Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia
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* HERDSA Blog Post: Real Voices, Real Choices: Redesigning Assessment with Autonomy & Authenticity
* HERDSA COMMUNITY: Comment on Real Voices, Real Choices
* HERDSA COMMUNITY UPDATED: Plugged In & Switched On: AI-Powered Possibilities for Online Engagement in Higher Education
* Storytelling Assessments in an AI Powered World - Assessment Quality SIG webinar
* The HERDSA Online Engagement in HE SiG presents - A showcase of HERDSA conference presentations on online engagement in HE
* Call of contributors to contribute to a series of blog posts on HERDSA Connect.
* Call for Papers for TESOL in Context 2025 Vol 34 No 2 General Issue
* Have Your Say: Student Trauma in Australian Higher Education
* Reflect and Grow: Share Your Voice in a Global Study on Teacher Feedback Literacy
* Seeking Participant Volunteers for a UNE Resilience in Higher Education and technology Qualitative Study
* New articles in Higher Education Research and Development
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HERDSA Blog Post: Real Voices, Real Choices: Redesigning Assessment with Autonomy & Authenticity
Daniel Andrews, 9 July 2025
Using the example of a podcast assessment task, Daniel Andrews explores the value of authenticity and autonomy in assessment.
Read more: https://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-connect/real-voices-real-choices-redesignin...
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HERDSA Community: Comment on Real Voices, Real Choices
Awolf, 10 July 2025
Student choice is clearly an important element in engagement; and engagement, of course, for learning. You didn't mention AI, and I wonder if you expected students would use it, and if so how; whether you encouraged them to not use AI, and what are your reflections?
Read Daniel Andrew’s response at https://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-connect/real-voices-real-choices-redesignin...
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HERDSA COMMUNITY UPDATED: Plugged In & Switched On: AI-Powered Possibilities for Online Engagement in Higher Education
Online Engagement in Higher Education SIG, 26 June 2025.
Linda Ng summarises a webinar that featured a panel discussion by Michael Cowling, Kate Ames, & Jason Lodge that explored how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance online engagement in higher education. Key insights from the discussion included how AI can be a tool for personalised learning, supporting students by enhancing engagement and reducing isolation while balancing efficiency with cognitive engagement. The panel emphasised the importance of maintaining human connection in online learning and that AI should be used to enhance—not replace—educational relationships and processes. You can watch the full webinar and panel discussion at https://youtu.be/Pg12N-x2okc
Read more: https://herdsa.org.au/news/plugged-switched-ai-powered-possibilities-onl...
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Storytelling Assessments in an AI Powered World - Assessment Quality SIG webinar
Friday 18 July 2025, 10:00–11:00am AEST
Just days to go – HERDSA Webinar this Friday!
Friday 18 July 2025, 10:00–11:00am AEST
How do we uphold assessment authenticity and quality in an AI-powered world?
Join A/Prof Carl Sherwood (UQ), Dr Karen Ho (Mount Royal University, Canada), and Dr Pranit Anand (UNSW) for a timely and practical session on Storytelling Assessments in an AI-Powered World. Learn how storytelling can strengthen assessment authenticity, student engagement, and critical thinking—particularly in STEM disciplines navigating the rise of generative AI.
Linked to the revised HESF
Actionable takeaways for educators and designers
Hosted by the HERDSA Assessment Quality SIG
Don’t miss out—register now:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/storytelling-assessments-in-an-ai-powere...
All welcome.
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The HERDSA Online Engagement in HE SiG presents - A showcase of HERDSA conference presentations on online engagement in HE
Thursday 14th August, 2025 - 12–1:30pm AEST (Queensland time)
Join us for a dynamic snapshot of innovative practice and research!
The HERDSA Online Engagement in HE SiG invites you to our Showcase of Presentations on Online Engagement in Higher Education, featuring lightning talks from HERDSA2025 conference presenters. Discover diverse approaches to fostering meaningful online student engagement — from practical teaching strategies and the role of humour, to new insights on access, equity, and the conditions that help online learners thrive. Bring your curiosity and questions for an interactive discussion on how these ideas might spark fresh connections and collaborations in your own context.**Everyone interested in online engagement in higher education is welcome!**
Further information: Click here to join - https://unisq.zoom.us/j/734459442
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Call of contributors to contribute to a series of blog posts on HERDSA Connect.
