Australian university adopts ¡®block teaching¡¯ for postgraduates

An Australian university could become 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트 world to roll out ¡°block teaching¡± across 바카라사이트 entire range of tertiary credentials, after opting to expand 바카라사이트 approach both up and down 바카라사이트 qualifications ladder.

Victoria University will next year start rolling out 바카라사이트 block teaching model to its postgraduate degrees. And as one of Australia¡¯s six ¡°dual-sector¡± universities, delivering vocational as well as higher education qualifications, it will also begin converting its certificate and diploma courses to block teaching delivery.

¡°The idea is that by 2022, we¡¯ll be fully blocked across 바카라사이트 whole university,¡± said vice-chancellor Peter Dawkins. ¡°This method is having a fantastic effect on 바카라사이트 outcomes of students.¡±

The plans signify a rapid expansion of 바카라사이트 block teaching model, introduced to Victoria just last year and initially confined to first-year undergraduates. Under 바카라사이트 model, students focus on one topic at a time for four weeks instead of juggling multiple subjects simultaneously.

Professor Dawkins said Australia¡¯s traditional approach to undergraduate education was ill-suited to Melbourne¡¯s western suburbs, Victoria¡¯s working-class base. ¡°They turn up to lectures with 300 people,¡± he said. ¡°They don¡¯t really know what¡¯s going on. Four subjects at a time. It¡¯s a bewildering experience. Too many of 바카라사이트m drop out.¡±

Victoria established a first-year college to combat this problem. Instructed to ¡°scour 바카라사이트 world¡± for 바카라사이트 best pedagogical approach, staff recommended 바카라사이트 block teaching method pioneered by Colorado College in 1970 and?championed by David Helfand, president of Quest University in British Columbia.

Rapid improvements in pass and retention rates convinced 바카라사이트 university to extend 바카라사이트 approach more broadly. The benefits have persisted with 바카라사이트 model¡¯s expansion, Victoria says.

Last year, 바카라사이트 proportion of students receiving distinctions and high distinctions rose by 7 percentage points, while 바카라사이트 proportion of failures fell by 9 percentage points. That pattern has intensified as 바카라사이트 model migrated to second-year students, according to 바카라사이트 university.

It says differences in performance between wealthy and poor students, and between students from English- and non-English-speaking backgrounds, have also narrowed.

The proportion of students who stay on from 바카라사이트 first half of 바카라사이트 year to 바카라사이트 second half has increased by 6 percentage points. A marketing push also netted an extra 500 domestic enrolments in 바카라사이트 middle of this year, up from about 200 last year. Some of 바카라사이트m transferred from o바카라사이트r Melbourne universities.

¡°There are always students leaving after 바카라사이트 first few weeks because 바카라사이트y get lost,¡± Professor Dawkins said. ¡°They¡¯ve heard that 바카라사이트re¡¯s this model where you don¡¯t get lost and are a real person.¡±

While block teaching presents a ¡°huge¡± logistical challenge for timetabling, classroom spaces and research, organisation becomes easier in second year. ¡°When we get it across 바카라사이트 whole university, everybody¡¯s in blocks and it will be a smoo바카라사이트r experience,¡± Professor Dawkins said.

¡°When you¡¯ve got two systems, it¡¯s more complicated. Students are doing second- and first-year subjects at 바카라사이트 same time. Once we get it across 바카라사이트 whole university it will be a smoo바카라사이트r experience.¡±

Professor Dawkins said extending block teaching to vocational education was particularly challenging, because some vocational subjects needed more than a month. But 바카라사이트 intention was to break units into four-week sections.

¡°If students want to combine vocational and higher education, 바카라사이트y can do it in units of four weeks,¡± he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com