Reimagining our intensive (residential) schools: from on-campus to online

Staff in our Division of Learning and Teaching and in our Faculties have done a superb job to transform many of our face-to-face and practical learning experiences, including our on-campus intensive schools, to an online format. Their efforts have ensured our students are still provided with distinct and leading-edge learning experiences and able to progress through their course.

One of our first-year microbiology subjects saw almost 30 staff members from the Faculty of Science and Health and DLT collaborate to develop a suite of activities to replicate the subject’s on-campus intensive school. Some of the learning activities they designed and delivered included:

• A virtual microscope to introduce students to the mechanics of the equipment in place of a physical experience.
• Interactive activities and media collections that mimicked the tasks students would normally complete on-campus, such as oxidase test, catalase test, gram stains, and view examples of bacterial fermentation
• A 360-degree interactive walkthrough of a Charles Sturt laboratory and safety equipment.

Dentistry was another discipline where staff created innovative activities for the online environment. DLT and FOSH staff developed a virtual dental technology laboratory which featured an in-depth audio-visual library. This library focuses on the clinical aspects of dentistry and has created a level of access and clarity with dental technology that was not accessible even in a face-to-face setting. Students now have access to multiple angles, clarifying graphics and highlights of extremely small and intricate details they need to master, which are often obscured by practitioners’ fingers.

The intensive school program for our Bachelor of Laws was another discipline that adopted some innovative changes. Our traditional two-day face-to-face intensive school for each law subject was turned into a virtual program that covered learning outcomes common for all first- to third-year law subjects. The new structure featured a live, four-hour plenary session, a four-hour subject-specific assessment intensive led by our subject coordinators, and a four-hour self-paced learning activity. By hosting this revamped, virtual program our intensive school was able to deliver more learning experiences for our students, including:

• Keynotes from several high-calibre industry speakers, including a district court judge, an eminent QC, a First Nations Professor of Constitutional Law, and legal training providers.
• Drop-in support opportunities for exam skills and legal research.
• A new online resource hub with the live session recordings, learning materials, podcast interviews with the profession, and helpful career resources.
• A fun social activity – this year it was trivia!

The changes to our law intensive school were very well received by our students, with one commenting:

“This new style is brilliant. A good, rounded approach that helps all students regardless of where they are in their degree.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly challenged the higher education sector, but it also brought our staff together to reimagine practical activities for the online space. The innovative learning activities and experiences developed as a result will have benefits for our University, staff and students for years to come.

Professor John Germov