by  ROWENA HARPER, KATRINA STRAMPEL and RATNA SELVARATNAM

 The 2020 pivot to emergency remote teaching placed extraordinary demands on staff and students, many of whom had only ever experienced teaching and learning on campus. As institutions look back on some of the lessons learned we reflect on the critical importance of whole-of-institution approaches to professional learning.

The QILT 2020 results have been an important reflective tool. Despite marked declines in student satisfaction across the country, particularly for international students, Edith Cowan University (ECU) bucked the trend as the top ranked public university in five of the six focus areas, and the top ranked university for undergraduate international students’ Overall Experience (79 per cent). Our curriculum, assessment, engagement and support practices were all transformed, but importantly, they were not left to chance. These practices were transformed in part by a parallel transformation of professional learning.

ECU’s Centre for Learning and Teaching was, historically, probably not alone in providing professional learning via the discrete siloes of “teaching quality” and “learning technologies.”. To support the COVID 19 pivot it was imperative to bring these together. In a series of highly practical resources, the CLT pointed academic staff toward a set of educational goals that were collectively agreed by an institution-wide group of teaching and learning leaders, led by our DVC E. Developed in a hurry – some literally overnight – these pedagogy-first resources provided bulleted teaching advice led by clear action verbs, coupled with accessible technology “how-to” guidance. Included were short examples from various disciplines that assisted in actioning the advice.

They were simple, but they worked. ECU saw countless educational success stories over 2020 – designed by academics and supported by whole-of-institution professional learning. A challenge going forward will be to sustain the kind of professional learning that was so rapidly achieved during the pivot. Blending educational development with technology how-to is the key.

Professor Rowena Harper, Lead, Learning Futures, Educational leadership of ECU’s LMS Transition and City Campus projects, Edith Cowan University [email protected] @RowenaHarper79

Dr Katrina Strampel, Manager, Teaching Quality, Centre for Learning and Teaching
Edith Cowan University [email protected] [email protected]@KStrampel

Dr Ratna Selvaratnam, Manager, Learning Technologies & Innovation, Centre for Learning and Teaching, Edith Cowan University [email protected] [email protected]

Edith Cowan University is a member of CAULLT (Council of Australasian University Leaders in Learning and Teaching)


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