Learning and teaching lies at the heart of all universities. Universities are learning organisations. The major challenges our sector faces are shared by all universities internationally, but they are all responding quite differently to them. As part of our drive towards supporting the best learning experience we can, I promote a pedagogically driven approach which builds upon our existing ethos and extends from this approach.
We have a long tradition of interdisciplinary learning and teaching and we also have evolved many learning spaces that allow our students the benefits of learning in near real world contexts and environments. Pedagogic approaches that reflect this approach well include activity led learning, problem based learning, challenge led learning and authentic learning. As a community we need to consider how we can best build on our historical strengths in real world learning through deepened pedagogic development. Also, how can we build upon our expertise and better share practices, whilst maintaining our depth and breadth of educational offerings?
Collectively we can start to iterate our own Murdoch-flavoured pedagogy that blends and takes from a range of theorists to support the best learning experience we can. While there is much to do in a day to day context of the university timetable and teaching patterns, I believe we do need to take some time to reflect on what works and what doesn’t and consider why our model of learning is so unique.
Digital Education 
Love the idea of defining, and nurturing, the forms of learning we would like to see at Murdoch.
When you read about ‘personalising learning’, there’s often a nod towards the non-traditional, or a glimpse of autonomy in tech-settings.. and the definition stops there. Here’s a definition that could be a little closer to what we mean at Murdoch: http://www.michaelfullan.ca/media/13435863160.html. Why not have profound learning as a pedagogical aim?
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I would suggest that all universities need to have a conversation about what learning approaches are meaningful to them… We have seen a significant range in the pedagogies used at Murdoch – but a trend towards activity led and what we have termed a real world learning approach seem to run across the disciplines. I am keen to find a better way to articulate this real world learning approach – so suggestions are welcomed!
I think in support of real world learning, we need a wider debate about what work and community integrated learning means in our context… Your point about personalised learning is a good one Mike – and even having published in this area I think we have a long way to go with defining what it is – however with learning analytics, greater use of educational technology and advanced learning management systems in place, certainly the tools for achieving this are in place… The next few years should be interesting in terms of how we evolve our personalised approaches and I am sure many more questions will arise from our move in this direction.
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