ATTACHMENT
Committee: Academic Senate
Date: 16 May 2012
Item: 9.2
CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY
REVIEW OF ACADEMIC SENATE POLICIES
Modes of Delivery of Teaching and Learning Working Party
1.
INTRODUCTION
This is the report of a working party comprising:
Dr. Andrea Crampton – Convenor
Dr. Nick Drengenberg – Secretary
Dr Yann Guissard – Course Director Representative
Mrs Hedy Bryant – Student Communication Project representative
Mr Richard Maher – Student representative
Assoc. Prof. Merrilyn Childs – FLI representative
Ms Kerry Browning – Manager, info.CSU (nominee of Marketing)
Associate Professor Louise Hard – nominated Head of School
Associate Professor Marian Tulloch – Executive Director, Division of
Learning and Teaching Services
Mr Geoff Honey – Executive Director, Division of Student
Administration
which was established by Academic Senate on 18th May 2011
2.
OBJECTIVES
The working party was asked to “consider governance issue associated with the
current modes of delivery of teaching and learning at CSU
More specifically to provide advice recommendations to senate in relation to:
• the current modes of delivery of teaching and learning at CSU
• T\the governance issues identified in the submission from
Faculty of Education to Academic Senate, on this matter, and
• the need for clarity in the communication to students of the
mode of delivery of teaching and learning in a subject.
3.
METHODOLOGY
In conducting its review the working party met on four occasions and
reviewed both the original submission to Academic Senate from the Faculty of
Education titled “Re introduction of a blended mode of teaching and learning”,
and the blended and flexible learning standards from the Flexible Learning
Institute. The working party also surveyed students, heads of schools and
course directors to better assess the need for consideration of alternative
delivery options as well as gather information as to how such options would
be used. The working party also sought advice and feedback from the
Division of Student Administration to ensure that the working party’s
discussion adequately considered the capacity of the existing systems and the
possible ramifications of all recommendations.
Preliminary reports were provided to the Curriculum Learning and Teaching
Committee and the Academic Senate.
4.
FINDINGS AND ISSUES
The principal findings and issues identified by the review are summarised
below.
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The surveys clearly highlighted that a significant level of confusion exists
around the potential uses of blended resources within existing modes as well
as the existence of minimum standards for face to face teaching in the internal
environment. Further, it was clear that a significant portion of the confusion
stemmed from an historical understanding of the terms distance (which staff
understood may involve residential schools but students thought would be
fully online) and internal (which students understand to mean regular weekly
contact and staff interpret as anything from weekly to as needed).
In consideration of the above, any modes of delivery need be informed by the
flexible and blended learning standards to help promote consistency across the
University as well as best practice in the sector.
The delivery needs of the disciplines are as diverse as the disciplines CSU
supports. Any delivery model must support this diversity whilst also ensuring
that the embedded student experiences are clearly defined.
A multitude of internal record systems rely on the current internal/distance
dichotomy for both data entry and reporting. Therefore any moves from this
dichotomy need to be balanced against possible system changes that would be
required. Such changes would not only be costly but also delay the
implementation of any changes.
The current government reporting processes are clearly linked to internal and
distance teaching with the third mode “mixed” being underutilised in the
sector. Further, the effect of a mixed mode on the visa requirements of
international students is not clear.
CSU needs a delivery mode system with the capacity to respond flexibly to
innovative pedagogies and technological advances but with clear lines and
mechanism of management across divisions and communication to students.
The emerging TAG structure added to the latest version of CASIMS was
identified as a functional basis for the development of a flexible delivery
system that could be integrated into the existing processes. Tags are a “meta”
label for subjects or courses, that sit at a different level to the subject code or
course name. Tags are stored in CASIMS against subjects and courses and
may be accessed by other systems to identify subjects and courses by the
various attributes the tags represent Any desired attribute can have its own
tag. In this way the huge variety of potential permutations of course and
subject delivery and administration need not be artificially contained within
the existing binary opposition of mode – internal and DE.
