Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia
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* HERDSA Blog Post: Students are using emojis to communicate …. something
* HERDSA SoTL SIG - February 2025 meeting - This Friday! --- Strengthening SoTL through theory, methodology and reflexivity
* Grow your academic career with this exciting volunteer Associate Editor position
* HERDSA Executive Nominations 2025
* Call for nominations for HERDSA Life Memberships
* HERDSA GRANTS 2025 now open
* Higher Education Research & Development, Vol. 44 No. 2 is now available online
* Participate in a free online course on feedback seeking as part of an Australian Research Council funded project
* ASCILITE's Technology Enhanced Learning Accreditation Standards (TELAS) - Reviewer Certification Workshop
* Call for Papers: Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoLT) Conference 2025
* Are you an educator who has completed a Graduate Certificate (Grad Cert) in Higher Education or equivalent?
* Call for Submissions: digiTAL 2025 - Durban, South Africa - 4th and 5th November 2025
* Urgent Call: Participant Volunteers in a UNE PhD Study Investigating how academics use workplace technology for resilience
* New online first articles in Higher Education Research and Development
To submit an announcement for this list complete the online form at http://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-notices
A full list of HERDSA Notices is online at http://www.herdsa.org.au/latest-news
Unsubscribe or change your email details at http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/herdsa
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HERDSA Blog Post: Students are using emojis to communicate …. something
Nicole Reinke, Eva Hatje & Mary Kynn, 19 February 2025
Nicole Reinke, Eva Hatje & Mary Kynn point out key considerations when using emojis to communicate—and it turns out, we should use them with a bit of caution.
Read more: https://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-connect/students-are-using-emojis-communica...
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HERDSA SoTL SIG - February 2025 meeting - This Friday! --- Strengthening SoTL through theory, methodology and reflexivity
Friday, 21 February 2025, 12.00–1.00 pm AEDT (NSW/VIC time)/11.00 am–12.00 pm AEST (QLD time)
Welcome back to the HERDSA SoTL SIG for 2025 - and welcome to our new SIG members! Our first SIG meeting will set us up for the year with an accessible understanding of SoTL methodologies and key SoTL thoughts. Come along and find out more!
Topic: Strengthening SoTL through theory, methodology and reflexivity
Presenter: Dr Juan Fischer (University of Melbourne)
Date: Friday, 21 February 2025
Time: 12.00–1.00 pm AEDT (NSW/VIC time)/11.00 am–12.00 pm AEST (QLD time)
In February’s SIG meeting, we will discuss some examples of how theories and methodologies are used in education research. Exploring the role of theory, methodology, and reflexivity in SoTL, Juan will help you unpack these concepts and translate them into your context.
Dr Juan Fischer is an education researcher and academic developer focused on areas of curriculum and assessment, and has extensive experience in qualitative research and practice theories.
Zoom registration link: https://unisq.zoom.us/meeting/register/rT5UexjmRfCDHWnCrZb1zQ
Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14343410/
Further information: Please feel free to contact the HERDSA SoTL SIG at herdsa.sotl.sig@gmail.com
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Grow your academic career with this exciting volunteer Associate Editor position
23 February 2025
ASRHE (Advancing Scholarship and Research in Higher Education) is seeking an Associate Editor (Social Media) responsible for developing a social media strategy for ASRHE in line with the journal's values and leading the implementation of this strategy. Key Responsibilities include the online promotion of articles and activities of ASRHE, representing the journal on social media forums and engaging with the editorial team. We seek a highly organised and reliable colleague with good oral and written communication skills and a growth mindset and willingness to learn. They should have awareness of and knowledge in social media and experience in peer-reviewing academic writing.
Expressions of interest: Please send a brief CV of up to two pages and a one-page statement expressing motivation and background for the role to editors@asrhe.org by the deadline 23 February 2025
Further information: To talk about ASRHE and the role contact Eva Heinrich, Executive Editor ASRHE, e.heinrich@massey.ac.nz
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HERDSA Executive Nominations 2025
Nominations close at 5.00 pm AEDT on 7th March 2025
This is a call for nominations for HERDSA Executive positions for the period July 2025 to July 2027.
The current HERDSA Executive will complete a two-year term at the end of June 2025 and all positions (except the President) are therefore declared vacant. In calling for nominations, the Society is looking to achieve leadership in Higher Education in Australasia and certain balances of representation on the Executive, as well as an enthusiastic preparedness to contribute.
