Innovative learning environments (ILE) with open flexible classroom spaces are designed to support collaboration and emphasise responsibility for self-regulated student learning as a partnership between students and teachers. Recent studies of ILE focus more on teachers than students' experiences, and there is a gap in the theorising of student…

This article is written in response to listening to teachers query the place of fun in learning. Students often express that learning should be fun but teachers are often unsure what they mean by this and whether fun is actually important to learning. We have drawn some relevant understandings and views together to promote further conversation and…

Distance online learning connects students to education opportunities without having to be present at the institution offering the learning module. This case study involved development of a dual on-campus and distance course into a fully online course. It required a student-focused approach and an innovative application of learning technologies,…

The worldwide disruption of higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic has been studied from the viewpoints of institutions and teachers, with some attention to students' health and learning challenges. Attempts to theorise the diverse and conflicting challenges faced by students learning online during the pandemic have been limited. It is…

Engineering educators naturally gravitate toward visual means for communicating concepts that would otherwise be extremely difficult to convey using words and numbers alone. With the emergence of three-dimensional (3D) printing as an accessible and cost-effective technology, it is now possible to develop customized models that enable students to…

Only a few information and communication technology (ICT) work-integrated learning (WIL) projects involving universities and Indigenous partners are being reported and very little is known about the approaches that are followed. This article reports on successful student work placements in Indigenous communities when codeveloping software for the…

Mathematics classrooms have a long history of what has been termed 'unidimensional' character: a proclivity for student practice routines and teachers as experts and keepers of knowledge. This study investigates affordances of student-created digital learning objects (SC-DLOs) as transformative, design-for-learning practices in the hands of…

Problem-solving abilities, creative and critical thinking, communication skills, and teamwork are now recognized as fundamental determinants of professional success, especially in vocational professions, such as veterinary science. Tertiary education is now obliged to provide opportunities for students to become proficient in these qualities. With…

The student experience with mathematical modelling has the potential to differ in nature to the experience of a typical mathematics student. The research reported in this paper forms part of a broader study looking into tertiary learning experiences for mathematical modelling. This paper reports on: What are the student experiences when learning…

Universities in New Zealand are increasingly focused on an employability and global citizenship agenda, leading to a proliferation of work-integrated learning (WIL) courses across diverse curriculum areas. WIL exposes students to authentic learning opportunities in a workplace. It is however an activity with inherent risks which may have…

Building capability in assessment for learning is a goal of education systems internationally, though difficult for nations to successfully implement and sustain over time. Evidence about the positive effects of assessment for learning practices on students' learning and achievement is convincing, but implementation is made difficult by the…

Newness was a key theme identified in a comprehensive national study of education outside the classroom (EOTC) in Aotearoa New Zealand. This paper examines what newness means from the perspectives of students, educators and school leaders. Findings reveal that newness in EOTC was valued because of the difference to everyday routines, as well as to…

Student learning outcomes assessment examines whether programs cover the material stated in their learning goals, whether students are learning the material, and the impact on student retention, graduation, post-graduation outcomes, and institutional accreditation, with the aim of providing faculty with data that can be used to help programs…

It is important for anyone entering a profession to learn their profession's specialised language. This is also true of those learning trades such as automotive technology or plumbing. Knowledge of specialised language allows trades professionals to speak to other professionals and read technical material. Although this technical language is new…

This article highlights an increasingly popular form of experiential learning, namely overseas exchange programs. Experiential learning is regarded as a valuable way to link up theoretical knowledge and practical skills in hospitality and tourism education. Although some studies have addressed the importance of experiential learning, the factors…