Pre-conference workshops

Facilitators

Dr Lee Partridge, University of Western Australia
Assoc Prof Kathie Ardzejewska, University of Notre Dame Australia

Aim

The workshop will aim to demystify some of the unknowns related to the HERDSA Fellowship. With the regular influx of new members and turnover of some old members that occurs each year at conference time, knowledge of the HERDSA Fellowship for many members remains incomplete or non-existent. In order to grow the Fellowship community more members need to have an accurate understanding of what it is, who it is for, the benefits it brings and the requirements needed to achieve Fellowship status.

Focus

The workshop will provide a practical exploration of the Fellowship process and requirements.

Overview

The workshop is intended for HERDSA members. new and old, who wish to learn more about the HERDSA Fellowship and make a preliminary start on developing the portfolio requirements. It will cover:

• Background of the Fellowship
• Structure of the Fellowship
• Opportunity to develop initial plan for own Fellowship
• Opportunity to begin writing an initial statement addressing one of the Fellowship criteria
• Opportunity to give and receive feedback on developing Fellowship portfolio

Workshop plan

Starting with a welcome and icebreaker activity, the workshop will continue with the following:

• Outline of the background and structure of the Fellowship with relevant instruction documents.
• Discuss and pose early questions participants may have related to the Fellowship development
• Plan an overview of their potential Fellowship portfolio addressing the focus of each assessment. criterion  Share plans with workshop participants.
• Examine the internal structure of the portfolio focusing on how to address the criteria.
• Begin writing the first section (description and outcome) of a single criterion. Discuss progress with participants.
• Write second section (Refection and learning). Discuss progress with participants.
• Write final section (Further development). Discuss progress with participants.
• Review Fellow participants’ completed written criterion providing constructive feedback.
• List common pitfalls, muddiest point and next steps planning.

Facilitators

Misty So-Sum Wai-Cook, National University of Singapore
Assoc Prof Lynette Tan, National University of Singapore
Assoc Prof Nina Powell, National University of Singapore

Aim

This workshop equips educators with a practical framework for making smart choices about when and how to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a catalyst for deeper learning. Drawing on diverse disciplinary perspectives, participants will explore strategies for using AI to enhance, not replace, human critical thinking. By the end of this session, participants will have designed a draft AI-enhanced learning activity for their own context, grounded in sound pedagogical principles.

Focus

This workshop focuses on the application of pedagogical strategy. We will apply principles of constructive alignment to purposefully integrate AI into learning activities and authentic assessments to achieve the intended learning outcomes across different disciplines (Stokkink, 2025). We will discuss possible ways to design authentic assessments (Salinas-Navarro et al., 2024) and develop rubrics to evaluate students’ process of learning using AI—such as prompt design, and critical evaluation of outputs—thereby rewarding the uniquely human skills of creativity and judgment (Chan and Colloton, 2024).

Overview

This workshop is intended for university educators and academic staff from all disciplines who wish to proactively design meaningful, AI-integrated learning experiences. As AI becomes embedded in education, we must equip students to engage with it critically. This workshop draws on foundational pedagogical principles like constructive alignment, critical digital pedagogy, and ethical AI frameworks to highlight a proactive, human-centred approach to teaching with AI tools.

Workshop plan

The session is structured as a hands-on design sprint. After brief inspirational presentations from diverse disciplines, participants will engage in a structured group activity to design an AI-enhanced learning task and corresponding rubric for their own course. The workshop culminates in peer feedback and the development of a personal action plan for implementation, ensuring participants leave with a tangible output.

Facilitators

Dr Manisha Thakkar, Torrens University
Assoc Prof Accamma Oommen, Torrens University
Dr Dhivya Rajasekaran, Torrens University
Dr Dieter Schonwetter, University of Manitoba

Aim

To empower academics, educational developers and education leaders to overcome systemic barriers to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) engagement by applying evidence-based Communities of Practice (CoPs). 

Focus

The workshop will present the Scholars for Health Innovations and Future Teaching (SHIFT) SOTL-CoP framework as a scalable response to professional isolation, time constraints, and the institutional undervaluation of SoTL, emphasizing on collaboration, mentorship, and scholarly identity. Participants will apply the SHIFT framework and develop an institutionally aligned plan to launch and sustain scholarly-teaching initiatives, translating CoP theory and best practice into innovative pedagogy.

Intended audience

Academics, educational developers; educators new to SoTL; SoTL researchers; program/course leaders; and administrators supporting scholarly practice.

Context

SoTL engagement is often hindered by the institutional prioritisation of discipline-specific research, limited resources, and time constraints, necessitating dynamic academic development models like SoTL-CoPs. CoPs provide collaborative spaces that foster reflective practice, peer mentoring and professional growth improving scholarly teaching when these supports align. This workshop is informed by the CoP–SoTL chapter (Schönwetter et al., in press: 2026), which proposes the SHIFT framework, grounded in principles such as psychological safety, distributed leadership, and scaffolded practice.

