Highlights
Call for applications - UNSW@ADFA Teaching Excellence Awards
Friday 31 August 2007
The spirit of the awards is to value and to acknowledge a culture of high quality teaching, learning and research supervision, and to stimulate the sharing of ideas on innovation and outstanding practices and achievements in teaching and learning. Successful applicants will receive a Certificate of Attainment and $3000 which can be taken as salary (thus taxable) or paid to a research account (full value).
All academic staff demonstrating outstanding achievement or innovation in teaching (including postgraduate supervision), course content or curriculum development over at least two years at UNSW@ADFA are eligible to apply. Full details of the application process can be found on the Awards page.
The deadline for submissions is Friday 31 August 2007.
For further information contact:
- Paul Tranter Presiding Member, UNSW@ADFA Teaching and Learning Committee.
- Stephen Yeomans - Associate Dean (Education)
Reports on Learning and Teaching
October 2006
For those who like to keep track of our progress in Learning and Teaching, two series of reports have now been made available through the Learning and Teaching website:
1. the UNSW @ ADFA reports on the Learning and Teaching Indicators for 2005 and 2006, prepared by the Associate Dean (Education), and
2. semester based CATEI Form A aggregated reports from 2004 to 2006
can now be downloaded from the Quality page.
Successful workshop for sessional staff
October 2006
In keeping with the faculty Learning and Teaching goal to "Support and acknowledge the contribution of sessional teachers" in the UNSW @ ADFA Learning and Teaching Plan 2006-2008, an annual workshop has been initiated to introduce sessional lecturers to the learning and teaching culture of UNSW.
The first such workshop was held on 29 September 2006 by UNSW @ ADFA staff in association with Dr Peter Looker of the Learning and Teaching Unit at Kensington. The introductory briefing prepared by the Associate Dean Education, the program for the day and photos of some of the participants can be obtained from the Past events page.
Now Available: Learning and Teaching Plan 2006 - 2008
September 2006
For some months the Learning and Teaching Committee has been shaping a faculty response to the UNSW Learning and Teaching Plan (pdf), taking into account the particular needs of student and staff, and directions in learning and teaching important to UNSW @ ADFA over the next few years. A number of local strategies have been included which extend the goals and strategies of the university-wide Plan. In addition, a faculty focus on Learning Enhancement Programs has been initiated.
The UNSW @ ADFA Learning and Teaching Plan - 2006 to 2008 (pdf) can now be downloaded.
Learning Enhancement Programs
September 2006
The range of programs available at UNSW@ADFA to assist students with aspects of their academic skills development has been considerably expanded and brought under one banner - the Learning Enhancement Programs (LEPs). These pograms can be viewed on the Student Resources page. This is primary just one of the faculty-specific initiatives included in the UNSW @ ADFA Learning and Teaching Plan 2006 - 2008. As new academic and support programs are developed over coming years these will be included in the LEP page.
September and October events
September 2006
Currently planned events for September include a staff development event for sessional lecturers and an information session on the Carrick Institute plans for national improvement of teaching and learning, including opportunities for grants and awards. For more information, refer to the events page.
On Friday 20 October, interested staff are invited to attend Nancy White's Canberra presentations on elearning:
- Presentation for managers (1 hour)
- Workshop for practitioners (1.5 hours
Registration before 6 October is essential as places are limited on this national speaking tour. Register with kerry.manikis@cit.act.edu.au or download the August issue of "Framework News in the ACT" (pdf) for more details.
UNSW Learning and Teaching Performance Indicators 2005 -
UNSW @ ADFA ranked first place
July 2006
I have great pleasure in reporting that UNSW@ADFA has been placed first in terms of overall score in our performance against the 2005 Learning and Teaching performance Indicators relative to that of all other UNSW Faculties.
The Indicators were made up of a number of input and output measures.
Input:
- Attendance at FULT – very high participation rate; ADFA at the top of first band
- Conformity to UNSW Course Outline Template – broad conformity and commendation for undertaking self-audits; – in second band
- Curriculum Mapping – evidenced in two programs; in second band
- Learning and Teaching program for Sessional Staff – commendation for organizing forum: in first band
- Dialogue with students – evidence of much good practice; ranked first
Output:
- Good Teaching Scale 2004, 2005 - ranked first over both years
- CATEI course satisfaction score - first in 2004, fifth in 2005 (though 2005 variation between Faculties non-significant)
- Courses evaluated using CATEI - ranked first
- Implementation of CATEI - ranked first
This is a wonderful result for ADFA and I would like to acknowledge the significant work of many staff across all schools and units to achieve this first-place ranking against all other UNSW Faculties. Our task is to maintain this level of learning and teaching performance in 2006 and beyond.
Stephen Yeomans
Associate Dean (Education).
Call for nominations for the Rector's Commendations
July 2006
The Teaching and Learning Committee has opened the nominations process for the next round of Rector's Commendations. All students and staff are invited to submit nominations to the TLC Presiding Member Dr James Warn. See the Commendations page for details.
National recognition for UNSW @ ADFA lecturer
July 2006
Dr Francis Miley, Head of the School of Business, has been honoured in the 2006 Carrick Institute Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning along with eight other excellent UNSW teachers.
For further details visit the UNSW site at http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2006/jul/Carrick_Awards.html
Course outlines information session
July 2006
As you may know, one of the Learning and Teaching Performance Indicators that are used to judge each Faculty is the "Quality of course outlines". Peter Looker and Craig Turnbull, from the Learning and Teaching Unit at Kensington, presented information sessions on what is required in a course outline and what marking criteria are used to evaluate course outlines.
