Higher education pedagogy

Learn more about pedagogy and how different theories of teaching and learning work across higher education. Here, academics offer insights into a variety of pedagogies, drawing on their own teaching experience alongside research, to provide practical advice on what instructional methods work best for different university contexts, disciplines and classes.

A woman looking relaxed sitting at her desk

The Chinese framework that can build student resilience

The HeXie framework can help students solve problems and build a sense of unity with their environment – an essential skill in uncertain times. Discover the theory behind it and how to nurture it to support student resilience

Dan Wang, Yuchen Wu

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Diverse group of students on social media

Engaging and influencing learners in the digital age of higher education

Educators and influencers share a common goal: engagement. So, what strategies can university teachers take from social media platforms that have mastered the art of audience capture?

Riley A. Scott, Jaimee Stuart

The University of Southern Queensland , United Nations University Institute in Macau

What social media can teach lecturers about student engagement

Apply insights from how social media captures attention to help students stay focused in class and motivated to learn

Natalie K. D. Seedan

The University of the West Indies

Young male student looking perplexed with mobile phone

Fighting falsehoods at the speed of the scroll

With students subjected to a steady stream of memes and manipulated narratives, teaching media literacy isn’t something university educators should do; it’s something they must. Cayce Myers offers advice for a misinformation age

Cayce Myers

Virginia Tech

A lecturer observes her students reading

The subtle curriculum: how to embed ESG in business education organically

Are we marginalising environmental, social and governance considerations in treating them as optional extras? Here’s how to subtly integrate them into business courses

Daniel Muravsky

University of the West of Scotland

Bringing GenAI into the university classroom

How to use generative AI to improve teaching, rethink assessment, reduce course admin and equip students with AI literacy and other career enhancing skills

Campus contributors

Campus

Spotlight guide: Back to the basics of pedagogy

Back to the basics of pedagogy

Techniques and methods to enrich your teaching - and your students’ learning outcomes

Campus contributors

Campus

Tap into game dynamics in nurse training

Learn lessons from the gaming world to structure nursing courses, strengthening student engagement and improving pass rates

Caroline Barau, Magali Vergnes

Université Paris-Est Créteil

Medical students working on a project together

How reflective remediation can set medical students up for success

A workshop designed to help struggling students reflect on their mid-term assessment shortcomings led to 86 per cent of participants passing their end-of-year exam. See how it worked

Ellen Lowry

The University of East Anglia

Four jigsaw puzzle pieces display a mortarbord

Five tips when embedding gamification in the classroom

Gamification and game-based learning can centre students in the learning experience and improve university enrolment rates. Here’s how to get started

Gustavo Espinoza Ramos , Gunter Saunders

University of Westminster

A student zombie scrolling social media on his mobile phone

To combat ‘zombie scrolling’, integrate social media into your teaching

Transform Gen Z students from mindless scrollers to mindful scholars with this guide to maximising the features of each social media platform in university teaching and learning

Daniella Sieukaran

Dalhousie University

Go beyond play and engage students with game-based learning

Use the power of games and game elements to engage students in learning and deepen their understanding. Here’s how

Kenneth Wai-Ting Leung

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

How to get your students writing stellar social policy analysis reports

Policy analysis equips social work students with the skills to critically assess, influence, and advocate for equitable policies. Read how to demystify the process

Adrian Man-Ho Lam, Mathew Wong Yee Hang

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

An illustration of a mortarbord balanced on a globe

The future of liberal arts may belong to the Global South

With American universities under threat from a hostile government, where will liberal arts education thrive? Perhaps it’s time for a reimagining

Abderrahim Agnaou

Al Akhawayn University

A team discusses at Post-It notes on a wall

Communication skills needed for public policy and how to teach them

Effective public policy requires clear communication and public engagement. Here’s how to equip future policymakers with the necessary skills

Lisa Lim

Nazarbayev University

Get yourself unstuck: overthinking is boring and perfectionism is a trap

The work looks flawless, the student seems fine. But underneath, perfectionism is doing damage. David Thompson unpacks what educators can do to help high-performing students navigate the pressure to succeed and move from stuck to started

David Thompson

University of Lincoln

Ready your teaching for the AI era with this six-part framework

AI can help educators reclaim what they love most about teaching – but they need to approach it with an intentional mindset. The six steps of the THRIVE framework can guide the way

Patrick Lynch

Hult International Business School (Ashridge)

Young Asian female students giving presentation

Machine v human skills: what do we teach now?

