ASCILITE NEWS

ASCILITE CONFERENCE 2025

Call for Papers Deadline – EXTENDED!

Now Closing: Monday 7 July, 5:00pm ACST | AEST
Submit here

Author Notification: September 2025

Earlybird Registration is now available!

Program Announced: Expected September 2025

ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School 2025

We are very happy to announce that the 2025 ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School will be held at Torrens University, Brisbane campus, Fortitude Valley (90 Bowen Tce, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006)

Dates: 2 – 4 September 2025 (Tuesday lunch time through to Thursday Lunchtime)
Cost: $650 (members), $800 (non-members – includes 12 months membership)

More information about the Research School can be found here.

Sue Gregory
Research school lead

HELP NEEDED: Showcasing the Impact of Open Education Down UndOER

Help Us Win! Showcasing the Impact of Open Education Down UndOER

The ASCILITE OEP SIG is nominating the recently published book Open Education Down UndOER: Australasian Case Studies for a 2025 Open Education Award for Excellence and we need your help to demonstrate its impact.

If the book has influenced your work, teaching, or thinking, or if contributing to it has shaped your open education journey, we invite you to share your story. Testimonials will help us highlight the real-world value and reach of this community-driven resource.

Submit your story here

Please feel free to share the link with colleagues or networks who have engaged with the book. Every voice adds weight to our nomination.

Thank you for supporting open education in Australasia!

Claire Ovaska,Jenny Wallace, Steven Chang, Ash Barber
OEP-SIG leads

TELedvisors SIG WA Meetup – Meeting the challenge of AI and assessment

Date: Friday 11 July 2025
Time: 9am – 12:30pm
Venue: ECU Mt Lawley, Perth, WA
Register here

It’s a challenging time for assessment in higher education, and third space practitioners are right in the middle of the action. Connect with colleagues at this free, in-person event featuring pecha kuchas, discussion, and networking over light lunch to share practical experiences of adapting to generative AI, across learning design, managing integrity issues, and integrating new technologies. Designed for technology-enhanced learning professionals including those in learning design, academic integrity, edtech, student support, and academic development.

Limited places available – register and consider presenting a pecha kucha (proposals due 16 June 2025).

Colin Simpson, Wendy Taleo, Penny Wheeler
TELedvisor leads

ASCILITE July Webinar: Innovating Feedback for the Future: Exploring the Award-Winning ATLAS Project

Date: Friday 18^th July 2025
Time: 12pm – 1pm (AEST)

Registration for webinar here
Join Zoom Meeting here

Join us for an engaging webinar showcasing the 2024 ASCILITE Innovation and Excellence Award winner—the ATLAS (Analysing the Teaching, Learning and Assessment of Students) research project from Monash University. Discover how this pioneering initiative is transforming feedback practices in higher education by providing powerful visual tools to analyse assessment and feedback data at scale. Led by a multidisciplinary team, ATLAS empowers educators to enhance student engagement, improve learning outcomes, and foster a more data-informed teaching culture. Whether you’re an academic, learning designer, or institutional leader, this session will offer valuable insights into leveraging learning analytics for meaningful change. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most innovative projects in the sector!

Kwong Nui Sim and Karine Cosgrove
ASCILITE Webinar leads

Last chance to register: ASCILITE / HERDSA joint Webinar: Plugged In & Switched On: AI-Powered Possibilities for Online Engagement in Higher Education

Date: Thursday 26 June
Time: from12 AEST | 2pm NZDT

Due to overwhelming demand please register here BUT the meeting will be conducted here

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the higher education landscape, its potential to transform online student engagement is both exciting and complex. This thought-provoking webinar, presented by HERDSA’s Online Engagement Special Interest Group (SIG) in collaboration with ASCILITE, brings together an AI specialist (Professor Michael Cowling, ASCILITE President), an expert in online higher education (Professor Kate Ames, ACODE President) and a voice from a “middle-ground” position, someone who bridges both worlds (Professor Jason Lodge, Professor of Educational Psychology; Principal Practitioner, Generative AI, Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation at The University of Queensland). Together, the panel will explore how AI tools can support peer interaction, group work, community building, and inclusive participation. From AI-supported discussion prompts to dynamic learning networks, the panel will offer practical insights and critical perspectives on designing more connected and engaging online experiences in higher education. Expect a lively discussion! (And yes—this abstract got a little help from AI. We’re living the topic!)

