ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT

Welcome

Professor Joan Cooper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Flinders University

CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS: An Overview Of What Is Occurring Nationally

1. Report on Australia – Jan Orrell, Flinders University
2. Report on New Zealand - Kathryn Sutherland, Victoria Uni, NZ
3. Report on Europe - Allan Goody, University of Western Australia

RAISING ISSUES: Generating Questions and Finding Answers

This large group discussion raised issues for further discussion through the colloquium.

A CONSUMERS POINT OF VIEW: Panel Discussion

Preparation for university teaching program academics who have completed teaching preparation programs at Flinders, Adelaide and UniSA discussed their experiences and the impact of these programs on their everyday work.

SETTING THE STANDARD: Framework Review.

At the 2003 Colloquium a framework was developed that attempted to establish some common expectations related to the different types and levels of programs such as induction, institutional certificates, graduate certificates and graduate diplomas etc. This was reviewed as a background for the following small group discussion.

STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES OF INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS

Discussion In small groups allowed individuals to outline the features of their own programs. Significant strengths and challenges were identified by the group and recorded.

CRITICAL & PRACTICAL ISSUES

Issues were raised on the discussion list and by intending participants. These issues were then raised in small group discussions. A list of the notes made during the session is available.

• Mandating participation and Assessment of what we attest at the completion
• Portfolios and e-portfolios
• Peer reviews and mentoring
• Hybrid modes of delivery
• Evaluation of impact of programs
• Benchmarking
• Work loads

DAY TWO: PEDAGOGY

PREPARATION FOR DIFFERENT ROLES IN TEACHING

These issues were then raised in small group discussions. A list of the notes made during the session is available.

Topics:

• Offshore Teaching
• Sessional Teachers & Laboratory Demonstrators
• Postgraduate Research Supervision
• Practicum/Clinical

SCHOLARSHIP OF TEACHING & RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

This session provided opportunities to identify the scholarly and scholarship opportunities for academics who participate in the programs and for those who are responsible for them. A list of the notes made during the session is available.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS, COLLABORATIONS

The colloquium concluded with individuals’ commitments to engage in collaborate research, resource sharing and peer review of resources developed at in Academic Development Units.

Resource sharing

Further collaborative exercises were suggested including:

• Engaging in peer review of programs
• Locating a body of experts to be reviewers
• Developing a set of guidelines of what Benchmarking/Peer Review might look like
• Exchange visits to witness how things are done in different institutions
• Investigating the possibility of licensing arrangements

Ongoing discussions

To facilitate this, there would be on-going Listserver discussions regarding

• Peer review of resources
• Induction of sessional teachers
• Induction of off-shore teachers
• Induction of workplace learning coordinators

Clearinghouse

There was discussion about pursuing the fIRST model for funding effort in resource-sharing and resource development. It was suggested that fIRST’s model of institutional subscription could be useful provided it occurred under some form of umbrella organisation. There was a strongly felt desire for the Carrick Institute to act as clearinghouse for resource templates and experts for reviews.

Research

It was proposed that systematic, sector-wide impact research could be conducted to develop some standard evaluation tools that range from:

• reflections by participants on value of workshops
• 6 month / 12 months follow-up participant interviews
• Pre-test and post-test (eg. via Student Evaluations of teaching)
• It was recognised that we need to move beyond claims of positive outcomes to generating tangible evidence.

Colloquium 2005

The Colloquium concluded with the announcement that University of Tasmania had committed to act as conveners for the Foundations Colloquium in Tasmania in 2005.