaqbal University
Food insecurity and homelessness affect all our campuses. Here’s what we should do about it Nearly a quarter of undergraduate students will experience food and housing insecurity in the US. Sara Goldrick-Rab suggests ways faculty and institutions can intervene before it’s too late Sara Goldrick-RabEducation Northwest
Tips and tricks for impactful reverse mentoringHow to structure and manage effective reverse mentoring programmes which can bring benefits for participants and the wider sectorRachael O’ConnorUniversity of Leeds
The scramble to push students towards internships is troublingWith employability at all costs now dominating HE, we seem to be ignoring the very real problems of a system built on free labour and work placements, says Anne HewittAnne Hewitt Adelaide University
Nudge technology can help students re-engage Early-intervention initiatives to tackle student disengagement can be challenging to implement. A centralised, targeted approach using a communication nudge can encourage students to re-engage with online learningEllie KayUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
As a researcher, you need a personal strategy…could business frameworks help?Business frameworks could help academic researchers to develop a personal strategy to guide their workDaniel MoraruShizuoka University
Practical tips for designing activities using ChatGPTIncluding generative AI in students’ learning is still in its early stages. Agustín Rodríguez Hernández provides general considerations he has picked up thus farAgustín Rodríguez Hernández Tecnológico de Monterrey
A whole-campus approach to boost belonging for student successJoint efforts among faculty, staff and students themselves can support first-year and transfer scholars to feel included and engaged, write Lorett Swank and Catherine ThomasLorett Swank, Catherine ThomasGeorgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities
ChatGPT and generative AI: 25 applications in teaching and assessment In the second part of their series looking at 100 ways to use ChatGPT in higher education, Seb Dianati and Suman Laudari share 25 prompts for such AI tools to assist with teaching and assessmentSeb Dianati, Suman Laudari Charles Darwin University
How to improve your well-being in higher educationGareth Morris considers the importance of well-being in HE and offers realistic suggestions on how this can be achieved by busy academics Gareth MorrisThe University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Using VR to change medical students’ attitudes towards older patients A five-minute virtual reality exercise has the power to dramatically shift students’ understanding of and empathy for dementia patients’ experienceJános KollárSemmelweis University
Teamwork, support and structure: the core principles of rewarding student internships Student internships are an effective way to facilitate student-staff collaboration but, to work well, they require teamwork, the right support and structure, and a focus on tangible outputsCraig McEwanThe University of Exeter
With the right support, students with ADHD can thrive in digital learning environmentsDon’t generalise about digital learning being problematic for students with ADHD. Rather, find the digital tools that develop their unique talents, argues Dustin Hosseini Dustin HosseiniUniversity of Glasgow
Making sustainability part of university DNAMeaningful change comes from embedding green practices into every aspect, and every member, of the institution, starting from induction training Thomas Menkhoff, Kevin Cheong Singapore Management University
Because you’re worth it: how universities can prove their value to prospective studentsSteps universities can take to show their worth to prospective students amid rising costs and competition from alternative further education providersMalik JohnsonJohns Hopkins University
Recognising First Nations through place: creating an inclusive university environmentUniversities, as places of social good and inclusive education, have a responsibility to create environments that nurture and support learning of First Nations people, writes Angela LeitchAngela LeitchQueensland University of Technology
The case for reverse mentoring in higher educationReverse mentoring can drive progress on many challenges faced in higher education today, if planned with care, as Rachael O’Connor explainsRachael O’ConnorUniversity of Leeds
Universities and academics need to make space for ‘useless’ research The academic race for short-term results and practical applications must be balanced with research that can, in due time, become incredibly useful, writes James DerounianJames DerounianDe Montfort University
How can students learn to be innovative?Teaching students innovative thinking through the use of business case studies and ‘learning by doing’, explained by William Cheung and Edward YiuWilliam Cheung , Edward YiuThe University of Auckland
Illuminating the shadowy path to success in academiaPostdocs and early career researchers, do not believe the myths about the route to a stellar academic career, says Andrew Stapleton. Here are better directions to get you and your work noticed Andrew StapletonIndependent academic
