Learning & Teaching Committee Minutes

Transcription

1 Minutes Meeting No: LT4/11 Date and Time: 2.30pm Wednesday 15 June 2011 Venue: Present: In attendance: Executive Officer: Council Room, Mt Helen Campus Dr Charlynn Miller (Chair) Ms Michelle Barnes Dr Annette Foley Dr Jason Giri Dr Jennifer Jones-O Neill Ms Jeannie King Associate Professor Catherine Laffey Ms Andrea Warr Ms Amanda Mooney Mr Matthew Walsh Dr Helen Weadon Associate Professor Kath White Associate Professor Barry Wright Mr Ian Wright Tel: Procedural Matters 1. Apologies & Welcome 1.1 Welcome The Chair welcomed all members to meeting 4/11 of the Learning & Teaching. The Chair welcomed Dr Helen Weadon, Associate Dean Learning & Teaching, from the School of Business who has replaced Mr Eric Holm as the School of Business representative. Ms Jeannie King was welcomed as the alternative representative for Mr Darren Holland and Mr Ian Wright was welcomed as the alternative representative for Associate Professor Neil Trivett. 1.2 Apologies Apologies were received from Ms Jennie Garnham, Mr Darren Holland, Ms Christine Kimonides, Dr Jeremy Smith, Associate Professor Neil Trivett and Professor Todd Walker. 2. Other Preliminary Matters 2.1 Resignation The resignation from Dr Suzanne Blume, School of Nursing, from the Learning & Teaching was noted. 3. Chair s Report 3.1 Membership The Chair informed members that this would be the last meeting of the Learning & Teaching as currently constituted. From meeting 5/11, the Learning & Teaching would have new representatives from the Schools. CRICOS Provider No D K:\Academic Services\Learning & Teaching \2011\Minutes\LT4_11 15 June 11.docx Page 1 of 6

2 The new representatives from the Schools would be the recently appointed Associate Deans Learning & Teaching. The Chair thanked all members for serving on the Learning & Teaching for the last six months. Members will be kept informed of the changes to the representative on the. 4. Starring of Items and Approval of Non-Starred Items 4.1 Starred Items In addition to the items previously starred, item 12.1 was starred for discussion. 4.2 Non-Starred Items Resolution LT4/11/1 The Learning & Teaching resolved that all items on the agenda not starred be adopted without discussion, and the action recommended be taken or the information therein noted. 5. Minutes The Learning & Teaching was invited to confirm the minutes from meeting 3/11 held 11 May Resolution LT4/11/2 The Learning & Teaching confirmed the minutes of meeting LT 3/11 held 11 May Matters Arising from the Minutes 6.1 Action List Meeting 3/11 The noted the action list of issues arising from meeting 3/ Development of Courses for Fully Online Teaching It was noted that a memo was sent to Heads of Schools on 30 March, requesting information on courses/programs that are available online. Schools were requested to respond by 1 June The Chair extended the deadline for submission of this information to Wednesday 6 July Responses have been received from: Arts Academy School of Applied Sciences School of Business School of Business Services School of Education School of Human Services School of Manufacturing Services School of Nursing International CRICOS Provider No D K:\Academic Services\Learning & Teaching \2011\Minutes\LT4_11 15 June 11.docx Page 2 of 6

3 Emerging Issues 7. Curriculum Renewal White Paper The draft Curriculum Renewal White Paper was received by the for discussion. The feedback from this discussion would be forwarded to the Academic Board Executive. The Chair invited Mr Ian Wright to speak to the item. Members were provided a briefing on the current status of the Project. The working groups which were looking at student learning, engagement and experience had resulted in 49 recommendations which had been listed in the green paper released late A consultation process had been undertaken from November 2010 to April 2011, this process included discussions at Academic Board, Higher Education Curriculum and Higher Education Learning & Teaching. The following points were noted: Recommendation 5: Has this taken into consideration Vocational sector and external reporting requirements. TAFE have developed their own evaluation tools instead of SET and SEC as these do not always provide the necessary feedback. Standardisation of evaluations may not provide optimal results. Recommendation 10: A confusing reference to TAFE/Vocational in rationale. Recommendation refers to community engagement and research nexus yet it seems to be revolving around workplace integrated learning. Where work based placements are not appropriate, consideration of research as a replacement. Recommendation as presented is not clear, clarification is required. Recommendation 15: Concern was expressed as the rationale and recommendation were at odds with what the working party had resolved. It was noted that two contradictory recommendations were put forward and the best was done to incorporate both. Inclusion of sustainability as a graduate attribute. Questions were raised over how this recommendation would be implemented, would coordinators be required to incorporate into courses? Mr Wright informed members that if they had any further comments they should these directly to Associate Professor Neil Trivett. Correspondence 8. Extract of Minutes from Academic Board The noted an Extract of Minutes from the Academic Board meeting 2/11 held 6 April 2011 and 3/11 held 18 May Strategic Issues 9. Schedule of Business The noted the Schedule of Business for CRICOS Provider No D K:\Academic Services\Learning & Teaching \2011\Minutes\LT4_11 15 June 11.docx Page 3 of 6

