Practical learning

Reflection and advice for hands-on university teaching practices and experiential learning. These resources offer expert tips to support quality teaching through lab work, fieldwork and work placements as well as community-based learning, project-based learning and simulations. 

Students developing a model aeroplane at an event

Universities create structured opportunities for students – but what happens in the spaces between?

Closer attention should be paid to what happens once students walk out of an event or workshop or complete a project – this is where the real impacts can be seen and further developed, writes Tosin Adebisi

Tosin Adebisi

The London School of Economics and Political Science

Architecture students inspecting plans on a board

Memorable teaching doesn’t just transfer knowledge – it transforms perspective

Educators may often ask themselves how to make teaching more engaging. A better question is how to create learning experiences that fundamentally change the way students think

Andrew Gipe-Lazarou

Virginia Tech

Two lab workers discussing something on a screen

Paid research internships can level the playing field for bioscience students

Research experience is invaluable – but only if students can afford to take part. Learn about a scheme that supports under-represented students

Richard Bowater, Carl Harrington, Anne Graham, Cathie Martin

The University of East Anglia

A group of students discussing an interdisciplinary project at a table

Three ways to foster an interdisciplinary mindset in students

Interdisciplinarity can feel vague and abstract. Read guidance on helping students understand how concepts are defined and how approaches to problems differ across disciplines

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

Teaching AI use in music for intercultural perspectives

One way to navigate the tension between fear of AI’s impact on creativity and using it to enhance these processes is to take a human-centred approach to its use. Hyesoo Yoo explains

Hyesoo Yoo

Virginia Tech

A researcher inspects solar panels in a lab

How living labs bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world

To help students connect their classroom learning to the messier results of the real world, perhaps living labs are the answer. Find out more

Sivaneasan Bala Krishnan

Singapore Institute of Technology

How to set your students up to write compelling op-eds

Help students develop their writing and refine their arguments by publishing opinion pieces. Find advice for supporting student writers here

Arafat Reza, Shahariar Sadat

BRAC University’s Centre for Peace and Justice

A psychology student providing counselling to a patient in a clinic

The role of work-based learning in psychology education

By offering choice and emotional support, educators can prepare students for a range of psychology careers. Learn how

Kalum Bodfield, Emma Tarpey, Melissa Pilkington, Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou

Manchester Metropolitan University

Business colleagues having a meeting in a boardroom

An academics’ guide to integrating industry engagement in course design

How to embed short, structured company projects into courses, from securing institutional support to building lasting relationships with external organisations

Paulina Vargas

CETYS Universidad

Four ways that study tours can put decolonisation into action

Instead of discussing decolonisation in theoretical terms, engaging with those theories in practice via a study tour can be transformative. Here’s how

Kam Kaur, Welyne Jeffrey Jehom

Adelaide University, University of Malaya

A construction student uses a VR headset

How VR can embed the health and safety standards of the future

Virtual reality simulations can equip construction students with technical skills and impress on them the importance of safety. Find out how here

Tsang Yiu-Fai, Kevin Chan Yan-Wai

The Education University of Hong Kong

Use XR to make invisible networks visible to students

Computer science students often need to understand technical concepts hidden within layers of software. Here’s how extended reality could offer a solution

Pablo Salva Garcia, Ahren Hart

University of the West of Scotland

Medical students in scrubs walking down a university building corridor

Is quarantining in medical training fit for purpose?

Quarantining can make medical exams fairer, but evolving needs and limited resources raise questions about viability. Rebekah Hill and Sarah Amadasun draw from student feedback to offer solutions

Rebekah Hill, Sarah Amadasun

The University of East Anglia

A young woman waves goodbye to family at an airport

Can we work with students to ‘co-create’ international study experiences?

Students tend towards safer, more familiar overseas study destinations so how can educators encourage them to make bolder, more adventurous choices? Lucas Lixinski explores this question

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

How experiential learning can build sustainability skills and spark change

Experiential learning projects that push students outside their disciplinary comfort zones can prompt real-world change. Learn why co-creation, interdisciplinarity and real-world relevance are key

Lory Barile, Bo Kelestyn, Bret Willers

The University of Warwick

Young woman wearing virtual reality headset

What virtual reality and AI can do for language learners

Virtual reality and artificial intelligence can support nervous students to progress from silence to speaking confidently in foreign language classes

Alícia Moreno Giménez

Lancaster University

When students stop asking: ‘Is this on the exam?’

