Student-staff partnerships in academic development: the course design studio as a model for sustainable course-wide impact

ABSTRACT

Sector-wide research has shown the benefits of student-staff partnerships in course design whilst highlighting the complexity of this work, and the difficulties in gaining traction to create sustained ways of working. Reflections by academic developers on the roles and partnerships in course design at one Australian university reveal the critical three-way partnership among academic developers, students, and academics. The benefits brought by a Course Design Studio model in providing a liminal space to sustain positive three-way collaborations are outlined. This paper offers a conceptual argument that addresses areas of concern often encountered in traditional course design student-staff partnership relationships.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic development
• course design
• liminal space
• students-as-partners

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rachel Fitzgerald

Rachel Fitzgerald (SFHEA) is a Senior Lecturer in Curriculum & Learning Design. Formerly a business senior lecturer and a head of online programmes in the UK, her research is focused on educational design and sustainable, authentic curriculum.

Henk Huijser

Henk Huijser (SFHEA) is a Senior Lecturer in Curriculum & Learning Design. Henk has a PhD in Screen and Media Studies and has held many academic development roles in Australia, the Middle East, and China. His research interests include learning and teaching in higher education, problem-based learning, and students as partners.

Deanna Meth

Deanna Meth (PFHEA) is a Senior Lecturer in Curriculum & Learning Design. She has led strategic projects in learning, teaching, and research in universities in the UK and South Africa. This reflects in her research interests, which range from high-level policy analysis and curriculum development, to student engagement, and internationalisation

Kellene Neilan

Kellene Neilan is a Technology Enhanced Learning Designer at Victoria University. She partners with academics and students to design and develop units within a new and innovative block-model of course design. With a background in teaching and the management of learning projects, Kellene focuses her design work on improved student engagement and success.