Aim:
This project offers a comprehensive strategy for enhancing educational research practices across faculties (Bishop-Clark et al., 2023) through guided instruction and provision of support. It fosters an environment for academics to identify, explore and document the effectiveness of their teaching strategies, as a means of underpinning and associating practice with theoretical educational foundations (Torralba & Doo, 2020). This approach elevates teaching standards and enriches academic discourse in pedagogy and professional development.

Background/Context:
Born of a desire to assist staff lacking resources or confidence to produce the research output expected of them, especially those involved in work-based education and clinical placement settings. Academics from multiple locations, are brought together online to develop their skills. This approach reflects a crucial response to the evolving nature of university teaching.
Description:
Participating academics are supported to analyse their teaching, explore their practices, and recognise pedagogical impact. They are guided through the research process to presentation or publication.
The project:
● Highlights existing educational work and scholarship
● Enables new research collaborations focused on teaching
● Showcases teaching outputs and expertise

Research question:
How can academics be supported to explore teaching as an established, research-informed field, important to their practice?

Method(s):
We employ participant observation, recorded meetings and journaling to monitor progress and chronicle impact on participant development. This ensures that the nuances of interactions, collaborations and learning, from multiple perspectives, are identified, analysed and evaluated.

Evidence:
This ongoing project supports academic development with findings translated back into practice to further inform, support and disseminate good quality educational research.
Contribution:
This project contributes to scholarship by:
• Removing perceived barriers related to undertaking research
• Developing a deeper understanding of pedagogical theories and their relevance to practice
• Increasing research output across the theory-practice gap
• Developing new, productive relationships for future collaborations

Interdisciplinary reflection by Higher Education academics using teaching squares: A scoping review.
Aim:
This study aims to investigate the utilisation of teaching squares by Higher Education academics to engage in a cyclical process of teaching reflection.
Background/Context:
Teaching squares are frequently cited as an alternative or initial step towards peer review of teaching, wherein a collective group observes, and reflects upon on a teaching episode, thereby fostering opportunities for self-reflection (Friedman et al., 2022).
Description:
Scoping review (Peters et al., 2020).
Method:
Systematic search of seven electronic databases identified 13 studies for review. Studies meeting inclusion criteria involved reflection on teaching within the disciplines of Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy, and Biomedical Sciences. Data were extracted, charted, and analysed utilising the Patterns, Advances, Gap, Evidence for Practice and Research framework (Bradbury-Jones et al., 2022).
Evidence:
Themes identified were the enhancement of pedagogical skills. Improved skills were facilitated by the cultivation of positive academic relationships stemming from interdisciplinary observation, reflection, and serendipitous interactions. Higher Education academics, particularly those new to academia, derived significant benefits, including heightened awareness of their teaching practices, deeper understanding of student experiences, and decreased feelings of isolation. Interdisciplinary reflection fostered the development of social capital, resulting in increased confidence and the formation of new professional relationships. Contextual culture served either as a barrier or facilitator to engaging in reflection, with diverse methods of reflection observed, including novel insights gained during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contribution:
This scoping review delves into the existing literature on teaching reflection among academics in Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy, and Biomedical Science disciplines. Key outcomes for interdisciplinary stakeholders included heightened confidence levels, adoption of new teaching methods, and insights into student experiences through interdisciplinary reflection. From a faculty perspective, increased social network development and enhanced social capital were observed, particularly beneficial for academics transitioning into academia.

Aim: this poster presents a comprehensive map of processes, dynamics and challenges surrounding the process of embedding data-justice-based principles into the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education (HE).
Background/context: Understood as computer systems capable of performing tasks which typically require human input (Riedel et al., 2017), AI remains at the forefront of universities’ governance endeavours. Of particular importance is the governance of generative AI (genAI), which ‘learns’ beyond set rules, generating ‘new’ content resembling human-made artefacts (Marr, 2023). Despite opportunities afforded by AI, concerns remain in relation to integrity, equity, ethics and privacy, reinforcing the need for regulation. It is critical to consolidate the state-of-the-industry knowledge and pave a way forward to move from policy to praxis, articulating AI governance tenets as guiding principles for practice.
Description: Building on a governance framework developed by the author and drawing on scholarships of ethics of care (Prinsloo, 2017) and data justice (Dencik et al., 2019; Hoffmann, 2019), the poster visualises the implementation of data justice principles as practical guidelines to inform and empower educators. The principles—Transparency, Clarity, No Harm, Agency, Active Governance, and Accountability—serve as a conceptual tool, while guidelines demonstrate their practical application.
Method: Informed by a scoping review and formulated as action research (Oranga & Gisore, 2023), the project addresses the ongoing need to engage with AI-related challenges in HE, helping universities navigate this uncertain terrain.
Evidence: The poster presents an embedded evaluation plan to gather evidence of the guidelines’ effectiveness by inviting stakeholders to reflect on their engagement with the guidelines. Comparative analysis of guidelines in other universities will also be presented.
Contribution: The project at the nexus of education policy, ethics of care, and data justice scholarships, demystifies the process of operationalising policy through praxis, reflecting on its realities and challenges.

Focus: Presentation of practical applications to improve student outcomes in large Physiology Units.

Background/context: Historically, physiology courses have been seen as difficult with low student engagement, high failure rates and low rates of retention [1-3]. The Physiology units discussed have followed this pattern with high failure rates (20-40%), large discrepancies between the average WAM and average unit mark (-8-13 marks), low student engagement with lecture content (50% not watching) and problems with student retention. Using three evidence-based approaches (horizonal and vertical alignment, chunked content and second chance assessments, our team has led the implementation of enhanced curriculum design and development to improve learning outcomes and student success in our units.

Description: 1) We initiated unit changes that would achieve horizontal and vertical curriculum alignment within the relevant disciplines by engaging with all relevant Unit Convenors. A top-down approach was taken and significant redesign of Human Biology and Systems Physiology to offer a student-focused and scaffolded approach to introducing and building solid foundational knowledge that is essential for improving student success in higher level units. 2) The team developed innovative & chunked student-focused content by designing chunked content supporting the weekly learning outcomes and utilised digital learning tolls such as new H5P modules with embedded with knowledge check questions and several short ‘need to know’ videos before practical classes. 3) In addition, we implemented second chance question corrections for any student who failed the mid-semester exam.

Method(s): Data was collected in the learning management system and assessed through T-tests.

Evidence: These changes have significantly increased student success rates in these units (increased to 86-98.5%) significant improvement in student survey scores with 65-95% of students excited to recommend the units to others and an increase in average marks from 11-13. To achieve this outcomes, extra staff workload was needed.

Aim
The aim of the poster is to show how an Australian university is challenging the norm by creating an online, embedded research and employability skills training program that driven by students.

Background
Doctoral graduates are often perceived to be overly specialised and unable to adapt to non-academic settings (Jaeger and Rudra, 2013). Universities are under increasing pressure to embed research and transferrable skills into the research degree candidature in a flexible and meaningful way to equip graduates with the skills to succeed in a range of careers.

Description
This poster presents a structured and embedded skills training program for research students. It highlights the scaffolded approach used to develop the program, arguing that for content to be meaningful to students, it needs to be supported by an effective framework and system.

Methods
Through a reflective, competency-based approach, a doctoral graduate attributes framework and online candidature management system, the program puts students in charge of their skills development – allowing students to assess their own skills, design their appropriate learning, and recognise, document, reflect on and demonstrate the specific skills and attributes they have developed.

Evidence
Data is collected from commencing students on their previous experience, current skill level under the doctoral graduate framework and self-identified skills needed to succeed. The same data is then collected at the completion of the degree, in addition to individual student reflections, providing measures of program effectiveness.

Contribution
By measuring the students’ self-assessed skill growth specified by the graduate attributes framework and evaluating students’ skill reflections throughout their candidature, tangible evidence of the program’s success will be gathered. This evidence will be used to evaluate and improve the program accordingly, ensuring that students are equipped to complete on time and are well prepared for a range of career outcomes.

Aim:
The purpose of this study is to examine trends in accounting education research across four ABS-listed accounting education research journals. It investigates the impact of this research on accounting and finance subject rankings, as well as historical areas of focus, and suggests future directions in accounting education research.
Background:
While prior literature has included systematic literature reviews on accounting education research, a comprehensive bibliometric study encompassing all relevant papers has been lacking.
Method:
This paper is a bibliometric analysis of all studies (2253 papers from 1983 to 2022) published by four ABS-listed accounting education journals, namely, Journal of Accounting Education, Accounting Education, Issues in Accounting Education and Advances in Accounting Education: Teaching and Curriculum Innovations.
Evidence:
The analysis found that most papers (20.73%) were published from 2011 to 2014 with the highest number of papers published in 2012 (128; 5.68%). Around 60% of papers were published during the last 15 years (2008-2022). 19 authors published 10 or more papers and 12 (63.16%) of them, including the most contributing three authors, are from the USA.
The USA (61.38%) published the most papers, and 83% of researchers are from three countries: USA, Australia and the United Kingdom and only 17% from the rest of the world. Out of the top 20 most contributing countries, 75% are developed countries.
Out of the 50 most contributing universities in accounting education research, only 18 (36%) have been ranked in the 2022 QS accounting and finance subject category and the remaining 32 (64%) are non-ranked universities. We observed that universities offering quality accounting and finance education are not contributing significantly to accounting education research.
Contribution:
The study analyses the key areas of accounting education research, including trends, subject areas, impact on rankings, and future research directions for accounting education research.

