Global mobility has a key role in students’ study experiences, as well as their post-study professional experiences. Students involved in global mobility opportunities as part of their degree are more likely to achieve higher grades, graduate employment and graduate salaries compared to those students not involved in global mobility. However, despite the coinciding agendas in the tertiary sector of widening participation in higher education, internationalisation of curriculum, and employability, students from equity groups are under-represented in global mobility opportunities, thus perpetuating inequities in educational experiences and outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this project is to enhance equity in access to, and participation, in global mobility opportunities for Deakin students from equity groups. The project will achieve this by engaging students as partners in the exploration of barriers, facilitators and needs regarding global mobility opportunities for students from equity groups; and then in the co-creation of global mobility opportunities which are diverse and inclusive to enhance access and participation for students from equity groups.

Global mobility refers to experiences in which individuals temporarily transcend international borders to engage in programs for academic, professional development or employment purposes (Wu et al., 2020). This has typically taken the form of study abroad/exchange at an international university, international placements and internships, and international study tours. However, global mobility opportunities can also be embedded in other study and work-integrated-learning (WIL) activities including located, virtual or localised (domestic) settings where internationalised contexts, curriculum and learning outcomes are paramount. While students from equity groups are under-represented in global mobility opportunities, particularly those involving international travel and in-country experiences, little is understood about the experiences and needs of these students with regards to access and inclusion in global mobility opportunities, or their perspectives about diverse ways of participating in global mobility opportunities. 

Four students who identify as being from one (or more than one intersecting) equity groups will be employed to work as students-as-partners in this project. These students will be trained to conduct interviews and focus groups with other students from equity groups to explore experiences of global mobility opportunities (including barriers and facilitators), and canvass their visions and ideas for inclusive global mobility opportunities. 

Following the interviews and focus-groups, student partners will engage in a series of collaborative meetings and workshops with academic unit chairs and professional staff involved in mobility, who are on the project team. Together, the student partners, academic and professional staff will co-create global mobility opportunities which are diverse and inclusive to enhance equity in access to, participation in, and potential benefits from global mobility for students from equity groups. The project process and outcomes will be disseminated through academic journal articles and conference presentations with a view to informing and enhancing practice regarding equitable global mobility opportunities.

In the current teacher shortages across Victoria, schools are utilizing the Victorian Institute of Teaching’s (VIT) opportunity to employ pre-service teachers in their final year of study under a Permission to Teach (PTT) registration category. We acknowledge and recognise that an increasing number of students in their third and fourth year of the Bachelor of Education (Primary) course have been employed in schools under Permission to Teach (PTT) positions or as Education Support Officers (ESO).  Working alongside students, we seek to identify principles that might inform the development of a new course delivery framework in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) course to support responsive teaching and learning pedagogies that support these shifts in employment activity across the cohort. 

In partnering with students, we hope to learn through their lived experiences as both employees in schools and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students. As we, as academics, see the shifting landscape for our students, we seek to gain an authentic understanding of the impact these dual roles create on University participation, experiences and learning. By working together with our pre-service teachers, we hope to harness their knowledge as both students in the course and employees in schools (both PTT and ESO) to evolve the delivery pedagogies within the final years of the course. Anticipated modification might involve scheduled learning activities and/or in person attendance requirements and modifications to assessment design. Drawing upon the expertise of our students in enhancing the student experience, this project is focused on the timing and processes for delivery of teaching and learning opportunities within the course (ie. Lectures, seminars, online learning opportunities, professional experience placement scheduling),  with the aim of maximizing the student experience. While the course/unit content (eg. ULO’s, GLO’s, CLO’s) will remain the same, opportunities for modification of unit assessment tasks to increase their authenticity within the context of the reconceptualised course delivery model may emerge. 

The students in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) are all undergraduate and nearly entirely domestic 8%. They are predominantly students who fall into the HEPPP equity category of regional and due to on-campus offerings at Geelong (Waurn Ponds) and Warrnambool. There are also a significant proportion of Burwood students who originate from rural and regional areas. The course also includes an established and long standing NIKERI course offering and there are students who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander throughout the four enrolment categories. The course accepts entry from pathway courses, including the Associate Degree of Education. Furthermore, many students are first in family to University and identify as coming from a low socioeconomic status background. We see this project as an enabler for students from low-SES backgrounds and/or those who require financial assistance to be able to study while supporting themselves financially by working in schools in a supportive environment.

