This fellowship focussed on the important role of the curriculum in first year transition, success and retention. A research-based 'transition pedagogy' was articulated – a guiding philosophy for intentional first year curriculum design and support that carefully scaffolds and mediates the first year learning experience for contemporary heterogeneous cohorts. This transition pedagogy is framed around the identification of six First Year Curriculum Principles that stand out as supportive of first year learning engagement, success, and retention and is described in Appendix 1. Several discipline case studies, an extensive engaged dissemination strategy and other resources are available from the fellowship website.
Resource Library
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5 resources found.
Articulating a transition pedagogy to scaffold and to enhance the first year student learning experience in Australian higher education: Final Report
Queensland University of Technology
2009
Articulating a transition pedagogy to scaffold and to enhance the first year student learning experience in Australian higher education
Queensland University of Technology
2009
This fellowship focussed on the important role of the curriculum in first year transition, success and retention. A research-based 'transition pedagogy' was articulated framed around the identification of six First Year Curriculum Principles that stand out as supportive of first year learning engagement, success. These principles are Transition, Diversity, Design, Engagement, Assessment and Evaluation and monitoring. Several discipline case studies, an extensive engaged dissemination strategy and other resources are available from the fellowship website.
This online resource provides practical ideas and strategies for academic and professional practitioners responsible for designing curricula to support first year university students. It advocates for intentional first year curriculum design using six first year curriculum principles: Transition, Diversity, Design, Engagement, Assessment, Evaluation and Monitoring. The website features resources including a briefing paper on first year assessment and checklists with useful tips for first year teachers, program coordinators and institutional leaders of learning and teaching. It would be particularly useful for academic staff responsible for designing first year curricula across disciplines. Professional staff who support first year curriculum design and delivery in such areas as blended learning will also find this a very useful site. This resource raises awareness of the multidimensional nature of the first year curriculum, drawing attention to the importance of supporting student diversity through the purposeful design of fit-for-purpose learning activities and assessment tasks. As such it would be useful for academic development staff who provide institution-level support to enhance the quality of first year curricula. The focus on evaluation and monitoring is particularly important for its emphasis on the value of continuous review and improvement of first year curricula. Discipline-based case studies are another feature of the resource. Exemplars are drawn from such fields as Law and the Creative Arts, IT and Biology. Kift has sought the input of Australian and international expert commentators who review the case studies and provide input on key issues. This dimension is particularly useful as it provides an indication of the international relevance and appeal of the resource, as well as the rigour of its approach. In terms of accessibility, the website does not readily emerge from a quick Google search of the internet, so users may want to bookmark the site. Nevertheless, once you arrive, you will find the site relatively easy to navigate and resources readily downloadable using PDF-reading software. One of the challenges you may encounter is that this resource site is embedded within a larger site. If you navigate away from the ‘Transition Pedagogy’ area and follow some of the hyperlinks, it can be a little difficult to find your way back. It is important to be aware of this if you decide to pursue some of the interesting and informative links on the site.
Project EnROLE Blue Report: encouraging role based online learning environments
University of Wollongong
2009
Macquarie, Sydney, UNSW, UTS
Peer Review of Teaching in Australian Higher Education
The University of Melbourne
2009
While there is growing interest in peer review of teaching in the Australian higher education sector, the level of awareness and expertise is variable. Some institutions have established processes in place. At other institutions involvement is variable in approach and tends to be localised to particular faculties or departments. The team believes the challenge in improving the uptake and effectiveness of peer review of teaching is largely a policy one at the level of individual institutions. This project will create a new, easy-to-use set of resources to assist institutions to effectively implement policies and programs for the peer review of teaching. A key feature of this project will be the development of a distinctive approach to peer review of teaching that embodies an Australian conception of the scholarship of teaching and that aligns with existing national initiatives for enhancing learning and teaching in higher education.
Evaluating Projects: Resources
Murdoch University
2007
A resource to assist applicants planning the evaluation framework component of their application has been prepared by Associate Professor Paul Chesterton, Australian Catholic University and Dr Rick Cummings, Murdoch University. This resource is referred to in the Grants Scheme Program Guidelines. It will also assist project teams to clarify with evaluators what they expect from an independent evaluation and to carry out ongoing evaluation of the project.
goodpractice