Student experience

By Eliza.Compton, 29 November, 2021

Reopening and reconnecting: how to establish connection with first-years studying in the new normal

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Young African women wearing headphones in a university cafe - reconnecting after the pandemic

Agnes Chikonzo offers three key ways that university services can engage students and give them a sense of belonging back on campus

By Eliza.Compton, 10 November, 2021

Talking about taboos: how to create an open atmosphere for discussing difficult subjects

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20-something woman with hand over mouth illustrating article about addressing taboo subjects

Lindsay Morgan offers practical, step-by-step advice for removing barriers to addressing uncomfortable topics such as consent and menstruation

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne, 17 November, 2021

How to foster student well-being with online mindfulness training

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Advice on using a free online mindfulness programme to support student well-being

Adam Kay explains how educators can effectively use an innovative, freely available, and research-backed online mindfulness programme for student well-being

By Miranda Prynne, 19 October, 2021

Supporting student action on sustainability

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Advice on using online tools to teach students about sustainability

Students want opportunities to develop skills and knowledge to address sustainability issues. Matthew Lawson describes how sustainability can be embedded into the student experience

By Miranda Prynne, 9 December, 2021

Mind matters: embedding socio-emotional learning in higher education curricula

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Advice on embedding socio-emotional learning into curricula across disciplines

Kathleen Chim and Benjamin Chan explain how universities can embed socio-emotional learning into courses across multiple disciplines to better prepare students for the future workplace

By miranda.prynne, 6 September, 2021

Building a community of support for remote students through academic advising

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Advice on providing comprehensive support for remote students through academic advising

Janet Morrison details academic advising strategies that keep students feeling connected and supported throughout their educational journeys when learning online

By miranda.prynne, 23 July, 2021

Scaling up student support services

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Suzanne Mitchell advises on how to scale up student support services, using technology that provides multiple communications channels and early warning systems to assist specialist staff teams

By miranda.prynne, 26 July, 2021

Pronouncing students’ names correctly: the whys and hows

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Why getting students' names right is important to creating an inclusive learning environment

Xin Xu, Natasha Robinson and Niall Winters explain why correctly articulating students’ names is so important to an inclusive learning environment, and provide practical tips for pronouncing Chinese names

By miranda.prynne, 28 July, 2021

What can we learn from students about online education?

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Advice gleaned from a survey of students about what is needed for effective online teaching

Yidan Qin shares some key lessons from a survey of students regarding what is needed to make online teaching effective

By miranda.prynne, 24 June, 2021

Turning a new page: information literacy goes online

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Engaging students in readings and microlectures

Xiaowei Li and Lulu Wang explore how to take an on-campus institution such as a university library online to deliver hands-on information literacy skills to students around the world

By miranda.prynne, 9 July, 2021

How universities can support students’ return to campus post-pandemic

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Advice for welcoming students back to campus

Danielle McDonald and colleagues share advice on how universities can approach welcoming two student cohorts to campus for the first time, staying mindful of the vastly different attitudes among students relating to the post-pandemic transition

By miranda.prynne, 1 June, 2021

How to prevent cyberbullying from rearing its ugly head in universities

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Steps universities should take to prevent cyberbullying among students

Christy Cheung presents preventive measures universities should take to tackle cyberbullying among students working online

By miranda.prynne, 20 May, 2021

Supporting students’ emotional needs in distance learning

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Designing and delivering courses to meet students emotional needs

Yanfang Si shares simple online teaching methods to make students feel connected and supported and so help meet their emotional needs from a distance

By miranda.prynne, 20 May, 2021

Using online coaching to support student well-being

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Taking a human approach to providing support for student well-being online

Helen Duff explains how a human approach to providing support online, in the form of coaching sessions, can have a powerful impact on student well-being

By miranda.prynne, 5 May, 2021

Online teaching tips to support student well-being

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Advice on online teaching techniques that promote student well-being

Natalie Kopytko provides practical tips to address student well-being via online teaching practices that can also benefit faculty

By miranda.prynne, 12 May, 2021

Online teaching insights, part three: managing workload issues and stress

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Advice on managing workloads and stress among students and faculty

Insights and lessons on effective tools and techniques to improve online teaching put together by faculty spanning dozens of disciplines at the American University in Cairo

By miranda.prynne, 27 April, 2021

Embracing a compassionate approach in higher education

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A guide to introducing compassionate communication into your online teaching

Caroline Harvey and Frances Maratos explain how to embed compassionate communication into higher education when teaching online

By miranda.prynne, 2 April, 2021

Supporting students with Covid-related anxiety when teaching online

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Tips on addressing student anxieties in the online learning space

