TEACHER EDUCATION/EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP COURSE GROUP REVIEW PANEL REPORT FEBRUARY 2011 RESPONSE FROM THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION JUNE 2011 The review of the Teacher Education/Educational Leadership courses was undertaken in 2010 and referred to the situation as it existed in 2009. The Faculty has undergone significant change to its staffing and leadership in the period of 18 months since. The Teacher Education and Educational Leadership courses which form a major part of the total course offerings in the Faculty are currently undergoing review to reflect a revitalized strategic direction for the Faculty. In this environment, many recommendations made by the Course Review Panel had already been addressed or were in various stages of completion at the time the Faculty received the Panel's report. The following table responds to the recommendations made by the Panel and documents the actions taken or being taken currently. This response has been endorsed by the Dean of the Faculty of Education and will be tabled for noting at the Faculty Board meeting on July 20. 2011.
RECOMMENDATIONS FACULTY RESPONSE/ACTION RESPONSIBLE PARTY
TIMELINE Recommendation 1 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group institute a formal process of data gathering to assist in demonstrating the base of information they use to plan, develop and implement new initiatives. The data may also be useful for marketing courses, monitoring graduate destinations and assessing whether ACTION This process will be formalised through annual report to the Faculty Board and the Faculty Advisory Committee which will act as the course advisory group for the faculty. Data will include CEQ, graduate destination surveys, and workforce plans from the major employers. Much of this data has already been collected. Head of Discipline End of 2011
or not the courses are meeting the needs of employers and students. The most significant source of information about the extent to which the courses meet the needs of employers will be the formal review process that will be undertaken by the Teacher Quality Institute. Recommendation 2 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group investigate the use of the University’s InPlace software to assist in the placement of students in schools. This has been investigated but is not seen as a preferred option at this time. The faculty already has a bespoke placement software system. In recognition of this, the WIL working party that initiated the trial and implementation of InPlace did not include the Faculty of Education in its implementation plan. Our current system (PPMS) will be evaluated annually in relation to its capacity to meet the needs of the professional placements program. Recommendation 3 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group re‐introduce, in conjunction with the ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI), an “appreciation” and “reward‟ scheme to acknowledge the help and participation of schools and teachers in its professional placement program. A certificate of appreciation awarded at a ceremony may go a long way in cementing long‐term Currently all school participants receive a letter of appreciation each semester, and annual Outstanding Mentoring Teacher awards are presented. The review committee is right to point out the need to engage with teachers and schools and recognise the important contribution that they make as partners in the preparation of teachers. We are considering more radical and innovative solutions to the challenges of professional placements than award ceremonies. These are Dean or delegate Dependent upon TQI priorities and timelines. Anticipated early 2012
relationships. being developed with the TQI. We recently received a grant in partnership with the TQI to pilot one of these new approaches. An awards ceremony is unlikely to be adopted given that in semester 1 in 2011 we placed over 1300 students. It is likely that teachers’ contributions will be recognised in more significant and substantial ways through the TQI. Recommendation 4 The Panel recommends the UCTE course group investigate the continued viability of courses with low enrolments together with considering staff numbers and the administrative costs and benefits of continuing to teach these courses. ACTION This has been done with a number of courses being closed to admissions in 2012 and transition plans being developed. See attached list Dean, ADE, Head of Discipline Closure to admissions. Completed Transition plans. September 2011. New courses developed by the end of 2011. New courses offered in 2012 Recommendation 5 The Panel recommends that the UCTE discipline devise strategies and mechanisms in addition to the USS to test the quality of what is being delivered. Benchmarking with similar‐ sized institutions would be one mechanism to gauge relative standards. ACTION Arrangements are being made with other Faculties of Education to carry out benchmarking, initially focusing on assessment. More broadly, we are now working closely with the TQI to redesign the teacher education courses. We have also formed a high level faculty advisory committee comprising senior staff from Melbourne and Sydney Universities, a member of the AITSL Board, and a senior member of DEEWR with responsibility for schools. All of these people are recognised as Dean ACU, UTS, Macquarie On‐going
among Australia’s leading education researchers and practitioners. Recommendation 6 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group investigate cases of apparent duplication of content in its courses at the unit level and in relation to cross‐ institutional study with partners such as the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT). The reduction of such perceived duplication may result in a better student experience and maximisation of student learning opportunities. ACTION The Faculty has begun a whole‐of‐course curriculum review that will identify and minimise duplication. Dean and executive team End 2011 Recommendation 7 The Panel recommends that UCTE academic staff adopt a higher profile in terms of their research activities and projects. Evidence suggests that UG and PG students are unaware of the kinds of research that are being undertaken by staff. In addition, staff should carefully craft their research to include research‐led education and teaching. The Faculty has recently developed a new research strategy that will more clearly define the research effort of the Faculty and its alignment with courses, ERA, funding opportunities, areas where we have a concentration of expertise Dean, ADR, ADE August ,2011 Recommendation 8 The Panel recommends that the Faculty examines closely the wisdom NOTE AND ACTION This is noted. This issue is related to broader university policies and imperatives. The extent to Dean