Being on the HERDSA Executive requires a commitment of time. In addition, it requires a basic understanding of organisational governance. The role of the executive is to determine HERDSA’s strategic directions and to administer member funds for member benefit.
The closing date for nominations is 5:00pm AEST Friday 7th March 2025. Nine Executive positions are available and should there be more than 9 nominations received there will be an election conducted online.
Further information including position descriptions are online.
Further information: https://herdsa.org.au/executive-nomination-information
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Call for nominations for HERDSA Life Memberships
10th March 2025
HERDSA life Members are individuals who have made a substantial, prolonged contribution to HERDSA through their service to the Society and/or have made a distinguished contribution to higher education. We are pleased to count many significant contributors in our list of life members (http://herdsa.org.au/content/life-members).
The HERSDA Executive is now calling for nominations for new life members. The Executive will review nominations and elect up to two new life members who will be recognised at the 2025 conference.
To nominate an outstanding individual for HERDSA Life Membership, please forward a short statement detailing the following:
• Name and Email of Nominee
• Name and Email of Proposer
• Statement of outstanding Contribution to HERDSA and/or higher education (approx. 500 words)
Please forward to office@herdsa.org.au by Monday 10th March 2025
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HERDSA GRANTS 2025 now open
Closing 14th March 2025
HERDSA offers grants to HERDSA members to fund research and/or development projects on teaching and learning in higher education that directly align to the mission of HERDSA. In the 2025 round, up to six grants of AUD$5000 each, plus gst are available. Priority for one grant will be given to applicants identifying as Indigenous/First Nations (e.g., Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori or Pacific Nations).
Applications close on 14th March 2025. Successful applicants will be informed at the end of May 2025. Grant applicants have one year to complete their projects. Grant progress reports are due end of January 2026 and final reports at the end of June 2026.
For detailed information see the guidelines document on the HERDSA website https://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-grants-scheme
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Higher Education Research & Development, Vol. 44 No. 2 is now available online
Higher Education Research & Development, Vol. 44 No. 2 (2025) is now available from the HERDSA website at https://herdsa.org.au/higher-education-research-development-vol-44-no-2
Free online access is available to HERDSA members through your member dashboard.
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Participate in a free online course on feedback seeking as part of an Australian Research Council funded project
24 February
Feedback is incredibly important for learning, and it’s not just the information you get, but how you use it that could make a difference. Be part of our research project: participate in our free two-week FutureLearn course to learn about how you can improve the way you work with feedback. We are looking for participants who are aged 18 years or over and understand English to complete a free online course and two 15-20-minute surveys. This study has Ethics Approval (Deakin ID: HAE-24-006).
For further information on the course and what participation in the research involves, see the course page on FutureLearn:
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/how-to-seek-feedback-effectively
Researchers and educators interested in collaboration are encouraged to contact project lead Professor Phillip Dawson directly: p.dawson@deakin.edu.au
Further information: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/how-to-seek-feedback-effectively
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ASCILITE's Technology Enhanced Learning Accreditation Standards (TELAS) - Reviewer Certification Workshop
25 and 26 February
The Technology Enhanced Learning Accreditation Standards (TELAS) are a set of internationally benchmarked standards designed to assess the quality of online learning, particularly in relation to the tertiary sector. They provide institutions with the means to assess and evaluate the affordances of their online learning environments and thereby guide quality enhancements. For more information about TELAS visit telas.edu.au.
Our workshop supports your knowledge of the standards and is the first step to being a certified TELAS reviewer. No matter what your role is at your institution you will find these workshops informative and interactive.
Our next workshop will be online in Zoom (split across two half days);
Dates: February 25th and 26th (10am – 1.30pm AEDT)
For fees and registration, see the link below.
Any questions feel free to email us at admin@telas.edu.au
Further information: https://telas.edu.au/becoming-a-reviewer/workshops/
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Call for Papers: Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoLT) Conference 2025
Workshops Deadline: 10 March 2025 Paper deadline: 31 March 2025
Submissions are open for Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoLT) Conference hosted by TAFE Queensland on the 2nd at 3rd of July in South Bank, Queensland.
