AI in education: Friend or foe?
News 24 AprilA message from Executive Dean of Education and Arts Professor Mary Ryan: While Artificial Intelligence holds tremendous potential to enhance various aspects of human life, its deployment raises critic...
18 March 2020
Share
ACU is undertaking a comprehensive Empathy to Experience (UX) project to understand the student experience and improve key touchpoints along their ACU journey, from first enquiry to graduation and beyond.
The project will drive significant collaboration across the professional and academic areas of the university, as it works to map the student journey from end to end. We’re listening to our students in-depth, and comprehensive student research results will be shared across the university.
Working with experts
The university has engaged research specialist MAKE Studios to gather in-depth insights from 120 students and alumni. This research uses human-centred design to gather insights about student needs and to pinpoint the key interactions in ACU’s online and offline environments that shape their experience at ACU. Improvements will then be designed to boost the onboarding experience for new students and the retention of our current students.
Accessible student insights
This research will provide ACU with comprehensive student journey maps, a prioritised roadmap of initiatives to enhance the student experience and create a searchable library of insights. These research insights will make it easy for staff to understand what students really experience as they interact with ACU.
The project is a continuation and expansion of successful pilot work that was undertaken in 2018-19, which focussed primarily on the onboarding phase of the student journey.
“This early work drove tangible improvements,” Chief Operating Officer Dr Weller said. “Consequently, the Corporate Services and the Innovation and Education portfolios have provided joint funding to expand this approach.”
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Zlatko Skrbis said the Empathy to Experience (UX) project will look holistically at all types of students across the entire student lifecycle.
“As we gather research, it will be built into an insights library,” Professor Skrbis said.
“This is an online database which all ACU staff will be able to readily access and search to find insights which are of interest to their field of work.”
Driving innovation
The project does not stop at research. It will continue with implementing innovative improvements to address known pain-points and streamline processes to reduce complexity. It will support a student-centric approach to the provision of digital support and services. A user experience (UX) team has been established within MER to apply the insights from this work to existing and new projects, and to test and measure improvements.
What’s next?
We will be releasing the research results in March and will invite staff to attend a presentation session. Next, the implementation of priority areas will begin. Stay tuned for project updates in the Innovation@ACU Workplace group.
Register today
Explore the research results by attending a presentation via a Microsoft Teams meeting on 6 April at 1pm. Email Alam.Kim@acu.edu.au to register.
A message from Executive Dean of Education and Arts Professor Mary Ryan: While Artificial Intelligence holds tremendous potential to enhance various aspects of human life, its deployment raises critic...
Gratitude is a word that can often be both over-used and overlooked at times. But this simple word can be powerful in our personal and professional lives.
Register for information sessions on using the Online Course Completion Assessment (OCCA) portal. Sessions will be held on 9 and 14 May and are open to all staff.
ACU are leading a national study, PROSPECT, to understand what Australian university staff and students believe are the priorities for research in learning and teaching. You’re invited to participate.
Eligible academic staff will soon be able to self-nominate to join the Academic Promotions committees to assess applications for promotions. Keep an eye out for the email if interested.
ACU Library is running a session ‘Research Essentials: Get Published - strategic publishing for success’ on 18 April - book now.
ACU is proud to announce the official launch of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, and to introduce the Sunflower Champions who will support individuals with hidden disabilities.
Several improvements have been made to this year’s round. These include a reduction in the number of academic domains, an enhanced Notice of Intent process, revised committee structures and more stre...
A message from Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) Professor Abid Khan: A comprehensive roadmap will chart our research future in line with Vision 2033 and Australia’s higher education se...
Include an additional survey item in the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) survey for units that are offered in Semester 1 (202430) and Professional Term 3 (202415).
The process to determine a finding of Poor Academic Practice following an allegation of academic misconduct has substantially changed. Read more to learn about the key updates.
Introducing the new Research Ethics, Research Integrity and Research Compliance webpages.
The first Aquero lecture of the year is kicking off this week on Thursday, ‘You are what you eat and how you sleep!’ divulging the lessons learned from 50 years working with elite athletes.
All staff are encouraged to participate in ACU’s annual flu vaccination program to help maintain their health and wellbeing. All staff, including casuals and sessional staff, are eligible to participa...
Register to attend and hear our newest professors from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Laura Miller and Professor Gert-Jan Pepping, speak about their impactful work being undertaken in teach...
All staff and students are invited to a commemorative prayer service ahead of ANZAC Day, to remember and honour our service men and women who exemplified courage and self-sacrifice in service of our c...
Last call to recommend a process improvement - survey extended until close of business Friday 19 April
The Professional Services Hub model provides portfolios and faculties with a greater level of proactive coordination and integration across professional services. This ultimately improves services for...
The Centre for Education & Innovation is hosting virtual Q&A sessions with Assessment Panel Chair, Associate Professor Alison Owens to assist you in the preparation of your application.
Are you considering undertaking a systematic or scoping review? ACU Library has two one-hour introductory webinars designed to get you started.
Visit Service Central to access Corporate Services.