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TEACHING AND LEARNING MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN

Approved President Academic Senate under delegated authority 30 March 2005.

Teaching and Learning Management Action Plan

Goal 1		We have a national and international reputation for excellence and innovation in teaching
	What we will do	How we will do it	Timeline	Responsibility
1	Recognise and support the nexus between areas of strength in teaching and research.	Thesis topics for Honours and Research Higher Degree students will be principally in the research areas of their supervisors. At undergraduate level, research will inform and integrate with teaching and learning through the principles, strategies and methods used in each academic’s research becoming part of their course delivery and the learning experience of students. Case studies from research will also be used to illustrate content for students. Staff will encourage students to become actively engaged in their research through participation in their research projects.	Ongoing	Academic staff
2	Continue to invest in areas of identified strength.	Each Faculty will identify its areas of teaching strength and appoint staff in these areas. This will be done in the context of also providing appropriate generic courses for students to obtain a broad based education and the University’s identified areas of research strength.	Ongoing	PVCs Heads of School
3	Establish partnerships with other universities to deliver courses.	Each Faculty will identify quality partner organisations either within Australia or overseas to deliver individual courses where such an arrangement results in mutual advantage. The Faculties will be assisted by International Development Services, who will provide information on potential overseas partners. To ensure the credibility and capacity of partners to deliver quality teaching, thorough checking processes will be developed and implemented.	Ongoing	DVC(R&I), PVCs Director VC office
4	Support through funding innovative approaches to learning and delivery	Each Faculty will fund new innovative approaches to learning and delivery. Strategic Funding support may also be available for the development of new programs, which will lead the University in a new direction, and generate additional income.	Ongoing	PVCs, SEG
5	Provide our academic staff with opportunities – including training and mentoring – for their professional development as teachers	A Practical Teaching Skills program to help with professional development of academic staff in the area of teaching will be developed. This will help foster an environment of excellence in teaching and learning in a similar way to research. A Graduate Certificate will be formulated using this program. The program will be geared to each Faculty teaching needs and will involve mentoring of newly appointed staff by experienced teachers.	Pilot Sem2, 2003 and fully operational by Dec 2005 Review Dec 2006	PVC (T&L)
5		Casual/sessional teaching workshops will be developed and fully implemented on campus. Remote locations will be assisted by the development of web based delivery	On campus Dec 2004 Remote locations Dec 2006	PVC (T&L)
6	Identify and give recognition to excellent teachers	Awards for Excellence in teaching will be given by the University. Successful staff will be encouraged to apply for national teaching awards.	Ongoing	DVC CTLPC
7	Implement consistent processes and systems across campuses and for on-shore and off-shore courses to quality assure our practice	Current practices and systems will be reviewed and improvements implemented to ensure consistency across locations and modes of delivery (on-line, on-shore and off-shore). This will be achieved through a Quality Assurance system. The Quality Assurance system should be reviewed within 18 months of implementation to ensure its effectiveness.	Complete Dec 2004 Review & modify Dec 2006	CTLPC

Teaching and Learning Management Action Plan

Goal 2		We are recognised for teaching which is relevant to the needs of employers and of society
	What we will do	How we will do it	Timeline	Responsibility
1	Strengthen partnerships with industry and professional bodies to facilitate their input into curriculum development and review	All planning teams for new programs and review teams for existing programs will involve at least two employer/industry/community representatives. In the case of accreditation the review teams will involve representatives from appropriate professional bodies. Schools will also be encouraged to have Advisory Bodies consisting of employer and professional representatives. Schools will be encouraged to appoint conjoint staff from industry to help teach on specialised topics.	Ongoing	PVCs Heads of School
2	Promote multi-disciplinary approaches to teaching and learning	The Practical Teaching skills program will encourage multidisciplinary interaction through a number of its modules. Existing good multi-disciplinary approaches to teaching and learning within the University will be promoted through the Faculties.	Ongoing	PVC (T&L) CTLPC
3	Continuously review processes to ensure appropriate articulation with other institutions	Each Faculty to review its current articulation arrangements with other institutions with a view to increasing the number of arrangements while ensuring appropriate credit is given. In the case of Hunter Institute of TAFE, a special committee is in place to consider two way articulation.	Ongoing	PVCs, President, AS
4	Multiple entry points to university	Through articulated pathways, Open Foundation, Newstep and normal UAC entry students will find multiple entry points into the University.	Ongoing	DVC

Teaching and Learning Management Action Plan

Goal 3

Our programs offer students curriculum and content that are relevant to stakeholders

What we will do

How we will do it

Timeline

Responsibility

Review programs and courses to ensure content is aligned with core skills and desired graduate outcomes

Maintain the 5 year review cycle for all programs which is approved by Academic Senate. A generic set of Terms of Reference for each review has been developed and approved. These Terms of Reference require the review teams to consider and report on core skills development and desired graduate outcomes.
A graduate attributes project will be undertaken.

