Background/context. There has been a vibrant conversation in the literature around peer-review. One emergent theme identifies the dilemma that while journals want experienced reviewers, there appears little opportunity for inexperienced peer-reviewers to gain the experience (Kelly, Sadegheih and Adeli, 2014). A second theme, acknowledging this dilemma, proposes the need for person-centred and strengths-based peer review professional development (Allen, Reardon, Walsh, Waters and Wehmeyer ,2022).

The initiative/practice. A recently initiated Australian/New Zealand journal offered its peer-reviewers reflective studies to enable them to advance their peer review practice. These studies were to be utilised while reviewing an article.

Methods of evaluative data collection and analysis. The journal invited its reviewers to write (stories) about their experiences utilising this professional development intervention in a practice-led inquiry (Gray, 1996, p. 3). The inquiry adopted a ‘storytelling as inquiry’ approach (Hill and Rixon, 2021), analysing the story texts for evidence of pertinent themes. The stories told will be tantamount to testimonials from the peer reviewers who used this resource in the course of evaluating papers.


Evidence of outcomes and effectiveness. The data provided insights into the veracity of a strengths-based approach to developing a peer-review repertoire of practice. The material will be shared in community of practice mode

Format - Work-in-progress.
Focus of the work-in-progress
In higher education, a neurodeficit focus contributes to perceptions that neurodiverse students have less academic aptitude - negatively impacting learning experiences and future opportunities (Farrant et al., 2022; Hamilton & Petty, 2023). Recognising neurodiverse individuals from a strengths-based perspective can provide more equitable and inclusive educational supports.
Context/Background
‘Neurodiversity’ encompasses conditions influencing cognitive abilities that result in differences in thinking, learning, and interactions deviating from the neurotypical (American Psychiatric Association, 2022; Chapman, 2021). These differences traditionally are pathologised and viewed from a neurodeficit perspective (Chapman, 2021; Clouder et al., 2020). Challenges are multi-faceted and appropriate supports are frequently limited in a system designed for neurotypical students (Dwyer et al., 2023; Hamilton & Petty, 2023). Without support, neurodiverse students may be lost to their disciplines due to challenges inherent in their diagnoses, inadequacies in teaching, and dispassionate pedagogy (Farrant et al., 2022; Hamilton & Petty, 2023).
Description
This project aims to understand challenges and enablers for undergraduate neurodiverse nursing students and impacts with nursing curricula engagement. Using a qualitative phenomenological lens, this research will involve neurodiverse undergraduate nursing students to reveal new understandings of how they engage in higher education and what supports and resources they require to succeed.
Intended Outcome and contribution to scholarship/practice.
This project will highlight innovative pedagogical practice and modifications of often-inflexible curriculum delivery using inclusive and equitable teaching practices. Research insights will be valuable for development of contemporary curricula to meet the learning needs of neurodiverse students.
Engagement
Engagement will be through collaborative and open-ended discussion to explore current supports for these students. Moderators will seek to clarify current understandings of neurodiversity and to understand what is already on offer for these students and what changes may be considered for equitable and inclusive teaching practices.

Focus of the Work-in-Progress

This abstract presents RMIT’s endeavour to develop and roll out guides that enhance authenticity in assessment practices. We aimed to ensure that the educational journey, encompassing assessment design, learner engagement, and feedback systems, is authentic and closely tied to industry practices and work environments.

Context

Conventional assessment practices often prioritise artefacts as demonstrating learning, overlooking the broader scope of associated student learning experiences. Our authenticity in assessment practice guide, informed by foundational theories from Boud and Associates (2010) and contemporary insights from Ajjawi et al. (2023) and Lodge et al.'s (2023) guide on assessment reform in the age of AI, shifts the assessment paradigm towards a learner-centric approach that integrates the range of rich learning of students with real-world application and industry relevance, resonating with our university’s strategic educational aims.

Description

Our guidance is informed by a thorough literature review and stakeholder input including educational leaders, educators, and learning design experts. It presents three tailored versions that suit different roles involved in the educational process from design to delivery: an in-depth guide offering a holistic view, a strategic guide for program leaders and coordinators, and a concise version for educators.

