The purpose of this study is to analyse the differences in the International Foundation Programmes in Australia, China and the United Kingdom and to explore different University Foundation Programmes' effect on international student satisfaction, learning motivation and their performance in higher education. Through this research, it can be seen…

This study investigated the use of virtual chatbots in a 3D multi-user virtual environment (3D MUVE) to enhance the communication skills of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) learners. Several virtual chat agents, developed using pattern matching techniques and embedded in Second Life, created a blended learning environment in which CFL learners…

Doctoral studies can be daunting unless candidates are able to implement effective self-directed strategies and motivational tools to ensure success, which is reflected in the high attrition rates of doctoral candidates globally. This paper explores the use of a learning management system (LMS) to support the completion of a PhD for a doctoral…

Student engagement in tertiary cinema studies can be fickle: while most students respond strongly to films, little regard is similarly paid to prescribed readings or other coursework that is crucial to developing complex critical thinking with media. This paper presents a case study of an intervention aimed to remedy this disparity of student…

Immersive scheduling engages students in one or two subjects at a time over short teaching periods. While there is incipient evidence that immersive delivery can heighten academic outcomes in undergraduate education, much less is known about its effectiveness in pathways or access programs. This exploratory mixed-methods study investigated how a…

The long-term benefits of academically selective schools have not been thoroughly explored in the Australian context. This research draws on data from a longitudinal study of Australian young people (n = 2933) and utilises Nearest-neighbour matching techniques to explore whether individuals who attend academically selective schools have better…

A number of areas of difficulty in basic numeracy and mathematical skills were identified, which hinder students' success in a foundational biochemistry course. Many students have difficulty with the concepts of pH and buffers (requiring proficiency with logarithms) and enzyme kinetics (requiring algebraic manipulations and graphing). The…

This paper is a retrospective exploration of the long-term and deep-reaching impact of an educational aspirations program, "Burunga M Gambay (Learning together)" (BMG, 2012), on the career pathways and life-long learning of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students. The current project, "where are the Ghundus…

In Australia access to university studies is supported through students' participation in government funded, pre-award programmes called 'enabling' programmes. These programmes allow students to meet university entry requirements and are designed to prepare students for the rigours of study. This article explores the performance and experience of…

Background: Professional development (PD) in a range of occupations has become increasingly digitised. Numerous digital courses are available, with evidence that social media, blogs and apps are increasingly being used for PD. Yet despite clear benefits, there is little robust evidence on the characteristics of digital PD that impact positively on…

This study examines the impact of an Australian enabling program, underpinned by critical pedagogy, on students' academic and professional success. Qualitative focus group data were collected from individuals who had completed an enabling program at a regional Australian university and progressed to undergraduate study. Quantitative data comparing…

This paper reports on a study that investigated Australian pre-service teachers' (PSTs) experiences in mobility programs undertaken in Santiago, Chile. Through the methodological lens of sense-making, our analysis aims to further current understandings of international teaching practicums and to examine how discursively (re)produced binary…

A Performance and Development Framework has been introduced by the New South Wales Department of Education, the largest provider of schooling in Australia, during a period of unparalleled reform. Engagement with the Framework is mandatory for all the Department's teachers, and is linked to improving student outcomes through enhanced teacher…

For higher education graduates to be effective in the workplace, they require strong technical skills and the capability to operate across diverse knowledge landscapes to solve real world problems. At an Australian university, an interdisciplinary, short-term study tour programme was utilised to enhance students' inexplicit employability skills…

In the wake of policy, technology, and ideological disruptions in Western higher education, it is in universities' interests to improve the quality of their learning and teaching to meet changed expectations. In some countries, particularly anglophone countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, the medium for this…