of permitting staff members to enrol in PhD and higher degree studies within the Faculty. There may be associated challenges arising from potential conflicts of interest within supervisory panels and their differing roles, industrial relations issues with supervisors and performance reviews, and quality outcomes in terms of diversity of interests, scholarship and research paradigms. which this matter is within the terms of reference of the course review is not clear. Recommendation 9 The Panel recommends that the opportunities for formative feedback provided within the Course Group needs to be communicated more clearly to students. The changes and improvements made as a result of the feedback should be communicated more clearly to students. Any survey tool that is used should also contain a means for recording open‐ended statements and suggestions from those surveyed. NOTE AND ACTION Students are advised of feedback mechanisms through lectures, via Moodle and via email. Additionally, the ADE writes a formal response to student feedback each semester that is emailed to all students. ADE and unit conveners Completed for current data and on‐going Recommendation 10 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group consider consulting the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) ACTION The ADE routinely works collaboratively with the TLC on this and other teacher/learning quality issues. ADE On‐going
about other options for formative feedback to the teaching staff. Recommendation 11 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group formalise stakeholder consultations and feedback mechanisms to ensure regular and frequent updates of the state of the curriculum and discipline that satisfy local and national professional teacher accreditation bodies. ACTION In addition to the new Faculty Advisory Committee mentioned above, the ACT Teacher Education Committee and the ACT Professional Experience Committee formed as part of the National Partnerships in Education provide regular forums \for advice, consultation and feedback. From the start of 2011, the TQI has a legislated role to provide advice and feedback and within its registration process is developing formal requirements for professional input and consultation. Additionally a national reference group is being formed to provide both national and international expertise and perspectives Dean July, 2011 and ongoing. Recommendation 12 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group identifies benchmark universities with which to compare and assess its courses in terms of content, student outcomes, professional experience hours, assessment procedures and perceptions of quality. These “benchmark” universities could be These items are now mandated by National Standards for Teacher Education developed by the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership. They were approved in April 2011 and are administered by the TQI. Benchmarking will occur with ACU, UTS, Macquarie and UNE identified as potential benchmark universities. Head of Discipline Early 2012
those identified by UC or by the Faculty that best reflect similarities in characteristics such as size and number of courses. Recommendation 13 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group, in striving to fulfill the vision of the University Strategic Plan, needs to consider additional incentives for potential academic staff in its recruitment while encouraging current academic staff to complete their PhDs through favourable workload arrangements. NOTE The Faculty has created many efficiencies within the teaching program in order to devote more resources to research support. This will make the Faculty a more attractive place for research active staff. ACTION The Faculty currently has a practice of limiting additional duties beyond teaching for staff during PhD candidature, and reducing teaching load in the final year of candidature. Dean Dean On‐going Completed Recommendation 14 The Panel recommends that the UCTE course group work with the Faculty to devise clearer performance development support for all academic staff in the Faculty Operational Plan and policies. The support would require mapping of the needs of staff and tailor‐made development that responds to the strategic needs of the Faculty and the University. ACTION The development needs of faculty staff are assessed through the analysis of formal data, through consultation with individuals and group meetings and through the PDR process. Through consultation, the staff assist the ADE to generate the priorities and strategies for quality teaching and learning in the faculty. Currently priorities for 2011 are ‘Assessment Issues’ and ‘Leadership in Teams’ ADE On‐going
ATTACHMENT 1. COURSES TO BE RETAINED Course Code Course Title 105JA Graduate Certificate in Education 105JB Graduate Certificate in Education (AGD) 486AA Master of Educational Leadership 486AB Master of Educational Leadership (Hangzhou) 855AA Graduate Diploma in Education in Secondary Teaching 875AA Graduate Certificate in Inclusive Education (intensive) 881AA Graduate Certificate in Scaffolding English for Speakers of Other Languages 924AA Master of Education 109JA Bachelor of Education (UC)/Bachelor of Science (ANU) 110JA Bachelor of Education (UC)/Bachelor of Asia‐Pacific Studies (ANU) 111JA Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Arts 115JA Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Science 383AE Bachelor of Education in Primary Teaching 433AC Bachelor of Education in Secondary Teaching (Music) 446AA Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Teaching (Birth‐8) (UC/CIT) Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Teaching (CIT) 115JA Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Science 789AA Bachelor of Education in Primary Teaching (Graduate Entry) 856AA Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood/Primary/Secondary Teaching Conversion
COURSES TO BE CLOSED TO ADMISSION IN 2012 Course Code Course Title 481AA Master of Education (Honours) 876AA Postgraduate Diploma in Inclusive Education 877AA Master of Inclusive Education (intensive) 878AA Graduate Certificate in Inclusive Education in Autism 879AA Postgraduate Diploma in Inclusive Education in Autism 939AA Master of Inclusive Education 940AA Master of Inclusive Education in Autism 880AA Master of Inclusive Education in Autism (intensive) 112JA Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Commerce 113JA Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Social Science in Justice Studies 114JA Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Information Technology 433BF Bachelor of Education in Secondary Teaching (Design and Technology) 433BN B Education in Secondary Teaching (Health and Physical Education) 671AA Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education 788AA Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Teaching (Graduate Entry) 790AA Bachelor of Education in Secondary Teaching (Graduate Entry) 866AA Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Teaching (3‐8 Years) 867AA Bachelor of Education in Middle School Teaching (K‐10)