See the Past events page for details.
First TLC seminar for 2006: Research based teaching
March 2006
Research based teaching appears to be the latest "buzz phrase". There is a growing literature extolling the virtues of research based teaching but what does this phrase actually mean? How do you do it? What are the benefits to your students? Will it mean completely redesigning courses?
Dr Frances Miley from the School of Business will be answering these questions (and raising a lot more). Frances recently received a Rector's Commendation for Teaching. She has a UNSW Learning and Teaching Award and has been nominated by the university for a Carrick Institute Award for her sustained contribution to motivating student learning and to the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Rector's Commendations for Teaching
March 2007
At the March meeting of the Academic Board (16th March 2007), the Rector awarded eight commendations for excellence in Teaching to:
- James Hanson, School of Business
- Gary barker, School of Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering
- Gerhard Horoschun, School of Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering
- Joseph Lai, School of Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering
- Ida Nurhayati, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Carl Thayer, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Ian Faulconbridge, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
- Paul Tranter, School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences
March 2006
At the March meeting of the Academic Board (24 March 2006), the Rector awarded three commendations for Excellence in Classroom Teaching to:
- Dr Frances Miley, School Business
- Dr Garry Robinson, School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences
- Dr Zlatko Jovanoski, School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences
A commendation, in the form of a $500 prize and a certificate that outlines the basis of the commendation, may be awarded at any time of the year to recognise excellence in one aspect of a lecturer’s teaching. You can download further details about the commendations and nominations process which is administered by the Teaching and Learning Committee.
Considering the Learning and Teaching Performance Indicators
February 2006
Associate Dean (Education), Associate Professor Stephen Yeomans, is leading the TLC in preparing a UNSW @ ADFA response to the UNSW Learning and Teaching Performance Indicators for 2006-2007. Members of the TLC will be conducting related discussions in their schools and forwarding feedback to the Associate Dean.
New members of the TLC for 2007
February 2006
Dr Paul Tranter has taken over as Presiding Member of the Teaching and Learning Committee, replacing Dr James Warn on 24 May 2007.
Staff share their experiences of innovative online learning
September 2005
Staff involved in the ITET program in 2004-2005 shared their experiences of designing and delivering online components of their courses at a symposium at UNSW. Introduced by Adrian Lee, the symposium focused particularly on student groupwork, quiz and survey based activities, and student peer review processes.
You can view a streaming video of the event developed by EdTEC (Broadband recommended! Requires Quicktime. Total viewing time: 2 hours).
An active discussion
September 2005
The Learning and Teaching discussion site in WebCT is off to a lively start with over 905 staff and students having visited the site in its first month of operation. The discussion of assessment scheduling, time management issues and other opportunities for improvement have obviously struck a chord. If you have not already done so, you are welcome to view the discussion and contribute further. (Clicking the Discussion Space link, in the menu on the left, takes you directly into the Learning and Teaching discussion site if you are already logged into WebCT).
Changes to the online learning page
August 2005
From Monday 15th August "Online learning" will become a more obvious part of the Learning and Teaching website. The page will still operate as the log in page for WebCT but will also increase its function to continually provide updated information about online learning and its implementation at UNSW @ ADFA. See below for a preview of the new page.
Official launch
July 2005
The Learning and Teaching website is to be officially launched by Professor John Baird, the UNSW @ ADFA Rector, on Thursday 28 July in conjunction with the Rector's Forum.
Forthcoming seminar
June 2005
The next TLC seminar in July will feature Dr. Michael Harrap & Mr. Robin Murden speaking on the trials and tribulations of preparing a video series to support courses at UNSW @ ADFA. Details are available form the Future Events page.
Learning and Teaching Workshops
May 2005
The Teaching and Learning Committee is pleased to invite academic staff to the first events for 2005 – two interactive workshops - presented in collaboration with the UNSW Learning and Teaching Unit. The first workshop (12 May) explores aspects of compiling /writing a teaching portfolio. The second (13 May) explores how staff might use CATEI to improve their teaching. The workshops conclude with a plenary session for all participants.
Launch of the Rector’s Commendations for Teaching Excellence
May 2005
These commendations, administered by the Teaching and Learning Committee and awarded by the Rector, recognise excellence in one aspect of a lecturer’s teaching, rather than the overall general excellence in teaching required for the UNSW@ADFA Teaching Awards. A commendation, in the form of a $500 prize and a certificate that outlines the basis of the commendation, may be awarded at any time of the year. Download further details about the commendations and process of awarding them.
Teaching Coaching Scheme
May 2005
This scheme is to provide coaching by experienced teaching staff to new academic staff in specific aspects of teaching including the development of course curricula, the preparation of course materials and resources, preparing student assessment exercises, and in classroom teaching techniques.
Teaching Mentor Scheme
April 2005
This scheme, also sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Committee, provides informal support via mentoring to new academic staff who may not have had previous tertiary-level teaching experience. The mentors would be those who are willing to provide wide-ranging support and guidance, but especially in teaching, via the sharing of their experiences in, for example, the academic and administrative processes involved in curriculum design and development.
UNSW Learning and Teaching Plan
March 2005
The Teaching and Learning Committee have received copies of the UNSW Learning and Teaching Plan which outlines strategies for the improvement of learning and teaching over the next three years. This plan will help to inform the TLC’s selection of staff activities and will guide a range of UNSW@ADFA projects. A copy of the Plan can be downloaded from http://www.secretariat.unsw.edu.au/acboard/approved_policy/2005/LandTPlan_05.pdfContent coordinator: w.jackson@adfa.edu.au, ETS, ASG