Online learning

Online learning has revolutionised university teaching with much higher education now delivered via digital platforms, supported by educational technology (ed-tech) and, increasingly, AI tools. Find out how lecturers can adapt teaching methods to support learning online, build online learning communities and use the latest technology to advance student engagement and flexible, accessible learning.

Guidance on responsible collection and use of student data to enhance online teaching

Secure and transparent use of student data

Bronwen Swinnerton and James Pickering outline the steps all universities should take to ensure ethical and transparent collection and use of student data via ed-tech platforms

Bronwen Swinnerton, James Pickering

University of Leeds

Advice on the guidance available to frame responsible use of learner analytics to improve students' university experience

Responsible use of learning analytics to improve the university experience

Rebecca Ferguson presents useful guidelines and frameworks for using learner analytics safely and effectively to inform improvements to teaching and student services

Rebecca Ferguson

The Open University

Zoom meetings do not have to be quite so painful for academics and university staff.

Zoom meetings don’t have to be quite so painful

Simple actions can help avoid common pitfalls in the design and execution of online team meetings, say Rob Angell and Ben Marder

Rob Angell, Ben Marder

University of Southampton, The University of Edinburgh

Guidance on ensuring the cybersecurity of your online teaching and ed-tech

Cybersecurity in online learning

Mohammed Rehman explains what steps universities should take to educate staff and students about cybersecurity and how to protect themselves when teaching and learning online

Mohammed Rehman

Arden University

Sharing knowledge and becoming 'intellectually dependable' are intertwined and should be placed at the forefront of education

Teaching students to think for themselves is not enough

The critical thinking ideal is too individualistic and self-focused − students must learn to help others think well, too, says T. Ryan Byerly

T. Ryan Byerly

University of Sheffield

How learning technology can help build students employability skills

Using learning technologies to enhance students’ professional communication skills

Learning technology offers an opportunity to embed useful workplace skills training into university courses, as Kyle Bowen and Allison Hall explain

Kyle Bowen , Allison Hall

Arizona State University

Guidance on how to teach practical, creative subjects online

Singing on mute: facilitating practical creative work online

Rebecca Berkley shares lessons on creating an immersive, inspiring digital learning environment to teach practical and creative subjects online

Rebecca Berkley

University of Reading

Advice on building durable links between faculty and digital design teams to improve online teaching

Building durable links between faculty and educational development teams

Learning designer Alexandra Mihai on how to build bonds between faculty and educational developers that translate into high-quality learning experiences

Alexandra Mihai

UCL

Advice on how you can use virtual reality in your online teaching to enhance the digital learning experience

Using virtual reality to enhance learning

Neil McDonnell explains how academics can use virtual reality platforms to enhance student learning experiences now and post-pandemic

Neil McDonnell

University of Glasgow

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

Training students to learn successfully online

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

Nikita Hari

University of Oxford

Advice on developing digital capability courses that help students learn online

Lessons in developing digital capability courses for students

Gunter Saunders explains how to design courses that engage and incentivise students to gain the digital skills they need to flourish in the online learning environment and beyond

Gunter Saunders

University of Westminster

Design online courses from a student's point of view for better user experience

UX for teaching: designing online courses from a student’s point of view

Gearoid O’Suilleabhain explains how academics can improve the ‘user experience’ of their online courses by looking at the design from a student’s perspective

Gearoid O'Suilleabhain

Munster Technological University

How can faculty get the most out of their collaboration with educational technologists

How to enhance collaboration between faculty and digital teams

Educational technologist Roland Sherwood explains how faculty can get the most from their work with digital experts to enhance online teaching

Roland Sherwood, Tamara Kaup

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Where to focus training and resources upskill staff for digital teaching

Your greatest asset: how to focus efforts to upskill staff

Online teaching demands new pedagogical and digital skills among faculty, so universities need to consider how best to focus training and resources, as Susanna Kohonen explains

Susanna Kohonen

University of Eastern Finland

Using visual media to activate student learning

Using visual media to enhance online learning

Nataša Lacković presents a pedagogical approach to using visual media to activate student learning, rather than simply decorating course content

Nataša Lacković

Lancaster University

Using learning analytics to enhance digital teaching delivery

DIY learning analytics: using data to improve online teaching

Jennifer Lawrence explains how to use small-scale data analytics to monitor student progress and improve digital teaching delivery

Jennifer Lawrence

University of New England

How academics can foster digital skills in their students and themselves for better online learning outcomes

Bringing teaching and digital together: skills needed to teach online

Sean Morris talks about how academics can foster digital skills in their students and themselves for better online learning outcomes

Sean Morris

University of Colorado Denver

Lessons on motivating students to learn on mandatory courses

Lessons in motivating students to learn online

Teaching interdisciplinary modules online can be an uphill battle but it offers important lessons in the art of motivating students to learn, as Jonathan Sim explains