Aim: To understand nursing students’ perceptions of the influence of active learning strategies and learning spaces on their learning.
Background: Active learning strategies are pedagogical approaches that engage students in learning and foster higher-order thinking. They have been shown to improve critical thinking abilities, clinical performance, knowledge competence, and the translation of nursing knowledge to clinical skills in nursing (Westerdahl et al., 2022). This study was conducted to understand if students' view of using active learning strategies aligns with the positive findings from the literature.
Description: This qualitative study investigated undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of active learning strategies and identified elements within their learning spaces that support their learning.
Method: Five focus group sessions were conducted with 10 participants in each session. Semi-structured open-ended questions guided the sessions. Data was thematically analysed using a six-phase theoretical thematic analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Themes were then aligned with Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning (Fink, 2013).
Evidence: Themes from the data analysis include the effects on learning, self-awareness, and teaching influence. Findings from this study revealed that active learning strategies supported learning in more meaningful ways, improved the application of knowledge across education settings, and supported the learning of abstract concepts found in nursing education, such as caring. Participants identified having preferences in their learning spaces and that learning environments can influence learning. Students desire an optimal learning experience and a role as active participants in their learning.
Contribution: This study confirms that active learning strategies inform and influence students’ learning. Linking learning strategies to the dimensions of Finks Significant Learning (2013) provides a theoretical understanding of their effectiveness.

The research question of this paper compares approaches to course viability in higher education: that is, rights based and market based. The method includes use of the work of Jane Kotzmann (Deakin University), emphasising not only the right to access higher education, but the entitlement to higher education that is conducted in a way that respects human rights. In addition, this study uses Roger Slee and Julie Allan’s question ‘included in what, excluded from what, and excluded by whom?’ and the work of Paul Oslington, acknowledging the nature of divinity courses as highly concerned with religious freedom. The findings draw parallels to the comparisons of rights and economics so that economic progress, philosophical views and the realities of Australian regulatory bodies are compared. The documentary analysis uses a selection of course regulations in generalist theological disciplines at a particular self-accrediting higher education institution, includes courses that are delivered in Korean. Together, these awards are analysed by course outcomes and the qualitative nature of review and development, particularly as to the needs of the stakeholders who are multi-tradition, multi-cultural and diverse in their opinion of philosophy of education in these areas. The findings are threefold: 1. Course outcomes are defined in ethical skills parameters with freedom of expression for different faith traditions. 2. A resistance to higher education uniformity in is apparent in the admission requirements, pathways and differing programs or general gaps or spaces in the educational content. 3. The regulatory and economic pressures on education are present in some stakeholders belief that echo faith communities which have business aspects. Others, however, see economics as too individualistic and outside the philosophical priorities. The project invites engagement with readers as to definitions of course “viability”.

Aim
This poster draws upon research investigating the usefulness of Social Network Analysis (SNA) for the Utilisation-Focussed Evaluation of complex university-industry doctoral research partnerships.

Background/context
The research is situated in the context of an ongoing partnership between a university and a very large school serving children from preschool – Year 12. The partnership is unusual as the school-as-industry partner is co-investing in the program not for the direct research outcomes per se. Rather, informed by Engeström’s (2016) ‘expansive’ model of education that provides a foundation for learning through the transformation of human activities and organisations, the school is seeking to use the doctoral program as a catalyst for improvement across its operations.

Engeström describes expansive learning as ‘learning for what is not yet there’. This emergent approach creates a lack of certainty around project outcomes, which in turn creates significant challenges common approaches to program evaluation. In response, the research presented in this poster seeks to expand the methodological options available within the developmental evaluation (Leonard et al., 2016; Patton, 2011) tradition. SNA has been used extensively in organisational research, but its use in investigating the impact of a higher education partnership is novel.

Description
The poster will provide a case study of how SNA can efficiently provide insights into collective changes created through educational interactions and partnerships.

Method
Data collected through a short survey in analysed using SNA as described by (Borgatti, 2006).

Evidence
The case study will demonstrate the emergence of an increasingly complex network for informal decision making within the partner school.

Contribution
Opportunities for the ‘feedback’ provided by SNA analysis to guide the ongoing partnership are discussed.

Aim
This paper proposes a comprehensive framework for integrating ChatGPT, an AI language model, into higher education settings to enrich teaching and learning experiences.

Background/Context
As AI technologies advance, their potential to revolutionise educational practices becomes increasingly apparent. This framework addresses leveraging ChatGPT to enhance student engagement, critical thinking skills, and personalised learning experiences.

Description
The framework outlines integration strategies, focusing on student engagement, assessment, feedback mechanisms, ethical considerations, professional development, and evaluation methodologies. It emphasises ChatGPT's role as a technology proxy to empower educators and students to pursue knowledge and enhance digital literacy skills.

Method
Three implementation scenarios illustrate how educators can utilise the framework to create dynamic and engaging learning environments. These scenarios showcase the practical application of ChatGPT in various higher education contexts.

Evidence
The framework draws on current research and best practices in AI integration within education. It synthesises evidence demonstrating ChatGPT's potential to facilitate intellectual growth and prepare students for the evolving demands of the digital age. It also addresses concerns about inaccuracies and data ownership issues, prompting further inquiry and discussion.

Contribution
Educators can harness ChatGPT's capabilities to transform traditional teaching methods by adopting this framework. The framework facilitates the creation of innovative learning environments that promote active student participation and readiness for future technological disruptions.

Aim
This qualitative practitioner inquiry focuses on a voluntary writing community for Jewish and Arab teacher educators in a multicultural, inclusive college of education in Israel. It explores the academic writing needs of teacher educators and the benefits of writing in a social space.
Background
Academic writing is a complex, solitary endeavour (Grant, 2006). Challenges include time management, building confidence and a writerly identity, and navigating peer review. Israeli teacher educators, typically female, carry heavier teaching loads than their university counterparts (Guberman & McDossi, 2019) and are employed part-time. They often struggle to balance teaching, research, writing and institutional service. A sense of isolation causes significant stress in teacher education (Turner & Garvis, 2023). Increasingly, researchers argue for conceptualising writing as a collaborative social process (Murray, 2015).
Description
Needing a viable writing routine, I initiated a writing community for my colleagues and myself. Meeting twice weekly on campus and in whole-day retreats, the community provides a shared space for writing.
Method
Interviews with twelve teacher educators and my research journal offer insights into participants' experiences and mine as researcher-facilitator-participant in the initial year. Reading and rereading the data, I initially aimed to identify the teacher educators' motives for joining the group and to apprehend the community's contribution to them. Continuing iterative textual engagement, I identified and mapped themes using thematic analysis, gradually recognising professional agency and well-being, theoretical concepts not previously considered as keywords.
Evidence
Findings highlight the transformative impact of writing in social spaces on professional agency and well-being, fostering a robust writerly identity and increasing productivity.
Contribution
The study urges teacher educators to collaborate proactively to create conducive conditions for their professional writing. Its implications extend to academics in various higher education contexts. Furthermore, the study has implications for institutional leadership responsible for faculty professional development and well-being.

This investigation focuses on a community comprising of instructional designers, learning media technologists, and content experts, who engaged in creating digital learning resources for undergraduate medical program. We analyzed the complexities in designing and developing the digital learning resources using activity theory. We explored the interconnectedness of the various elements in our activity system, and how the multi actors working collaboratively to navigate the complexities of differing perspectives amongst various roles. The “subjects”, mainly the content expert, who were supported by the institution's digital learning unit, as well as the instructional designer and learning media technologist had clear and specific roles individually. We were all motivated to deliver the learning resources (i.e. “object”) for enhanced student learning (i.e. “outcome”). Our iterative analysis using the activity system model surfaced contradictions and challenges during the collaborative process. Critically, the high dependency on the context expert due to the medical content increased the complexities in the interactions with the learning designer and learning media technologist. Content experts were not easily accessible but whose absence appeared to be a showstopper to the learning resources development process. Identification of these contradictions enabled us to collectively craft and refine the working process. Actionable strategies such as guiding rules, learning theories, and unified communication platform, were developed to address these contradictions. The outcome represents a more streamlined and effective work process for the digital learning unit and the content experts. We hereby propose critical reflection using the activity system model that not only provides valuable insights for practitioners seeking to navigate collaborative processes in similar educational initiatives, but also possesses transformative potential to producing actionable instrument in refining interprofessional working.

Aim
Development of customised Gen AI apps to support professional development in educational assessment.

Background
In response to the implementation of a new assessment framework within an educational institution, lecturers were required to realign their course assessment plans to meet institutional requirements. Effective faculty development often relies on expert feedback (Steinert et al., 2016), which can be challenging to scale. Gen AI, already utilised in student learning as personal tutors (Rizvi, 2023) and course material development (Dickey and Bejarano, 2023), presents opportunities for personalised expert feedback, a feat typically unattainable in traditional workshop settings.

Description
A publicly available Gen AI application was tailored to institutional contexts and assessment requirements. These apps provided immediate feedback to lecturers on their learning outcomes and assessment plans, or generated assessment plans for revising or creating courses.

