Broadcast: News items

The Active Learning Network, a global community that started at the University of Sussex, won the Finalist with Distinction Award at the 2021 Global Academic Development Good Practice Awards ceremony held in Australia this week.

The Active Learning Network was founded at Sussex by Dr Tab Betts (School of Education and Social Work) and Dr Wendy Garnham (School of Psychology), and is now hosted with Dr Paolo Oprandi (Technology Enhanced Learning team).

 About the Active Learning Network

• a global initiative designed to promote cross-institutional collaboration and excellence in learning and teaching
• now in its fifth year, with 26 satellite groups around the world
• the Active Learning Network website has received over 17,000 views in 138 countries
• the Network’s two open access publications have already been downloaded more than 2,000 times
• hosted the world’s first Global Festival of Active learning in April 2020, with over 1,800 attendees

Tab Betts, Lecturer in Higher Education Pedagogy, said: "It’s a great honour for the community we've built to receive this global award and sector-wide recognition for our commitment to excellence in learning and teaching. The award is testament to the power of cross-institutional collaboration and reciprocal sharing to transform academic practice. 

"It still astonishes me to think that something which we started with a few colleagues discussing teaching approaches in a workshop could become an award-winning global community. Our network now spans the UK, Ireland, Greece, Romania, Nigeria, China, Singapore and Cambodia.

“Thank you to everyone in our community, our satellite group leads and those who have supported us to make this possible. More amazing things to come."

View the Active Learning Networks’ video presentation, featuring colleagues from institutions around the world: