The purpose of the project is to formulate a list of achievement standards for Australian Honours graduates in Archaeology. By project end, a nationally agreed public document, developed collaboratively by all Australian university providers of Archaeology, will be produced and disseminated. The project methodology should be transferable to other disciplines.
Resource Library
The Resource Library contains a collection of higher education learning and teaching materials flowing from projects funded by the Commonwealth of Australia including those from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.
Materials identified as good practice are indentified. Read more...
Results may be sorted filtered by keywords.
480 resources found.
Assessment Futures
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".
Role of Graduate Attributes in Emerging Institutional Quality Assurance Processes video
The University of Sydney
2009
Introductory Commentary
This resource forms part of a larger collection. It is recommended that readers refer also to:
1. http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/nationalgap/resources/gamap/introduction.htm
and
2. http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/nationalgap/resources/discussionpapers.htm
This 13-minute video is titled "Role of Graduate Attributes in Emerging Institutional Quality Assurance Processes" by Dr Jeanette Baird, Australian Universities Quality Agency, and produced as part of the National Graduate Attributes Project (2007-08) which explores curriculum renewal strategies to achieve graduate attributes in Australian universities.
The video provides a quality assurance perspective on how universities (and higher education institutions, HEIs) implement Graduate Attributes. Dr Baird suggests there are two overall questions that HEIs should ask: "How do you know that graduates achieve the Graduate Attributes?" and "What improvements to students' learning outcomes have resulted from these Graduate Attributes?". Evidence is required to support HEIs' claims about Graduate Attributes.
Dr Baird then goes on to three specific areas: (1) alignment between Graduate Attributes and HEI's institutional objectives; (2) curriculum review and implementation through mapping and contextualisation; and (3) internationalisation. Other topics include (briefly): employer feedback; CEQ Generic Skills results as a proxy for Graduate Attribute achievement; curriculum mapping and the reflection required in relation to assessment; the challenges of internationalisation and Australian HEIs; consistency of the student experience across campus. Underlying this approach is the OADRI framework (Objectives, Approach, Deploy, Review and Improve).
This resource is particularly useful and relevant to those considering a whole of institution approach and deployment of Graduate Attributes implementation in the curriculum, as well as internal and external quality assurance. It is clearly presented and to the point. The video is easily accessible to most users, and plays within the web page and on most browsers.
Graduate attributes statements database
The University of Sydney
2009
Introductory Commentary
This resource forms part of a larger collection. It is recommended that readers refer also to:
1. http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/nationalgap/resources/discussionpapers.htm
and
2. http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/nationalgap/resources/videos.htm
This is one of the outcomes of the National GAP (Graduate Attributes Project), a national scoping study of Australian universities' recent activities in relation to the development of graduate attributes. It is an aggregation of de-identified university graduate attributes statements, gathered in 2007-08. The statements were sorted into groups describing similar graduate attributes. They are presented as 'Enabling' level attributes (broader dispositions: scholarship, global citizenship, life-long learning) and 'Translation' level (more discrete, discipline-specific attributes: research and enquiry; information literacy; personal and intellectual autonomy; ethical, social and professional understanding and communication).
The boundaries between categories are artificial and some relate to more than one category.
This web resource includes a clickable visual map showing these eight subcategories. Links take the user to an aggregation of university statements of attributes -- for example, when universities include an attribute related to critical thinking, here are examples of how they phrase that statement. Even though these were gathered in 2007-08, they are unlikely to date -- the database shows the similarities and differences in statements.
This is a useful resource for those considering reviewing their attributes. It also shows the broad emphases in attributes across the sector.
The National Graduate Attributes Project Issues papers
The University of Sydney
2009
Introductory Commentary
This resource forms part of a larger collection. It is recommended that readers refer also to:
1. http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/nationalgap/resources/gamap/introduction.htm
and
2. http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/nationalgap/resources/videos.htm
This is a collection of eight issues to consider in the renewal of learning and teaching experiences.
The National Graduate Attributes Project (GAP), a national scoping study of Australian Universities' recent activities in relation to the development of graduate attributes underpins the project.
The papers provide an introduction to each of the key elements identified as being important for universities to consider when engaging in curriculum renewal to achieve graduate attributes. Each paper is short and points to additional references. The eight elements of the institutional framework are not independent and recommended by the authors to be read in sequence. The papers are presented as starting points for reflection.
