Vol. 21 No. 05 (2024): Twenty Years of Learning and Teaching Practice

Belonging is more than just a buzzword; it is a critical factor that affects students’ academic engagement, motivation, persistence, and overall achievement, especially considering the diversity of students in educational settings. The

Belonging is more than just a buzzword; it is a critical factor that affects students’ academic engagement, motivation, persistence, and overall achievement, especially considering the diversity of students in educational settings. The goal of this paper is to dissect the complexities of belonging, examining its various determinants, the diverse impacts it has on student university populations, and the range of strategies that effectively nurture this sense of belonging. We conducted literature search in August 2023 using the Web of Science database, focusing exclusively on publications from the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice. We used a combination of keywords like ‘belonging’, ‘university belonging’, ‘social belonging’, and other related terms, ensuring a comprehensive collection of relevant studies. A total of 133 articles were identified, with 77 selected for detailed full-text review. The final selection process resulted in 33 articles for the systematic review. Key results from our review indicate that belonging in higher education involves four main themes: connectedness to peers, staff, and the institution; feeling safe and part of the community; being valued and accepted; and embracing diversity and inclusion. These themes reflect a holistic understanding of belonging as a multi-dimensional concept, significantly influenced by institution-wide approaches, inclusive environments, educator practices, and quality relationships. The variation of belonging experiences identifies key challenges such as exclusion of diverse groups, lack of connection opportunities, and insufficient support relationships. Effective strategies for fostering belonging include targeting multiple system levels, building relationships, employing diverse educator practices, leveraging technology and creating inclusive environments.

Almost one in five Australians (18%) and nearing one in 10 of our student population (9%) are disabled, so it is unsurprising that disability is a priority area for the Universities Accord process in Australia, and similar processes around

Almost one in five Australians (18%) and nearing one in 10 of our student population (9%) are disabled, so it is unsurprising that disability is a priority area for the Universities Accord process in Australia, and similar processes around the world. We sought to explore how contributors to the Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice have advanced the knowledge surrounding disability inclusion in universities through their publications in the journal. We identified only three articles that were primarily or explicitly about aspects of teaching and learning for higher education students with disability, alongside 48 that tangentially mentioned higher education students with disability. Other articles included the search terms (such as disab*) but made only passing reference to disability or were not about disabled students in higher education. We provide recommendations for authors, reviewers and editors to consider as they reflect on how they can contribute to the conversation, and to the improvement of educational opportunities and outcomes for disabled students.

Since the emergence of social media in the early 2000’s, innovative educators have sought ways to utilise, adapt, and maximise the opportunities for learning within social networking and collaborative online spaces. The purpose of this

Since the emergence of social media in the early 2000’s, innovative educators have sought ways to utilise, adapt, and maximise the opportunities for learning within social networking and collaborative online spaces. The purpose of this systematic review is to analyse the work published on social media for learning in the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice (JUTLP) over the 20-year life of the journal to date. We summarise the current evidence on the use of social media for learning and document how the field has evolved and changed since its emergence as a pedagogical theme. We explore themes for the use of social media for learning, key challenges, how the use of social media has changed over time, and we look at specific types of papers that contribute to the original research on social media for learning. We achieved this through a systematic review 3-step process: 1) scoping and understanding the review context and research questions, 2) undertaking methods using an established approach for a systematic and quality assessment of the literature, and 3) undertaking a thorough thematic analysis of the empirical evidence from the systematic review papers to provide meaningful outcomes and recommendations. This robust approach resulted in the analysis of 11 papers and exploration of 4 key themes: Computer mediated communication, digital capabilities, and confidence, learning community, and social media pedagogy. Finally, we make recommendations that aim to benefit both editors and authors of JUTLP, and editors and authors more generally.

Scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) is central to improving teaching, enhancing students’ learning experiences and ensuring practice is evidence-based. This study explores the insights gained by applying an academic literacies lens

Scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) is central to improving teaching, enhancing students’ learning experiences and ensuring practice is evidence-based. This study explores the insights gained by applying an academic literacies lens to the results of professional development initiatives (programmes, schemes, etc.,) designed to enhance features of faculty colleagues’ SoTL skills. A scoping review was conducted on Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice (JUTLP) papers published from 2004-2023. Developing teaching practice is a central theme of JUTLP and the papers published across this timeframe provide a rich source from which to explore initial insights as a first step to potentially deeper explorations. The review identified four themes emerging from the qualitative data captured across the review sample: meaning-making together; journey of becoming; flattening of power; and context-specific identities. The analysis points to reasons why collaborative meaning-making opportunities are so valued within professional development initiatives. The academic literacies lens highlights issues of discourse, power, epistemology and identity, and consequently illuminates these collaborative moments as spaces that provide a knowledge and identity-based anchor for colleagues. This lens also stresses the destabilising and emotive nature of ‘becoming’ a pedagogic scholar. Implications of the findings are considered from an academic development perspective. Discussion centres particularly on how academic developers may work to support rather than jeopardise colleagues’ future SoTL trajectories.