Workshop plan

The workshop will integrate active learning throughout.

• Barriers Identification. Participants will reflect on the current SoTL challenges and/or barriers at their institution?”
• Best Practice Analysis. Participants will analyse CoP enablers necessary for SoTL CoP success.
• SHIFT-CoP Application (Map local conditions → outcomes). The SHIFT-CoP framework is introduced. Focusing on its design principles, participants work in small, interdisciplinary groups to identify a teaching/learning challenge. Groups then apply SHIFT’s guidelines to design a foundational CoP structure addressing that challenge.
• Commit to Action: The session concludes with a commitment exercise, using the prompt: “Please share one idea, encouragement, or inspiration you gained from this session that you’re committed to applying”.

Facilitators

Miss Larissa Pickalla, Charles Darwin University
Miss Laurs Fairbrother, Charles Darwin University

Aim

This workshop aims to build the knowledge, skills, and commitment of higher education staff and leaders to practice culturally responsive leadership, teaching and learning. It draws on co-designed models developed through the First Nations Training and Teacher Education Hub at Charles Darwin University to demonstrate how leadership is the lever for systemic change in embedding Indigenous knowledges, creating culturally safe learning environments, and transforming educational practice.

Focus

The workshop will focus on:

• Leadership for Transformation – how leaders model, embed, and measure cultural responsiveness.
• Authenticity vs. Tokenism – addressing blind spots and organisational cultures that maintain inequities.
• Co-Design Principles – embedding Indigenous knowledges in curriculum, pedagogy, and policy.
• Systemic Pillars of Change – exploring leadership’s role across curriculum, staff capability, partnerships, and student success.
• Action and Commitment – developing culturally responsive leadership strategies for practice.

This 180-minute interactive workshop explores culturally responsive leadership as a catalyst for transformation in higher education. It is designed for higher education staff, academics, school leaders, and system leaders seeking to strengthen cultural responsiveness and drive systemic change. Drawing on the work of the First Nations Training and Teacher Education Hub, participants will examine how leadership can shift institutions from performative inclusion to authentic transformation.

The workshop is underpinned by Theory U (Scharmer, 2009), Transformative Leadership (Shields, 2010), Whiteness Studies (Moreton-Robinson, 2004), Critical Race Theory (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995), the Cultural Interface (Nakata, 2007), Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Gay, 2018), Aboriginal Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing (Martin, 2003), and Indigenist research principles (Rigney, 1999).  These frameworks highlight truth-telling, cultural humility, and systemic accountability. By the end, participants will be able to recognise leadership blind spots, understand tokenism to authentic engagement, explore cultural responsiveness at all system levels and develop a practical leadership commitment.

Workshop plan

Welcome and Framing (15 mins): Finding Your Why.

Foundations (30 mins): Knowing–Being–Doing; See, Hear, Feel.

Authentic Engagement (35 mins): From Tokenism to Transformation.

Case Studies (40 mins): Imagining the Future Impacts.

Strategic Pillars (30 mins): Identifying Blind Spots.

Action Planning (30 mins): Three-Sentence Commitment.

Conclusion (15 mins): Call to Action Circle.

Facilitators

Joanna Lee Chin Ai, Monash University
Dr Leong Siew Lian, Monash University
Mr. Sri Bala Murugan Gogula Nathan, Monash University

Aim

The workshop aims to support educators in rethinking assessment design in response to the capabilities of generative AI (GenAI).

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Reflect on the implications of GenAI capabilities on traditional assessment formats to identify opportunities for meaningful redesign.
• Redesign a chosen assessment by evaluating and mapping appropriate GenAI integration points.
• Apply systematic strategies to align AI utilization with learning outcomes while reflecting on approaches that ensure transparent and visible student learning.

Focus

This workshop helps participants redesign assessments for the GenAI era. Participants will analyze, develop and redesign an assessment to identify AI permissible tasks and shift focus toward higher-order skills like analysis, evaluation, and problem-solving.

Overview

GenAI has introduced both opportunities and disruptions for higher education assessment. Prior literature shows that educators are now required to cultivate assessment formats that support self-regulated learning, transparency, and meaningful skill development (Chan, et. al., 2024). Faculty-facing frameworks similarly emphasise the need for structured approaches to redesign, helping educators decide which assessment tasks to retain, adapt, or replace in a GenAI-enabled environment (Nieminen et.al., 2024). This workshop responds to these sector-wide shifts by introducing participants to a framework that balances AI’s capabilities with pedagogical priorities. It’s designed for educators who want to explore practical ways of redesigning their assessments.

Workshop plan

Participants will be guided through a hands-on experience to redesign assessment by:

• Applying redesign strategy to transform assessments for GenAI integration.
• Evaluating and identifying assessment tasks to determine where GenAI integration is appropriate.
• Mapping and making decisions on AI integration aligned with learning outcomes.
• Reflect on the redesign process and approaches for ensuring visible student learning outcomes.