What happens when you trade exams for real clients, real problems and real deadlines? Dina Kamel outlines the benefits of unscripted problem-solving

Dina Kamel

The University of Portsmouth

Two happy young students hugging each other on graduation day

We need to teach ‘uncommon sense’

How playful exercises in an intersession course can improve judgement, foster probabilistic thinking and help students stand out in an uncertain job market

William R. Brody

Johns Hopkins University

A biology teacher standing next to a demo human body with its organs exposed

Banning AI won’t make students care about learning

When students don’t see the point of an activity, they often turn to AI for a shortcut. Here’s how to make learning meaningful and relevant

Mariana Elizondo, Nelly Ramirez Vásquez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Make laboratory teaching greener with VR

Virtual reality should not replace hands-on laboratory teaching. Used well, it can make practical science more sustainable by reducing avoidable waste and helping staff use real laboratory time more effectively

Stephen Hilton, Blanka Hilton

UCL, University of Kent

Industrial engineer inspecting a residential construction project with a VR app with a virtualisation of the building's interior

Extend reality to make learning more meaningful

To meet the challenges of the modern workplace, students need to encounter environments that simulate professional scenarios during their studies. Read about how to design extended reality activities that boost a range of discipline-specific skills

Daniel Cantú, Claudia Hernández

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Empower students in their practical learning

Help your students bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world practice by giving them ownership of the experience

Connie Li

Hong Kong Baptist University

A university professor smiling to camera

You can’t teach ‘affective’ empathy from a case study

If business schools want to produce socially responsible graduates, they must centre lived experience of social disadvantage in their teaching and learning, say Kathy Walsh and Mihajla Gavin

Kathy Walsh, Mihajla Gavin

University of Technology Sydney

When pedagogy meets extended reality: a quick guide

How to design extended reality experiences with clear pedagogical intent, immersing students in worlds that develop decision-making skills, deepen learning and prepare them for the workplace

Graciela González Valdepeña, Lorena Quilantán García

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Help students make the leap from classroom to clinic

How to bridge the gap between classroom-based practical learning and the realities of clinical practice for physiotherapy students? Here’s how to prepare students for unpredictability

Shirley Ngai, David Yu, Raymond Tsang, Nerita Chan

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Students working at their laptops in a university classroom

‘Flow’ – not activities – makes experiential learning stick

What happens when we stop stacking activities and start designing experiences? Here are three ways to make experiential learning more intuitive and impactful

Irina Gokh

De Montfort University

A group of students in a classroom working on a live brief

From buzzwords to business plans: making the SDGs matter to students

How to help students apply SDG thinking in practical, business-focused ways using local case studies, live briefs, internships and feedback

Robyn Griffiths

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

A physiotherapist inspects a patient's back

‘It depends’: navigating the uncertainty of reasoning in clinical practice

How can we teach our physiotherapy students to think like professionals when the honest answer is “it depends”? Using case studies could help

Aileen Scully

Singapore Institute of Technology

Developing a Kantian transnational clinical legal education programme

Enabling students to engage in supervised cross-border legal work bridges theory and practice while equipping them for a globalised landscape. Omar Madhloom and Martin Sticker outline the benefits, challenges and pathways forward

Omar Madhloom, Martin Sticker

University of Southampton, The University of Bristol

A hand sketching prototype designs amongst rulers and other tools

Teaching design in 3D: blending sketching, AI and AR

GenAI can do more than generate images – it can spark design students’ ability to imagine objects and spaces in 3D. Here’s how

Lesly Pliego , Fernanda Peña, Antonio Juárez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Five steps to successful company-led projects in higher education

Company-led projects can boost graduate earnings and strengthen institutional partnerships. Here’s how to get them off the ground

Wahiba Chair

University Canada West

Three steps to sustainable university-industry-government alliances

A framework for building robust partnerships that embed real-world experience into the curriculum, moving from single-course innovation to full programme transformation

Qiong Ji, Junsong Chen

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Two designers making a model of a building

Tips for introducing complex design software in the classroom

As design education becomes increasingly digital, educators face the challenge of integrating powerful simulation and modelling software without overwhelming students. Adalberto Tamez Alanis offers guidance