Method
The Gen AI apps were piloted in four professional development workshops involving 67 lecturers, and evaluated through observations of user interactions, surveys, and verbal feedback.

Evidence
User interactions revealed that lecturers refined their learning outcomes and plans based on the AI-generated feedback. Survey responses and verbal feedback indicated that lecturers perceived the Gen AI output as valuable in enhancing their assessment designs. The AI was viewed as a tool offering efficient comprehensive reviews, generating initial ideas, and providing a constructive "second opinion" during the assessment design process. Reflecting on, further querying and critiquing the Gen AI feedback proved insightful for many lecturers. It also helped them recognise the broader potential of Gen AI tools and custom apps for teaching and learning.

Contribution
Gen AI apps customised to institutional frameworks have a role as institutional resources, offering lecturers detailed reviews and recommendations on course designs. These apps can be utilised in professional development workshops, accessed independently, or employed by academic quality units for evaluating assessment plans.

Aim:
Between 2019 and 2023, Southern Cross University substantially changed the curriculum, replaced lectures with active learning methods and removed exams. The model featured a focused six-week term, allowing students to enrol in a maximum of two units per term. Our Centre for Teaching and Learning facilitated implementation by addressing challenges, promoting professional learning, and providing emotional support. The overarching goal was to enhance teaching quality and positively impact student outcomes.
Context:
Recognising human aspects of educational change (Antunes et al., 2023), we acknowledge Fullan's (1993) caution against coercive change and Annala et al.'s (2023) insights into supporting academic agency. Hascher & Weber (2021) highlighted links between professional learning, emotional well-being, and teaching quality. Mezirow’s (1991) concept of transformative learning and Saroyan & Trigwell’s (2015) exploration of personal dilemmas contextualised our holistic approach.
Description of the approach:
CTL created a strengths-based environment through workshops, webinars, and online resources. We reduced stress, anxiety, and overwhelming feelings, fostering confidence and a culture of sharing. The team supported academics individually in transitioning subjects, addressing workload, building confidence and giving support during challenging moments.
Methods:
We analysed our experiences, successes, failures, and obstacles using a reflective and phenomenological approach. The ‘lived experience’ perspective provides insights into challenges faced and supports emotional aspects of the transition.
Outcomes:
Outcomes included increased engagement in professional learning, a successful transition, and enhanced student outcomes (Wilson et al. 2023). CTL’s support positively influenced academics’ attitudes, fostering confidence and engagement. The emphasis on emotional well-being reduced change-induced stress and anxiety.
Contribution:
In our reflective stance, we share experiences leading these initiatives, highlighting successes and failures and reflecting on obstacles and myths. Our approach contributes practical insights for educational leaders and curriculum designers, offering guidance for significant educational changes. We underscore creating a supportive culture valuing learning, change, and educators’ well-being.

Due to technological advancement and tech-savvy learners, Educational Games (EGs) have been promising as a classroom tool enabling the learning acquisition of students. While interconnection between playing and learning has been discussed (Kalmpourtzis, 2018; Könings et al., 2007; Salen & Zimmerman, 2004), the need to unfold teachers’ experiences of using EGs in practice alongside their pedagogical approaches require attention.
Based in Australia, a phenomenological approach for semi-structured interviews to gather the essence of primary school teachers’ experiences was designed. The essence being the ability to identify the meaning embodied in the lived experience (Van Manen, 2016). Eleven primary school teachers attended two-hour interview sessions. Interpretive thematic analysis was adopted to code emerging themes until saturation (Braun & Clarke, 2012). The analysis was concurrently interpreted through the concepts of the theory of experience, including continuity, interaction, situation, intelligence, formation of purpose, and desire that drives the purpose to apply and contextualize growth of experience; and Dewey’s notion on traditional and progressive education (Dewey, 1938, 1986).
Overall, the findings of both participants’ experiences resonated with balance between both traditional and progressive learning approaches and learning by doing (as progressive). Teachers emphasised on Mixed-Balance between traditional and progressive approaches due to Future demands (works force), dynamic skills, realistic examples, student-centric approaches and inquiry-based approaches; where they believe these associated with using EGs in the classroom. In addition, they applied games to enable digital hands-on experience, as an activity for rote-learning (repetition for maths), computational thinking, allowing learners to visualise patterns. Teachers thought processes around selecting, evaluating, assessing, and adopting EGs in their classroom reflects on curriculum, the topic, and the game playability (Ahmad, 2021, 2022). These insights can largely assist game designers, game developers as well as learning facilitators, learning designers towards understanding teachers’ needs in EGs to enable their teaching approaches.

Aim: The aim of this project is to address the pedagogical challenges to assessment posed by ChatGPT, which require: a) understanding the nature of ChatGPT (i.e. the ultimate "bullshit artist" of our time; and b) developing pedagogical principles to deal effectively with those challenges (e.g. Harrington 2023; Rahman et al 2023).

Background/context: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our lives and a powerful and ubiquitous pedagogical tool. As AI technologies are increasingly employed in educational settings, it becomes imperative to ensure their responsible and ethical use (e.g. Tsamados et al 2022; Sifat 2023).

Description: This presentation focuses on what is arguably the most popular manifestation of generative AI: ChatGPT. The first part examines ChatGPT from a critical perspective, deploying the philosophical work of Henry Frankfurt “On Bullshit” (2005) to conclude that ChatGPT is the master “bullshit artist” of our time. The second part explores and illustrates the integration of three principles to promote the ethical use of ChatGPT: Trust, Caution, and Transparency. In essence, upon developing a trusting environment and cautioning about the use of ChatGPT, students are encouraged to be transparent, and follow the advice provided to anyone who arrives in Australia: "Don’t Be Sorry, Just Declare It."

Method: This presentation is intended mainly as a provocation that will help understand (conceptually) and begin to overcome (pedagogically) some of the challenges posed by ChatGPT.

Evidence: Anecdotal evidence suggests that students respond well to this pedagogical approach, focused on building trust, promoting caution, and expecting transparency, irrespective of whether they decide to use or not to use ChatGPT in the production of their assignments.

Contribution: Feedback from colleagues strongly suggests that the ideas included in this presentation can assist with the development of teaching practices that address some of the most urgent pedagogical challenges posed by ChatGPT.

Aim

To offer an alternative, complementary method to student evaluation of teaching that measures student confidence to apply learning outcomes.

Background/context

Student evaluation of teaching (SET) is an important data collection method in tertiary education to enhance teaching and learning, provide quality assurance and facilitate faculty personnel decisions (Zeng, 2021). However few SET instruments have been validated and the lack of clear theories of effective teaching have led to significant criticism, and their usefulness and validity for quality assurance and enhancement has been questioned (Spooren et al, 2013). Compared to teaching improvements attributed to assignment requirement changes, or organisation and instructional strategies, SETs play a minimal role in teaching improvements (Nasser, 2002) leading to calls for evaluations to focus on what students have learnt rather than teaching quality (Alauddin, 2014). This poster outlines the uses of student evaluation of teaching (SET), its shortcomings, and the need to introduce alternative means for evaluation.

Description

One such alternative is to measure student self-efficacy beliefs. Self-efficacy beliefs are task/skill specific and there is substantial empirical evidence supporting a positive relationship between self-efficacy, learning and performance (Bandura, 1997). This evidence suggests a positive increase in learner self-efficacy on learning outcomes measured before and after completing a course will have a positive impact on student perceptions of their knowledge acquisition and their confidence to utilise their learning effectively (Salas, 2012).

Method

Research was undertaken at an Australian independent higher education institution using Survey Monkey between 2019 and 2022.

Evidence

On a matched student basis (n=77), the mean increase in self-efficacy beliefs across six learning outcomes ranged from 37% to 71% with a mean of 57%.

Contribution

The findings suggest measuring student self-efficacy beliefs provides a student-centred basis to evaluate teaching and learning quality complementing the role traditional SETs play to enhance teaching and learning.

Aim

The poster showcases the practical and innovative use of generative AI tools in teaching Digital Marketing at the postgraduate level. It aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by inspiring educators to adopt generative AI tools in their curriculum and preparing students with generative AI skills.


Background/Context

Marketing education delivered in Australian universities is not keeping pace with industry practices, particularly in the use of current marketing technologies (Harrigan et al., 2022). While generative AI, such as ChatGPT and DALL·E, benefits learning (Baidoo-Anu & Ansah, 2023), there is a lack of practical examples for integrating these technologies into marketing courses. This situation persists despite the establishment of general frameworks for their responsible and ethical use, such as the Australian Framework for Generative AI in Schools (2023), and the increasing demand for graduates with generative AI skills in the job market.”


Description

This poster showcases real examples of how to incorporate different types of generative AI technologies—text-based, image-based, and video-based—into the teaching materials and learning activities of a postgraduate Digital Marketing course. For example, text-based generative AI like ChatGPT and Gemini can be used to generate search keywords for search engine marketing; image-based generative AI like DALL·E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion can be used to generate images for display advertising; video-based generative AI such as Sora and Synthesia can be used to generate short video clips for social media marketing (YouTube Shorts, TikTok).


Method

The materials have been used in the course delivery in 2024.


