Higher Ed Bulletin: issue eight
Date posted: Monday 5 Dec 2011
Swinburne Online launched
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On November 25, I co-hosted the opening celebration of our partnership company with SEEK, Swinburne Online. As both the Chair of Swinburne Online (SOL) and an advocate of online and blended learning since the mid-90s, it was a particularly rewarding day for me.
SOL is a revolutionary new model aimed at making high quality university education truly accessible for working Australians. The development of this company has required us to go beyond what we already know and to really question the way ‘things are done’.
We've had to completely redesign our programs for interactive and engaging online delivery. We’ve had to consider working Australians and how we can meet both their educational needs and their busy lifestyles. We’ve had to look at our current processes and ask how we can make them work in this brave new world.
It's been an exciting, innovative and, at times, challenging journey. But I'm delighted with where we are today. Applications opened in November 16 and are progressing very well.
Thank you to all staff members who played a part in developing SOL during the past 12 months. I extend my thanks to all Higher Education staff members for your hard work this year and I wish you and your families a very happy and safe festive season.
Professor Shirley Leitch
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
VTAC Central Assessment project
This project is to manage and operationalise the university's change to a central team assessing and ranking applicants for Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) admission. Swinburne is the first Victorian university to implement a central assessment VTAC model.
Previously the process of assessing VTAC applications was performed by each of the faculties. The aim of the VTAC centralised system is to foster standardisation across Higher Education, improve knowledge management practices and streamline business processes.
A working group has been established with representatives from all faculties, Student Operations, Swinburne International and National Recruitment, and the Higher Education Office. This working group is responsible for making the VTAC central assessment approach operational.
The roll-out of the project is staged:
- Round zero 2011/12. Round zero commenced Monday November 14 and concluded on Wednesday November 23 at 12noon
- The Faculty of Business and Enterprise is a pilot group for round 1, 2011/12
- All rounds in 2012/13
The central team has been well resourced and trained. Results from round zero demonstrate the centralised approach has an excellent success rate - decisions made by the team showed a 94.6 per cent accuracy rate.
Congratulations to all staff members involved in this project for its success to-date.
FLSS partnership with Channel 31
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The project will enable Media & Communications and Journalism students to gain valuable hands-on experience and direct insight into the world of media, communications and television journalism.
It provides a wonderful opportunity for students to engage directly with industry, network, and enhance their confidence and practical work skills. In addition, FLSS has a new television studio, which will be a great facility for teaching and learning.
This initiative is supported by both FLSS and Industry Engaged Learning.
FHEL academic awarded ALTC grant
Faculty Higher Education Lilydale academic Dr Timothy Moore has been awarded an Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) grant for "Degrees of Proficiency: Building a strategic approach to university students’ English language assessment and development."
The project is a cross-institutional, collaborative investigation into the effectiveness of post-entry English language assessment and development strategies in the university sector. The partners in the grant are Curtin University of Technology, RMIT, University of South Australia and University of Sydney. The grant is for $210,000 over a two year period.
The Office of Learning and Teaching, part of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), will replace the ALTC from 1 January 2012.
Higher Ground blog: Flipped classrooms of the future
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Janet attended the EDUCAUSE 2011 conference held in Philadelphia from October 18 to 21. The conference, themed the "best thinking in Higher ED IT", featured a huge number of concurrent sessions covering information systems, security and infrastructure, leadership, governance, web and media development, and teaching and learning.
Janet shares her thoughts about one of the conference presentations that explored the 'flipped classroom' teaching model. This model is where content is provided online and homework, the practise, is done in the classroom with teachers as facilitators.
New IEL database
Industry Engaged Learning (IEL) will soon implement a new university-wide IEL Database system. The externally-hosted and web-based database system, On Demand by Oracle, has been identified as the optimal solution to address numerous recommendations outlined in the IEL Review 2010.
The database will act as an important tool to assist in increasing the number of IEL placement opportunities for students, increasing the amount of frequent and systematic contact between the university and stakeholders and creating a standardised approach for the amount and type of data collected. In addition, it will be key in assisting the development of future IEL initiatives, as it will be able to deliver accurate data for identifying marketing and growth opportunities.
Enrolments for GCLT now open
Swinburne offers the Graduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching (GCLT) as a way for all academic staff to gain more knowledge, to share ideas and to reflect on and develop their own practice. It also provides an opportunity for staff to build their learning and teaching portfolio for promotion or teaching applications.
The GCLT is a program designed for all academic staff. You can choose to complete the first unit, or four units for the whole Graduate Certificate.
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- Practice-based study in learning and teaching in the higher education context
- Exploration and sharing of best practice with colleagues and opportunities to network
- Opportunities to design curriculum to engage students
- Time and space to reflect, improve and revitalise teaching
- Develop evidence of teaching via a learning and teaching portfolio suitable for promotion applications
- Cross-discipline and interaction in a flexible and relevant program
- Evaluation of teaching practice with potential for publications
What will participation involve?
- Attendance at three workshops and online learning activities estimated at about five hours per week for a semester
- Each unit has up to three written assessments applicable to your teaching and one short presentation
Units available Semester 1, 2012:
- LTS501: The Practice of Learning and Teaching
- LTS503 Curriculum Design and Assessment
- LTS505: Internationalisation of the Curriculum (elective)
- LTS504 Final Independent Project unit
Enrolments close Monday 13 February 2012.
Please note: Applications for this program need to be endorsed by applicant's Program Coordinator / Head of Academic Group AND Deputy Dean or equivalent.
- Contact Angela Nicolettou on (03) 9214 4539 for more information
Swinburne showcases IEL at IMAP
Industry Engaged Learning (IEL), in collaboration with the faculties, participated in the Inner Melbourne Action Plan (IMAP), a showcase of work-integrated learning (WIL) programs held at Melbourne Town Hall on December 2.
The event brought together the municipalities of Melbourne, Port Phillip, Stonnington, Yarra and Maribyrnong. It focussed exclusively on IEL-related activities with the aim of bringing more students into local government. IMAP hopes this initiative will also strengthen relationships between local governments and the education sector.
IEL hosted an exhibitor stand to help create awareness among local government managers about the range of IEL opportunities available through Swinburne. The event also helped forge links with potential future host organisations for Swinburne students.
Professor Boud visit great success
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Professor David Boud, a professor of adult education at the University of Sydney, delivered a keynote presentation and professional development workshops at Swinburne last month.
The sessions were held at Hawthorn campus and sponsored by the Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Faculty of Business and Enterprise, and Swinburne Professional Learning.
Professor Boud has been involved in research and teaching development in adult, higher and professional education for more than 30 years.
His keynote presentation, "Creating sustainable assessment for long-term learning', was attended by more than 200 staff members and external participants.
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Contact: Summer Goodwin
T: 03 9214 8895
E: summergoodwin@swin.edu.au