Intended Outcome and Contribution to Scholarship and Practices

This guide is expected to serve as a pivotal resource, enabling educators and education leaders to shift from assessment artefacts to processes that reflect authentic learning and resonate with professional standards. We have consulted with academics and educator leaders for the usefulness of the guide. It is designed for flexibility and allows adaptation to various disciplinary needs.

Engagement

The session will involve interactive discussions to ensure comprehensive engagement and practical understanding. Participants will have the opportunity to provide feedback, share experiences, and discuss the application of the guide in their specific contexts.

Format of the roundtable. Works in Progress
Context/Background
Benefits to the links between research and teaching in the University sector are used to promote the quality educational outcomes achieved and claims of a focus on the development of students’ higher order thinking (Healey & Jenkins, 2009, Brew, 2003). These views developed alongside broader shifts towards student-centred learning and an emphasis on equipping university graduates with critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and life-long learning capabilities (Wang, 2010).
Achieving the benefits of research-teaching links is hampered by the diversity of viewpoints on ‘why’ integration is beneficial, and for which students. Different views on intended learning outcomes or purpose can impact ‘how’ research is integrated into teaching contexts, influencing the curriculum choices, learning outcomes, and assessment design (Brew, 2003).
Description
This research aims to define a typology of approaches to integrating research into teaching by considering how current categorisations can be further developed. The four typologies put forward are based on an analysis of the literature on the integration of research into teaching. From this analysis, alignments have been identified between different views on the intended aims and purpose for pursuing research-teaching links, and pedagogical and philosophical ideas about knowledge.
Intended outcome and contribution to scholarship/practice
My research defines these typologies as frameworks that can articulate narrative links between the reasons ‘why’ research-teaching integration is being promoted together with ‘how’ that impacts pedagogical practice. The overall aim is for the typologies to be used as a communication tool amongst teaching staff to facilitate awareness and consensus building on different positions about research-teaching links, their perceived benefits to student learning and their alignment to specific teaching approaches.
Engagement
Roundtable discussion engagement with the four typologies constructed will allow for input and feedback on their potential use as a collaboration tool on different research integration approaches.

Format: Work in progress

Focus: The focus will be on the implementation of Tech Schools in Victoria. These education settings are a re-imagining of technical schools, where the aim is not to train students in trades or VET, but to address the skill shortage in STEM and promote greater uptake and attainment in STEM related education pathways and careers (STEM Equity Monitor, 2023; Australian Government, 2020).

Context: There is a long-term decline in student achievement in mathematic and science across Australia (DET, 2020; Thomson et al., 2019). Victoria needs to import skills from overseas in STEM industries, and an aging STEM qualified population is resulting in the need for more students to choose pathways and careers in STEM (DESE, 2021; Office of Chief Scientist, 2020). Since 2017, 10 Tech Schools have been providing local secondary students who stay enrolled in their school with complementary STEM learning experiences. These can be single or multi-day program that use design thinking to solve real-world problems. The goal is to inspire students to pursue further study and career pathways in STEM and provide learning opportunities for students to develop critical thinking, creativity and collaboration skills.

Description: This is a unique education model, delivered in partnership with schools, universities and TAFEs. It offers a different way into addressing persistent education challenges in inspiring students, especially under-represented cohorts, to take up STEM study and career pathways (STEM Equity Monitor, 2024; Thomas & Watters, 2015).

Intended outcome and contribution: To provide first-hand account into the practice of government education policy and implementation, and identify opportunities for further research partnerships. We also want to discuss how Tech Schools have become a beacon for innovative practice enhancing student and teacher capabilities, STEM engagement and inclusion.

Format
Birds of a Feather
Topic
The applicability of five conditions to enhance students’ online engagement and belonging and ultimately their transition and retention.
Context/background
The contexts for online learning in higher education are undergoing rapid change. The pandemic (2020) has shifted the boundaries so that it is an uncommon program that will not include some online components that students can do remotely, in their own time (Stone, 2022). That the Australian Universities Accord’s (2023) emphasises increasing underrepresented groups’ access to higher education contributes to the challenges of this on-campus-online paradigm shift. While the shift presents opportunities to increase students’ participation, it also underlines the imperative that online student engagement needs to be effective and fit for purpose if students are to succeed.
Description of research/initiative or practice
The research, emerging from a longitudinal learning and teaching project (2017-present) across three institutions, reveals that five key conditions can be employed to facilitate students’ online engagement: fashioning a strong teacher presence; crafting an inclusive and safe online learning environment; creating well-structured and interesting content; forging explicit expectation management; and ensuring students have time to engage (Brown & Lawrence, 2023). These five conditions enhance students’ sense of belonging and are supplemented by specific strategies or practices that can be discipline or context specific.
Intended outcome and contribution to scholarship/practice
The roundtable contributes to practice and scholarship by highlighting the five conditions and, by so doing, collecting strategies that participants can integrate to enhance their effectiveness while intensifying their students’ learning persistence. More broadly, the roundtable’s insights will accelerate and disseminate understandings of online engagement nationally.
Engagement
Participants will be invited to debate the five conditions, sharing strategies and practices that they implement to enhance students’ learning outcomes.