Evidence

Student feedback will be collected via course surveys. Reflective lessons learned by the teaching staff will be discussed.


Contribution to Practice

The poster exemplifies the integration of generative AI technologies in education, aiming to enhance both teaching effectiveness and student job readiness.

Aim:
This research explores instructor use of Generative Artificial intelligence (GenAI) to inform educational design, exploring how GenAI augments instructors’ educational design in higher education.

Background/context:
Instructors' perceptions influence their use of GenAI technologies. Loeckx (2016) highlighted using GenAI to improve learning experiences. While some instructors have tended to move from early resistance to overreliance on such technologies, for others, the possibility of automated teaching has sparked job security fears (Zhai et al., 2021). However, current research on instructor use of GenAI in course design is limited.

Description:
Employing a case study approach, this study probes into the lived experiences of instructors as they engage with GenAI in course design. It uncovers the use of GenAI during course design. The interpretation of the data was guided by self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017).

Method:
The research design used a case study and consisted of focus group interviews with instructors from one Australian higher education institution. Based on thematic analysis, key considerations influencing instructors' decisions on when and how they use GenAI, guiding instructors' decision-making are discussed.

Evidence:
Initial findings show that GenAI proved helpful as a design assistant in brainstorming design ideas, generating first drafts of content and generating assessment rubrics. Instructors also indicated the potential value of GenAI in better supporting and relating to students from diverse backgrounds. The disruption caused by GenAI in assessments led to instructors redesigning assignments, ultimately improving the assessments. However, instructors refrained from employing GenAI to assess student work, citing the complex nature of assessment and validity and reliability concerns.

Contribution:
This research contributes insights into how GenAI could improve instructor design by highlighting how GenAI is helpful in decision-making. The findings indicate that instructors utilise GenAI as a brainstorming tool to generate learning content and assessment elements.

Marking, the student experience

Focus
“OMG, how did I get this mark?” The student perspective on marking.

Background
In 1889, marking variability was observed at Oxford University, remarkably, not much has changed since (Rowntree, 1996). Marking, a crucial facet of assessment, involves students as the recipients of assessment evaluations. The objective of this research is centered on marking, with a focus on enhancing the process, minimizing variability, and promoting improved student learning.

Description
Exploring assessment marking experiences of students in an undergraduate program.

Method
Sequential mixed methods were used. Phase 1 comprised a survey underpinned by assessment and marking literature regarding academic marking practices. Phase 2 consisted of paired interviews with pairs of staff and student pairs, phase 3 involved focus groups comprising students and nursing academics, participants focusing on 'best' marking practice. Whilst each phase focused on the positives of marking, participants revealed lived experiences, including inconsistencies with marking standards.

Results/ findings
Students appreciated clear assessment expectations that did not alter, unambiguous marking criteria, word counts that were achievable, feedback and feedforward that taught and encouraged. Referencing that was explained and clear, examples of assessment expectations were valued and supports for students. All factors renowned for variability in marking and outcomes (Bloxham et al., 2011; Brookhart, 1999; Carless & Boud, 2018; Medland, 2016; Singh et al., 2020; Valentine et al., 2021).

Contribution
Findings revealed a need for accuracy and consistency in teaching and marking so that the mark obtained is justified reflecting student performance. Questioning why we are assessing, what it is we want students to learn, can engage students in learning and create genuine interest in assessments, this is relevant for students as learners and for their future career.

• Aim
The aim of this poster presentation is to showcase our pedagogical innovation that brings together student learning, experience, and engagement through ‘Live-Local-Think-Global’ initiative.
• Background/context
Vince (2022) underscores the pivotal role of emotions in management education, asserting that understanding emotions and their relation to management and leadership significantly shapes students' future roles. Further, the incorporation of transcultural competence into higher education curriculum for a global future is a pressing challenge that prompts calls for a more structured and intentional pedagogy (Smith & Segbers, 2018).
Grounded in educational literature, our unique HRM approach combines emotional learning and transcultural immersion.
• Description
Grounded in Kolb's experiential learning model, Work-Integrated-Learning (WIL) enhances graduate employability (Fergusson & van de Laan, 2021; Finch et al., 2015). This study addresses the underexplored intersection of emotions, transculturality, and experiential learning within WIL.
• Method
The study analyzes undergraduate HRM students' qualitative comments through thematic coding, content analysis, and sentiment analysis using NVivo 12 Pro.
Stage 1: The key themes that emerged across three cohorts of students were “Lectures”, “Work”, “Teaching” and “Experience”.
Stage 2: Content analysis based on the NVivo 12 Pro “Word Frequency Query" was conducted on the attributes associated with “Emotional Learning”, “Work-Integrated Learning” and “Transculturality”.
Stage 3: A sentiment score was assigned to each comment, ranging from very positive, moderately positive, to moderately negative and very negative.
• Evidence
Qualitative feedback from diverse student cohorts highlight a positive impact on student learning and engagement. Our analysis shows significantly positive sentiments than negative sentiments associated with keywords “work”, “industry”, “inclusion”, “empathy”, and “relationship”. Students commend the 'Live-Local-Think-Global' mindset through practical, real-world applications and effective communication.
• Contribution
We extend experiential learning literature by integrating work-integrated learning, emotional engagement, and transcultural immersion into a large undergraduate management subject offered in Australia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Aim: This presentation articulates the challenges of teaching analytics to business students with no prior experience and showcases how harnessing the power of business narratives is an effective pedagogical approach to unlock analytics complexity and enhance students’ learning experience.

Background/context: Teaching analytics to students with no prior experience can be rewarding but challenging for teachers and students alike. Harnessing the power of storytelling-based learning strategies has been demonstrated to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes (McDrury & Alterio, 2002).

Description: In line with Bayer and Taillard’s assertion (2013) that “great analysts tell great stories”, we demonstrate that incorporating business narratives in analytics hands-on activities elucidates complex technical jargon, serves as a vehicle to foster a deeper understanding of the business analytics process through real-world applications, improves students’ critical thinking to derive actionable insights, suggest innovative solutions, and effectively communicate these solutions in compelling stories.

Method: The effectiveness of incorporating business stories in teaching analytics has been evaluated through students’ feedback during the discussion of case studies crafted with powerful stories, and team project assignments to solve real-world business problems. For example, students are presented with business stories of companies facing customer backlash on social media in times of crisis. Students are required to analyse customers’ online conversations before, during and after the crisis to suggest solutions to address the problem. This creates an immersive learning experience and triggers students’ critical thinking to derive actionable insights from their analyses.

Evidence: The integration of business stories in analytics hands-on activities demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach to boost student engagement and develop their critical thinking through problem-solving.

Contribution: This contribution provides insights into how to harness narratives to facilitate teaching analytics courses and enhance students' learning experience. The presentation aims to inspire educators to adopt this pedagogical approach in their analytics courses.

Aim:

The aims of this initiative are to empower students in the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and to enable students to effectively engage in the feedback process and improve their research processes and evaluative judgement.

Background/ Context

The subject is an interdisciplinary course focusing on using quantitative and qualitative tools to solve business problems. Student understanding of feedback and responsibly using AI are now critical to student success. The Feedback Model (Hattie and Timperley, 2007) is used and adapted to assist students in understanding feedback as multidimensional, and in developing evaluative judgement (Tai, Ajjawi, Boud, Dawson & Pandero, 2018).

Description:

Students complete a two-part major assessment. Part One focuses on disaggregating the causes of a relevant business problem (flight delays since COVID-19) and Part Two focuses on researching and using tools to find solutions to the problem. Students use feedback from Part One to enhance Part Two and they also completed AI activities to understand ethical use of AI and compare their responses to an AI response.

Method:

Data collection was undertaken using an anonymous survey with likert scales (twelve questions) to evaluate student understanding of the application of AI and feedback before and after its application in tutorials.

Evidence:

Our results show that the proportion of students with a detailed or sound understanding of how to responsibly use AI increases from 58% to 74%. Students with a detailed or sound understanding of how to evaluate their work increases from 54% to 74%.

Contribution:

This contributes to improving scholarship and practice in demonstrating the benefits of educating students on using feedback. Critically, it also develops student ability in responsibly using AI, including understanding its benefits and limitations. It provides practitioners with models that can be employed to benefit students in any discipline in using both feedback and AI.

Aim
The aim of the study was to evaluate online peer feedback impact on group interaction and assessment quality of a 3rd year, undergraduate medical science group project.
Background/context
Feedback from equal-status learners strengthens self-assessment and enhances performance (Narciss, 2008). In higher education, peer assessment improves student engagement, metacognitive learning, self-management, critical thinking, and deep course content analysis (Casey et al., 2011); skills underpinning core graduate qualities. With sophisticated learning management systems (LMS) now commonplace, educators have unprecedented opportunities to utilise online peer feedback rubrics with relative ease.
Description
In 2023, online peer feedback tools became widely available at Flinders University, with LMS migration from Moodle to Canvas. Using Feedback Fruits and a Canvas quiz, peer feedback rubrics for group interaction and assessment quality were applied to a 3rd year, undergraduate medical science group project, with acceptability and impact of the feedback reported.
Method
The group project consisted of eight weeks of research, with poster and oral presentation. Following ethics approval (HREC 6549-6), within-group Feedback Fruit rubrics were used to assess peer-to-peer interaction skills at draft and final poster submission. Across-group Feedback Fruit rubrics evaluated poster content, formatting and referencing at draft and final submission. Students ranked the value of the feedback and changes made to the poster based on feedback received using a Canvas quiz. Differences between the draft and final peer assessment scores were analysed using paired t-tests.
Evidence
Most students (94.4%) participated in the study and ranked within-group (56.8%) and across-group (59.1%) feedback value as 'high'. Mean within-group assessment scores for information sharing, discussion skills and task completion improved at final submission. Topic coverage, poster format and referencing across-group mean evaluation scores were higher at final submission compared to draft.
Contribution
In summary, online peer feedback improved student engagement and group assessment quality in the undergraduate topic.