The eight papers focus on (1) Conceptualisation, (2) Stakeholders, (3) Implementation, (4) Curriculum, (5) Assessment, (6) Quality Assurance, (7) Staff Development, and (8) Student Centred. They are most helpful to those involved in considering whole of institution (or faculty) approaches to Graduate Attributes implementation. They make a good starting point and are easily downloadable separately or as one PDF document.
Forging new directions in physics education in Australian Universities
University of Technology, Sydney
2009
The website consists mainly of components of the final project report and some derived resources that address three priorities: service teaching, laboratory work and employment of physics graduates. These form the three strands of the project.
The report on a survey of service teaching identifies three models of service teaching and outlines differences between student expectations and experiences of service-taught units. The survey found that students' experiences are significantly at variance with their expectations. The outcomes provide very strong evidence that university service teaching physics needs to be examined and reformed. Examples of units where students' experiences matched their expectations are described in Appendix 3 of the final report.
There is also a self-efficacy survey which would be of use in unit reviews.
The strand on laboratory work for physics students consists mostly of reports on workshop meetings, from which many issues were raised but few solutions proposed. The most tangible and immediate outcome of this strand is the depository of physics higher year laboratory experiments in use in Australian universities. This resource provides experiment titles, brief outline and the contact details of their designers/authors. It could prove very valuable in the sharing of and, if engaged with critically, improving of laboratory work.
The report on graduates in the workforce outlines graduates' employment types and graduates' preparedness for work in terms of knowledge and generic attributes. The report will be of interest to physics program managers. A separate document, outlining employment destinations of physics graduates, could be used to motivate or inform potential or current physics students.
Studio Teaching Project: Four Reports
The University of New South Wales
2010
RMIT, UQ, UTAS
Studio Teaching Toolkit
The University of New South Wales
2010
RMIT, UQ, UTAS
An excellent informative and helpful description of, and guide to studio practice with particular reference to art architecture and design and broader application to studio practice in dance, music and drama. The resource will be of interest to design and problem solving disciplines such as engineering and computer science.
Volume One: STP Final Report of the Studio Teaching Toolkit are particularly useful for teachers and learners, Heads of School, Deans of Faculties, Facilities Management personnel and tertiary providers considering the review or introduction of new art and/or design courses. The value of these materials lies in the descriptions of the nature and defining characteristics of studio practice, the elucidation of the conditions and modes that lead to effective learning outcomes and effective methods of assessment and feedback for studio practice.
The Studio Teaching Toolkit applies the findings contained in the three reports (Volumes1 to 3) and case studies (Volume 4) into concise and practical information arranged into six sections: Using the toolkit; What is Studio; Effective Strategies; Assessment and Feedback; Student Experience; Case Studies.
Part six of Volume One (pp 93--100) provides a succinct description of the project and the four fundamental questions the project explored. Along with the Executive Summary (pp v-ix) and Recommendations (pp x-xii) users, and in particular teachers of art and design, should refer to the Studio Teaching Toolkit http://studioteaching.org/ for practical and concise resource materials.
Contained in the Effective Strategies section of the Studio Teaching Toolkit are 10 benchmark statements for effective studio practice relating to issues of culture, mode, program and space. These ten statements are particularly useful for courses and unit/subject level review and quality assurance processes.
By degrees: Benchmarking archaeology degrees in Australian universities
The purpose of the resource is to articulate standards of Honours degrees in archaeology at Australian universities. These benchmarks were developed by a working group of teaching academics involved in archaeology.
Driven by apparent shortcomings in archaeological training identified by employers and students, this resource would be of most use to Honours coordinators and undergraduate coordinators generally. Although it is not explicitly intended, the resource is geared primarily for those who wish to pursue a career as a consultant archaeologist (or a cultural resource manager) after four years of undergraduate training.
The most useful section of the resource is the 'Benchmarking Statements', a series of 34 dot points divided into three categories: subject knowledge and understanding; archaeology-specific skills; generic skills. These are the skills that Honours graduates would be expected to have prior to beginning a vocation in archaeology.
The rest of the resource contains fairly generic statements about archaeology, its importance, teaching and learning environments in Australian universities, and career paths.
The APP Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice Instrument - Clinical Educator Resource Manual
Griffith University
2009
La Trobe, Monash
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".