This years conference theme is “Empowering education through confidence and change”. We welcome abstract, paper and poster submissions focus on topics that related to one following tracks;
• Track 1: Embracing teaching and learning innovations in AI
• Track 2: Empowering tertiary education harmonisation
• Track 3: Embracing educational justice, integrity and inclusivity
• Track 4: Empowering partnerships and community engagement
• Track 5: Empowering quality assurance
• Track 6: Embracing scholarship and research initiatives
Workshop proposal are also welcome, with a focus on interactive and engaging workshops.
Further information: https://tafeqld.edu.au/news-and-events/events/rolling/solt
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Are you an educator who has completed a Graduate Certificate (Grad Cert) in Higher Education or equivalent?
Survey closes 17th March
Project title: 30 years of teaching the teacher: What are the long term-impacts of Graduate Certificates in Higher Education within Australia and New Zealand?
Are you an educator who has completed a Graduate Certificate (Grad Cert) in Higher Education or equivalent in an Australian or New Zealand institute?
A research team from Deakin University and University of Sydney is interested to hear about your experiences.
Principal Researcher: Professor Barbie Panther
Associate Researchers: Dr Shane McIver, Dr Jessica Frawley, Dr Eszter Kalman and Dr Rachel Finneran
You are invited to consider completing a 10-30 minute anonymous online survey. Please click on this link below for further information about this project, and for the lead researcher’s contact details.
Further information: https://researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_3BLECTTUfpSf8nY
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Call for Submissions: digiTAL 2025 - Durban, South Africa - 4th and 5th November 2025
Abstract submission deadline : 31st March 2025
We invite submissions for the 6th edition of digiTAL2k, the International Conference on Teaching, Assessment and Learning in the Digital Age - digiTAL 2025 - being held virtually on the 28th of October 2025, and in person on the 4th and 5th November 2025 at the Maharani Hotel, North Beach, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Conference Theme – Navigating the Future of Education: AI, Inclusivity, and Sustainability in Pedagogy.
Publication opportunity: It is planned to publish the peer reviewed and selected papers of conference as proceedings with Springer. Select papers from the conference will be published by Springer Nature as a proceedings book volume.
Abstract submission deadline : 31st March 2025
Abstract submission link: https://lnkd.in/dXhgvH5D
Conference website:
https://icdigital.org.za/
Conference email: info@icdigital.org.za
Conference Launch video: https://youtu.be/HJZpgWJkG2E?si=aMimTkUB9ml0hFNu
Looking forward to your submissions.
Prof Upasana Singh
Conference Chair
Website: www.icdigital.org.za
Further information: https://icdigital.org.za/
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Urgent Call: Participant Volunteers in a UNE PhD Study Investigating how academics use workplace technology for resilience
Urgent call for participants: You are invited to participate in this UNE PhD qualitative study (Ethics approval: HE24-129, valid 10/7/2026) investigating how academics maintain resilience and wellbeing using workplace technology. 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 work completion are selected (public or private university). Click on the link to access the short survey. https://unesurveys.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_08ocuZ46BaZ3bHE
An invitation to participate in an online, short video interview and submission of 300-400 word reflection will be sent to participants who meet pre-screening criteria.
Further information: For more information about the study contact Marie (Bernie) Fisher via email: mfisher@myune.edu.au
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New online first articles in Higher Education Research and Development
Supporting and engaging with Pacific learners: a higher education development workshop for tertiary staff, Cameron D. Young, Patrick Vakaoti, Marea S. Colombo & Vanisha Mishra-Vakaoti, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2456825
Epistemic placemaking: collective reimagining of spaces for more sustainable, equitable and inclusive futures, Lucila Carvalho, Peter Goodyear & Lina Markauskaite, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2024.2429473
Beyond the physical/virtual: connected learning spaces in postgraduate business education, Alison Casey, Carmen Vallis & Sandris Zeivots, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2024.2429457
Space as an un/equalizer in times of technology and crisis in higher education, Suvi Jokila, Kalypso Filippou & Anna Jolkkonen, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2024.2429437
Co-creation of connected and relational learning spaces: a digital and gamified approach in higher education, Jan Bamford & Elena Moschini, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2024.2429443
From coffee shops to online platforms: students’ construction of and experiences in multiple higher education learning spaces, Anh Ngoc Quynh Phan & Chloe Le, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2024.2429466
More at: https://bsky.app/profile/herdjournal.bsky.social
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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.