In this project, we intend to seek the partnership of students as representative of various course cohorts directly related to HEPPP equity categories, including NIKERI, Warrnambool, Geelong (Waurn Ponds), Burwood, and Online representatives to ensure diverse input. The co-creation of the course delivery model will be informed through a process of initial conversations with SaP students, 5 focus groups with 3rd and 4th year students led by SaP’s, and a design workshop of SaPs and academics. 

In recent years the School of Information Technology has cultivated an environment encouraging innovation in our teaching and educational programs, with the adoption of active learning featuring in recent times.  In this model, students are actively engaged in the learning process, rather than being passive recipients of lectures. Students engage with their learning through different activities which are then captured as artefacts in a trimester-long portfolio, enabling students to contextualise their learning and demonstrate achievement for grading and evidence.  These approaches also appear to be valued by students and are successful in encouraging students to return to the classroom.

We have observed engagement and educational outcomes are significantly improved by students exploiting the opportunity to learn from each other while collaborating to solve more complex problems.  We have also recognised however, that changing the nature of learning can be a challenging experience for students, particularly in technical units.  Now that we have produced and experienced delivering the first generation of materials for active learning-based units, we believe the next step is to collaborate with students to incorporate their perspectives, improving both the effectiveness of these materials and their experiences.

Information Technology (IT) students face numerous challenges in their studies.  It is a common assumption that IT students are mostly introverted, however we have observed increasing numbers of students diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder and Adult Attention-Deficient and Hyperactivity Disorder in our programs, only some of whom register for Learning Access Plans.  Such students can find engaging in active learning activities particularly challenging, noticeably those with a social component.

This project will invite students to collaborate with us to implement improvements to the active learning activities and portfolio assessment tasks in SIT202 Computer Networks and Communication.  Materials for improvement will be identified by reviews conducted by focus groups, who consider perspectives such as educational value, inclusivity, and general experiences.  Project Leads will then collaborate with student partners in the preparation of the next generation of materials for the unit.

Network represent an ideal candidate for this work offering several unique opportunities.  Networks are a critical topic in modern computing and a core unit in many of the School’s undergraduate courses.  Studying Networks requires knowledge and skill development including understanding a significant theoretical body knowledge, application of knowledge in practical activities, and development of hands-on skills in configuring and monitoring networks.  This variety of learning activities demanded often leads to students either struggling to complete or even failing their studies.

The school also offers a second postgraduate unit in Networks: SIT716 Computer Networks and Security.  Although the units vary in their details and challenge levels, they share a core body of knowledge, and both employ active learning as the core teaching technique.  The Project Leads are involved in both units, representing both expanded experience in active learning in Networks, but also will allow us to evaluate how improvements could be generalised by considering how they translate to a closely related unit, before disseminating lessons learned to the School’s teaching community and beyond.

A new online exam tool, Integrity Advocate, will be soon piloted. We have noted that there has been poor student exam experience over the past two years and a significant increase in students experiencing technical issues during their exams. These issues include unexplainable disconnections, password prompts, and Proctorio being disengaged from an exam. This has led to an increase in IT Service Desk calls, Special Consideration applications and disgruntled staff and students.
This project invites Students as Partners into the development of Integrity Advocate to get a holistic view on what its really like to take an Online Exam. The project will also investigate how online exams could make better accommodations to equity-students such as students from a low socioeconomic background, regional and rural students, and First Nations students.

We already know that students from low socioeconomic background, rural and regional students, and Indigenous students face several challenges in accessing and succeeding in higher education. Some of these challenges include: Financial Barriers, Academic Preparedness, Distance and Isolation, Discrimination and Stereotyping, Cultural Barriers and Mental Health. 

When designing an online exam project, it is essential to consider the needs and perspectives of the students who will be using the platform. As educators, it is our responsibility to create a learning environment that is student-centred, and this involves involving students in the planning and implementation process. By including students in the design process, we can better understand their learning needs and preferences, and design an online exam platform that is tailored to their needs. This approach aligns with the principles of constructivist learning theory, which emphasizes the importance of engaging learners in the learning process and empowering them to take ownership of their learning.