Historical thinking in higher education
Macquarie University
2009
Flinders, Monash, Sydney
This is a well-researched, lucidly and frank report on the similarities and contrasts in attitudes between academics and students involved in university-level study of history. It is a most valuable report and deserves wide discussion among staff and students about the 'why' and 'how' of historical study.
In general, it highlights (although does not identify) the contrasts between academics who would like all students to be like those they eventually teach in Honours, and the majority of students who simple find history 'interesting'. Few students understand an undergraduate 'major' in history as more than a collection of subjects chosen from interest.
The report highlights the importance of the sharing of good practice. It does not provide practical examples of how better to engage students, particularly in introducing them to research methodologies, but has an extensive bibliography.
There are perplexing contrasts revealed between student responses at different universities, suggesting that heads of departments should find this a most useful starting-point for curriculum discussion. This is all the more important because of the worrying evidence adduced that some academics respond to student 'disengagement' by expressing despair about current student and cultural behaviours rather than by seeking innovative ways to re-engage students with sustained historical study.
The report suggests that individual heads of history programs should take the initiative in working with professional bodies to make improvements. For the recommendations to be more effective, those bodies (particularly the Australian Historical Association) should also be responsible for ensuring that this happens: they were established to provide national leadership.
Facilitating the integration of evidence based practice into speech pathology curricula: a scoping study to examine the congruence between academic curricula and work based needs
The University of Sydney
2009
La Trobe, Macquarie, UoN, UQ
This resource profiles two surveys that sought to elicit the views of a representative sample of academic staff and clinical educators in regards to the integration and application of evidence based practice (EBP) in speech pathology education. The gaps and challenges of incorporating EBP into curricula and clinical education and clearly discussed. The survey was undertaken in 2009 as a component of a project funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.
The resource, while focused on speech pathology education, will have broader application for a range of health professions where the challenge of integrating EBP into academic and clinical education is a perennial problem. The results of the survey, while not particularly surprising, are illuminative and identify some of the key issues that educators face in creating a culture where EBP is integral to contemporary practice rather than simply another academic 'subject'.
This resource can be accessed as a pdf document as part of the full report of the ALTC project. The full report also provides an interesting contextual discussion of the issues surrounding speech pathology education and EBP.
The strengths, challenges and recommendations sections of this resource will be valuable to those involved in health professional education.
The resource is succinct (14 pages) and written in plain English. Some of the tables included in the report, although relevant, will take some time to interpret.
The authors correctly identify the limitations of the approach taken in this study, ie potentially valuable student perspectives were not sought, and the surveys were based on self-report rather than observational/behavioural measures. The resource also mentions observation of four case studies but provides only limited discussion or analysis of this aspect of the study. However, the complete case studies are available as part of the full ALTC report, as are the surveys.
Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP)
Griffith University
2009
A preliminary search of the physiotherapy literature revealed a lack of systematic studies to determine the validity and reliability of instruments for assessing clinical competence of students in physiotherapy programs worldwide (Beckman et al. 2005; Stickley 2005). The project group therefore proposes a method for the development of a standardised assessment procedure that meets the needs of students and educators and provides valid and reliable measurements of student clinical competence.
Specific project aims were to:
- develop a competency based assessment instrument to evaluate the performance of physiotherapy students in the workplace;
- investigate and refine the psychometric properties of the instrument; and
- investigate the viability of using the instrument as a measure of physiotherapy competency in the practice environment
La Trobe, Monash
The Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice instrument (APP) is a standardised clinical assessment tool with rigorous field testing behind its development. The APP has been endorsed by the Council of Physiotherapy Deans of Australia and New Zealand (CPDANZ) which has strongly recommended its use in university entry level programs in Australasia. The APP is listed as a validated tool for the assessment of student clinical competence by the Australian Physiotherapy Council in its Accreditation of Entry Level Physiotherapy Programs -- A Manual for Universities. The APP is now used in the majority of accredited entry level physiotherapy programs throughout Australasia.
The resource comprises the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice Clinical Education Resource Manual and a DVD. The Resource Manual contains a comprehensive description of the APP instrument including desirable professional behaviours and practical performance targets which make up the performance indicators for each of the 20 items as well as detailed guidance for scoring of each item.