Adalberto Tamez Alanis

Tecnológico de Monterrey

A group of students celebrating around an unlocked chest full of sweets

Unlock learning and build community with escape rooms

Games-based activities foster active, relaxed learning and collaborative problem-solving. Rebecca Andrew and Sam Chadwick offer guidance on how to design and tailor them to suit a range of needs

Rebecca Andrew, Sam Chadwick

University of Chester

Two healthcare professionals consulting a document

Practice makes professional

Well-designed simulations can give future public service practitioners safe opportunities to collaborate across disciplines and build skills vital for supporting vulnerable people

Mark Gregory

The University of East Anglia

AI tools that strengthen students’ communication skills

AI can help students reflect, practise and improve the skills employers really value, from writing clearly to speaking confidently and working effectively in teams

Nelly Ramirez Vásquez , Gabriela Espínola Carballo, Carla Camacho

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Students working together on a group project

Teaching future-proof skills: lessons from degree apprenticeships

How degree apprenticeship-style teaching can develop the creative and social intelligence students need to succeed in a changing workplace

Yuxi Heluo

The University of Exeter

How business schools can capitalise on changes to legal services

Business schools need not compete with law schools. Instead, they can serve as strategic partners as legal services respond to technology, freer markets and client demand, writes Maximiliano Marzetti

Maximiliano Marzetti

IÉSEG School of Management

Three ways to motivate engineering students

Motivating engineering students when information overload threatens to sap their attention requires real-world industrial collaborations, a customised learning experience and a focus on impact

Julien Le Duigou

Université de Technologie de Compiègne

Students discuss their work round a table

A co-curricular approach to SDG education

To accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals, students need to be equipped to tackle real-world issues across disciplines. Here’s how it can be done

Michelle Cheng Wing Tung

The Education University of Hong Kong

One student comforts another with a hand on the shoulder

Support students’ mental health with bespoke workshops

With mental health concerns and student suicide rates increasing, a partnership with St John Ambulance offered a practical way to support students to ask for help when they need it. Here’s how it worked

Lisa Simmons

Manchester Metropolitan University

A podcast host speaing to an unseen interviewee

Bridging the digital knowledge gap between generations with podcasts

Faced with students who seemed to know it all, one educator used podcasting to build engagement and intergenerational dialogue about how digital technology is impacting people's lives

Mónica Itzel Gárate Carrillo

CETYS Universidad

Sharpen public administration students’ critical analysis skills with ‘case memos’

Bridge theory and practice while developing students’ critical thinking through structured ‘case memos’ that foster reflection, discussion and theory-informed evaluation of local governance challenges

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

A student walks into a library, wearing headphones

‘Our strength lies in our small size’: how to offer more as a small, specialist academic library

Libraries in small institutions don’t have to do things the same way as their larger counterparts. Here are five ways to cultivate a student-focused approach to provide bespoke support

Sarah d'Ardenne

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

A team of medics working together on a project

Interprofessional simulation in HE: three tips to help you get it right

Interprofessional simulation enables educators to deliver healthcare teaching and learning in immersive settings beyond the traditional classroom. Here are three ways to make it a success

Jon Newton

University of the West of England Bristol

Make university placements work for students and employers

Well-structured university placements can bridge theory and practice, build professional skills and reduce inequalities. Discover how to get them right

Rebecca Crutchley, Michelle Palser

University of Chester

Beyond the nine to five: preparing students as digital entrepreneurs

As AI and digital business reshape the world of work, universities must rethink traditional assessments and equip students with creativity, resilience and entrepreneurial skills for the new economy

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

A group of students working together in a classroom

Support students to make informed choices about academic programmes

Immersive, student-led open days help students explore pathways, spark curiosity and make better-informed programme choices. Here’s how

Shihuai Wang

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Students work on a project round a table

Make employability meaningful: developing soft skills with social justice work

The growing demand for students to gain workplace skills could see employability crudely bolted on to existing courses. But partnering with charities and social justice organisations can make it more meaningful – here’s how

Jac St John, Naomi Oppenheim

University of Westminster

A class full of students from behind, with one raising their hand to answer a question

Beyond grades: rethinking student motivation in the GenAI era

Discover inclusive, creative and sustainable strategies, from playful learning and visual tools to culturally relevant teaching and co-created assessments, to better motivate today’s students

Yusra Siddiqui , Alison Hill

The University of Exeter

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