Focus: This poster shares early insights from a PhD research exploring how HE leaders embed the Graduate Attributes (GAs) across Australian universities.
Background/context: Addressing the GAs in Australian universities is not a new process; as early as the 1970s (Barrie, 2004) there have been discussions of the transdisciplinary capabilities must possess upon graduation (French & Tracey, 2010; Spronken-Smith et al., 2015; Plastow & Bester, 2020). However, many challenges persist. Little is known about how HE leaders construct their GA lists or how they bring GAs to life. Using Kotter’s (2014) evolved theory of change (XLR8) utilising traditional and agile structures offers an environment in which the GAs can be taught, practiced and assessed may be possible.
Description: The research employs a mixed-method approach, collecting multi-channel qualitative data from HE leaders, across universities in Australia. The study seeks to understand the dynamics, processes and challenges behind the process of constructing GAs within an institutional context.
Method: Predominately qualitative data collection through surveys and semi-structured interviews using snowball sampling.
Evidence: Most respondents were either familiar, or very familiar with the process of embedding the GAs across their university and indicated that the model of embedding the GAs could be described as ‘top-down’ opposed to ‘bottom up’. Interestingly, most participants did not wish to disclose their role or even their institution. This desire for anonymity suggests a level of secrecy and lack of transparency in how HE leaders approach this aspect of their work, bolstering the imperative for this research to be undertaken.
Contribution: The poster will highlight how HE leaders respond to the challenge of embedding the GAs across their institutions.
Engagement: The poster will engage the audience by centering the provocation ‘Why can’t we get this right?’ and sharing a QR code to contribute to the research by completing the survey.

Aim To help students, colleagues and the public to overcome plant blindness
Background/context
Plant blindness (Wandersee and Shussler, 1999) refers to the common inability among students and non-botanists to recognise or appreciate plants. This occurs despite daily encounters with plant-based foods and beverages. Many universities do not train students to identify plants (Stroud et al., 2022) and this has led to a shortage of educators and skilled workers in plant-related industries (Choong, 2022). To stem the further decline in botanical expertise, a Minor in Botany has recently been launched to provide structured botanical education. Here, I will share insights from a specific exercise of the Minor which helped students and the public be more plant aware.
Description
The syllabus of LSM3258 Comparative Botany covers plant form and function. A class assignment required students to study campus plants and to design posters to showcase them to classmates and to a general audience. This flipped classroom pedagogy (Square and Van De Hyde, 2020) attracted much attention campus-wide, and, with support from the university library, I could deliver a talk based on the students’ posters to colleagues and to an online audience.
Method
The assignment required students to find plants, to research their uses and to study their internal structures through free-hand sectioning. These activities reinforced lecture topics.
Evidence
Students initially struggled to recognise the plants and their internal structures. By the end of the semester, they knew their individual species intimately and had developed a new-found appreciation for plants. The posters were a critical part of the plant talk, which succeeded in reducing plant blindness in colleagues and online attendees.
Contribution
The course, assignments, poster presentations and talk achieved the aim of overcoming plant blindness for the students, colleagues and online audience. Students were pleased that their assignments had greater educational value.

Aim: To successfully integrate Generative AI as course content, formative learning activities and written assessments across undergraduate nursing and midwifery programs.
Background: Acknowledging the potential benefits of using AI in student learning, we are aware of the challenges and consequences of adopting AI technology in health professions emphasising ‘hands on’ practice. Our approach aims to move beyond traditional assessment paradigms by introducing leveraging ChatGPT to foster self-regulated learning processes among students.
Description: We developed formative learning activities and summative assessment tasks that depart from conventional item-based evaluations, instead, focusing on facilitating students’ demonstration of progressive learning. Drawing from our experiences we present discussion of the benefits and challenges of using Generative AI in the curriculum.
Method: Throughout the planning and implementation phases of this pilot project, nursing and midwifery faculty members sought input from university Academic Developers. We constructively aligned formative activities that complemented the use of ChatGPT in innovative summative assessment tasks. Moreover, a directive for the appropriate use of generative AI was integrated into our discipline specific Academic Writing Guidelines.
Evidence: Collaboration among nursing and midwifery programs enriched teaching practices, provided opportunities for students to understand acceptable ways of working with Generative AI and facilitated engagement with course content in a meaningful way. Students were able to demonstrate their responsible use and acquire critical skills of assessing accuracy and relevance of GenAI content.
Contribution: The integration of ChatGPT AI in assessment tasks represents a departure from traditional essay-based assignments, offering a novel approach to fostering critical thinking. This initiative contributes valuable insights into evidence based pedagogical practices in the health education sector, highlighting potentials of Generative AI to improve student learning outcomes.
We look forward to sharing reflections and anecdotal findings from having undertaken this process and provide recommendations for future research and practice.

