Block Teaching Essentials A Practical Guide

This textbook is written by an experienced team of international block teaching experts and administrators. This textbook addresses the need for more research and writing on the topic and provides in-depth, authoritative, theoretical, and practical information on block teaching. It covers the essentials a block educator might need to succeed in that field, whether in secondary, vocational, and/or higher education. It also offers administrators insights into how the block might work in their institution. This textbook comprehensively covers all aspects of the process from the pre-planning exploratory stage, right through to delivery in the classroom and review. Written by an international team of expert block-based educators and administrators, the book provides clear theoretical and practical frameworks that allow for practitioners to build expertise in the design, delivery, and ongoing review and development of block-based courses and the institutional changes needed to make this possible. The chapters within are also templated, making them purposeful, practical, and easy for educators to realize in their classrooms and for students to follow. They include case studies and other didactic elements drawn from student and educator experience to provide opportunities for students to critically reflect on, and practically improve, their teaching philosophy and practice.

What is the Block?.- History, Global Context, other Intensive Alternative Formats.- Prepping You and Your Students for the Block.- Block design and delivery principles.- High engagement teaching on the Block.- Experiential / Out of the Classroom.- Assessment Design and Development on the Block.- Cycles of Quality.- Content Heavy Subjects.- Technology and the Block online.- Institutional Change and Administration.- Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity.

Associate Professor John Weldon held the position, Head of Curriculum, in Victoria University’s (VU) VU First Year College® (FYC) from 2017-2021. As such, he was intimately involved in the design, development, and implementation of the VU Block Model® and First Year Model. From 2022-2023, he was seconded to the VU Business College to lead the curriculum revitalization of VU’s Business degrees. In 2021, Weldon co-authored the book Content Production for Digital Media: An Introduction, published by Springer Nature; a German language of which was published in 2024. In 2020, Weldon led the establishment of IBILTA (the International Block and Intensive Learning and Teaching Association), serving as Founding President until October 2023. Prior to his role in the FYC, Weldon taught and researched in the field of Professional and Creative Writing in VU’s College of Arts and Education. His research has been published in international journals; he is Novelist and has worked as Freelance Reporter and Writer since the mid-1990s for organizations including: The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The ABC, The AFL, Times Higher Education, and The Westsider.

Associate Professor Loretta Konjarski is Associate Dean Learning and Teaching in the FYC at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. As Founding Member of the FYC, Loretta provides leadership in the development of all learning and teaching programs within the FYC, with particular focus on the VU Block Model. Loretta began her career as Secondary Education Physical Education Teacher and has over 34 years of teaching experience with a particular focus on curriculum design and high engagement teaching. She is also Chair of the VU Block Model Professional Learning Program Steering Committee where she leads the design and implementation of Professional Learning across the university. She leads an evidence-based approach to improving all things block, including curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, with the goal of enhancing learning and the student experience. Loretta collaborates with colleagues both nationally and internationally to research and celebrate the benefits of block learning and teaching.