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Learning and Teaching Plan 2007 – 2011

March 2007 : Review of Performance against the Learning and Teaching Plan 2007-2011 (word.doc)

 

Introduction
Key Learning and Teaching Objectives 2007-2011
Governance

Introduction

The CSU Learning and Teaching Plan 2007-2011 is based on CSU's University Strategy 2007-2011. Key Objectives 1 and 3 of the University Strategy commit CSU to achieving excellence in education for the professions (1) and to maintaining national leadership in flexible and distance education (3).

The University Performance Outcomes linked to these objectives include improvements in measures of student satisfaction with learning and teaching; significant increases in demand for CSU courses; and increases in the external recognition of the achievements of CSU staff in learning and teaching.

Key Objective 2 of the University Strategy 2007-11 commits CSU to achieving a better alignment of areas of research strength and teaching strength. This Objective forms the basis of CSU's Research Plan 2007-11. The achievement of this objective will contribute to the achievement of the Learning and Teaching Plan as teaching will be strengthened by improved research performance.

Please note:

• “University level initiative” refers to actions at University level which support the Key Course Profile Objective. Faculty and Divisional actions will be set out in Operational Plans. Not all strategies are supported by specific University level initiatives. Their implementation will rely on Faculty and Divisional actions.

• “Strategic Resources” refers to resources provided to support strategies and initiatives which are in addition to the annual operating budget for Faculties and Divisions. Not all strategies and initiatives are provided with strategic resources. Support for these is expected to be provided from within operating budgets.

• “Flexible learning”: a formal CSU definition of flexible learning has not yet been adopted. When used in CSU planning documents it refers to learning and teaching which is characterised by flexibility in access; the availability to students of a variety of learning support from which they may choose what best meets their needs; and, the availability to staff of a variety of teaching support which they may deploy to best meet the needs of their students.

• “VLE” refers to CSU's Virtual Learning Environment of on-line communication tools, learning resources and learning support.

• “International education” at CSU refers both to strategies which encourage CSU students to include international study in their courses (ie study outside their home country) and to the inclusion in the CSU curriculum of studies which promote global citizenship.

• “Indigenous education” at CSU has the aim both of supporting the higher educational needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities and of promoting understanding of Indigenous communities amongst CSU's non-indigenous students.

Key Learning and Teaching Objectives 2007-2011

Objective One

Promotion, Recognition and Supported Enhancement of Good Practice in Learning and Teaching

1.1 recognise and disseminate good practice using scholarship of teaching projects and teaching excellence awards;

1.2 strengthen support for Deans , Heads of Schools and sub- Deans , Learning and Teaching, in their leadership of learning and teaching;

1.3 improve academic staff:student ratios and academic staff:subject ratios;

1.4 promote applications for external learning and teaching projects and awards.

University Level Initiatives to support this objective

1.1 making leadership in learning and teaching a priority in Academic Staff Development Plan (ongoing);

1.2 support through CELT for scholarship of learning and teaching; applications for external awards and grants; and identification and dissemination of good practice (ongoing);

1.3 establishment of Institutes for Professional and Practicum
Based Learning and for Innovation in Flexible Learning and Teaching (2007);

1.4 review the role of and support for sub- Deans , Learning and Teaching (2007), including consideration of creating Associate Deans , Learning and Teaching;

1.5 provision of a framework for creating and sustaining discipline based learning and teaching communities of practice (2007-8);

1.6 subject reduction initiative (2007-8);

1.7 academic staff:student ratio initiatives (ongoing);

1.8 course architecture project (2007-9).

Outcomes

(1) University Performance Outcomes

This objective should contribute towards meeting the University Performance Outcomes related to demand and flexible delivery; those related to the SEQ, teaching evaluations and Learning and Teaching Performance Fund; and that related to external awards to staff.

(2) Specific Outcomes

• participation of staff in scholarship of teaching and teaching award programs increases;

• provision of Academic Staff Development programs in leadership in learning and teaching;

• enhanced understanding, recognition and support for the role of sub-Dean (Associate Dean) Learning and Teaching;

• development of discipline based communities of practice to complement School and Faculty Learning and Teaching Committees;

• creation of Institutes for Professional and Practicum Based Learning and for Innovation in Flexible Learning and Teaching;

• improved academic staff:student ratios;

• improvement in ratio of subjects to academic (fewer subjects per staff member);

• course architecture changes implemented fully for 2009;

• increase in externally funded learning and teaching projects and external awards.

