The Learning and Teaching Matters newsletter provides just in time resources to support academics and professional staff. Keep up to date with current news and resources through the latest edition below.
The Learning and Teaching Matters newsletter provides just in time resources to support academics and professional staff. Keep up to date with current news and resources through the latest edition below.
Dear colleagues,
This edition celebrates achievements and practical initiatives strengthening learning and teaching across ACU. We congratulate our newest Advance HE Fellows, share highlights from the 2025 QILT Graduate Outcomes Surveys and outline professional learning opportunities through the HERDSA SoTL Modules and HELTA. You’ll also find updates on student study support, Canvas improvements, video-based learning, research involving current students and planning prescribed texts.
For staff looking to further their teaching practice, the next Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (GCHE) intake begins in Professional Term 8 on Monday 28 September, with enrolments open until Sunday 4 October. Visit the GCHE course page to learn more and apply.
Looking ahead, there are two upcoming opportunities to connect with colleagues and share learning and teaching practice:
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
Professor Amanda Telford
Interim Director, CEI
The ACU Advance HE Fellowship program provides staff with formal, global recognition of their expertise in university teaching, learning and student experience.
Through the Centre for Education and Innovation (CEI), ACU supports applicants with dedicated guidance and covers all application fees. The program is open to teaching and learning support staff, including casual staff.
Achieving an Advance HE Fellowship reflects each staff member’s commitment to professional development and high-quality student outcomes. More than 130 ACU staff have now received Fellowship recognition.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and CEI are delighted to congratulate the following staff members on achieving an Advance HE Fellowship as part of the 2026 ACU Fellowship program.
| Senior Fellows | Fellows |
|---|---|
| Ms Emma Lusk | Dr Asma Mukta |
| Assoc. Prof. Emma Stirling | Ms Diva Madan |
| Dr Carmel Patterson | Dr Tolulope Adekola |
| Dr Rebecca Pagano | |
| Dr Kathleen Hall | |
| Assoc. Prof. Fiona McDermid |
Find out more about the ACU Advance HE Fellowship program.
The HERDSA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Modules are now available on a new Moodle platform, offering flexible professional learning for staff looking to strengthen their teaching practice and engage with educational research.
The modules support staff at different stages of their SoTL journey to explore SoTL principles, evidence-based approaches and scholarship in learning and teaching.
Already registered?
Staff who previously had access through Canvas should have received an email from HERDSA with instructions to update their password and access the new platform. If you haven’t received the email, check your junk email and quarantine folders.
Not registered yet?
Visit the HERDSA SoTL Modules webpage to register for access. Registrations are processed monthly.
For enquiries, please contact [email protected].
Academic Skills online has a redesigned Canvas homepage, making it easier for students to find study support, resources and advice.
What’s new?
Agent Ash guides students to relevant Academic Skills resources and practical tips while encouraging responsible AI use. It does not answer assessment questions or complete assessment work.
Share with your students
Explore the new Academic Skills online homepage and encourage students to use it when they need study support.
Two quick Canvas tips to improve the student experience and make your own workspace easier to manage.
Play YouTube videos without ads
Canvas Studio’s YouTube Player for Education allows embedded YouTube videos to play without ads, with captions automatically imported from YouTube.
Existing YouTube videos in Canvas can be converted to the new player, giving students a cleaner viewing experience.
Learn more: Changes to YouTube Videos Embedded in Canvas
Declutter your Canvas Dashboard
Too many courses on your Dashboard? Use the Favourite Courses feature to hide old units and keep your current teaching spaces front and centre.
Learn more: How do I customise my Courses list?
When you're selecting a prescribed textbook for a large cohort, it's important to check with the library before finalising your chosen text.
Why do we need to plan ahead?
Not all textbooks are available in formats that support student access on a large scale. In some cases, an ebook may have limited user licences, while other titles may not be available electronically at all. Early consultation allows time to investigate availability, licensing options and potential alternatives before a text is prescribed.
When to contact us about prescribed texts
We particularly encourage you to contact the library if:
Leganto reminder
As always, prescribed, required and recommended readings should be added to Leganto. This ensures students can access their readings through a single location and allows the library to review and support resource availability where needed.
If you're unsure whether your unit would benefit from an early discussion, please get in touch.
The Australian Government has released the 2025 Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS) and Graduate Outcomes Survey – Longitudinal (GOS-L) national reports, with ACU recording strong employment outcomes across a range of study areas.
The 2025 GOS includes results from 2,356 ACU graduates approximately four months after graduation, while the GOS-L reports longer-term employment outcomes for 867 ACU graduates approximately three years after graduation.
2025 GOS highlights
2025 GOS-L highlights
ACU study areas ranked number 1 in Australia were:
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
There is currently a high volume of research activity involving ACU students across Semester 2, including institutional surveys and associated block-out periods.
Under ACU’s Survey, Interview and Focus Group Governance Framework, direct communications to current students, such as email invitations and reminders, must be reviewed before they are distributed. This helps to:
If you are planning to recruit current students during the remainder of Semester 2, please be aware that there may be limited capacity for additional direct student communications. Where possible, consider whether data collection could instead take place in Semester 1 2027.
Before selecting communication dates, check the Student Research Calendar to see what other student research activity is already scheduled.
Applicants planning research for Semester 1 2027 should submit their application in early 2027, once the block-out periods for the first half of the year have been confirmed.
To learn more about the process, read How do I run a Student Survey, Interview or Focus Group?
ACU Studios has partnered with the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine to produce more than 30 skills-based videos supporting midwifery students across first, second and third-year units.
Led by Multimedia Developer Samantha Sullivan, with colleagues Jacob Dyer and James Brereton, the project brought together ACU Studios staff across Sydney and Melbourne, teaching staff and practising midwives. Filmed in ACU Melbourne’s simulation spaces, the videos demonstrate a range of practical and complex clinical skills while reflecting the human-centred approach to midwifery care.
Originally developed for MIDW122, the videos are now being used more broadly to help students connect theoretical learning with clinical practice and prepare for placement. Lecturer Lynelle Moran noted that the resources capture both the core elements of clinical skills and the human element of care.
The project highlights how authentic, video-based learning resources can support student preparation, engagement and confidence while creating opportunities for reuse across units.
See how the midwifery video project came together →
Have an idea for your course?
Contact [email protected] to explore how ACU Studios can support your teaching.
The Higher Education Learning and Teaching Academy (HELTA) successfully delivered its pre-Semester 2 Professional Learning Series, Assuring Learning Across the Lanes, from 27-30 July. The series brought together over 350 staff from across the University for interactive sessions exploring innovative assessment, AI in teaching and learning, Teaching Development Grant outcomes, and faculty-led practice. Session recordings are available through the HELTA Teams site.
Applications for the 2026 ACU Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning have now closed and will proceed to the review and assessment phase.
| Assoc Professor Jennifer Carpenter | Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Education and Arts |
| Dr Ian Elmer | Acting Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Theology and Philosophy |
| Professor Stephen Guinea | Associate Dean, Learning, Teaching and Professional Experience, Faculty of Health Sciences |
| Professor Bhavani Sridharan | Associate Dean (Learning Teaching and Accreditation), Faculty of Law and Business |
Visit Service Central to access Corporate Services.