Moreover, involving students in the implementation process can foster a sense of community and collaboration in the classroom. Students who feel that their input is valued and incorporated into the design of the exam platform are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their learning. This approach is aligned with the principles of social constructivism, which emphasizes the importance of social interaction and collaboration in the learning process.

Authentic learning around real world issues is essential to producing workforce ready graduates. SLE243 Marine Futures is a new unit in the Bachelor of Marine Science Sustainable Marine Management Major. The unit focuses on 10 key challenges faced by our oceans which have been identified as global (e.g. UN Sustainable Development Goals 14; UN Ocean Decade goals), national (e.g. National Marine Science Plan (NMSP); Sustainable Oceans and Coasts National Strategy) and state (Victoria’s Marine and Coastal Knowledge Framework; Victoria’s Marine and Coastal Policy) priorities. It is vital that these challenges are integrated in the marine science curriculum to ensure our graduates have the knowledge and critical thinking skills to be the future scientists that help drive this blue economy.

The project aims to co-create authentic, interactive and engaging digital learning resources based around the 10 key challenges. These may be resources such as H5P activities or key theme videos. Each resource will provide an introduction to the challenge of that week and may either be incorporated as part of an open education resources (OER) textbook currently being developed for the unit, or, embedded on the unit site. They will be designed to provide deep learning and improve understanding of key themes in addition to other unit learning resources and on campus activities. Students as Partners (SaP) will be engaged to co-design and co-create these resources. In addition to SaP, the broader student cohort will have the opportunity to be involved in a SaP and project manager led workshop in the design phase, as well as another workshop to provide feedback on resources during the final stages of completion.

Co-creation gives students agency in the creation of resources that aim to benefit students by enhancing learning. Involving a larger cohort of students to provide their ideas and opinions allows us (SaP and staff) to develop resources that are inclusive of different learning styles and equity student needs. Co-creation provides many benefits to both staff and students providing a reciprocal collaborative environment where both parties learn from the process. What better way to help students understand concepts better than to have them co-create the resources that are designed to enhance their learning. 

The interactive resources link directly to ULO1 & 2 of the unit, and the assessment task ‘symposium presentation and participation’. Engagement in learning activities will build knowledge of each topic, allow students to determine which challenge they are most interested in exploring further for their symposium presentation and provide ideas about how they may present their sustainable management solution.

Resources, once developed will be able to be modified and used each year. Effectiveness of these resources will be evaluated through an anonymous online questionnaire and the student user analytics accessed via Deakin’s learning management system, CloudDeakin.
 

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This project will focus heavily on the current DeakinTALENT website, to gain an understanding of how the website could be improved. Improvements to the website will also include ensuring the site is accessible and inclusive. The current navigation is dated, uses terminology that is not student friendly and so requires improvement. This project will ask students to review the current navigation and the terminology. The outcome from this component of the project is for improved navigation, including an updated menu structure. In addition, a glossary of terms could be developed to assist with future development of the website, and to be used with the guidelines the project will develop.

The project aims to recruit four equity-based students, hopefully each one representing a different equity base. At least one student will be recruited with web development / user interface discipline area. Other students could come from a design, organisational development or marketing discipline area. It is hoped that the recruits will be able to meet once a week, for an extended period of time, either physically or in hybrid mode, to discuss and plan the work required, and then to research and document their findings. Although much of this work can be done independently, the purpose of the project is also to provide participants with authentic work experience they can leverage in their job applications. It is hoped the participants will develop into a cohesive team through the leadership of the team, and relationship building activities.

Design thinking principles will be utilised to assist the participants in developing recommendations for improving the reach and impact of the DeakinTALENT website. The Empathise phase of design thinking with be extensively used in this project, to gather users stories, both from the project participants themselves, and possibly from other students. Although the project team has ideas relating to the methodologies used in this project, participants will also be encouraged to make suggestions. Participants will also have to use their research skills to base their recommendations on proven strategies for the look and feel of the DeakinTALENT website. These are to be written up as guiding principles for any further development of the website.

Clinical skills training is critical to developing clinical competency and becoming a qualified health professional. In partnership with students, this project is aimed to first identify and understand the impact of factors underlying attendance and engagement across different stages of clinical skills training in Optometry. These learnings will be applied to co-design and develop exemplars and recommendations to enhance student engagement and learning across clinical skills training in Optometry and improve student preparedness for diverse clinical settings. 