Aim
This research aimed to establish core concepts in the context of physiology. Core concepts are fundamental ideas (Michael & McFarland, 2011) which educators across many disciplines have considered as a pedagogical approach to enhance teaching of their curricula (Crowther, 2017). Our broader team comprising twenty-five physiology educators reached consensus on seven core concepts (Tangalakis et al., 2023a). Our sub-group team focussed on the “Homeostasis” concept, where our goal was to define themes and sub-themes to simplify and support understanding of this concept.

Background
Considerable interest exists across STEMM disciplines in the identification and use of the core concept approach to scaffold student learning (Stanescu et al., 2020). Our team’s previous work revealed the physiology core concepts were poorly represented across Australian HE curricula (Tangalakis et al., 2023b). Following consensus our sub-group unpacked the key principles of Homeostasis, which is most commonly used to describe how the internal environment of mammalian systems maintains relative constancy.

Description
Broad themes and more specific sub-themes were identified, thus establishing an inventory that educators could potentially use to describe the concept of Homeostasis.

Method
A four-phase Delphi Method was employed to reach consensus on the concepts. Themes and sub-themes were then established and reviewed by the broader educator team by rating the perceived 'importance' and 'difficulty' for student understanding. Response data was analysed using a one-way ANOVA.

Evidence
Five themes and eighteen subthemes that were up to three levels deep were defined. It was evident that the first theme “The organism has regulatory mechanisms to maintain a relatively stable internal environment, a process known as homeostasis” was rated as Essential by 96% of respondents.

Contribution
Our team has developed an educator resource to support the delivery of physiology curricula which will result in consistency in Australian undergraduate programs and allow for future benchmarking.

Aim: To explore first-year Australian physiotherapy student perspectives on factors contributing to test anxiety (TA) when undertaking physiotherapy practical exams.
Background/ context: Practical exams are a measure of skill acquisition and often students must pass practical exams to demonstrate competency in clinical skills (Markman et al., 2011; Zhang & Walton, 2018). Physiotherapy students are known to experience higher levels of TA and exam related stress compared to other health students, which is known to impact skill performance and well-being (Hodselmans et al., 2018; Macauley & Plummer, 2017; Symes & Putwain, 2020). Factors contributing to TA when undertaking practical exams have been proposed in post graduate physiotherapy students with several themes emerging including social performance anxiety, fear of the unknown and exam procedures (Zhang & Walton, 2018).
Description: This is the first known study to thematically explore student perspectives on factors contributing to TA in first-year undergraduate physiotherapy students when undertaking practical exams.
Method: In this qualitative study, a convenience sample of 223 students enrolled in a foundational physiotherapy subject at a national Australian university were invited to participate. Free text responses to an online survey were thematically analysed using an inductive approach. Researchers independently coded the data and convened for final data organisation and identification of themes.
Evidence: Sixty students across three campuses provided 90 survey responses. Three main themes and nine sub themes emerged. Main themes included: lack of preparedness, exam operations and performance anxiety. Sub themes included: volume of content, clarity of exam expectations, access to learning, exam format, high stakes, mental processing, ability to regulate emotions, fear of judgement and high self-expectations.
Contribution: Findings may guide educators to implement strategies to reduce TA, such as considering alternative delivery methods for high-volume content, clarifying exam operations and expectations via video exemplars, and providing mental health support resources.

