This post is authored by Dr Nicole Sugden | Assoc Head of School for the School of Psychology
In June/July, I embarked on a Special Studies Program (SSP) that took me to the University of Hertfordshire, UK; the Universitie de Picardie Jules Verne, in Amiens France; the Society of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition (SARMAC) conference in Ireland. My SSP included presentations/discussions around my research on prospective memory as well as dialogue on learning and teaching. Below are my reflections on how these SSP activities and exploring the UK and France as a person with disability helped me rediscover the magic, but also how we can support our students to rediscover the magic as well?
What is the magic of learning?
What is the magic of learning? It is that invisible process and flow-state that comes from immersion in a topic. The repetition and retrieval of concepts that leads to new synaptic connections in our brains. The sharing of ideas with colleagues. The growth that comes from leaving one’s comfort zone. The trial and error, frustration, but ultimate joy when ideas come together or we make unexpected discoveries.
For me, the magic of learning is what I love most about my job in academia. However, since Covid, some of that magic seems to have faded for our students, and for us.
Dr Nicole Sugden, pictured right, about to board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 3/4 [Image]. Source: Dr Sugden (copyright 2025)
Has the magic gone?
With increased online teaching, it is harder to engage and connect with our students. Students typically have limited time to commit to learning, and with AI, you can offload information and “ta-da”, just like magic, there is your output. However, AI can only create the illusion of learning. There is no flow-state, no failure to motivate us, and the joy of discovery is muted in the absence of the work that comes with real learning.
A SARMAC presentation by Dr Veronica Yan (University of Texas, Austin) was particularly poignant for me. She found that students were generally aware of effective learning strategies (e.g., retrieval practice) yet rarely used them due to perceived time costs of learning/using them. Moreover, students tended to prioritise short-term performance goals (good marks) over longer term mastery goals (learning).
In conversations with international colleagues, we pondered how cognitive offloading to technology to save time might affect our brains? If we don’t use it, do we lose it?
Or could this technology be used in a positive way? Does offloading some tasks free up space/time for deeper learning? Rather than being a learning replacement, could AI become a learning aid? Could we use AI to tailor learning pathways, activities, and strategies to individualise and enhance learning? Could we use it to develop feedback literacy skills?
At TARMAC (the teaching symposium at the SARMAC conference) we exchanged ideas with these questions in mind. I shared my research on E-portfolio assessments, while others spoke about engaging students through puzzle-box activities, online classroom techniques, and embedding self-regulated learning strategy practice into curriculum.
Together, these presentations and conversations resulted in the generation of new ideas for research, collaborations, and learning and teaching practice for us.
Rediscovering the magic
Returning from my SSP, I felt re-energised and was brimming with ideas. I had rediscovered the magic! How did this happen, and how can we harness this with our students?
Interleaved learning
My SSP were spread over 6 weeks (with some leave between SSP activities). The interleaved preparation for each SSP activity, allowed me to focus and immerse myself in my research and pedagogical practice over an extended time.
For our students, often assessments are one-off topic-specific tasks. Perhaps interleaved, extended learning across the course (e.g. programmatic assessment), may help students immerse themselves more deeply with their learning.
Human connection and sharing with others
Prior to my SSP, I had corresponded with my international colleagues by email. I cannot state enough how much more valuable the face-to-face time with them was in developing collaborative relationships. While the presentations generated some ideas, it was the tea-break conversations where relationships were built, ideas shared, and email addresses exchanged for future discussions.
With our students, there is limited opportunity to connect and share in this way. How can we replicate the tea-break experience for students? Could we cultivate this through learning activities that encourage collaboration with peers? I’m also excited about the potential of oral/observable assessments for helping us reconnect with our students.
Dr Nicole Sugden with colleagues Mathieu Hainselin, PhD & Geoffrey BLONDELLE [Image]. Source: Dr Sugden (copyright 2025)
Leaving the comfort zone, trial and error, and unexpected discoveries
Travelling with a disability for my SSP meant leaving my comfort zone and a lot of trial and error. Being lifted out of my wheelchair onto an aircraft in front of hundreds of other passengers and hoping that my chair made it to the UK in one piece. Navigating London in a wheelchair on a patchy public transport system. Taking my wheelchair on a beach for the first time in Ireland. Facing a city full of cobblestones in France.
But gosh it was all worth it! I was blown away by the beautiful scenery in Wales, Ireland, and England. I became an expert in tackling cobblestones. While I did get bogged on the beach, it was surprisingly fun figuring how to get out. In navigating my way to Hertfordshire for my SSP visit, I unexpectedly got to visit platform 9 and 3/4, living my magical Harry Potter dream.
For our students, should we be aiming to bring them out of their comfort zone a little more? How can we create formative opportunities that provide a safe way for them to learn how to take risks, sit with failure, and grow?
Nature
At SARMAC, there was a presentation on how walking through nature as opposed to urban environments benefited cognition. I certainly experienced this on my many strolls around forests, mountains, lakes, and cliffs. This time in nature 100% helped my brain consolidate all of the ideas I had gathered from my SSP activities.
So much these days happens online and with technology. Rather than staring at our screens hoping for inspiration, should we be basking in the sun on the library lawn sharing a coffee and ideas with each other and our students? Could we go on walks to allow our brains to be creative and letting our ideas marinate?
I hope to see you on the library lawn sometime where we can share the magic!
Dr Nicole Sugden enjoying the outdoors [Image gallery]. Source: Dr Sugden (copyright 2025)
Acknowledgement: I would sincerely like to thank Charles Sturt University, and the Business, Justice, and Behavioural Sciences Faculty for funding and supporting my Special Studies Program
References
Rea, S. D., Wang, L., Muenks, K., & Yan, V. X. (2022). Students can (mostly) recognize effective learning, so why do they not do it?. Journal of Intelligence, 10(4), 127.