Jonathan Sim

National University of Singapore

Digital first: how to thrive in HE’s online future

Four leading academics from around the world discuss how universities can harness technology to enhance their teaching and learning, at the virtual launch of THE Campus

Kylie Readman, Erle Lim, Moira Fischbacher-Smith, Gary Grant

Murdoch University, National University of Singapore, University of Glasgow, Griffith University

Tips on using technology to identify and help struggling students before they fall behind in online courses

Use technology to catch students before they fall

Working remotely with no face-to-face contact is a challenge for many students. May Lim and Li Siong Lim explain how educators can use technology to identify and help struggling students before they fall behind

May Lim, Li Siong Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

Sage on the screen? Lessons in using technology to enhance learning

It’s time for the sage to step down from the stage, according to Steve Davies. Here, he shares simple steps to ensure technology enhances learning outcomes

Steve Davies

University of South Wales, Learna

Selecting digital tools that support your pedagogy and teaching strategies

Tech tools to help enhance online and blended learning

With thousands of educational apps all promising to enhance online learning, choosing the right technology is a challenge. Miral Gibson explains why how pedagogy and teaching strategies should inform these decisions

Miral Gibson

University of Roehampton

How to measure how much ‘immersification’ is needed in online courses

Immersification – a fresh dimension to learning design

Many online courses can benefit from immersive technologies to enhance the learning experience. Here Chek Tien Tan and May Lim outline their method for ensuring technology is chosen to support the desired student outcomes

Chek Tien Tan , May Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

Using virtual reality to record videos with avatars for online classes

Using virtual reality to create avatar videos for teaching online

Avatars can be a useful tool when recording lectures and classes for online teaching. Kojiro Yano describes how he uses virtual reality to make recording avatar-led online classes easier

Kojiro Yano

Osaka Institute of Technology

Advice on recording effective microlectures for your online classes

Recording effective microlectures

Two online teaching experts share advice on producing and using effective microlecture videos to keep students interested and engaged with online courses in this ACUE webinar

Michael Wesch, Viji Sathy

Kansas State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Three questions to ask when selecting new technology for online teaching

Three questions to ask before using a new digital resource

What should educators consider before adopting a new digital resource to support their online teaching? Michael Windelspecht outlines three key questions to ask

Michael Windelspecht

Inspire Edventures

Creating instructional videos that works for remote learning

Instructional videos: Creating multimedia that works for learning

Best practice in creating instructional videos that efficiently impart knowledge to students learning remotely, from Judy Brooks

Judy Brooks

Carnegie Mellon University

Creating a home studio to record engaging online classes

Building an effective home studio for remote teaching

Recording classes well from home can be a challenge but by getting the basics right you can create a simple studio set up which will support effective online teaching. Here, Sean Willems explains how

Sean Willems

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

How Southampton University supported staff across all departments to design quality online courses

How to support staff across all departments to design quality online courses

The sudden shift to online forced university staff to rethink and redesign classes often with little experience or knowledge of remote teaching. Helen Carmichael and Bobbi Moore explain how the University of Southampton supported all faculties to ensure high-quality online courses

Helen Carmichael, Bobbi Moore

University of Southampton

Illustration of students interacting with the web

Top five strategies for integrating active learning into virtual classes

It is all too easy for remote learning to become a passive experience for students, sitting on their own at home. Here, Steven Mintz outlines strategies for ensuring students remain actively engaged with their online courses

Steven Mintz

University of Texas at Austin

Use 360-degree video to create a more immersive digital learning experience

Using 360-degree video to bring online classes to life

Using 360-degree video can help create a more immersive digital learning experience, making practical aspects of online classes more realistic. Here Jane Frost draws on her experience of training nurses to explain how it can be used

Jane Frost

University of Canberra

Using Blackboard learning journals as a form of online assessment

Translating creative assessment styles online: Blackboard learning journals

Traditional exams can inhibit students, while more creative assessments provide a forum where their talent and knowledge can shine. Madeleine Davies discusses a technique to offer creative assessments online

Madeleine Davies

University of Reading

Selecting tools to promote personalised teaching and to encourage more self-regulated learning online

How to use online tools to offer more personalised teaching

There is no one-size-fits-all model for effective online teaching. Rupert Ward offers advice on selecting tools to promote personalised teaching and to encourage more self-regulated learning online

Rupert Ward

University of Huddersfield

How to create an engaging online experience using Microsoft Teams

Learn how to use Microsoft Teams to offer students an engaging online learning experience with David Kellerman, senior lecturer at UNSW

David Kellerman

UNSW Sydney

Illustration of using technology at work

Top tips for selecting and implementing new technologies

Effective technology is now instrumental to the successful performance of universities at every level. Here, Chris Cobb offers his top tips on what to consider when choosing and implementing new systems

Chris Cobb

University of London

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