Aim
This study critically examines how embedding adaptive responding processes from the Counterspaces Framework (Case and Hunter, 2012) may facilitate the building of resilience and wellbeing of students in higher education (HE).

Background/Context
The Counterspaces Framework was initially developed to enhance the wellbeing of marginalised African American high school students by challenging their identity narratives. Their adaptive responding strategies, which resemble those in student resilience literature (Cassidy, 2015), are being applied here in the HE context to develop students’ long-term wellbeing in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world.

Description
This study examines how classroom learning can instil adaptive responding skills. Specifically, it attempts to embed coping, resilience and resistance processes (Case and Hunter, 2012) in curricula.

Method
This poster reports on the first part of a two-stage study. In the first stage, an analytical framework was developed by adapting the Counterspace Framework from the social sciences to the HE context. In the second stage, primary data will be collected from both students and HE practitioners through observation and interviews to ascertain empirically the effectiveness of the framework in resilience building.

Evidence
The adapted framework entails three processes: 1) narrative identity work, 2) acts of resistance, and 3) direct relational transactions (ibid). Factors such as learning and teaching, employability and VUCA have been added to the original framework so that it is applicable and relevant to HE.

Contribution
This study contributes to the literature by attempting to expand the boundaries of a framework that has demonstrated efficacy in improving the wellbeing of marginalised populations to addressing contemporary challenges faced by HE students. In doing so, it addresses a significant empirical gap identified by the authors. The study also highlights the importance of proactively safeguarding the wellbeing of our future workforce and the corresponding role of HE providers.

Aim
The aim of this study is to describe the ways in which ChatGPT has been used in higher education during its first 8 months of availability.

Background/context
ChatGPT is a chatbot developed by OpenAI based on generative pre-trained transformer (GPT), a type of large language model (LLM), that learns from large volumes of training data from different sources and generates outputs similar to the input training data. It has sparked heated discussion in higher education since its public release and increasing empirical studies have been made available examining its application to higher education teaching and learning.

Description
To capture and synthesize the initial scholarly developments in this topic, we undertook a scoping review of the first 8 months of empirical research into the use of ChatGPT for higher education teaching and learning.

Method
Following the PRISMA flowchart, we identified 39 articles through a systematic literature search in the Web of Science and Scopus databases which met our inclusion criteria.

Evidence
Our analysis identified five thematic areas current research has contributed to, including (1) ChatGPT's performance in assessment; (2) ChatGPT's capacity in facilitating learning; (3) staff and students' perceptions of ChatGPT; (4) adoption of ChatGPT, and; (5) ChatGPT-related policy implications.

Contribution
Our analysis established that: (1) ChatGPT's performance varied according to assessment tools, level of knowledge and disciplines; (2) while ChatGPT could facilitate learning it could not replace human instruction; and (3) research and practice should focus on identifying strategies to address concerns and facilitate appropriate use. We recommend future research 1) adopt more rigorous research designs; 2) focus on explaining ChatGPT's pedagogical value in light of current learning theories; and 3) compare ChatGPT to other digital technologies already supporting higher education teaching and learning to develop an understanding of where and when ChatGPT may be be appropriately used.

Aim:
The presentation of research outcomes

Background/context:
In higher education, defined as students who “work full time while enrolled” (Choy, 2002, p. 3), non-traditional students (NTSs) are likely to choose online learning because of its flexibility (Anderson, 2008; Forbus et al., 2011). Combining online study, full-time work, and family, these students can experience a relatively high level of stress.

Description:
Integrating the Transactional Theory of Stress (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) and Role Theory (Katz & Kahn, 1978), this study aims to disclose the mechanism through which both positive (eustress) and negative (distress) sides of stress are generated in one role and spill over to other roles.

Method:
This is a qualitative study, and 24 participants were recruited. One-off in-depth interviews and 8-week longitudinal interviews were conducted to collect data. Approximately 60-hour interviews were recorded. A thematic analysis was completed to analyse the data.

Evidence:
Twenty themes concerning concurrent and fluctuating distress and eustress were reported by participants. Distress was associated with inflexible competing demands on time and inefficient or non-intuitive course design. Eustress was strongly associated with learning new and relevant knowledge. Thus different precursors and conditions to distress and eustress were identified both of which were found to spill over to non-study roles.

Contribution:
Unique insights into the ways in which NTS’ eustress and distress co-occur, spill over between life domains and fluctuate over time were provided. In my poster, I will share a practical framework capturing the antecedents and consequences of stress in online learning. Classified by paradoxes of “Interaction vs Efficiency”, “Academic vs Practical”, and “University-based programme vs Massive open online courses”, the framework not only assists practitioners in understanding student well-being but also provides the audience with guidance to improve the design and teaching of online programmes satisfying the growing demands of NTSs.

The return to the classroom following Covid-19 restrictions has prompted new examination of previous physical learning environment challenges and preferences (Bradbeer et al., 2019; Whiteside et al., 2010; Woolner et al., 2012). Exploring the educator’s perspective, this study explores the impact of the physical learning environment.

Background/Context:
Educators design and facilitate the learning experience, however physical attributes, such as lighting, can encourage or inhibit learning activities (Hao et al., 2020; Wickremasinghe & Kumuduni, 2022). Ideally educators would have learning spaces designed with their discipline and teaching pedagogy in mind. However, factors such as financial resources and university structures, limit this possibility (Closs et al, 2022).

Description:
Educators, representing various disciplines across a university, were asked about their physical environment preferences and barriers. Perspectives were captured on lecture and seminar environments.

Method:
An online survey was designed based on previous studies (Lopez-Chao et al., 2019; Wickremasinghe & Kumuduni, 2022). This survey was distributed through faculty learning and teaching groups in November 2022. This resulted in 37 completed surveys from educators in six faculties.

Evidence:
On a 5-point Likert scale, respondents agreed that the physical environment can impact their teaching (m=4.56). The three most important attributes reported for a lecture were a computer for the teacher, screen and projector, and wheelchair accessibility. Whereas the top three for a seminar were appropriate size for class group, ability for teacher to move around the space, and screen and projector.
The greatest challenge for both environments was teaching in a room too small for the number of students. Key methods to overcome barriers included educator mobility, and regular breaks for students.

Contribution:
This study contributes to our understanding of how educators use the physical classroom space. Practically, this study offers methods to overcome barriers which is useful for educators teaching in new spaces.

Aim

To evaluate the impact of changes to learning activities and assessment structure on student performance and outcomes over five years.

Context

Tertiary students demand more flexibility than ever, with blended delivery increasingly favoured (Müller & Mildenberger, 2021). Meanwhile, educators strive to improve outcomes while considering budget, sustainability and workload. Evaluating the impact of different educational approaches can assist with future planning and decision-making.

Description

Students completed paired assessments comprising two distinct but similar tasks, such that learning from Part A may feed-forward to influence performance in Part B (Gibbs & Simpson, 2005). From 2019 to 2023, pandemic- and course-level factors prompted changes to assessments and associated learning activities, including removal and reintroduction of peer-assessment, reallocation of class-time, and introduction of digital interactive packages.

Methods

Student (n=551) grades, student evaluations and feedback, and learning analytics were analysed to evaluate the impact of changes on student performance and experience over five years.

Evidence

When peer-assessment was embedded alongside a laboratory or desktop exercise, mean student performance increased by 2.5% from Part A to Part B. Following change from laboratory to desktop exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic, mean student performance reduced by 1.7 to 3.5%, then further reduced by 3.8% when aligned didactic and problem-based learning activities were reduced. In 2023, introduction of interactive digital packages largely restored student performance in Part A to those observed in 2019, but seemed to negate the benefit of peer-assessment, with Part B grades averaging 3.2% lower than Part A.

Contribution

While peer assessment is not novel, this work highlights intersectionality of different educational approaches. High achieving students benefit less from peer-assessment (Li, 2011), so it may be inappropriate in high-achieving cohorts. Evidence demonstrates that structure of learning activities and assessments has consequences for student outcomes, and that using different approaches in tandem may impact efficacy.

Aim
Our study introduces ChatGPT-Mark, an AI tool designed to enhance the effectiveness of formative assessment in higher education with timely and personalized feedback. It aims to bridge the gap in traditional assessment by providing an innovative feedback mechanism aligned with educational standards.