Human-centred abilities such as curiosity, adaptability and self-reflection are rising in importance as AI threatens to automate routine tasks. Here are ways educators can prepare students for the workforce of the future

Lynda Wee

Nanyang Technological University

A virtual illustration of a book guides a student working on a laptop

What do students want from AI-assisted teaching?

In an age of AI, educators and students need ways to ensure the technology complements learning rather than detracts from or homogenises it

Omar Merlo , Nai Li

Imperial College London

A group of students working on a project together in a classroom

Three ways to get students using GenAI in project-based learning

How to use project-based learning to address ethical concerns and improve students’ AI literacy, including key questions to ask yourself before introducing the tools

Ka Ho To

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A practical guide to creating a linguistically inclusive classroom

Here’s how to embrace the cultural and linguistic perspectives of your students and prepare them to thrive in an interconnected world

Eilidh Singh, Amanda Wallace

Simon Fraser University

A group of students having a discussion in class

How to use think-pair-share to improve classroom discussions

Educators can modify the think-pair-share strategy to help students craft more detailed responses and take greater ownership of discussions. Learn how

Xingyi Ouyang

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

AI-proof project-based assessments by making them context-specific

Project-based assessments rooted in real-world, institution-specific contexts help reduce over-reliance on GenAI by emphasising collaboration, oral defence and critical thinking. Learn how to design one effectively

Oliver Jarvest , Ying Zhou, Simon Sheridan

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A close-up of a hand painting on a canvas, a paint palette in the background

Use art to cultivate business students’ understanding of climate change

Find out how a transdisciplinary project using drawing and art deepens business students’ understanding of sustainability, inspiring them to become climate champions

Ryan Man

Hong Kong Baptist University

A logistics student working at her laptop

Active, applied and authentic learning: a model that builds skills and agency

Learn how the AAA model improved student engagement and learning outcomes in a logistics and supply chain programme, and how its principles apply across disciplines

Irfan Ul Haq , Hung Nguyen

RMIT University Vietnam

University professor teaching with laptop

Flip-Zoom-open: how Covid and AI transformed my classroom

Maybe the uncertainty of the pandemic resulted in a few positives to university teaching? Here, Perry Binder reflects on lockdown’s seismic shifts

Perry Binder

Georgia State University

Students and a teacher having a discussion in the classroom

Teaching your first course? Follow these steps

Just landed your first adjunct teaching role and don’t know where to start? Here’s how to make the most of your strengths, design a clear syllabus and deliver engaging, manageable sessions

Daniel Martínez, Robert Sanford

Independent academic

Prometheus concept of technological innovation

Cultivating a responsible innovation mindset among future tech leaders

The classroom is a perfect place to discuss the messy, real-world consequences of technological discoveries, writes Andreas Alexiou. Beyond ‘How?’, students should be asking ‘Should we…?’ and ‘What if…?’ questions around ethics and responsibility

Andreas Alexiou

University of Southampton

Two film students working on a project together

Use peer assessment to give students more accountability in group projects

Structured peer assessment can significantly improve student engagement and accountability in group work. Read about two methods that led film students to produce better-quality work

Qian Zhuang

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Creativity is buffering: why curiosity struggles in a world obsessed with certainty

Creative work demands exploration and uncertainty, but students today have been conditioned to expect fixed outcomes and instant answers. David Thompson explores how that mindset is stalling curiosity and what educators can do to restore it

David Thompson

University of Lincoln

Generation Z students against yellow background

Reimagining connection and communication for Gen Z students

Generation Z students relate, communicate and build belonging in ways shaped by digital fluency, disrupted in-person learning and evolving social norms. This gives educators an opportunity to rethink how they teach

Gary F. Fisher, Dean Fido

University of Derby

Less is more when it comes to AI in teaching

As more educators adopt AI, the risk of becoming overwhelmed by the tools increases. Here are four practical strategies to prevent this

Bin Feng, Garth Elzerman

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A robot types on a laptop while a bored student slumps beside it

In the AI era, how do we battle cognitive laziness in students?