TAGS could be developed to describe delivery and student experience e.g.
compulsory laboratory classes, site visits, fully online or technical attributes
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TMWP Report to Senate 2012
e.g. interact site not required, part of STAR project, CSU subject exempt. The
delivery and experience tags would be provided in all places students might
seek information on the subject and in the handbook.
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5.
Other tags would be used for reporting, assigning resources and assisting with
curriculum design and renewal. The use of tags will also address a concern
raised in Academic Senate on the 18th of May in response to the blended and
flexible learning standards, as they provide a clear description of the degree of
flexibility the subject is designed to provide e.g. compulsory practicals versus
fully online including assessments.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In the light of the working party’s findings, the following recommendations
are made to Academic Senate.
1.
2.
3.
4.
The working party recommends that the current 2 mode model be
retained for the purposes of general description, for reporting of
courses and subjects and where a more nuanced classification is not
required.
Where a more detailed classification and description of subject and
course attributes is required, these nuances should be captured within a
tagging system, based within CASIMS and governed by the process
outlined below.
Academic Senate should convene a working party to develop a system
of tags to describe the delivery attributes of a subject that can be
communicated to students as well as for administrative purposes. This
working party should take into account the small number of existing
tags within CASIMS.
The Working Party recommends that Academic Senate discuss
guidelines for Faculties and Divisions of CSU in their description and
internal and external administration of teaching mode, taking into
account the replacement of distinct modes with a collection of subject
attributes
Governance issues
1.
The working party recommends that Academic Senate endorse the
governance structure outlined in diagram 1. This structure relates to
the development of tags but could also be adopted for any subject and
course level decisions. The essence of the diagram is that course
directors have influence over the pedagogical development of subjects
and courses; however final implementation and resourcing decisions
rest with the appropriate executive member of staff, namely the Head
of School or Dean.
The need for clarity in the communication to students of the mode of
delivery
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TMWP Report to Senate 2012
1.
2.
6.
The working party endorses the work already done to include more
subject and course attributes in key publications such as the University
Handbook, for both continuing and prospective students.
The working party recommends that the tagging system be integrated
into all student communication platforms that mention subject and
courses.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Staff interested in examining the documents on which this report is based
should contact Andrea Crampton or the Office of Academic Governance.
7.
APPENDICES
• Interim report to CLTC
• Handbook entry examples noting the potential use of two tag types; a.
Delivery and experience attributes (which students would see) Other
attributes (not visible to students) for course development and other
processing functions.
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TMWP Report to Senate 2012
Consultation
Subject Tag Creation and Management
Faculties
Student Admin
Student Reps
Presentation of
Subject level
offerings
Development
Dean of Studies
DLTS
CLTC
Approved Tag List
Course
Team/
ACPR part
B
HOS
Referral
Second Level Tags
Cres, Ores, Online...
New Tag
Suggestions
FCC
CASIMS
Approved offerings with
approved tags
Distance
SAL
Oface,
Cface,Cweek,firstcamp
HOS Approval
Internal
First Level Tags
Diagram 1:Governance structure for subject design and management.
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TMWP Report to Senate 2012
CD request
offering for given
year
DIT
FLI / EFPI
Appendix:
Report CLTC September 2011
Progress Report From the Third Mode Working Party (TMWP)
The TMWP has met twice since its inception. We have surveyed staff ( namely
course directors and heads of school) and students in relation to the need and
preferences around a possible third mode of offering ( a blended mode in addition to
the internal and distance modes). The surveys clearly highlighted that a significant
level of confusion exists around the potential uses of blended resources within
existing modes as well as the existence of minimum standards for face to face
teaching in the internal environment. Further, it was clear that a significant portion of
the confusion stemmed from an historical understanding of the terms distance ( which
staff understood may involve residential schools but students thought would be fully
online) and internal ( which students understand to mean regular weekly contact and
staff interpret as anything from weekly to as needed).