Format Work-in-Progress
The focus of the work-in-progress: will explore the utilisation of authentic assessment and Standard Observation Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy as strategic tools to enhance a programmatic approach to assessment.
Context/background: Program-level assessment is a holistic approach to arranging assessments throughout an academic degree, to support the sequential development of specific knowledge and skills (van der Vleuten et al., 2012; Whitfield & Hartley, 2019). Despite the potential benefits of program-level assessment, research indicates limited adoption (Whitfield & Hartley, 2017), due to several barriers (Charlton & Newsham-West, 2022).
A conceptual model for program-level assessment was developed to address these barriers, but as yet not tested with an educational taxonomy. SOLO taxonomy sequences learning towards applying more complex knowledge (Irvine, 2021) to increasing cognitive complexity (Svensäter, 2023) and problem-solving capabilities of real-world, meaningful tasks (McArthur, 2022), which reflects program-level assessment intentions.
Description: We posit that applying SOLO Taxonomy to the program-level assessment conceptual model, will ensure authentic assessment becomes a more integral component of the assessment process.
Intended outcome and contribution to scholarship/practice: This session aims to explore contemporary perspectives on authentic assessment methodologies and their potential integration across a program of educational with SOLO taxonomy. Practice theory provides a theoretical approach to understanding assessment approaches. The session findings will inform future research on program-level assessment.
Engagement: Initially, the session will explore how integrating the SOLO taxonomy with the principles of programmatic assessment could transform assessment practices and improve learners' capabilities. Discussions will engage participants on the dynamic nature of careers and its impact on aligning assessment practices to career readiness, followed by brainstorming potential modifications of an existing assessment method within a programmatic assessment framework and alignment with SOLO taxonomy. The session will conclude with participants sharing final observations and hunches, fostering collaborative reflection and inspiration for transforming assessment practices.

Format: Birds of a Feather Roundtable Discussion

Topic for discussion: Can academic staff wellbeing be influenced by social altruism and high student engagement levels?

Context/Background:
The University of Auckland’s new Taumata Teitei strategy (The University of Auckland, 2023) emphasises wellbeing, human value, and the preservation and protection of our natural world. Since 2017, the Business School’s Accelerate Programme has provided a unique first-year curriculum-embedded, but extracurricular, initiative for high-performing students that aligns closely with this overarching strategy. It allows mentored business students to consult with not-for-profit clients on real business briefs.

Description:
Accelerate students have produced work to a standard implementable by our often high-profile clients. The Covid pandemic then posed unprecedented challenges for the tertiary education sector, and we have presented the outcomes of the Accelerate programme for student wellbeing and belongingness in response to these challenges (STARS, 2023). Post-pandemic, the programme also provided unexpected wellbeing outcomes for academic staff involved, including a sense of belonging and social contribution during a period of otherwise prolonged isolation in New Zealand. We wish to explore this further through a work-life balance and wellbeing lens post-pandemic (Dinu et al, 2021).

Intended outcome and contribution:
We will open a discourse on the evolving meaning of wellbeing in a post-pandemic context and how fulfilment can be sought and experienced in modern academic careers. Using our Accelerate experience we will ask what role social altruism and student engagement play in defining personal and professional wellbeing as educators?

Engagement:
We will highlight the University’s new strategic underpinnings (The University of Auckland, 2023), and invite discussion on the following questions:
1) What does wellbeing mean in an academic career now?
2) Does student engagement play into how we define our personal and professional wellbeing as educators?
3) Can social altruism redefine work-life balance and impact career identity/wellbeing?