Ongoing

Project completion mid 2005. Implementation during 2006

DVC

President, AS

PVC (T&L)

Teaching and Learning Management Action Plan

Goal 4		University systems support proactive, innovative and effective practices that assist the teaching and learning process
	What we will do	How we will do it	Timeline	Responsibility
1	Develop systems and processes that provide proactive service and support	Improve the Curriculum Tracking System (CTS) to ensure ease of use. CTS to provide information directly to Academic staff for development of course outlines. Ensure integration of CTS with other systems - Blackboard, NUSTAR and Handbook. Integration of on-line tutorial system with NUSTAR. Development of Teaching and Learning Website to help Academic staff	CTS, and T&L website Dec 2004 Integration projects - Dec 2004	PVC (T&L) DVC (Services)
2	Strengthen collaboration and coordination between academic and general staff through teamwork	Program Planning and Review teams will have a member of University Services Division (USD) to facilitate the flow of information about all systems and processes between the teams and USD. Faculties to encourage closer association between Faculty Offices and Schools.	Ongoing	DVC (Services) PVCs
3	Reward innovation and enterprise	Develop innovative support systems to improve access, usability and efficiency for teaching and learning. These could be funded through the Strategic Initiative Fund or the Capital Development Plan.	Ongoing	DVC (Services) PVC (T&L)
4	Enhance access to world-class on-line and print-based scholarly information resources	Quality assurance processes will be developed for on-line delivery and print based information. Staff are encouraged to consider building in the flexibility for on-line delivery. These will be implemented at Faculty level and in appropriate areas of USD. Consistency of information sources to all students from any access point and minimum resourcing information standards will be set.	Dec 2004	CTLPC ED, Education Services

Teaching and Learning Management Action Plan

Goal 5		We are known nationally and internationally for: our commitment to and success in providing education for Indigenous Australians, and developing awareness of Indigenous Australian issues through diverse curriculum content
	What we will do	How we will do it	Timeline	Responsibility
1	Ensure that Indigenous Australian students have access to all programs in the University.	All Indigenous Australian students will continue to be given access directly through UAC, and will be encouraged to participate in Open Foundation or Newstep if they do not have the necessary entry scores or relevant TAFE programs. Targeted places and scholarships will be given to Indigenous Australian students in some programs.	Ongoing	DVC
2	Continue to provide and develop services to accommodate the needs of Indigenous students.	Wollotuka, Student and Alumni Services and the Equity and Diversity Unit will assist Faculties with Indigenous students by identifying potential issues and developing support mechanisms.	Ongoing	Director, Wollotuka Manager, Equity Unit ED, SACS
3	Strengthen our engagement with the Indigenous community.	Wollotuka will assist in the further engagement of the University with the Indigenous community. This will involve the identification and development of relationships between Faculties/Schools and the Indigenous community.	Ongoing	Director, Wollotuka
4	Ensure that, where appropriate, programs include awareness of Indigenous Australian issues in their curricula.	Academic Senate has approved a list of Core Skills. One of these is an awareness of Indigenous issues.	Ongoing	Academic staff, Review Teams, PVCs

Teaching and Learning Management Action Plan

Goal 6		The curricula and content of our programs are inclusive, sensitive to cultural diversity and designed to prepare graduates who are adaptable global citizens
	What we will do	How we will do it	Timeline	Responsibility
1	Provide staff with material on inclusive curricula and provide training in Cross-Cultural Awareness	The University will fund a project on inclusive curricula. This will involve the development of guidelines for inclusive curricula, support materials and some training programs. The material will be available through the Teaching and Learning website. Build on the current training in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness to develop and deliver training about other cultures.	Completion July 2005 Implementation Dec 2006	PVC (T&L)

Teaching and Learning Management Plan

TEACHING AND LEARNING MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN

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