With the latest AI technology now able to handle complex problem-solving processes, will students risk losing their own cognitive engagement? Metacognitive scaffolding could be the answer, writes Sean McMinn

Sean McMinn

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

An illustration of a heart passing from one hand to another

Four ways to balance service and learning

Community-engaged pedagogies such as service learning are widely practised in universities, but how to achieve a lasting impact on both students and communities? Here are four strategies to do so

Grace Ngai, Rina Camus

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Young female Asian university student in white coat

Using design-thinking to train the next generation of engineers

A ‘triple helix’ teaching approach shows how engineering educators can combine theoretical rigour with practical problem-solving to prepare students to innovate in the real world. Here, Chen Xiaodong explains how it evolved

Chen Xiaodong

Nanyang Technological University

Ubuntu philosophy: how embracing cultural heritage in the classroom can enhance teaching

Teaching that incorporates this African value system prioritises relationship building and authenticity. Here’s how to put it into practice

Chipo Simbi

University of Southampton

Why inclusion in EAP needs a rethink

Teaching English for academic purposes should be inclusive by its very nature. Here’s how to centre student voices, challenge assumptions about academic language, and design learning for meaningful participation and belonging

Angelos Bakogiannis

Independent academic

Young woman surrounded by light bulbs, creative concept

‘Creative students need environments where risk feels possible, not paralysing’

Creative students are often encouraged to be bold and brave, but it’s hard when doubt, perfectionism and fear of judgement cloud their minds. David Thompson explores what educators can do to help them reconnect with curiosity and play

David Thompson

University of Lincoln

AI and assessment in higher education

Threat or opportunity? Advice for using, managing and embedding artificial intelligence in university assessment, skills development and task design

Eliza Compton, Campus contributors

Campus

A futuristic digital classroom in the metaverse where students, represented as diverse avatars, engage in an interactive lesson. A teacher, using holographic AI tools, guides them through immersive learning experiences. Floating virtual screens display storytelling prompts, character designs, and business concepts. The background features a blend of virtual reality elements

Use AI and the metaverse to keep your students engaged online

AI and virtual reality technology enables diverse learning experiences for online students. Discover how by applying universal design for learning principles

Angeles Carolina Aguirre-Acosta , Gloria Anahí Molina Barrón , Rebeca Elizabeth Alvarado Ramírez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Thinking like a physicist can prepare students for life’s challenges

Technology and peer learning can be used to optimise classroom time and enhance problem-solving skills. Here, Teck Seng Koh uses a sample lesson to illustrate how to develop students’ analysis capacity

Teck Seng Koh

Nanyang Technological University

Spotlight guide: Get students workplace ready

Get your students workplace-ready

With the shape of the future job market harder to predict than ever before, here’s how to prepare your students with transferable skills and digital literacy, ready them for job applications and strengthen your university career services

Campus contributors

Campus

A student putting their hand up in class

Give everyone a chance to speak in class

Implementing turn-taking protocols and allowing students time to prepare are two strategies that ensure every student has an equal opportunity to participate in class discussions

Yishi Lin

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Students in a classroom smiling to camera

AI over-personalisation can hinder learning

In the rush towards ever-greater personalisation, we must not lose sight of what makes learning meaningful, writes Kathy Charles. Here, she shares her insights on fostering ‘productive struggle’ to deepen learning

Kathy Charles

Nottingham Trent University

Tips for successful asynchronous teaching: supporting students, part two

As the most remote form of teaching, asynchronous courses require well-managed communication so students stay on-board and engaged – and understand all the requirements

Figen Mekik

Grand Valley State University

Campus talks: the tricky relationship between assessment and learning

Hear three US academic experts discuss what role assessment should play in higher education and how it can be improved

Susan D. Blum, Catherine Wehlburg, Josh Eyler

University of Notre Dame, Athens State University, University of Mississippi

A group of students on their laptops in the library

Digital humanities 101

What makes ‘digital humanities’ different from ‘traditional humanities’, and how could it make your classroom more collaborative and creative?

Sarah Ketchley

University of Washington, University of Maryland Global Campus

When essay feedback does more harm than good

Tired of asking for more scope, depth and flow with no improvement in students’ writing? Maybe the problem is not the students but your feedback

Alice Stinetorf

University of Southampton

How to be empathetic when teaching first-year students

Creating a supportive and understanding learning environment can build trust, lessen anxiety and improve learning outcomes for students entering university. These practical actions will help educators incorporate empathy into their teaching

Abdulhusein Mizhir Almaamuri

Al-Mustaqbal University

Young Asian woman looking tired at laptop

‘We shouldn’t sleepwalk into a “tech knows best” approach to university teaching’

As GenAI is used by almost nine in 10 students, these practical strategies help educators to rethink assessment and integrate AI as a collaborative tool in academic work

Rebecca Mace, Viktoria Magne, Sarah Hooper, Sharon Vince

University of Worcester, University of West London

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