Aim: This study was prompted by the observation that students are accustomed to short-form videos on social media platforms such as Youtube and TikTok, typically lasting less than 15 minutes. Recognising this contemporary trend, the primary aim was to investigate the impact of differing lecture durations, categorised as Short-Form (SF) or Long-Form (LF), on student engagement and academic performance in higher education.
Background/Context: Enhanced understanding of how students engage with content of varying durations is crucial in adapting educational approaches that better align with evolving learning preferences of our students, influenced by social media consumption. Research by Landa-Blanco et al. (2024) and Assefa et al. (2023) emphasised the impact of social media on student engagement and academic performance. Moreover, Barkley and Dawson (2018) explored the connection between students' attention spans and academic performance, highlighting the need to adapt educational practices to align with students' digital habits.
Description: The study explores how the prevalence of SF and LF video lecture recordings influences student engagement. Lectures recordings from across multiple units within an undergraduate biomedicine degree were categorised into SF (under 15 minutes) and LF (over 15 minutes).
Methods: Panopto data captured students' engagement with SF and LF lectures. Quantitative analyses, including Pearson's correlations and t-tests, were conducted to explore the relationships between lecture duration, student engagement (using a derived student engagement score), and academic performance (final unit performance).
Evidence: Results suggests that students, influenced by their familiarity with shorter duration videos on social media, exhibit higher engagement levels with SF lectures compared to LF lectures.
Contribution to Scholarship: This study contributes to the ongoing dialogue on adapting educational practices to align with students' evolving digital habits. Our findings assist educators in tailoring content delivery to enhance engagement and optimise learning outcomes within the contemporary higher education landscape.

Aim – The study aims to extend the literature on computer-based business simulations by investigating the relationship between core self-evaluations (CSE) and course satisfaction in a team context using a Hong Kong business school sample. Background – Computer-supported education has long been a popular pedagogical strategy, especially for STEM education (Jeong, Hmelo-Silver and Jo, 2019). Specifically, benefits of computer simulation games are discussed (Bach, Ćurlin, Stjepić and Meško, 2023). Computer-supported team-based learning engage students to become active learners and foster quality communication exchange (Gomez, Wu and Passerini, 2010). Despite of extant literature, a gap exists to understand business students’ experience and factors that may affect their learning of the computer simulation games and course satisfaction in Hong Kong or Asian contexts. Description - Our study explores how CSE (Cristofaro, Giardino and Leoni, 2020; Judge and Bono, 2001). influences course satisfaction in a computer-based business simulation game setting, and uses a team-related variable, i.e. team communication (Eitington, 2002) to explain the mechanism. Method – An initial sample of 82 undergraduate business students in a Hong Kong university played a Harvard published online simulation game from April to December 2023. Each team, comprising of 3 to 5 people, was given a computer account to analyse online information and make decisions whilst communicating face-to-face inside the classroom. Hypotheses were tested based on data collected using hierarchical regression analyses.

Evidence - The results show that CSE influences their team communication positively, which leads to higher course satisfaction. Contribution - It is a unique investigation that involves both individual trait and group related variable. For practical implications, simulation games can be social technologies helping students realize the importance of team communication, which improves learning outcome such as course satisfaction. Instructors in Hong Kong and other Asian areas are urged to create suitable team learning environment.

Aim
In blended courses, students must efficiently find their way around the often-significant amount of online content and develop mental maps of its structure. In this poster, we aim to share three wayfinding strategies that we have developed to help students engage with and navigate courses with a large amount of online content.

Background/context
When designing a blended course with a large amount of online content, it is important to help students identify the most efficient and effective route through the content. This is because research has shown that students engage more with online content in blended learning courses if the content is well explained (Dwivedi et al., 2019), which leads to achieving higher grades (Green et al., 2018). We use wayfinding as a broad term to encompass all of the different ways students orient themselves towards the content in a course.

Description
Our three wayfinding strategies featured in the poster include the Golden Thread (content mental map), Decision Point (levels of readings), and Navigation Diagram (weekly structure).

Method
We implemented the wayfinding strategies in three large courses between 700 and 2000 enrolled students. We conducted focus groups with 4-9 students from each course. Data was inductively analysed for themes.

Evidence
The results of the focus groups indicated that students found the wayfinding strategies helpful as it allowed them to decide what content to engage with and how. This enhanced feelings of agency among students. Students also provided suggestions for enhancing some of the strategies, which we implemented in the subsequent semesters, including modifying the structure and visual elements of maps.

Contribution
Our wayfinding strategies reduce cognitive load on students and help lessen the workload on educators having to respond to an excessive number of questions from students about course content.

