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.
Supporting staff to make data-informed, research-based decisions that strengthen unit and course development is a core CEI service offering. Next week, CEI is hosting two informative sessions to assist unit leaders and members of school and faculty learning and teaching, and course monitoring committees in this work.
Exploring 2025 QILT data in DataHub: How to filter the data by faculty, school, discipline, course, and key demographic attributes to make informed enhancements.
When: Monday 30 March, 11am - 12pm (AEDT)
Register here
Two-lane assessment approach: Guidance on assessment design, academic integrity and learning technologies.
When: Tuesday 31 March, 11am - 12pm (AEDT)
Register here
On a personal note, it's been a pleasure working with you all and supporting staff and students across ACU to produce a high-quality teaching and learning ecosystem. I sincerely wish you and your students every success in 2026 and beyond.
If you need advice or support with your learning and teaching, please continue to reach out to the CEI team who are very happy to assist: CEI@acu.edu.au
Professor Anthony Whitty
Director, CEI
CEI and the Data Excellence Team have published updated Educational Analytics dashboards in DataHub with 2025 Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) results, including the Student Experience Survey (SES) and Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS).
What you can do in DataHub
QILT DataHub training session:
Please note: Universities Australia Benchmarking data are released later in the year. Further communication and access to these results will be shared once this data becomes available.
Questions about the DataHub or to access the recording, email Evaluations.CEI@acu.edu.au.
Staff are encouraged to register for access to the HERDSA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning modules, which offer practical professional learning focused on enhancing teaching practice and engaging with educational research.
The modules are suitable for staff at all stages of their SoTL journey and provide flexible opportunities to develop skills, explore evidence-based teaching approaches, and strengthen scholarship in learning and teaching.
Registrations are processed on a quarterly basis, with the current round closing at the end of March.
For enquiries, please contact CEI@acu.edu.au.
The Student Academic Misconduct Management System (SAMMS) has recently undergone a significant upgrade. The Academic Integrity Team are offering online staff workshops across three topics. Click the links below to register your attendance.
Improvements to SAMMS: A practical overview of the SAMMS upgrades, including what has changed and how to lodge and track cases in the updated system.
Monday 30 March, 1.00pm - 2.00pm AEDT
LIC-Assigned Poor Academic Practice (PAPs) - Updates and Improvements: Guidance for Local Unit Facilitators (LUFs) on identifying Poor Academic Practice and lodging PAP referrals in SAMMS, including a walkthrough of the updated process.
Tuesday 31 March, 3.00 - 4.00pm AEDT
Detecting AI use and academic misconduct: Practical guidance on identifying indicators of inappropriate AI use and other forms of academic misconduct, and what evidence to include when escalating concerns.
Friday 27 March, 11.00am - 12.00pm AEDT
Wednesday 1 April, 2.00 - 3.00pm AEDT
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Academic Integrity Team at academic.integrity@acu.edu.au.
The Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (GCHE) supports your development as an educator by providing a strong theoretical and scholarly foundation to strengthen your practice.
The course is delivered online and part-time and comprises six mandatory and two elective micro-credentials. Each micro-credential runs for eight weeks and includes two assessment items. With a strong emphasis on work-integrated learning, the course enables you to engage in practical learning activities that are directly aligned with your professional context and development goals.
Enrol now to start in Professional Term 4 (20 April)
Click the Apply button on the course browser, enrolments close on 19 April 2026. For more information about the course structure and requirements, visit the GCHE webpage.
Fee-free for eligible ACU staff
ACU staff, including casual and professional staff who have a role leading or supporting learning and teaching at the School or Faculty level are eligible. If you're interested, discuss your circumstances with the course coordinator, Dr Joe Campana.
Campus Communities of Learning Advancement (CCoLA) are informal, local forums for staff to come together to discuss recent classroom experiences, share ideas, troubleshoot challenges and highlight effective practice to support continuous improvement.
Each campus is hosting their first CCoLA of 2026 on Thursday, 9 April from 1pm - 2.30pm. To find session dates, times and room locations, or engage with your campus facilitator, navigate to your campus' Teams site here.
If you have questions, please email CEI@acu.edu.au.
Have you identified some common challenges first-year students face as they transition to life at ACU? The Connect2Uni team offers a range of supports to help first-year students succeed in their studies and flourish at ACU. You can help by promoting:
Mentoring: First-year students can connect with an experienced ACU student mentor to develop community, answer questions, and promote available services and opportunities. Mentoring groups run daily during the first six weeks of semester, both in person and online.
First-year advisory: Students who are feeling overwhelmed or struggling with their workload can book a one-on-one appointment with a First-Year Advisor from the Connect2Uni Team. Students receive personalised advice, guidance about support services and may discuss enrolment options which could ease their transition.
Students can sign-up for these services via UniHub for First Years.
Questions about supporting first-year student success? Email the National Transition Program Manager, Heather Webber.
ACU Studios works with teaching staff to create high-quality audiovisual resources that translate complex, practice-based skills into clear, engaging demonstrations that are easier for students to understand and apply. These resources can be embedded directly into units and used flexibly across learning contexts.
Video-based demonstrations are particularly effective to support students to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and real-world clinical application.
Interested in watching a recent example? This new midwifery skills video focuses on intermittent auscultation - a core clinical skill used to assess fetal wellbeing during pregnancy and labour. The video features a nursing lecturer demonstrating the methods midwives use, highlighting correct technique, equipment use and key clinical considerations.
For midwifery students, clear demonstration of this skill supports a consistent model of practice and builds the hands-on proficiency needed for placement settings.
To explore similar opportunities within your unit, contact studios@acu.edu.au or visit the ACU Studios website.
The Academic Skills Unit (ASU) offers tailored support to help students develop assessment-ready academic skills. Teaching teams can access:
Academic Skills Advisors work alongside teaching staff to design resources aligned with unit-specific terminology, disciplinary conventions and learning objectives. This supports clearer expectations for students, practical skill development and improved academic performance.
How to get started
To request tailored Academic Skills support, submit a Service Central form for a student workshop or online resource. An Academic Skills Advisor will contact you to discuss your unit context and collaborate on assessment-aligned support. Please allow at least one month's notice for all requests.
If you have any questions, contact academic.skills@acu.edu.au.
| Assoc Professor Jennifer Carpenter | Associate Dean Learning Teaching and Governance, 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.