Based on these findings the TMWP has chosen to take the following directions.
1. Seek advice from the STAR teams in relation to the minimum number of face to
face contact hours which would meet the needs of first year students; the committee
was concerned that the current 12 hours per session was not enough for this important
cohort.
2. To ensure CSU's capacity to respond flexibly to innovative pedagogies and
technological advances through the creation of a subject delivery system that is
flexible but with clear lines and mechanism of management across divisions and
communication to students. To this end the TMWP is looking at a no-mode or single
mode of delivery.
In place of the current mode system the TMWP is exploring the use of a tag system of
subject attributes that will enable all the requirements of a subject from level of face
to face, presence of residential schools, need for laboratory space, time tabling needs,
compulsory synchronous sessions etc to be communicated to the relevant divisions as
well as students. The tags would be grouped so that only the relevant tags would be
presented to students ( eg, they would not see the " needs timetabling tags"). The
TMWP is currently working on an initial list of tags and exploring the potential
governance issues around their further development and implementation.
The TMWP would appreciate the CLTC's thoughts on these directions. Further, the
TMWP would like the CLTCs view on the potential role it may play in managing the
development and approval of tags.
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TMWP Report to Senate 2012
Handbook Entries from 2012
Possible attributes have been added (underlined). Note these attributes could either be defined
elsewhere (perhaps on the side of the online menu) and/or be represented by icons
SCI301 International Practical Experience (8)
CSU Discipline Area: Generic Science subjects
Enrolment restrictions: Students must be enrolled in a course offered by the Faculty
of Science.
Delivery and Experience Attributes: International, Field, Online
Abstract: This subject will allow students to develop as professionals and further
expand on their understanding of the range of ethical and moral responsibilities
underpinning their future careers in global terms. The subject incorporates a period of
study abroad or an equivalent international experience. It will provide the students
with the opportunity to become more culturally aware. It will provide an opportunity
to discover new strengths and abilities, conquer new challenges and solve new
problems, thus enhancing generic communication and problem solving skills and
allowing them to develop new ideas and perspectives and a deeper understanding with
repect to themselves and their chosen profession.
In addition, employers are reported to view students who have studied abroad as more
self-motivated, independent, willing to embrace challenges and more able to cope
with diverse problems and situations. Completion of this subject may thus enhance
employment opportunities upon graduation, both in Australia's increasingly ethnically
diverse workplace and abroad.
[Other background attributes –WPL, Nointeract, CDint, Csubexem]
SOC101 Introductory Sociology (8)
CSU Discipline Area: Sociology
Delivery and Experience Attributes: Cross course and either Option A:
online,Texam or Option B: weekly F2F (non compulsory)
Abstract: This subject considers the nature of our society and how, as members of
social groups, we are both shaped by and shapers of it. Sociology makes use of
theoretical perspectives and research methodologies to generate knowledge and
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TMWP Report to Senate 2012
understanding of the social world. Issues explored by this subject include class,
gender and ethnicity in modern society, class, work, modernity and globalisation.
[Other background attributes –CDEGIndig, FYP]
BMS313 Pharmaceutical Microbiology (8)
CSU Discipline Area: Biomedical Science
Prerequisite(s): MCR101 or BMS115
Delivery and Experience Attributes: Laboratory classes; compulsory weekly
attendance
Enrolment restrictions: Restricted to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Pharmacy
course
Abstract: The subject examines the pathogenic mechanisms of microorganisms and
how they affect humans. Particular attention will be given to exposing students to the
actions of antimicrobial therapies and the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.
[Other background attributes – NIL]
Note
Texam = travel to an examination centre required
CDint= meets standards expected of an international experience under the CSU
degree
Csubexempt =CSU subject exempt
CDEGIndig =indigenous content non IBE approved
FYP = first year principals
Other background attributes are those that would be used by other systems to classify
subjects relevant to various projects, requirements and government reporting needs.
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TMWP Report to Senate 2012