Phillip Arena

Boola Katitjin, which translates to “lots of learning” in Noongar, is a newly built, sustainable building that amplifies the Murdoch experience with new places to learn, study and socialise, while reflecting the University’s commitment to both in-person and online learning. With over 60% of the university’s classes able to be timetabled in the building in 2023, the Support for Academic Learning team piloted a team-teaching model to deliver communication skills units to undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts. At the centre of Murdoch University's Perth campus, Boola Katitjin provides a mindful and technology-rich educational experience to learn, connect and belong. Students, staff, and industry alike can meet, work, and engage in the building’s 21 large flat-floor format teaching and learning spaces, technology-rich labs, and immersive industry collaboration facilities. These spaces have been designed to put students at the centre of a social learning environment, enable innovative teaching methods with technology-enhanced features and aesthetic furnishings that encourage active and collaborative learning. Together, we embrace the pedagogical and technology affordances that the new building provides, to deliver memorable and impactful learning experiences for our students. This paper will explore how understanding ways to effectively use the learning spaces plays a significant role in teaching and learning, enabling both students and educators to construct meaning through their interactions with the content, and with one another, within the environment.

Based on a Design Based Research approach, this project investigates the development and effectiveness of interventions designed to promote the integration of academic and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy activities and resources within postgraduate coursework at Murdoch University. Focusing on a core post graduate transition Engineering unit, the study aims to evaluate the efficacy of AI enhanced activities within the unit through a collaborative effort between the academics of the Support for Learning team and Engineering Lecturers. Focused on the instructional activities surrounding a literature review proposal, including guidelines for AI-assisted activities to scaffold academic writing and research skills, the assessment design includes both secure and open submissions. A major goal of the project is to evaluate the effectiveness of these activities and resources in developing academic and AI Literacies, from a student point of view. The project explores how students engage with academic and AI literacy activities, and how these experiences influence their ability to produce authentic written work and use AI tools ethically and effectively. The research employs a mixed-methods data collection approach, involving surveys and semi-structured interviews. The findings will inform future curriculum design and support services, contributing to broader efforts to enhance student transitions, academic capabilities, and responsible AI use across disciplines at Murdoch and beyond.

Scientific writing is a common challenge for university students, particularly those lacking proficiency in academic English. Despite being routinely evaluated on their understanding of concepts through scientific writing, students are not explicitly taught how to write scientifically. STEM education often prioritises the teaching of concepts and experimental theories, leaving students to independently decipher the expectations of advanced scientific writing at a tertiary level. However, first-year students often encounter difficulties discerning and executing the essential elements of scientific writing. To address this, we developed five high-quality, online interactive modules with the aim to augment the first-year experience and empower students to master the intricacies of scientific communication. These modules complement traditional in-class teaching and facilitate the acquisition of scientific writing skills by actively involving students through interactive unit-specific exercises and structured scaffolding of scientific writing concepts. By creating an inclusive learning environment aligned with Universal Design for Learning principles, we hope to bridge gaps in scientific communication skills. Preliminary data analysis, offers valuable insights into the effectiveness and potential impact of these modules, particularly on academic success and confidence.