Aim
The aim of this study is to add to the knowledge in academic diversity, particularly how international and migrant academics traverse through career development in a Western and English-dominant academia.
Background
Studies on international academics are predominantly examined through a push-pull model that explains academic mobility. While there are many pull factors in Western countries such as well-established economic and academic systems, research resources and a shared language (Seggie, & Çalıkoğlu, 2023), push factors such as uncertainty of residency and lack of career opportunities such as tenure and promotion can hinder exchanges (Dian, et al., 2023). However, little is known about migrant academics’ barriers, opportunities, strategies, and success in navigating an academic career in the host country.
Description
Informed by Singh’s (2022) barriers, opportunities, strategies, and success (B.O.S.S) framework, this study addresses the gap of how international academics traverse through their academic careers in a Western academic world.
Method
This qualitative study took a collaborative autoethnographic approach. The participant researchers were three female migrant academics at different stages of their careers who were born and educated in Asia, received higher degree, and sought academic careers in Australia. The participants have met monthly since April 2023 and discussed career related barriers, opportunities, strategies, and success (B.O.S.S). Data were collected from the discussion recordings and written reflections. Thematic analysis was used to identify and categorise quotes.
Evidence
It was found that as migrants and women, the authors faced an intersectionality of sociocultural and gender barriers in addition to the commonly challenges faced by domestic academics. The authors navigated their academic career via leveraging on varied opportunities and strategies to achieve professional success.
This study will add to the knowledge of academic diversity in higher education. This study will also help international academic audience reflect and enhance on their academic progression strategies.

Aim: To develop a course design model for delivering and evaluating competency-based education.

Background/context: Incorporating genomic information to guide disease diagnosis and management is an increasingly important part of healthcare delivery. However, healthcare professionals report low confidence, knowledge, and skills in this area [1]. A continuing professional development course was developed to address this growing area of need.

Description: The design and development of learning and assessment material in the course was informed by established competency frameworks in genomic medicine. Course activities consisted of pre- and post-course questionnaires, self-paced online material, case-based interactive learning, and group work. The course assessment required participants to submit a self-development action plan describing how they intended to apply the competencies gained to improve their current practice.

The effectiveness of the course and students’ perceived achievement of competencies were evaluated. The Capability, Opportunity and Motivation Model for Behaviour change (COM-B) underpinned the evaluation of the course [2].

Method: Students could consent to providing researchers with access to their pre- and post-course questionnaires and course assessment for evaluation purposes. Surveys included questions on perceived competence and confidence related to the course learning outcomes.

Evidence: The COM-B informed method allowed for evaluating students’ perceived competence and confidence in practising genomic medicine, as well as course effectiveness. Of the students who consented to research (n=60), 100% reported improvement in their understanding of topics covered. Perceived preparedness to incorporate genomics into practice increased from 23% to 79%. Thematic analysis of assessment submissions revealed enablers and barriers to practising genomic medicine, and areas where further training was required.

Contribution: This study presents a course design model for delivering effective competency-based education while seamlessly incorporating evaluation into course material.

Aim: The aim of this project was to investigate current STEM student and staff understandings of academic integrity in a pre-university transition education foundation program provider.

Background:
Student and staff perceptions of academic integrity and academic misconduct can vary, and the application of policies can also differ amongst disciplines and faculties within educational institutions. Several academic integrity perception surveys exist that gather data for studies regarding academic integrity (University of San Francisco, 2003; European network of academic integrity, 2023).

The intention of this study was to use similar methods to capture the perceptions that our culturally and linguistically diverse international students and educators have about academic integrity within our college.

Description:
This study involved the use of an action research cycle of plan, act, observe and reflect. The research focused on: Familiarity with academic integrity policies, Sources of academic integrity understanding and consequences of academic misconduct.

Method(s)
Data collection included staff and teacher surveys, in-class scenarios, and focus groups of students from two classes. A thematic analysis of the data was performed to highlight focus areas for reflection and evaluation.

Evidence:
On a ten point scale:
- STEM teachers rated students as having a lower understanding (6.64) of academic integrity than students self-report (8.54).
- STEM students rated their English subject - rather than their STEM subjects - as the best source of support for enhancing their understanding of academic integrity (7.56).

This study also found that:
-long term students have a greater, more nuanced understanding of the college’s academic integrity policies.
-when presented with academic misconduct scenarios, students and teachers come to similar conclusions about the application of penalties and grades.


Contribution:
This study highlights the value of an educative rather than punitive approach to academic integrity to help improve the academic culture of international students in pre-university programs.