Michael Cowling and Meredith Hinze
Joint Webinar leads

ASCILITE June Webinar Recording: Designing Spaces for Connection: Evolving Insights from CONNECTspace

In this webinar Professor Peter Bryant explored insights from the 2024 ASCILITE Best Full Paper Award-winning research, Mediating connection at scale through space design: The University of Sydney Business School CONNECTspace. Building on the December conference presentation, this webinar provided new data, fresh perspectives, and deeper analysis on how intentional space design fosters student engagement and connection at scale. It includes practical takeaways for designing learning environments that support belonging and collaboration.

Watch the webinar here.

Kwong Nui Sim and Karine Cosgrove
ASCILITE Webinar leads

Educational Technology and Practice Exemplars for Contextualising Horizon 2025

ASCILITE’s Contextualising Horizon project seeks nomination for exemplars of the 2025 educational technology and practice trends. The trends identified by participants in this year’s workshops are:

Integrating AI in curriculum and systems responsibly and inclusively
Empowering educators: Digital literacy, and capability for a human-centred future
Evolving valid and authentic assessment practices
Bridging the industry–education gap
Balancing workflows and wellbeing during technological change

Exemplars illustrate the application of these technologies and practices across the sector. To nominate an exemplar created by a colleague or to lodge a self-nomination, complete the online nomination form. The form asks for contact details as well as a brief overview (350 words) of the nominated exemplar or case study. A URL for the exemplar project website, publication, or other artifact is also welcome.
We also encourage you to distribute the call for exemplars throughout your networks. The deadline to submit a nomination is 4 July 2025.

About the Project
Contextualising Horizon aims to identify the educational technologies and practices likely to impact the Australasian tertiary sector. The Contextualising Horizon report brings together analysis of the trends impacting tertiary education and insights and exemplars of the significant educational technologies and practices.

Chris Campbell, Danielle Logan-Fleming, Michael Sankey, Simone Poulsen and Penny Wheeler
Contextualising Horizon 2025 leads

ASCILITE September Webinar: Thinking About Joining the ASCILITE Executive?

Date: Tuesday 2 September
Time: 12:00 PM AEDT | 2:00 pm NZ
Register here.Join us for an exclusive webinar designed for all staff across Australasia, where we explore the exciting opportunities of stepping into executive roles. This session will provide invaluable insights into the skills and strategies needed to excel, whether you’re in academia or a relevant professional field. This is your chance to unlock new potential, refine your skills, and network with like-minded professionals from across the region. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to advance your career and contribute to your organisation’s success. Come and join us as we explore the path to executive excellence!

Kwong Nui Sim and Karine Cosgrove
ASCILITE Webinar leads

OTHER NEWS

Exploring the accuracy of Generative AI journal article summaries as evaluated by authors

Are you an author of a published journal article? How do you feel about the increase of Generative AI summaries, and do you feel it would capture your research accurately? This topic is relevant when we are deciding whether to use Generative AI in Teaching and Learning: is it fit-for-purpose, and accurate enough for the task? Please consider participating in a study that seeks to build an evidence-base on this topic. We are seeking participants who have recently (preferably within the last two years) made a significant contribution to a peer-reviewed publication as a solo, first, or major author, and are based in either Australia or New Zealand.

Please complete this form to register your interest in the study here .

If you have any questions, please contact Dr Sam Newell, or Dr Kay Hammond