 

Objective Two

Creation of a more accessible and effective learning environment

2.1 develop the flexible and distance learning resources of CSU, including the VLE, to enhance the learning environment;

2.2 strengthen learning communities, including those which link on and off campus students, including through the Learning Commons;

2.3 enhance professional development in the use of the VLE/Flexible learning to empower academic staff to make better use of digital technologies to support learning in all modes;

2.4 develop and promulgate improved assessment strategies, including for the
on-line environment and to support the development of graduate attributes;

2.5 enhance the inclusiveness of CSU's learning environments, especially through the development and implementation of an Indigenous Education Strategy; a Western Regions Strategy; and enhanced international education strategies for domestic and international students;

2.6 review calendar to remove overlapping sessions;

2.7 refurbish learning spaces at CSU to support flexible use and use of the VLE.

University Level Initiatives to support this objective

2.1 establishment of Institute for Innovation in Flexible Learning and Teaching (2007);

2.2 Learning Commons Project (2007-9);

2.3 VLE Program (ongoing);

2.4 Enhanced staff development in assessment (2007-8);

2.5 Indigenous Education Strategy (2007);

2.6 Western Regions Strategy (2007);

2.7 Review of strategies, including virtual exchange and equivalence for offshore and partnership students (2007-8);

2.8 Session Calendar project (2007-8);

2.9 Learning space refurbishment (ongoing);

2.10 Review roles and resourcing of support divisions, especially CELT and LMC, to enable them to improve their support for flexible learning on campus.

Outcomes

(1) University Performance Outcomes

This objective should contribute towards meeting the University Performance Outcomes related to demand and flexible delivery and to those related to SEQ, teaching evaluations and Learning and Teaching Performance Fund.

(2) Specific Outcomes

• improved assessment practices;

• new session calendar;

• improved participation and success of ATSI and rural and remote students;

• increased participation of CSU students in international education opportunities;

• strengthened QA of equivalence in learning experiences for all CSU students;

• increased effective use by staff of features of CSU's VLE;

• increasing use by students of Learning Commons and optional features of CSU's VLE;

• learning space refurbishment.

 

Objective Three

Strengthen partnerships with the professions and industry in learning and teaching

 

3.1 enhance the use and effectiveness of practicum and clinical education, including the development of new models;

3.2 strengthen learning and teaching in professional ethics;

3.3 improve recognition and support for professional and practicum educators;

3.4 increase involvement of professions in assessing outcomes.

University level initiatives to support this objective

3.1 establishment of Institute for Professional and Practicum
Based Learning (2007);

3.2 review learning and teaching in professional ethics in CSU programs (2007);

3.3 promote use of SSP to maintain clinical/professional currency (ongoing);

3.4 development of high quality facilities (laboratories, clinics, scenario village, etc) for supporting clinical and practical teaching (ongoing);

3.5 enhancement of on-line support for clinical and practicum learning and teaching (ongoing from 2008);

3.6 increase enrolments in non-compulsory professional and industrial learning programs (2007);

3.7 recognition of professional and practicum educators with Library and on-line access and supervisory training (ongoing);

3.8 further development of university based clinics and enterprises (ongoing).

Outcomes

(1) University Performance Outcomes

This objective should contribute towards meeting the University Performance Outcomes related to demand, the SEQ, teaching evaluations and the Learning and Teaching Performance Fund.

 

(2)Specific Outcomes

• increase in proportion of CSU students undertaking clinical and practicum experiences;

• increase in number of professional and practicum educators participating in CSU professional development programs and in the CSU community;

• increase in participation of professions in assessment;

• maintaining and improving teaching evaluations for practicum, clinical and professional ethics subjects.

Governance

The Learning and Teaching Committee is responsible for the development, monitoring and review of the Learning and Teaching Plan.

The Information and Learning Systems Committee (ILSC) is responsible for integrating the work of the Divisions in support of CSU's Learning and Teaching Plan. The ILSC advises the Vice-Chancellor and SEC on learning systems projects.

The Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Deans and Heads of Schools are assigned management responsibility for the quality of learning and teaching within Academic Senate policies, including the management of staff and resources.

 

(Professor) Ross Chambers

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)

Presiding Officer, Learning and Teaching Committee