Helping students manage their anxieties is good pedagogy as it helps them learn. Alexandra Dufresne shares her tips for making students feel supported in the online learning environment

By miranda.prynne, 29 March, 2021

Alleviating student anxiety using messaging apps

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Using messaging apps to support better communication between students and instructors

Jonathan Sim explains how he supported his class remotely using the Telegram messaging app to keep a regular flow of communication and reassure students they were not alone in having queries

By miranda.prynne, 31 March, 2021

Using the art of storytelling to help students build resilience when learning online

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Using storytelling to boost student resilience and sense of connection online

Judith Francois describes how she facilitates storytelling via online channels to help students build resilience and feel more connected

By miranda.prynne, 10 March, 2021

Training students to learn successfully online

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Advice on giving students the skills they need to learn online successfully

Universities need to help students develop a whole new set of skills to ensure they get the most out of remote learning, says Nikita Hari

By miranda.prynne, 15 February, 2021

How to offer students a rewarding university experience online

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How universities can offer students a rewarding university experience online

Successfully teaching online is just one part of the battle to serve students remotely. Here David Woolley talks about what more universities can do to give students a fulfilling experience when they cannot attend in person

By miranda.prynne, 19 January, 2021

Points to consider when personal tutoring remotely

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What to consider when personal tutoring remotely

With many remote students feeling anxious, personal tutors are often the first port of call. Michael Draper talks through things to consider in order to maintain a supportive and helpful relationship with tutees from a distance

By miranda.prynne, 26 January, 2021

Evolution not revolution: strengthening student services online

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Use digital technologies to enhance student support services

Digital technologies are more than a short-term emergency tool; they provide an opportunity to enhance student support services long after a return to campus, explain Steven Goss and Amy Greenstein

By miranda.prynne, 22 December, 2020

Give students the confidence to ‘be wrong, loudly’ in online classes

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Students learning online must be encouraged not to fear getting things wrong

For students to learn effectively online, they must be willing to get things wrong and be corrected. But speaking up in an online class can be intimidating so instructors must take active steps to promote fearless class participation, explains Riley Lovejoy

By miranda.prynne, 17 November, 2020

Developing students’ confidence and sense of belonging online

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Fostering a sense of belonging among remote students to aid learning

With most students new to online learning, many may lack the confidence to actively participate in group classes. Georgina Blakeley offers her tips on fostering a sense of belonging that aids interaction among students

By miranda.prynne, 7 January, 2021

How to create human connection when teaching online

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Instructors teaching online must take steps to connect with their students via digital channels and compensate for the loss of natural face-to-face cues and communication. Flower Darby explains how

By miranda.prynne, 17 December, 2020

Instant messaging for improving instructor feedback in distance learning

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Using instant messaging to deliver feedback to students learning remotely

One of the biggest challenges for students learning online is the lack of immediate instructor feedback, Justin Fendos’ research revealed. He explains how his team trialled instant messaging to enable prompt responses to on-the-spot questions

By miranda.prynne, 10 December, 2020

Pastoral care for students in the digital classroom

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Providing the pastoral care students need can be difficult when teaching remotely. Here, Chris Headleand offers tips on looking out for students’ general well-being when limited to online communication

By miranda.prynne, 15 January, 2021

Netiquette: encouraging good behaviour in online classes

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Take steps to ensure a safe and respectful online learning environment through good ‘netiquette’

Online teaching can blur boundaries between home and university, so lecturers must take steps to ensure a safe and respectful online learning environment through good ‘netiquette’. Sam Smidt and Joanna Stroud explain how

By miranda.prynne, 4 December, 2020

Socio-emotional learning online: boosting student resilience and well-being

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How the Open University of Hong Kong is offering socio-emotional learning to protect student well-being

The Covid-19 crisis has led to worsening mental health and increased stress among students. Kathleen Chim talks about how the Open University of Hong Kong has tried to build students’ mental resilience through socio-emotional learning

By miranda.prynne, 17 November, 2020

Soft skills: how to promote student collaboration in online environments

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Promoting student collaboration in online classes

Online collaboration is not an innate skill for most students but something that instructors must cultivate. Hugh McFaul explains how he did this through careful design of the content and assessment on his course

By miranda.prynne, 18 September, 2020

THE Student success forum: taking student life online

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How universities have tried to enhance the student experience after moving virtually all their campus activities online

Student affairs leaders from four US universities share insight on how they enhanced the student experience after Covid-19 forced virtually all their campus activities to move online

By stefan.gagov, 25 August, 2020

The secret to timely, relevant, inclusive communication with students

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Effective communication is vital to engaging and positive remote study. Cathy Stone offers advice on how to ensure communication between institutions and students is timely, relevant and inclusive