The DVD cannot be used as a stand-alone resource. It is provided to support clinical educators in applying the APP and/or for training in assessment using the APP. Prior to viewing the DVD therefore, users will need to familiarise themselves with the APP instrument and its associated performance indicators, as well as how best to use the case studies provided on the DVD.
The resource will be of great value to academics involved in preclinical and clinical education of physiotherapy students, to clinical educators and preceptors in the field and indeed to students themselves as a self-directed learning tool. Because of its standardisation and wide adoption in Australasia, there is a great potential for the APP to be used for benchmarking purposes and for comparison of assessment outcomes in physiotherapy programs which may be quite varied in their design and delivery.
Managing educational change in the ICT discipline at the tertiary education level: Final Report
University of Wollongong
2009
Monash, QUT
This is an outstanding, comprehensive analysis of the state of tertiary ICT education in Australia, including the need for some change and how this should be approached. The report includes extensive survey data from the perspectives of academic staff, recent graduates and (to a lesser extent) employers of ICT graduates. It is noteworthy that these surveys have been conducted across a very representative component of the Australian sector, giving confidence about the broad relevance of the findings.
The report is a "must read" for anyone undertaking a serious review of their ICT curriculum or teaching, and indeed is worth the attention of anyone seeking a good example of such a review, irrespective of discipline. It is particularly illuminating to observe the alignment, of lack thereof, between what is taught at University and what students require in the workforce. Of course, there is an ongoing debate about how tightly Universities should aim for work-ready graduates, but the data in this report from recent ICT graduates are relevant to all tertiary programs in this area.
The report is lengthy, with a wealth of (quantitative and qualitative) data and substantial data analysis. There are nine recommendations, of which three focus on the ICT sector and its perceptions by stakeholders, and six address aspects of the curriculum and teaching; these latter recommendations are most relevant for discipline standards. The report is beautifully written and well-organised, and argues its case convincingly. The reader will benefit from either a short reading or a comprehensive analysis.
Benchmarking archaeology degrees at Australian universities: Final Report
The purpose of the project is to formulate a list of achievement standards for Australian Honours graduates in Archaeology. By project end, a nationally agreed public document, developed collaboratively by all Australian university providers of Archaeology, will be produced and disseminated. The project methodology should be transferable to other disciplines.
Designing a diverse, future-orientated vision for undergraduate psychology in Australia
The University of New South Wales
2008
ECU, Sydney
This impressive resource, developed following extensive consultations with key stakeholders, presents a comprehensive list of key attributes psychology students can develop during their undergraduate studies. By extending the principles of the scientist-practitioner model, there is no doubt that it will become a valuable research-led resource for both students and teachers of psychology.
This resource clearly delineates what will be learned, how it will be learned, what the learning outcomes will be, and how these apply in both the traditional psychology laboratory and in real world settings. This juxtaposition of laboratory and real world learning applications provides added value by challenging students to think more widely. In doing so, it enhances the identity of psychology. Accordingly, the resource is also relevant to students and teachers in Psychiatry and the allied health disciplines.
It may be necessary, however, to make explicit the academic background required for using this resource. For example, it may be essential to flag that empirical skills are a pre-requisite given that Research Methods in Psychology (Attribute 2) are traditionally quantitative. That undergraduate students are becoming interested in qualitative research approaches raises the question of why this is not included in Attribute 2. This is even more questionable given the learning outcome of describing and applying the different research methods used by psychologists and demonstrating practical skills in laboratory-based and other psychological research.
The theoretical orientation and attributes reflect the resource's orientation to a specific cohort of students, which in this discipline is not necessarily a bad thing.
Rethinking law curriculum: developing strategies to prepare law graduates for practice in rural and regional Australia
University of New England
2013
Deakin University, La Trobe University, Southern Cross University, University of Southern Queensland, University of Wollongong
Building leadership capacity for development and sharing of mathematics learning resources across disciplines and universities
University of Wollongong
2013
Central Queensland University
Exploring intercultural competency in engineering
University of Wollongong
2013
This report outlines a number of recommendations to ensure the ongoing improvement of engineering education in the key area of intercultural competence. Resources have been developed which cover the key principles in introducing students to the ideas around intercultural competence and are located on the project website.
Queensland University of Technology, University of Tasmania, University of Technology, Sydney
Clearing the pathway: improving the transition for students moving between AQF levels 5, 6 and 7
RMIT University
2013
Curtin University, Deakin University, University of Western Sydney
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