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.
Resources
The ALTC has an extensive list of reports and resources related to the projects it is involved with.
Use the form below to search the list.
481 resources found.
Discipline:
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 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.
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
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.
Articulating lifelong learning in tourism: dialogue between humanities scholars and travel providers
The University of Western Australia
2010
The project team investigated the points of view of academic staff involved in educational tourism, the educational tourism sector and clients’ expectation of their tourism experience. Reasons for increased involvement of universities in educational tourism are presented.
Assessing and improving spatial ability for design-based disciplines utilising online systems
The University of Newcastle
2011
An online psychometric test of spatial ability (the 3D Ability test) was developed specifically for design-based disciplines. A series of online interactive 3D learning tasks designed to improve spatial skills are also provided. The learning tasks include remediation options for poor performers and purpose-designed gender neutral activities to address the gender bias in spatial performance. The test and 3D learning tasks are available on the project website.
Assessing creativity: strategies and tools to support teaching and learning in architecture and design
The University of Newcastle
2012
Deakin University, Monash University, Queensland University of Technology, RMIT University, University of Tasmania
Assessing graduate screen production outputs in nineteen Australian film schools
Murdoch University
2011
Flinders University, Griffith University, RMIT University, The University of Melbourne, University of Technology, Sydney
Assessing group work in media and communications
University of Canberra
2008
In Media and Communications, authentic tasks are the basis of learning through assessment. Media production in the real world is almost always a collaborative process. Hence, authentic assessment tasks require student to collaborate in groups. Collaborative group work effectively fosters both discipline-specific and generic professional attributes if carefully devised and managed. The project team identified common target areas for improvement, constructed and tested a range of practical tools and techniques for improving assessment in these areas, disseminated results and the products to the Media and Communication teaching community and are providing an online forum for on-going evolution, discussion, testing and feedback by the teaching community.
Macquarie, UNSW
The main focus of the resource is group assessment relevant to a range of disciplines, for example media, communication, creative arts and medical disciplines. It includes 13 case studies (of majors from four universities), explores key issues in relation to group assessment, and includes links to the research literature and keynotes by leading authorities in assessment. The resource is useful for academic staff designing units, courses and programs and who may be intending to incorporate group work. The case studies are useful for both design and assessment samples and for benchmarking purposes. Video is used to develop the key issues: a rationale for group assessment; creating and managing groups; group marks; peer assessment; technology; transparency; and feedback. The presence of both staff and student views and experiences in the video material imparts a particular level of credibility to the discussion of issues and principles. Keynote addresses, on policy, design, implementation, evaluation and learning, from leading authorities in assessment principles, and the practice of group and collaborative assessment, are also included. The case studies are of particular interest to course, unit and program designers as well as academic developers and planning and quality staff, while the issues are of interest to all staff grappling with collaborative or group assessment. The videos, for example those in relation to the rationale for team work, may also be of benefit to students. Users should be made aware of the login link to the forum, an issue which may detract from the website's currency. The resource recognises the competing demands on the user's time and the cognitive load requirements though an accessible design template (using three main and four supplementary links), the use of short videos, and the links to the research literature. The user does not require prior experience, domain-specific knowledge or specific IT requirements to use the resource. The resource deals with the problematic issue of group assessment and solves key issues in a concise and user-friendly way. It is easy to read and navigate and does not need to be read in conjunction with the project report. It is a practical, easy-to-access and use website on group assessment and team work.
Assessing group work in media and communications
University of Canberra
2008
In Media and Communications, authentic tasks are the basis of learning through assessment. Media production in the real world is almost always a collaborative process. Hence, authentic assessment tasks require student to collaborate in groups. Collaborative group work effectively fosters both discipline-specific and generic professional attributes if carefully devised and managed. The project team identified common target areas for improvement, constructed and tested a range of practical tools and techniques for improving assessment in these areas, disseminated results and the products to the Media and Communication teaching community and are providing an online forum for on-going evolution, discussion, testing and feedback by the teaching community.
Macquarie, UNSW
Assessing Students Unfamiliar with Assessment Practices in Australian Universities (Accounting)
RMIT University
2006
Over the last 15 years, the profile of students enrolled in Australian accounting programs has changed dramatically. While professional bodies based their accreditation guidelines on the requirement of equivalency of content and assessment, it is less clear how assessment undertaken by students ensures equivalency.
Assessment 2020: Seven propositions for assessment reform in higher education
University of Technology, Sydney
2010
The web site is a rich source of information and inspiration for those setting, designing or redesigning, assessment tasks. It indicates the purpose for the materials, making it clear that the content is relevant for experienced teachers and educational developers and that the site is not designed for those seeking an introduction to assessment. The site contains only minimal information on items such as rubrics and marking schemes. This is not a deficiency; rather it is a reinforcement of the purpose of the site which is to facilitate change in the emphasis on assessment of current learning to assessment that values self-directed, self-managed and self-evaluated learners.
The web site is organised around the key principles of engaging students, setting authentic activities, scaffolding students in designing some assessments, setting integrative tasks, fostering learning and judgement, modelling and practice, working with peers, as well as giving and receiving feedback. Each section succinctly describes a principle, provides a brief articulation of how it could be implemented and then has a link to discipline examples.
The section titled "Towards informed judgement" is a particularly useful one and worth reading. The range of discipline examples for assessment for future learning is limited because only a few teachers are engaging with this issue. There are highly relevant literature references on assessment practices for future learning attributes.
The reader should also download the well-written synthesis of where assessment practices should be heading over the coming years, "Assessment 2020: Seven propositions for assessment reform in higher education".
Go to pages
You are on page 5
goodpractice