HERDSA Notices 28 May 2025

* HERDSA Blog Post: Is the way we assess students healthy?
* HERDSA Community: Global Leadership Journey: Insights from Professor Mathews Nkhoma
* HERDSA Community: The 5C Framework: Your Blueprint for SOTL Research
* HERDSA/ASCILITE joint Webinar: Plugged In & Switched On: AI-Powered Possibilities for Online Engagement in Higher Education
* HERDSA Online Engagement in Higher Education SiG
* CRADLE Seminar Series. Why authenticity matters: Helping students to find meaning and value in assessment
* Free Online International Conference on AI for Higher Education (AI4HE) 2025
* Call for chapters - Open Access Book on AI-enhanced Research
* Call for papers: Special issue on active learning and Generative AI in higher education
* Educators' responses to student feedback - research request
*2025 Scholarships for Academics & Researchers – Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool Accreditation
* Recruting for - Exploring the accuracy of Generative AI journal article summaries as evaluated by their authors: A pilot study.
* Seeking Participant Volunteers for a UNE Resilience in Higher Education and technology Qualitative Study
* Final invitation to support - Seeking experienced online/hybrid HE teachers to support a HERDSA project on engagement strategies
* 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: Is the way we assess students healthy?
Bhawana Bhatta Kaudal, 28 May 2025

Bhawana Bhatta Kaudal explores strategies educators can use to alleviate assessment related stress to help students reach their full potential!

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HERDSA Community: Global Leadership Journey: Insights from Professor Mathews Nkhoma
International Academics SIG, 26 May 2025

Linda Ng describes the practice wisdom she discovered in the presentation by Professor Mathews Nkhoma, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor at RMIT Melbourne as he shared his remarkable academic leadership journey beginning in Malawi and has spanning the UK, UAE, Vietnam, and now Australia. Professor Nkhoma spoke candidly about navigating diverse cultural landscapes, building global academic networks, and leading with integrity, transparency, and respect.

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HERDSA Community: The 5C Framework: Your Blueprint for SOTL Research
SoTL SIG Webinar, 30 April 2025

Alice Brown and Olga Kozar suggest a helpful approach to begin a SoTL project is to consider five elements that ensure your project aligns with your interests and goals. The webinar provided participants with an opportunity to bring their ideas and work through the 5C approach reflecting on the Concern, Common Ground, Complication, Contribution, & Course of Action related to their project. As well as examples of applying the 5C approach Alice and Olga discussed the use of AI tools to streamline SoTL literature reviews, starting small and building into big research projects and the importance of collaboration in SoTL research.

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HERDSA/ASCILITE joint Webinar: Plugged In & Switched On: AI-Powered Possibilities for Online Engagement in Higher Education
Thursday 26 June Time: from12 AEST | 2pm NZDT

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the higher education landscape, its potential to transform online student engagement is both exciting and complex. This thought-provoking webinar, presented by HERDSA’s Online Engagement Special Interest Group (SIG) in collaboration with ASCILITE, brings together an AI specialist (Professor Michael Cowling, ASCILITE President), an expert in online higher education (Professor Kate Ames, ACODE President) and a voice from a “middle-ground” position, someone who bridges both worlds (TBC). Together, the panel will explore how AI tools can support peer interaction, group work, community building, and inclusive participation. From AI-supported discussion prompts to dynamic learning networks, the panel will offer practical insights and critical perspectives on designing more connected and engaging online experiences in higher education. Expect a lively discussion! (And yes—this abstract got a little help from AI. We’re living the topic!)

Further information: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/m2bqzhVESkOSHSVYrYnBcQ#/registr...

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HERDSA Online Engagement in Higher Education SiG

***HERDSA Online Engagement in Higher Education Special Interest Group is currently calling for several interested colleagues to work with our team as co-facilitators of the SiG.

The HERDSA Online Engagement in Higher Education Special Interest Group was established nearly 3 years ago and focused on the phenomenon of online higher education student engagement and the aspects that both hinder and foster this engagement.

The HERDSA Online Engagement in Higher Education Special Interest Group acts as an international network for HERDSA members and other interested individuals, teachers, instructors, learning designers, and researchers who are involved in and committed to pursuing scholarly work on furthering the understanding of student engagement in higher education online learning. The purpose of this SIG is:
- To create opportunities for dialogue and debate associated with scholarly research on online student engagement in higher education, as well as share research and practice.
- To develop new research ideas and further existing ones and to maintain interest and momentum in improving the quality of online education delivery.