Background/Context
Formative assessment is important for guiding student learning through timely and constructive feedback. With increasing class sizes and the diversity of student needs, educators face challenges in delivering prompt and personalized feedback effectively (Boud & Molloy, 2013; Dai et al., 2023). AI tools like ChatGPT provide scalable, instant feedback solutions, however, integrating them into educational environments requires overcoming challenges related to contextual understanding and pedagogical practices. This study explores how ChatGPT can be integrated into formative assessment, based on the belief that AI can significantly enrich the educational process (Darvishi et al., 2022; Huang et al., 2021; Katz et al., 2023).

Description
We developed a ChatGPT-Mark prototype to access student submissions with course rubrics, exploring its potential to improve educational feedback without live course implementation.

Method
A preliminary evaluation used 15 de-identified student submissions from completed courses, comparing the quality and accuracy of ChatGPT-Mark’s feedback with teacher evaluations.

Evidence
ChatGPT-Mark consistently provided detailed feedback, aligning with teacher evaluations in 10 instances by effectively analyzing measurable aspects. However, it encountered minor scoring discrepancies in 5 cases, especially in areas requiring subjective judgment, indicating opportunities for AI evaluation enhancements.

Contribution
Our findings demonstrate the potential of AI-assisted tools like ChatGPT-Mark’s in revolutionizing educational assessments by harmonizing AI capabilities with human insights, enhancing the student learning experience and assessment practices. Future research will explore its effectiveness in live courses, aiming to improve feedback mechanisms and student learning outcomes in higher education.

Critical thinking skills in the modern educational framework (a case study).

Abstract
Aim This presentation examines an existing course for students from a diverse range of disciplines and mathematical backgrounds on statistics and the media entitled “Arguments, Evidence, and Intuition” that addresses critical thinking skills.
Background/context
Critical thinking in education is vital due to the increasing role of Artificial Intelligence in many areas of society. Many researchers have pointed out that critical thinking skills involve the ability to problem-solve and to apply logic and data interpretation skills to make good decisions in students’ professional and everyday life (Bouckaert, 2023). For many university graduates there is a gap between their competencies of critical thinking and the demands of the workforce. If not addressed, this will have negative consequences. There is a need to ensure that the teaching of critical thinking is both understood by teaching providers and is given due regard as an important component of tertiary courses (Ellerton, 2022).
Description
In our implementation of this subject, the teaching and technical team used online design processes to transfer cross-disciplinary insights into practice-based innovative approaches. All concepts were introduced in real contexts and with a purpose: to investigate, to question assumptions, to be an investigator in the world of distorted information flows. The course grade is based on critical analysis of statistical data, assignments, an individual presentation and online quizzes.
Method
This cross-disciplinary study enrolled third-year students (n=210). An online survey was administered in 2015-2023 (a response rate of 70%). The survey comprised open-ended questions.
Evidence
The majority of students had a positive experience and highlighted their increased confidence in using critical thinking skills.
Contribution
The significance of this research lies in helping educators to recognise students’ need to understand and practise critical thinking skills effectively in the current various contexts that are increasingly influenced by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of assessment processes and resources designed, implemented, and supported using a commercial digital assessment platform (DAP) at a large metropolitan university.

Background/context: Evaluating the pedagogical impact of assessment processes in higher education is an important task, not least because of the high stakes attached to assessment, along with teaching and learning quality enhancement imperatives. It is also a complex task: impact happens in multiple ways, often with various influencing factors, some of which may not be tangible or visible. When evaluating the impact of large-scale digital assessment initiatives there is also potential for attention to be inadvertently diverted away from pedagogical considerations towards easier-to-measure technical factors (e.g. functionality).

Description: This evaluation study employed a unique approach deliberately designed to keep pedagogical impact in focus. Under evaluation was the impact of an assessment initiative involving a cloud-based DAP on assessment design and student learning. Key to the approach was a set of pedagogical impact indicators which combined the institution’s assessment policy with online assessment design considerations articulated by Huber et al. (2023). The indicators were academic integrity/assessment security, authenticity, engagement, equity/fairness, feedback, inclusion, and support.

Method: Primary data sources were staff interviews, student focus-groups, mixed-methods staff survey, and student evaluation surveys. Analysis involved descriptive statistics (quantitative survey questions), and thematic analysis and case narrative writing (qualitative material). The thematic analysis incorporated the pedagogical impact indicators.

Evidence: Analysis highlighted the DAP’s affordances in terms of enabling the (re)design of authentic, engaging, and inclusive tasks, but also the importance of staff support and student familiarisation opportunities to maximise pedagogical benefits.

Contribution: This work presents a way of evaluating pedagogical impact within higher education digital education that builds on prior research (e.g. Huber et al., 2023) and addresses evaluation complexities in this space.

Aim
This research delves into the significance of integrating animated learning videos, substantiating their potential to enhance student engagement.

Background/context
The use of animation and animated content in education has garnered considerable attention in recent academic literature, with researchers exploring its potential impact on knowledge comprehension and long-term memory retention (Khhurshid et al., 2018; Lowe & Boucheix, 2016; O’Day, 2017). This study investigated the design and implementation of animated videos as a dynamic solution to engage students effectively.

Description
This study is exploratory in nature. It investigates how animations affect the learning experience of the students. A set of animations were implemented in accounting courses in an Australian university. Each week a five-minute long animation was utilised to explain accounting concepts over a 12-week long semester. Student feedback was analysed using education pedagogies and prior research evidence.

Methods
Focus group discussions with students informed whether the animated videos have enhanced their learnings. Surveys were also utilised to understand how students experienced the animated videos in their learnings.

Evidence
The student-centric co-creation approach presented here is vital for fostering a collaborative learning culture among staff and students, as well as informing and constructing future learning innovations and technology investments in universities. The paper offers practical guidelines for designing animations that cater to diverse student learning needs, and purposes.

Contribution
This paper contributes to extant literature in several ways. First, it directly explores students' perspectives in the effectiveness of animations in their learning. Second, this paper informs design thinking of animations informed by learning pedagogies. It informs what worked and what didn’t work in animation design and implementation. We experimented some novel design features in making animation more suitable for learning purposes. Finally, the paper outlines an iterative process of developing animated videos, adjusting productions based on student feedback.

Unravelling the Tapestry: Exploring the Interconnected Threads of an Academic Poster
Aim: Case study on the benefits of using an academic poster as an authentic assessment method for Higher Education (HE) students to develop their career pathway within a Master's Capstone Subject. Posters educated students on career self-management and built vital visual data analytics enterprise skills to connect with business.
Background: This case explores the tapestry of international and local students as a metaphor of intricate patterns and details of what each student brings to the creation of posters (Berry & Houston, 1995) Tapestries/posters deliver ‘Real-World Relevance’, connecting classroom learning to real-world applications making learning meaningful and more relevant (Handron, 1994; Wallace, Preston & Harvie 2016; Abed 2018).

University A introduced the poster concept in 2020 as a method of assessment focusing on developing career pathways and replicating work that students will undertake in visual mediums in future jobs (Baker & Henson, 2010; Krouwel et al., 2020). An authentic assessment was introduced, supporting the enterprise skills students need for work (Gosselin & Golick, 2020). Posters promote higher-order thinking skills, facilitate and inform future learning such as career development (Howard, 2015; Gosselin & Golick, 2020; Vaughan, 2023).

Methods:
Qualitative analysis of the results across assessments from 2021 to 2023, using documentary analysis of student comments from trimester evaluations.
Contribution to SC and Practice:
A case study within University A reviewing an assessment poster clarified the benefits to students as an effective tool for a capstone class.
The research found the assessment was able to support career development in final-year Master’s students. Students were able to use a visual medium to:
-create meaningful career pathways and tools;
-develop a conceptual understanding of career paths and working as a professional; and
- undertake skills audits and understand the need for ongoing skill development.

Abstract
Introduction: Given the growing demand to produce PhD holders in Africa, it is crucial to grasp the intricacies faced by PhD candidates. This review aimed to map out the existing studies that explore the perspectives of candidates pursuing or completing a PhD in Africa.
Methods: In conjunction with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, a scoping review guide developed by Arksey & O’Malley (2005) was used. Multiple databases were searched, including EBSCO Host, Scopus, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline (Ovid), and Google Scholar.
Results: Of the 51 articles that were retrieved, 12 were included in the review from various African countries. The studies explored the types and characteristics of the included articles. All articles were assessed using an Adaptive Quality Assessment Tool. The studies were descriptively mapped using qualitative content analysis, which revealed five themes: the sociodemographic profile of the PhD candidates, funding , resources and training, supervision experiences, and coping mechanisms.
Conclusion: There is evidence on sociodemographic characteristics, challenges posed by funding, inadequate resources, and supervisor-candidate relationships,the research addressing why African candidates are studying at a later age, gender-specific environmental and cultural barriers, and coping strategies used during candidature is comparatively limited. Consequently, further investigations in these areas are crucial to better support PhD candidates in Africa ..
Keywords: Higher education; PhD candidates; PhD supervisors; Africa; Doctorate; Lived experiences.

Aim: The aim of this pilot project was to explore if emojis can reliably represent first-year university students’ emotions.

Background/context: There is an ever-increasing availability of digital tools used in physical and online classrooms to support and enhance communication. Emojis are widely used by students in many aspects of their lives, and are also available in educational settings for use in learning management systems, interactive learning tools (e.g. H5P), online synchronous classrooms (e.g. Zoom, Teams), and email.

