Crafting Sydney's Future: Learning in the 21st Century

An innovative symposium on the theme of learning in the 21st century stimulated challenging debates about how the University plans for the future.

Six international experts, five leading academics from the University of Sydney and 130 members of the University community met to share their knowledge, listen and collaborate in the development of a distinctive University of Sydney approach to learning and teaching.  Insights from the symposium, held late last month, will provide the basis for future planning and development.

Building on the University’s “Principles informing learning and teaching” Dr Kenn Fisher (Director, Learning Futures, Rubida Research Trust) queried whether the University’s Graduate Attributes impacted on learning spaces (physical and virtual), learning packages and learning outcomes.  “We are moving to the situation where more than half of the student body are post-graduate and adult learners,” he said. “These learners are self-directed and have high expectations, which are increased by the fact that they are full-fee paying.  In response to this shift the University needs to move from being teacher centred to learner centred.”

“Who are our learners?” asked Prof Peter Goodyear (Professor of Education, University of Sydney and co-Director of the Centre for Research on Computer Supported Learning and Cognition, CoCo).  “We need a deep understanding of our students, and align our services to their needs.  We also need to make the boundary around research more permeable – to open the access to research materials and engage students in research.”

Prof Terry Anderson (Canada Research Chair in Distance Education at Athabasca University), touched on the issue of workload, when he questioned the current balance of learner, teacher and content.  He issued a series of challenges:  “Is the use of WebCT a bolt-on, or is it a catalyst?  Have we cancelled classes to gain access to space for alternative learning methods?  Have we identified ‘nerd’ learners and involved them as co-producers?  Have we opened up access to the NetGen and their use of communication technologies?”

Issues of the learner centred approach and academic workload came together in the work of Prof Wim Jochems (Professor of Educational Technology, Open University of the Netherlands) and Dr Christine Geith (Director, Michigan State University’s MSU Global).  Both recommended a move to collaboration and partnership to respond to learner demand across the life cycle.

Prof Ed Blakely (Chair of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Sydney) summed up the day with the comment “We need to re-think the form, style, content and delivery of education and combine lifelong educators with lifelong learners.”

Prof Judyth Sachs (Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Teaching) stated that the Crafting Sydney’s Future Symposium has been the commencement of a conversation that will result in a new Learning and Teaching Plan for the University.  Continuing the existing theme of blended learning, the human interface will continue to be a strong feature of life at Sydney.  “We will build on our existing strengths in the area of the scholarship of teaching and will assist both our staff and students to build skills in flexible approaches to learning” she said.

Enquiries: Prof Judyth Sachs 02 9351 3517, email:pvctl@usyd.edu.au