Topic: "Gen AI in Practice: Real Stories from the Classroom"
This blog series shines a light on how educators are responding to the rise of generative AI by rethinking teaching and assessment. Through practical case studies, we explore how individuals are navigating challenges, embracing opportunities, and reshaping their units to maintain academic integrity.
Interested in this opportunity? Send a brief pitch (outline of the idea) to daniel.andrews@herdsa.org.au
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Call for Papers for TESOL in Context 2025 Vol 34 No 2 General Issue
13 August 2025
TESOL in Context is calling for the submission of full manuscripts for the 2025 Vol 34 No 2 general issue of the journal. Submissions cut off on 13 August 2025 for online publication in late November 2025. Please refer to the announcement in the journal website for guidelines: https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/tesol/announcement/view/61
TESOL in Context is a Scopus-indexed, internationally refereed, diamond open access journal - the official publication of the Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA).
Further information: https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/tesol/announcement/view/61
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Have Your Say: Student Trauma in Australian Higher Education
With over one in four Australians experiencing complex trauma, and trauma significantly affecting student success, your insights matter. We're researching trauma awareness in Australian higher education to help universities develop approaches that are more responsive to the needs of students with trauma experiences.
Any Australian university employee who teaches, supervises, or supports students can participate (academic and professional staff; all contract types welcome). We want perspectives from staff with all levels of familiarity with trauma—including those with little or no prior knowledge. The survey should take around 10-15 minutes.
For more information and to participate: https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/traumaawarenesshe/
Further information: Contact Dr Maree Martinussen: mmartinussen@csu.edu.au
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Reflect and Grow: Share Your Voice in a Global Study on Teacher Feedback Literacy
Are you passionate about designing and implementing meaningful feedback to enhance student learning? We invite higher education teachers worldwide to participate in a research study on teacher feedback literacy—a critical and emerging area in higher education pedagogy.
This study offers you the opportunity to:
- Reflect on your feedback practices
- Gain insights into effective feedback design
- Contribute to global understanding across disciplines
We’ve developed a new scale to explore this topic. Your input will help validate the tool and support your reflective teaching.
Time required: 20–30 minutes
Who can participate: Higher education teachers from any discipline, fluent in English
Confidentiality: Responses are anonymous and confidential
Ethics approval: Deakin University (Ref: 2024/HE000291)
To participate, click here: https://researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_3fmfnGPt04ITxB4
For questions, contact Turkan Istencioglu: [s223333332@deakin.edu.au]
Research Team:
Prof. Phillip Dawson, Prof. David Boud, A/Prof. Yang Lan (Joy), Ms. Turkan Istencioglu (PhD Candidate)
Further information: t.istencioglu@deakin.edu.au
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Seeking Participant Volunteers for a UNE Resilience in Higher Education and technology Qualitative Study
We would like to hear from academics at all levels who are willing to participate in this UNE PhD qualitative study (Ethics approval: HE24-129, valid 10/7/2026) investigating how academics in Australian higher education institutions adapt and manage their practice using workplace technology to complete educative work. Your participation will involve completing a short pre-screening online survey, ensuring the target group, academics employed in a higher education institution in Australia, who use workplace technology for educative work are selected (public or private university). If you wish to participate please click on the link to complete the short survey. Please answer all questions in the survey, including full name in the space agreeing to online consent for the survey, in order to be considered in this study and include your full name and contact details.
https://unesurveys.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_08ocuZ46BaZ3bHE
An invitation to participate in an online, short video interview will be sent to participants who meet pre-screening criteria and interviewees need to submit a 300-400 word reflection (post interview). We look forward to hearing from you.
Please forward this request to casual, contract and ongoing academics, working in Australian Higher education institutions
Further information: contact Marie (Bernie) Fisher: mfisher@myune.edu.au or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-f-51697368/
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New articles in Higher Education Research and Development
The impact of the ‘publish or perish’ culture on research practices and academic life in Kazakhstan: challenges and consequences in the age of global university rankings, Aigerim Bayanbayeva, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2526051
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In the spirit of reconciliation HERDSA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australasia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.