Description: Typically, emojis are seen as a shortcut in communication, or as modifiers of the intent of the text (Herring & Dainas, 2020). They allow for the capture of emotions and experiences. In clear communication, the 'language' has similar meaning for the sender, as it does for the recipient, yet there will always be some ambiguity in how communications are interpreted. Existing research suggests emojis are not universally understood (Annamalai & Salam, 2017; Miller et al., 2017) and may not be reliably communicated. Furthermore, they have not been validated in an educational context.

Method: Using an online survey tool, first-year statistics students at Curtin University, Australia (n=182) were asked to record their emotions by selecting an emoji, describe the emotion, and the area of life it related to. Students used 30 out of the available 54 emojis with a total of 72 responses which were descriptively analysed.

Evidence: The results suggest that happy emojis were more reliably interpreted than other emotions, although there were exceptions. Emojis representing unpleasant emotions are more likely to be used inconsistently and may not reflect the name given to the emoji.

Contribution: Insights from students’ use of emojis suggest that emojis used in communication with or by students cannot be reliably interpreted. Further research is required, and until validated, emojis should be used with caution in educational settings.

Aim
This paper explores integrating microlearning into ophthalmology supervisor training to overcome time constraints and enhance educational engagement, aiming to improve the quality of medical education amidst the challenge of balancing clinical duties with pedagogical expertise.

Background/Context
Medical supervisors often prioritise clinical content over pedagogical training due to significant time constraints, hindering engagement in ‘training the trainer’ educational activities and CPD. Addressing these challenges is imperative, given the global mandate for quality medical education.

Description
Microlearning offers a promising solution by breaking down information into discrete, tailored components, facilitating swift engagement and knowledge retention. Despite its recent emergence, microlearning shows transformative potential in enhancing medical supervisor training and addressing constraints in traditional educational settings.

Method
Converting interactive modules into microlearning snippets followed a systematic approach, including formulating achievable learning outcomes with the SOLO taxonomy, aligning with activities and assessments (MCQs), incorporating adult and multimedia learning principles and visual design standards, and conducting usability and accessibility tests.

Evidence
By deploying the microlearning snippets using a systematic approach to learning design and gathering the completion on the Learning Management System (LMS), a short survey and supervisor interviews showed that the intervention could potentially enhance supervisor training in ophthalmology. However, the microlearning snippet uptake could have been higher, and further research has been undertaken to elucidate the supervisors' lack of engagement.

Contribution
This paper presents a comprehensive approach to microlearning integration, contributing to advancing medical education and supervisor training. It offers a viable solution to challenges faced by medical supervisors, ultimately enhancing ophthalmology education and medical training quality.

Aim: In this study, we evaluate the efficacy of an interactive assessment literacy module for supporting undergraduate students to participate in peer review.
Background: Peer review is the cornerstone of academic work. It is important that undergraduate students develop their ability to critically evaluate the quality of their own and others’ work (Ibarra-Sáiz et al., 2020). Many educators use peer review for more than providing individual feedback, but also for developing students’ self-assessment and academic judgement skills (Topping, 2009). However, undergraduate students often have difficulty making quality judgements (van Hattum-Janssen & Lourenço, 2006). Furthermore, students do not trust their peers’ ability to judge and provide feedback on their work (Panadero, 2016), which can hinder engagement in peer-review.
Description: Here we evaluate an intervention to train and prepare students for peer review by using an interactive assessment literacy module, in which students assess authentic assignment samples of varying quality against a rubric and then compare their judgement with expert markers.
Methods: This study was conducted in two large undergraduate biological science subjects at a Go8 university over multiple semesters. The assessment literacy module was deployed before students undertook a similar peer review assessment task. Students were surveyed for their perceptions of the module using both Likert-scale and free-text questions. Quantitative descriptive and qualitative content analyses were carried out to identify themes across student responses.
Evidence: Our preliminary findings indicate that students are better prepared to engage in peer-review after completing the module, based on their self-reported perceptions of confidence, academic judgement and understanding of the assessment criteria.
Contribution: This study provides an approach that can reduce barriers to student participation in peer-review in large-cohort subjects, by increasing their confidence in making academic judgements. The outcomes of this study will inform educator approaches to incorporate peer review into curricula for greatest impact.

Aim
This study aims to explore how educators perceive Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in evolving authentic assessment within higher education.

Background/context
Authentic assessments now face a transforming higher education landscape. GenAI, capable of producing human-like content, has sparked debate within the industry. With a revenue of 137 billion USD in 2024 (Statista, 2024), the emergence of GenAI comes with potential and limitations (Baidoo-Anu & Ansah, 2023; Lim et al.,2023), raising questions about the adequacy of traditional assessments. This study investigates this evolving landscape, delving into academic perceptions to ensure authentic assessment practices in a dynamic educational environment.

Description
This study explores the perceptions of academics to investigate the changing landscape of authentic assessment in light of these emerging trends. Understanding these perceptions is crucial to ensure authentic assessments remain a powerful tool for educators and students in a dynamic learning environment.

Method
Business School academics participated in focus groups. Qualitative data will be analysed using a Hybrid thematic approach supported by NVivo 12 and Saldana's (2013) coding framework.

Evidence
This study highlights the key themes that emerged, including Educators’ GenAI Skills and Knowledge, Ethical Considerations in GenAI, Updating Learning Outcomes, and Authentic Assessment Development.
With GenAI, multifaceted development processes are now essential, incorporating diverse perspectives. Educators should consider the influence of GenAI, the evolving landscape of student learning, and adaptable teaching methodologies when constructing authentic assessments. This ensures their continued relevance and efficacy in measuring student knowledge and skills.

Contribution
This research expands the understanding of authentic assessments in higher education, advocating for dynamic development incorporating varied influences: AI, evolving learner styles, and flexible teaching methods. It contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning by promoting relevant and effective assessments for a rapidly changing landscape, informing future studies on implementing multifaceted approaches.

AIM: Assess the impact of an institution-wide shift towards data-driven Flipped Learning (FL) on students’ learning experiences.
Background: In FL, students interact with foundational content asynchronously before in-person interactions where, with support, they can deepen their learning (O’Flaherty & Philips, 2015; Tucker 2012).  FL can improve students’ self-direction (Park & Suh, 2021). However, the use of students’ asynchronous activity data for more personalised learning support is probably weak (Bulger, 2016).
Description: 
From 2022, Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) implemented blended learning underpinned by FL as a key learning strategy to develop learners’ self-direction as part of Singapore’s policy shift to develop lifelong learning (Chan, 2022). NP-wide, students spend 40% of curriculum time completing Online Asynchronous Learning (OAL) packages. Lecturers use the OAL data to personalize learning support especially during In-Person Learning (IPL) sessions (60% of curriculum time).
Method(s):
Mixed methods. 2000 students responded to a 10-item survey about key characteristics of their FL experiences. 10 staff and 11 students provided further feedback via separate focus groups.
Evidence: 
Overall, students perceived their FL experiences positively. For example, 81.23% of respondents agreed that OALs provided them with the flexibility to complete learning at their own pace. 79.02% agreed that they could apply their OAL learning during IPL. Student focus group discussions generally validated survey findings. However, students rated their OAL experiences generally lower than IPL, except for flexibility to complete learning[PN1] . Staff were concerned about OAL non-completion leading to lack of student preparedness to deepen or apply learning in IPL, and lack of data for personalized learning support during IPL. Overall, this initial study suggested ways in which NP could improve the design of FL for self-direction and personalized learning support.
Contribution: This study contributes to learning about the impact of an institution-wide shift to data-driven FL on students’ learning experiences.

Aim:
This presentation provides insights into initial phases of a study on accounting and business faculty’s views on integrating digital technology, including Gen-AI, in large-scale online learning environments.

Background/Context:
Accounting professional bodies and accreditation agencies emphasize the need for digital technology in education (Birt, Safari & de Castro, 2023). Specific studies focusing on accounting and business education within the large-scale, online environments are limited (Lowenthal & Gooding 2019). Recently, new challenges for accounting and business educators have arisen due to the introduction of Gen-AI (Ratten & Jones 2023).

Method:
The author conducts an interpretive phenomenological study to understand accounting and business faculty experts’ perceptions of digital technology competence in online learning at a northeastern U.S. public university. It includes four phases: (1) synthesizing literature on the TPACK framework (Mishra & Koehler 2006) (2) a case study of a large-scale American online learning environment (3) questionnaires and interviews with experts and (4) analysis and recommendations.

Evidence:
The proposed conceptual model synthesizes teacher competence in integrating digital technology and is aligned with existing competency-based models for accounting training globally. Initial findings suggest the TPACK framework’s adaptability to provide a robust foundation for understanding the competencies required for effective technology integration in accounting and business education and include Gen-AI. The case study highlights the unique challenges and opportunities for a large-scale online learning environment.
Based on the literature review and the analysis of secondary data related to the research site, the questionnaire and interview protocol have been finalized. IRB permissions have been obtained in the USA and Australia, and the instruments have been piloted. Phase three has commenced, and initial impressions will be reflected upon during the presentation.

Contribution:
The findings aim to deepen understanding of specific competencies needed for digital accounting and business education and the perspectives on professional development, including Gen-AI.