Exploring educational leadership is crucial for shaping the future of higher education, influencing students, educators, and institutional dynamics. This thorough review is conducted by analyzing 36 research articles published in the

Exploring educational leadership is crucial for shaping the future of higher education, influencing students, educators, and institutional dynamics. This thorough review is conducted by analyzing 36 research articles published in the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice (JUTLP) from 2008 to 2022. The study underscores the urgent need for a nuanced understanding of diverse leadership practices within the ever-changing educational landscape. While the majority of studies in JUTLP focused on women's leadership, it became evident that other aspects of educational leadership are yet to be explored in the journal’s domain. The analysis also highlights significant gaps in the existing literature, emphasizing the necessity for more comprehensive studies that encompass broader societal contexts and global perspectives. The prevalence of qualitative methodologies in the analyzed articles indicates a preference for profound qualitative insights into leadership dynamics within academia, particularly in this journal. Key findings pinpoint critical areas for future exploration. With the spotlight on women's leadership, the study identifies gaps in research published In JUTLP related to diversity in leadership roles, international comparative studies, crisis management strategies, and the effective integration of technology in education. A particularly notable gap revolves around understanding the impact of educational leadership on sessional staff, urging institutions to empower this essential segment of academia. Additionally, the study offers strategic guidance for the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice (JUTLP), steering future research endeavors towards more inclusive, diverse, and globally relevant studies within the domain of educational leadership.

The Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice (JUTLP) has now published its twentieth annual volume, maintaining a record of publication for two decades now. This year, on the occasion of the journal’s 20th annual volume, we

The Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice (JUTLP) has now published its twentieth annual volume, maintaining a record of publication for two decades now. This year, on the occasion of the journal’s 20th annual volume, we seek to identify the distinctive contributions and influence of JUTLP as a research journal and how that influence has changed over time. This review has two broad purposes. First, it intends to empirically document the scholarly publications that has accumulated in JUTLP over its two decades of publication. Second, we seek to identify the noteworthy contributions that JUTLP has made to the field of leadership, teaching and learning practice in the higher education environment. This review is based on the analysis of 403 articles published in JUTLP between 2016 and 2023. Bibliographic data (e.g., authors, title, abstract, keywords, citations) in these articles were analysed using a bibliometric analysis method comprising of descriptive statistics, document citation and co-citation analysis, author co-citation analysis and keyword analysis. The review yields an empirically grounded findings on JUTLP ‘corpus of knowledge’ that provides useful indications and recommendations for the journal’s future development.

Employability is a set of key personal attributes and transferable and discipline-specific skills considered essential for effective workplace performance; however, there are numerous perspectives about employability and how to develop it

Employability is a set of key personal attributes and transferable and discipline-specific skills considered essential for effective workplace performance; however, there are numerous perspectives about employability and how to develop it in higher education. Definitions and measurements of employability are influenced by factors such as government policy, requirements of employers, discipline norms and structural barriers. In the context of the Special Issue: 20-year JUTLP Review, this structured narrative review aimed to explore and understand employability to inform higher education learning and teaching practice. Forty-six articles published in the Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice were included, set in the context of 45 review articles on employability sourced from Scopus and ERIC databases and other selected literature. Several definitions of employability drew on existing employability frameworks and researchers’ evolving conceptions of employability within their disciplinary contexts. We propose a composite definition of employability based on the findings from this review: Employability is lifelong, evolving and complex, requiring adaptability and capabilities including knowledge, skills and attributes to obtain sustainable employment and resolve work ambiguities in challenging globalised, sociocultural and economic contexts. Higher education teaching practices, curriculum and assessment develop employability by developing discipline-specific alongside transferable knowledge, skills, attitudes, literacies, competencies, capacities and capabilities relevant to potential workplaces and aligned with employability attributes. Student-centred experiential learning models such as work-integrated learning, internships, industry experience, problem-based learning and reflection promote employability. Higher education also should promote career development competencies to enable students to showcase their skills, experiences, and attributes to employers through e-portfolios.