Looking forward to hearing from those interested :)

Further information: Alice.Brown@unisq.edu.au

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CRADLE Seminar Series. Why authenticity matters: Helping students to find meaning and value in assessment
Wednesday 4 June 2025 2.00pm - 3.30pm (AEST)

In this presentation, CRADLE Fellow Dr Tim Chambers, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, unpacks the results of his recent research investigating students' perceptions in health psychology assessments.

The recent problematising of authentic assessments has resulted in a multitude of new perspectives that invite us to look beyond merely replicating real-world tasks and consider the meaning and purpose of these tasks and the context within which they are undertaken. This seminar will focus on how psychological authenticity may shape students’ perceptions of the meaning and value of assessments. Guided by self-determination theory, we propose that students make authentic judgements regarding the alignment between the assessment task and their personal values before then performing self-determined behaviours. Drawing on the experiences of first-year psychology students, I will showcase how they perceived authenticity within the context of health psychology assessments. Following this, I will reflect more broadly on students’ experiences with first-year assessments that resonate with being true to themselves.

Join us for this compelling and this topical presentation at Downtown or online.

Further information: https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdeakin...

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Free Online International Conference on AI for Higher Education (AI4HE) 2025
Abstracts due: 20 June 2025

Theme: Artificial Intelligence for Research (AI4R)
Dates: 26 and 27 November 2025
Facilitated by the Human-AI Collaborative Knowledgebase for Education and Research (HACKER) and theAILiteracyLab.com, the free online International Conference on AI for Higher Education (AI4HE) provides an opportunity to share knowledge, network with peers and participate in practical workshops. The conference portal is now open for abstract submission and participant registration.

Further information: https://theailiteracylab.com/join-us-at-the-2025-international-conferenc...

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Call for chapters - Open Access Book on AI-enhanced Research
Abstracts due: 30 June 2025

Call for chapters for an open access edited volume - Generative AI-Enhanced Research: Ethical, Practical, and Transformative Approaches. For further information and submission see the submission portal

Further information: https://theailiteracylab.com/call-for-chapters-for-our-new-open-access-b...

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Call for papers: Special issue on active learning and Generative AI in higher education
30 June 2025

Active Learning in Higher Education invites submissions for a special issue ‘Active Learning and Generative AI in Higher Education: Advancing Theory, Practice and Empirical Research’.

This issue seeks high-quality papers that explore how Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is reshaping active learning in and across higher education. Submissions should offer robust theoretical or empirical contributions, with a clear grounding in active learning literature. Areas of interest include:
• Critical analysis of how Gen AI is reshaping teaching and learning dynamics;
• Research into student and educator literacies with Gen AI in active learning settings;
• Studies that link Gen AI-supported active learning to assessment, inclusion and ethical considerations.

Key dates:
• Abstract submission deadline: 30 June 2025
• Notification of accepted abstracts: 31 August 2025
• Full paper submission for peer review: 16 February 2026
• Final papers due: 15 September 2026
• Expected publication: November 2026

Submit a 500-word abstract outlining the context, aim, research questions, methodology and contribution. Abstracts should be sent with a cover letter to the Special Issue editors.

Further information: View the full call for papers: https://journals.sagepub.com/page/alh/call-for-papers

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2025 Scholarships for Academics & Researchers – Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool Accreditation
Limited Scholarships – Apply by 31 July 2025

The Research & Educational Equity Trust (Charitable) is offering a limited number of scholarships for professionals, psychologists, researchers, and evaluators to become accrediteded to use the Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool (UWET).

Developed over a 16-year eresearch programme by the NZ Curriculum Design and FREEDOM Wellbeing Institutes, UWET is a comprehensive, genuinely holistic and evidence-based digital tool currently being applied in diverse sectors in support of health and wellbeing, productivity, systemic change and equity.

This is an ideal opportunity for those in higher education, research, and applied psychology to access a globally relevant, and robust system for measuring and reporting wellbeing at both individual and population levels.

Further information: Further Information: email us at: contactus@fwi.ac.nz

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Educators' responses to student feedback - research request
July 2025

I am researching how educators respond to student feedback and what influences their responses. I am writing to you as an educator to ask if you would be interested in participating by completing a 20-minute online questionnaire.

