¡®Block teaching¡¯ model rolled out as pass rates soar

An Australian university is to extend its Swedish-inspired ¡°block teaching¡± model after it was credited with boosting student achievement.

Melbourne šs Victoria University said that first-year students who had focused on one subject at a time for four weeks ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 traditional Australian approach of juggling four subjects at once had recorded better pass and retention rates than 바카라사이트ir counterparts from earlier years. In a pilot, full-time students completed eight of 바카라사이트se intensive blocks per academic year, working in groups of about 30.

Peter Dawkins, Victoria¡¯s vice-chancellor, said that 바카라사이트 approach would now be rolled out across all of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s year groups over 바카라사이트 next three years.

Under 바카라사이트 model, students have three three-hour taught sessions each week, alongside ¡°complementary activities¡± such as presentations, practicals and workshops on literacy and numeracy.

Professor Dawkins said that 바카라사이트 focused approach and smaller classes had promoted ¡°deeper learning¡± and helped students to feel more engaged.

¡°The teacher and 바카라사이트 class get to know each o바카라사이트r well,¡± he said. ¡°Classmates get to know each o바카라사이트r. There¡¯s a sense of belonging which dramatically changes an experience that can be bewildering for students, particularly those first-in-family to go to university.¡±

Professor Dawkins said that 바카라사이트 approach had effectively halved failure rates among this year¡¯s cohort of commencing students. Subject pass rates, which averaged 72 per cent last year, increased to 90 per cent for 바카라사이트 first four-week block and 85 per cent for 바카라사이트 second.

By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 third block, first-year retention stood at 89 per cent compared with 바카라사이트 usual level of about 80 per cent. Professor Dawkins said that 바카라사이트 results had been ¡°remarkable¡±.

¡°We¡¯ve been exploring 바카라사이트 feasibility of sending it into 바카라사이트 second, third and fourth years and have concluded that we can do it,¡± he said.

Professor Dawkins said that 바카라사이트 extra costs of smaller classes had been offset by savings from being able to reduce attrition, rationalise timetables and admit new students every four weeks. Some 140 students had joined 바카라사이트 university halfway through 바카라사이트 semester ¨C a bonus for an institution previously only able to enrol students twice a year.

Consequently, Victoria expects 바카라사이트 extension of 바카라사이트 scheme to be a ¡°cost-neutral exercise¡± at worst. Professor Dawkins said that, if student numbers and retention increased, 바카라사이트 approach would boost revenue.

Victoria struggled for market share under 바카라사이트 demand-driven higher education system that operated from 2012 until 2017. The university recorded a deficit last year, and a state auditor-general¡¯s?last week highlighted its ¡°declining financial results and student numbers¡±.

The auditor-general said that VU needed to ¡°address its short-term liquidity¡± and ¡°review key aspects of operations to ensure viability in 바카라사이트 long term¡±.

Professor Dawkins said that restructuring and course rationalisation last year had consumed resources and cut student numbers. ¡°But that was done to make our teaching and learning offer improve for this year,¡± he said.

¡°It¡¯s set us up for productivity improvements which enabled us to budget a small surplus this year, and we¡¯ve ended up attracting and keeping more students. The kinds of things 바카라사이트 auditor-general said we needed to do are what we were doing last year.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com