UTS Learning Design Meetup: Effective practices in self-paced learning

The power of self-paced learning lies not just in autonomy and flexibility, but in the profound opportunity for private, reflective growth. In higher education, where academic expertise often overshadows pedagogical development, self-paced learning offers a safe, low-pressure space for even the most accomplished academics to explore and refine their teaching practice.

This approach removes the social risk of “not knowing,” allowing educators to experiment, reflect, and grow on their own terms, in their own time.

Between lectures, research, and governance, professional development can feel like a luxury. Self-paced learning changes the game. It’s sustainable, scalable, and always available, making it easier for universities to deliver consistent, high-quality resources, and for academics to engage when it suits them.

What to expect at this meetup

Join us for an online session as we unpack the art and science of self-paced learning design. We’ll explore key questions such as:

1. What does ‘self-paced learning’ mean to you?

2. What does effective self-paced learning look like?

3. When wouldn't you use self-paced learning?

4. What are some challenges you've faced in designing self-paced learning?

We’ll reflect, listen to speakers sharing their strategies, and revisit these questions at the end to see how our perspectives have evolved. You’ll leave with practical insights and design strategies grounded in evidence and community wisdom.

Speakers

Maryanne Vorreiter

A former Learning Designer at Lifeline Australia, Maryanne brings a rich background in classroom teaching and teacher training. She is passionate about creating human-centred learning experiences where learners are the critical ingredient to success. With expertise in adult learning, instructional design, and digital technologies, Maryanne partners with business units, clients, and learners to co-design meaningful, outcome-driven learning experiences.

Amelia Di Paolo

Amelia, a Senior Learning Designer in the Learning Design team within the Education Portfolio at UTS, currently leads learning design for the Faculty of Health. She drives student-centred, innovative educational experiences and recently spearheaded the successful launch of the Innovation Lab. Her work spans undergraduate and postgraduate programs, enterprise learning, and microcredentials. Amelia also mentors a team of learning designers, encouraging experimentation with tools like GenAI and Canvas feature previews. 

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Mais Fatayer at mais.fatayer@uts.edu.au. 

Organisers

UTS Learning Design Meetup team: Mais Fatayer, Lucy Blakemore, Jenny Wallace and Giulia Clemente.