4 10. Quality Nil 11. Curriculum Renewal Project Discussion of the Curriculum Renewal Project White Paper took place under item 7 Emerging Issues. 12. Australian Learning & Teaching Council Learning & Teaching Standards 12.1 Learning & Teaching Standards A memo was sent to Heads of Schools and the learning & teaching committees within Schools, requesting information on whether the standards will cause any issues/problems within the Schools. Schools are requested to respond by 30 June Professor Erica Smith was invited to speak to this item. The was informed that Professor Smith had recently participated in a national working group which was looking at the masters in education. The work undertaken by this group was interesting and would improve the quality of programs. The Chair informed members that the discipline standards may not be taken up, but had been taken over by the new AQF. It was noted that the Learning & Teaching would be involved with the implementation of the new AQF Learning & Teaching Standards The newsletter from the ALTC was noted by members. 13. Transition It was noted that further discussions on the role of the Transition will be held at a future meeting of the Learning & Teaching when Professor Walker can be in attendance. Other Items Requiring Resolution 14. School Boards Under the terms of the UB Blueprint, it is envisaged that every School would establish a School Board as the highest academic body in the School. The suggested Terms of Reference were included for endorsement by the Curriculum. The was informed that the new governing body and the highest academic authority within the Schools would be the new School Boards. The Boards would be the chief academic collegiate body within the Schools, management teams would not be part of the Boards. School approval will come from the School Board. The Boards would be wide ranging and have the authority to determine whether any other subcommittees are required within a School. The Board would be able to create a separate Programs or Learning & Teaching if it deemed this necessary. It was suggested that the development of sub-committees should be consistent across all Schools. Consideration should be given to highlight the importance of creating particular sub-committees. CRICOS Provider No D K:\Academic Services\Learning & Teaching \2011\Minutes\LT4_11 15 June 11.docx Page 4 of 6

5 The School Boards are autonomous and would not be a sub-committee of Academic Board but would report to Academic Board, all minutes of meetings would be provided for the information of Academic Board. School Boards would still need to refer items/recommendations to the Academic Board sub-committees; eg. program proposals would still require Curriculum approval. Members requested that more clarity on the lines of reporting be provided. It was noted that there was a lack of logic to the sequencing of the dot points. It was suggested that the terms of reference needed to oversee all academic aspects of the student lifecycle and that the dot points should follow this sequence, eg: review existing programs in established cycle, improve induction for students, review assessment, evaluation of programs. It was agreed that the document required a great deal of neatening. It was noted that many Schools may end up with a Board of members if all those listed on the terms of reference are included. There was also a need to allow a certain flexibility in the membership of the Boards as in TAFE inclusion of an industry representative would be vitally important. A CLIPP and in Schools with a large international student cohort, a representative from CUP should be considered. No allowance has been made for representatives from other Schools where a School provides service teaching. Members agreed that the terms of reference need to have a more strategic focus for the Boards; need to look at the strategic aims and goals of the University and how these relate to Schools and how Schools can participate with achieving these. Overall the terms and reference lacked vision and were too narrow in the scope of what the Boards should be striving for. Minor amendments were suggested; removal of the second last dot point, reference to Academic Board amended to School Board and the removal of a repeated paragraph. As the did not want to endorse the terms of reference in the current form, the Chair withdrew the recommendation. Other Business 15. IT Support The Chair invited Associate Professor Catherine Laffey to speak to the issue of out of hours IT support. Members were informed that the Deans group had requested that this issued be raised with the Learning & Teaching in the hope that the matter could be resolved. The main concern with out of hours IT support is that the University would like to be seen as a flexible learning institution; however it does not provide the necessary support for students who choose the online learning option. It was agreed that the issue is clearly a learning and teaching matter and at least three of the recommendation in the curriculum renewal white paper relate to the delivery and implementation of flexible learning. CRICOS Provider No D K:\Academic Services\Learning & Teaching \2011\Minutes\LT4_11 15 June 11.docx Page 5 of 6

6 It was noted that advice had been received from Mr Darren Holland, Vice-President Student Support and Services, that he would appreciate feedback from the Learning & Teaching on any proposals. The agreed to the establishment of a working party to look into the situation and possible solutions. Associate Professor Laffey agreed to Chair this working party; Dr Helen Weadon, Associate Professor Barry Wright and Mr Matthew Walsh agreed to be members of the working party. Mr John Dixon should be contacted to also nominate a members. Resolution LT4/11/3 The Learning & Teaching approved the establishment of a working party to look into the issue of out of hours IT support and possible solutions. confirmed the minutes of meeting LT 3/11 held 11 May Date of Next Meeting The next meeting of the Learning & Teaching is scheduled for 27 July 2011 at 2.30pm in the Council Room at Mt Helen. Meeting concluded at 3.40pm CRICOS Provider No D K:\Academic Services\Learning & Teaching \2011\Minutes\LT4_11 15 June 11.docx Page 6 of 6