Drive Online Learning Innovation Through Academic Professional Development
Professional development for academics
Boundless Learning Academy courses are designed to improve the way academic professionals develop and deliver online content dynamically — and to enhance the online learner’s journey.
Advancing and expanding in the digital arena in the age of AI
Like many research-intensive institutions, the University of Leeds saw similar tensions:
Growing expectations
for high-quality, inclusive, and well-designed online learning
Limited internal capacity
for structured professional development at scale
A desire to experiment and innovate
without committing to a long-term rollout
Building a short curriculum around inclusivity, engagement, and asynchronous design
Working in lockstep with the University of Leeds, Boundless Learning implemented a modular curriculum of three courses designed to train a cross-discipline cohort of 25 learners in areas related to inclusive practice, student engagement and motivation, and asynchronous learning design.
Courses were built on a framework established by Boundless Learning Academy and tailored to address the university’s particular needs, expectations, and challenges.
By completing the three courses, University of Leeds stakeholders would develop critical skills in areas like:
- Complementing synchronous, on-campus offerings with asynchronous, online courses and aligning learning goals
- Enhancing learner engagement and defining clearer pathways to academic success through online programmes
- Building internal capabilities to help retain autonomy and control over existing and future online offerings
The courses
Authentic Assessment: Enhancing Student Engagement, Motivation and Learning
Learning focus:
Develop a strong foundation in authentic assessment, exploring how to design aligned, meaningful tasks that support student engagement and progression. You’ll examine effective feedback practices and the impact of AI on assessment to create robust, future-ready approaches.
Practice outcomes:
Create valid, motivating assessments
Become academic integrity-ready
Inclusive Practice in Online Environments
Learning focus:
Learn how to design inclusive, accessible online learning environments using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. This unit focuses on creating equitable learning experiences, supporting diverse student needs, and fostering a culture of belonging and participation.
Practice outcomes:
Build wider access and belonging
Reduce DFW rates (drop/fail/withdraw)
Integrated Curriculum Design for Online Learning
Learning focus:
Build the skills to design cohesive online learning experiences by aligning outcomes, assessments, and activities. You’ll explore how to balance delivery modes and use technology to create engaging, inclusive, and effective learning journeys.
Practice outcomes:
Use tech-empowered learning to create inclusive, engaging experiences
Measure results and help learners work toward relevant course and career outcomes
Empowering academic staff through self-paced professional development
Feedback
Following the eight-week programme, we surveyed participants on how they connected with the courses and what aspects of the initiative they found most useful.
The courses scored high in the areas of:
- Structure
- Clarity
- Learning alignment
80%
The most appreciated elements were:
Scenarios
Practical tools
Conceptual clarity
Resource mix
For the University of Leeds, it demonstrates how short-course learning can drive targeted improvements in key areas, including inclusive teaching practice, assessment design, and curriculum coherence in online environments.
Interested in professional development for your staff?
