The Melbourne Way

Defining features of our pedagogy at the University of Melbourne

The University is committed to developing outstanding graduates whose qualities are defined by the statement on 'The Melbourne Graduate'.

The University of Melbourne educational experience prepares well-rounded graduates who are academically outstanding, practically grounded and socially responsible. Melbourne's graduates are distinguished by their broad outlook and openness to different perspectives.

Melbourne's degrees develop research and reasoning skills that equip graduates to be influential citizens with high leadership potential. The University's graduates engage with national and global issues and are attuned to social and cultural diversity. They have high levels of self-awareness and value their personal integrity and well-being.

How can our teaching and learning practices achieve the aspirations for the Melbourne Graduate? What does the educational research teach us?

The body of international research into effective learning environments in higher education suggests five primary educational objectives - challenge, inquiry, application, collaboration, self-direction - that are central to student learning and graduate outcomes. These objectives should permeate our curriculum and approaches to teaching and learning. The realisation of the five objectives depends on the day-to-day practices of staff and students, the design of curricula and the overall institutional environment and ethos.

Five core educational objectives	The curricula and approaches to teaching and learning needed to achieve the objectives
Challenge Graduates who embrace and engage deeply with complex ideas, issues and problems	Clear expectations of learning goals and outcomes Coherent curricula with clear connections among different elements of subjects and courses Curriculum and learning experiences that are intellectually stimulating and relevant to students' future goals Expert guidance and feedback to facilitate development of in-depth knowledge
Inquiry Graduates skilled in reasoning, research and discovery	A learning environment that encourages questioning and exploration Curriculum and teaching approaches that emphasise active student involvement and practical application Curriculum and learning experiences that foster experimentation and discovery
Application Graduates skilled in using knowledge and information to solve practical problems	Learning tasks designed to build practical experiences Curriculum and learning experiences relevant to students' current and future goals Ongoing opportunities for practice and consolidation
Collaboration Graduates skilled in communication and working cooperatively with others	A learning environment conducive to peer-interaction Teaching approaches that provide structured opportunities for peer-led learning and feedback Curriculum and learning experiences that emphasise shared goals among diverse students
Self-direction Graduates who are self-aware, reflective and able to set goals, manage tasks and evaluate progress	Curriculum and teaching approaches that encourage autonomous learning and decision-making Learning experiences that enable ongoing practice in critical reflection and self-assessment Learning tasks designed to provide structures opportunities to develop metacognitive skills