Higher education institutions universally need to maximise student engagement by modifying teaching practices in response to changes caused by globalisation, technological innovation, and community values. To do this, it is necessary to deeply understand the complexity of student needs and identify how to respond. The global shift to wholly online learning during COVID19 presented a unique opportunity to better understand the influences and outcomes of student engagement in practice. We conducted an extended 2-day focus group with students from an Australian university and applied Kahu and Nelson’s educational interface framework to investigate how the shift to online education affected students’ perceptions of learning and engagement. Students reported their primary needs related to digital competencies, flexible learning, and teacher care and enthusiasm. In these contexts, educators must support students to develop self-efficacy and a sense of belonging. However, most significant was the inextricable connection between students’ personal lives, including emotions and wellbeing, and their university lives. Students reported that they consistently prioritised lifeload over learning load, while consciously knowing their choices were at odds with their learning. We provide suggestions for improving future learning models, while also acknowledging more work is needed to better understand student lifeloads and decision-making. These insights are valuable for improving practice in higher education, as institutions internationally and sector wide continue to adapt to the evolving needs of students within global sociocultural contexts.

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The rapidly evolving legal landscape is changing the nature of law and increasing the need for lawyers to acquire new skills and capabilities suited to the future of legal work. Australia’s first dedicated design thinking unit in undergraduate law – Queensland University of Technology’s (QUTs) Law and Design Thinking – teaches students to respond to legal challenges in innovative and creative ways. Three years on, this unit provides a valuable case study that establishes design thinking as an essential addition to traditional legal curricula and one that will ensure graduates are equipped for the future of work.

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