Anonymous student feedback systems are widespread in Higher Education (Moore & Kuol, 2005) despite their value and reliability being contested (Flodén, 2017; Simpson & Siguaw, 2000). Furthermore, the focus of research has been around the student experience of providing feedback, with little focus on how educators respond to this(Svinicki, 2001; University of West London, 2018).

If you are an educator in a Higher Education Institute and would like to contribute to increasing our understanding of educators’ responses to student feedback, please click on this link to complete the online survey: https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/1E985898-C206-4A1E-BA66-81...

Please note, we are recruiting participants between April – July 2025, and there will be no payment or direct benefit to you from taking part in this project.

Contact details
If you would like to get in contact about this study or ask any questions please contact Kathleen Renwick, MSc Psychology (conversion) student at the University of Stirling by email: klr00018@students.stir.ac.uk
I am supervised by Dr. Anthony Lee: anthony.lee@stir.ac.uk

Ethical approval
The ethical approaches of this project have been approved by the General University Ethics Panel at the University of Stirling.
Ethics Approval Reference: GUEP 2025 22528 17031

Kathleen Renwick (she/her)
MSc Psychology (Conversion) student
University of Stirling

Further information: klr00018@students.stir.ac.uk

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Recruting for - Exploring the accuracy of Generative AI journal article summaries as evaluated by their authors: A pilot study.

Are you an author of a published journal article? How do you feel about the increase of Generative AI summaries, and do you feel it would capture your research accurately? We want to explore how well Generative-AI captured your key messages in your published article. We would like you to choose an article, summarise key points, & compare these with an AI generated summary. Then we will discuss this with you in an interview. We seek participants who have recently (preferably within the last two years) made a significant contribution to a peer-reviewed publication as a solo, first, or major author, and be based in either Australia or New Zealand. We welcome Indigenous scholars to participate in a way that is appropriate. If you are interested, please contact us!

Approved by the Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee on 21 May 2025, AUTEC Reference number 25/103, & University of Adelaide on March 27th, HREC reference 2025-0020.

Further information: Dr Samantha Newell: samantha.newell@adelaide.edu.au, or Dr Kay Hammond: kay.hammond@aut.ac.nz

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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 to be considered in this study (including 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 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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Final invitation to support - Seeking experienced online/hybrid HE teachers to support a HERDSA project on engagement strategies
Please respond asap

To all experienced online teachers and engagement experts in Higher Education, we are currently seeking your assistance in a research project (HERDSA grant 2024) to investigate students' perceptions of their most valued course (subject) specific online engagement strategies. These are strategies that teachers include as part of their online learning environment to support student learning (such as discussion forums; social forums and introductions; Padlets, eBooks, online tutorials, team activities, badges, personal communications, weekly announcements and nudges, collaborative/peer activities and opportunities to learn with others, short recordings and digital media and videos, stop and think activities, online whiteboard, guest speakers, providing explicit expectations about learning and ways of working, …..and many more).

If you are a strong online teacher or know of an uber teacher who strongly engages students online, then please contact us. The research team are eager to hear from your students about their experiences of online engagement in your course. We are interested in learning more about the strategies your students found useful in helping them feel part of the subject.

Further information: Alice.Brown@unisq.edu.au

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New online first articles in Higher Education Research and Development

Extracurricular activities in higher education: provider’s choices, Jinghui Si, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2488860

Who are learning designers in post-pandemic Australasian universities? Sharon Altena, Lye Ee (Rebecca) Ng & Meredith Hinze, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2482797

Mapping ecologies of practice: a framework for reflective teaching and academic development in higher education, Kiruthika Ragupathi & Paul Trowler, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2503816

Decolonising, Indigenising, or critical Indigenous studies? A nine-year case study in designing education for the health professions, Julia McCartan, Petah Atkinson & Karen Adams, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2493245

Cinderella on the path at midnight: students on regional university campuses and equity, Colleen Carlon, Lucinda Aberdeen, Robyn Eversole, Merete Schmidt, Janet Congues & Kylie Wrigley, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2493249

Academics’ identity struggles and professional agency in the transition to teaching in a professional master’s degree programme, Lan Li & Jian Tao, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2503825

https://www.linkedin.com/company/herdjournal
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.

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