It is intended that by working with students in partnership on this project we can co-identify approaches to improve student engagement and ensure efficacious and optimal use of both student and staff time, with the intent of improving student success and preparedness for the clinical setting. This project also provides the unique opportunity to review the curriculum to identify its strengths, essential activities, redundancies and gaps by multiple key stakeholders. 

The intended outputs of the project are: 

• Through student-staff partnerships, identify and understand the impact of factors underlying attendance and engagement in clinical skills practicals in Waurn Ponds across different stages of clinical skills training in Optometry.
• Production of co-developed recommendations and exemplars to the Clinical Skills Team and Course Director in Optometry, to enhance student engagement, learning and augment attendance across clinical skills training and improve student success and preparedness for diverse clinical settings from both student and educator perspectives. 

Since generative AI reached mass public consciousness and reach at the beginning of 2023, Deakin has responded proactively by quickly producing teacher and student facing guides however, for first-year and undergraduate students, there is a lack of consistent guidance that presents: the risks and limitations of using such tools, clear advice on the appropriateness of particular tools, clear models of how they might be used ethically in studies, and specific advice in the context of different disciplines, which vary greatly. The need for such a guide is urgent, as we know that students are using AI, and we know that many are using AI inappropriately. First-year and undergraduate students are at greatest risk when using AI tools, as a high degree of professional knowledge and critical analysis skills is sometimes required to assess the appropriateness of generated output. Students need clear guidance, clear models of use, and to know where to get further support by staff who are well informed of both the tools, and how students are typically engaging with these tools. 

Language and Learning Advisors (LLAs) are starting to see students seeking our support on this using AI in their studies. Academic and Peer Support are currently working towards student consultation guidelines on using AI as a learning tool and for assessments – and this will be greatly enhanced if informed by current student use. 

This project will work to ensure that the Deakin ‘Study Support guide to using generative artificial intelligence (AI)’ is updated and informed by current student experience and student needs via recommendations from Students as Partners. And to ensure that the updated student guide to AI provides an supportive and instructive introduction for students who may not have encountered AI previously, and thus improve access and equity concerns around the use of AI. It also aims to ensure Study Support individual student consultations regarding the use of generative AI are also informed by current student experience and student needs via recommendations from Students as Partners – this may take form of a new set of guidelines for Language and Learning Advisers, Writing Mentors and Maths Mentors. The project will also consider Deakin’s support resources on using generative AI regarding the inclusion of diverse backgrounds and needs of undergraduate students across from different disciplines, and in particular at-risk students who may be more likely to seek support from Deakin Study Support. 

This project involves collaboration with student partners to capture and create a collection of student-led perspectives and stories, as vignettes, focusing on employability and career planning and development. These vignettes will serve as valuable learning resources on the unit site and in future seminar activities for AWL100 Your Future Direction.

AWL100 is the core first-year unit in the Faculty of Arts and Education’s Employability sequence, which is embedded into the Bachelor of Arts and undergraduate Communication and Creative Arts course suites. The unit is also available as a course elective to students in other faculties at Deakin, resulting in a highly diverse student cohort. The unit aims to empower students to make informed decisions about career strategies that can support their personal values and professional aspirations, build their industry and peer networks, and help them achieve the impact they want to make in the world, no matter where they are in their career journey (as career-starters, career-advancers, or career-changers). 

This project therefore aims to: 

• Improve the inclusivity of the AWL100 learning environment by embedding diverse student perspectives into the learning materials. The vignettes will bridge the current gap in student representation in the existing learning resources and help students connect their learning to real-world contexts and lived experiences. By doing so, we aim to enhance the diversity and authenticity of the unit content.    
• Provide an opportunity for our student partners to bolster their employability skills (e.g. communication, creative thinking, collaboration). Through their active involvement in the co-creation of the vignettes, students will develop and strengthen these skills, making them better prepared for their work futures. 
• Enable students to become teachers themselves by collating various student-led perspectives on employability and career planning and development. This collaborative approach will allow the AWL100 teaching team to gain insights into different viewpoints, helping them broaden their understanding of employability and career planning and development from the students’ standpoint. 

The development of authentic student stories will also help us more fully realise one of the central tenets of AWL100 Your Future Direction, which seeks to ground career education in individual needs and encourage students to personalise their learning journey by “bringing it back to you”.