Aim: To address the graduate employability dilemma within higher education through showcasing a practice example advocating for deliberate and equitable development of social capital for business students during tertiary education.

Background: Higher education is facing the persistent challenge of graduate employability, exacerbated by students' uncertainty and apprehension regarding career prospects (Small et al., 2022; Tomlinson, 2017). Evidence suggests fostering social capital as crucial for building employability confidence and success (Clarke, 2018; Bridgestock & Tippett, 2019; English et al., 2020). Graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds are particularly affected as they lack access to crucial employability networks and knowledge (Gilani, 2020).

Description: Responding to the graduate employability dilemma, a business school developed and implemented a curriculum transformation program based on partnership pedagogy (Barrie & Pizzica, 2019). Lead by a team of academics in partnership with industry and community, all business students are obligated to undertake interactive career and employability learning, including compulsory attendance and engagement at major employability events. This highly experiential approach makes a difference as students (many first in family to attend university) are empowered at early stages of their study to proactively develop their social capital, demonstrating the universities' potential to facilitate equitable social capital development (Cottrell, 2015; Jackson et al., 2017).

Method: Literature from scholarly sources were reviewed to synthesize the current research in the areas of graduate employability and social capital. The literature uncovered existing gaps on equitable access to employability programs focused on social capital development within tertiary studies.

Evidence: Surveys and anecdotal evidence from students, industry partners and academic colleagues supports the improved employability mindset and self-confidence of students. Next step is to conduct a thematical analysis of student reflections to assess impact and effectiveness as well as to inform future teaching practice.

Contribution: This study contributes to addressing the need for improved graduate employability outcomes.

Aim. To investigate staff perspectives of an extracurricular research experience program for Exercise Science undergraduates.

Background/Context. Engaging students in authentic research experiences has a positive impact on their conception of science, sense of independence and persistence in STEM-based careers (Houser et al., 2013; Myatt, 2009; Seymour et al., 2004). Positive engagement with research also improves translatable problem-solving skills and increases students’ broader self-confidence (Mabrouk and Peters, 2000). However, outside of traditional science degrees, there is often little space in the curriculum for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences. One potential solution is to provide extracurricular opportunities; however, this approach relies heavily on the altruism of staff for success.

Description. The Student Research Experience Program (StREP) was developed to encourage Exercise Science undergraduates to engage with academic research programs. This student centric program avoids any formal commitment between students and researchers and instead encourages students to engage with a broad range of research opportunities. Each experience is negotiated between the student and research team and may range from observing a single experimental session to volunteering as a research assistant over the life of a project.

Methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with academic staff (n=9) who had provided research experiences as part of StREP. Data were analysed inductively and thematically using a generic ‘coding and categorising’ approach.

Evidence. The data collected provide valuable insights about the benefits academics associate with StREP for students, for research as an endeavour in itself, and for their own professional growth. Participants also offered useful practical suggestions in relation to processes for attracting and orientating students to StREP, and for organising the students’ ‘work’ so that it is respectful of their myriad of other commitments in and outside of university.

Contribution. These findings identify the mutually beneficial outcomes academics associate with participating in an extracurricular undergraduate research experience program.

Aim: To explore the experience of medical students that participated in a performance-focused music elective.

Background/context: Medical students value opportunities to engage with music (Tu et al., 2021; Ledger & Joynes, 2018). Within medical curricula music has been offered to capture students’ interest (Egan, 1977; Butler 2006); reduce stress (Bellier, 2020; Anyanwu, 2016); support memorisation (MacDonald & Saarti, 2006); develop skills, such as listening and communication (Haidet et al., 2017); and to promote self-reflection and creative expression (McBain et al., 2015; Ledger & Jones 2018). That music might support the development of humanistic attributes in medical students has begun to be theorised (Nemoy, 2020; Cao et al., 2021); however, evidence for this is currently lacking (Orchard et al., 2023).

Description: A study was undertaken to analyse the experience of medical students that participated in a novel performance-focused music elective. Students engaged in a series of workshops, playing and singing music, learning about how music is offered in healthcare and performing in ensembles in various settings including hospital wards, to audiences of patients, staff, visitors and other students.

Method: Data were extracted from personal reflection essays submitted by 2nd year medical students that participated in the “Music for Health” elective in the Personal and Professional Development curriculum in the Doctor of Medicine degree at Flinders University between 2018-2020 (n=11). Interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted to distil the student experience.

Evidence: The elective provided experiential learning about the benefits of music for personal well-being and emotional connection, including between medical students and hospital patients. Students developed camaraderie and trust with their peers, as well as transferable skills in communication and teamwork.

Contribution: This study is the first to document a performance-focused music elective offered by a medical school. Exploring student experiences illuminates the multiple ways in which music-focused activities can foster humanism.

Aim
This research proposes a new prospective to analyse contributing factors in poor academic writing among international postgraduate-level students, necessitating diagnosis and pedagogical interventions to facilitate cognitive shifts.

Background
Much research presumes universality of Western norms (Henrich et al., 2010), however differences in education cultures can mean international students struggling with core academic concepts such as the literature review (Flower, 1989) particularly when undervalued as “book reports,” a consequence of translanguaging (Wei & García, 2022).

Description
This research stems from the authors’ experiences teaching a postgraduate level guided-reading subject. We diagnosed a Chinese international student struggling to write to an acceptable level as an outcome of differences in academic writing culture, and a translation-engendered semantic shift in concept transmission. We applied a six-week process of interventions to prompt conceptual change, resulting in improvements in the students’ demeanour and quality of work.

Method
As a retrospective case study, collection and analysis of data took place after the students’ submission of the summative assessment piece. It is thus based on a reconstruction of the timeline and the events under examination. The production of analysable data for this research was via recollection by the authors as well as through analysis of written artefacts.

Evidence
Success indicators included the formulation of a well-defined research topic and question, improved writing quality, and timely submission of the assessment piece. We noted an improved teacher-student relationship.

Contribution
This research argues a shifted focus in instructing international students’ academic writing. It also suggested ongoing pedagogical interventions (including task breakdown and early diagnosis of the contributing factors, example reviews, and topic boundary sessions), and form the basis of potential future larger-scale research.

Engagement
An anonymous survey to invite sharing experiences of teaching international students and supporting their academic writing, and opportunities for Q&A.

Aim
This study identifies the impact of changes in policy and language around academic integrity and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) on ethical practice in postgraduate nursing students.

Background/context
Integrity for nursing education is doubly crucial (Jiang, Emmerton, & McKauge, 2013). Firstly, robust assessment standards assures safe nursing practice. Additionally, if a student does not conduct themselves ethically, the question arises if they can do so professionally when their nursing registration and public safety depend on it.

Description
Policy has been reframed to underscore that academic integrity pertains to ethical behaviour, including serious consequences for misconduct in line with severity of repercussions in a professional setting. However, while policies take a hard-line approach, assessment design allows flexibility. Multiple communication strategies ensure students are clear on when and how they can use GenAI.

Method:
This is a comparative study; assessment data from 2023, when GenAI first emerged, is contrasted with the first half of 2024 when policy and communication changes had been fully implemented. Data includes the number of suspected misconduct cases and the types of assessments represented in suspected cases.

Evidence:
This study demonstrates the impact of changes on ethical practice. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of having student policy mirror the expectations of professional practice.

Contribution:
This paper is central to emerging debates around how to incorporate or police GenAI in teaching practice, where there is fierce debate on whether GenAI could be a teaching tool on the consequences of data extraction or the circulation of “fake news” (McKenna et al., 2023), or conversely, if it is “a data privacy nightmare” (Gal, 2023) or plagiarism (Mitchell, 2022). This poster recommends an all-of institution approach to GenAI, but with particular attention to communication with students that encourages engagement with ethical practice with reference to professional expectations and consequences.

Aim: To embed epistemic justice into my research practice to better understand the intersectional experiences of my research participants.

Background/context: Collecting demographic data through surveys is common practice (Fernandez et al., 2016). However, this approach can overlook researchers’ inherent biases, such as using broad categories like “Women of Colour” that ignore individual diversity (Miles et al., 2022). Therefore, standard data collection methodologies can fail to capture participants’ diversity.

Description: This poster presents findings from a study where I utilised intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989, 1991) and epistemic justice (Hutton & Cappellini, 2022) as theoretical lenses to redesign my research practice. I explain how I incorporated qualitative open-ended reflective questions into my demographic survey. Importantly, I highlight a newly developed question which requires participants to write their own diversity statements.

Method: I explore the trustworthiness of my new qualitative demographic data collection strategy by concentrating on the responses of four focus participants. I present my findings from my focus participants in a traditional format and then showcase a new creative method of analysis where these demographic data are combined with the insights I gained from the diversity statement question to present holistic introductory stories of my participants.

Evidence: I demonstrate the depth and richness of data that can be obtained through self-written diversity statements. In this way, I demonstrate how my data collection method and creative data analysis strategy helped me to better capture the complexity of my participants’ intersectional identities. I argue that using such an approach gives participants the agency to choose how they are represented in research.

Contribution: I demonstrate a new method of data collection and analysis. Incorporating this into research practice will contribute to making research more representative of the population, encouraging equity and social justice for those who may otherwise be marginalised or entirely excluded from research.