Other universities look to VU for block teaching expertise

Other institutions have approached Victoria University to tap its expertise and experience in block teaching.

A class at Victoria University learning with the innovative block teaching model.

Victoria University senior vice-chancellor John Germov says the institution has been approached by several universities seeking to benefit from VU’s experience with its block teaching model.

Under the block model, students do study units one at a time in a short “block”, instead of typically studying four units at once over a semester.

Professor Germov said that in its six years of operating a block model across all its teaching, including postgraduate programs, VU had refined its operation and adapted the universities policies, processes and support services to make it work.

“We can offer and adapt these programs for universities interested in exploring the block model,” he said. VU also has developed a graduate certificate in block model teaching as well as many professional development programs, to assist its staff in transitioning to block teaching.

Now this experience in teaching through a block model is available to other universities through the VU Block Model Academy.

Professor Germov said the block model was particularly effective for “equity” students such as those who were first in family at university or from low-SES backgrounds.

He said wider use of the block model could help meet new goals for boosting the proportion of equity students at universities.