Information on subject panels and subject outlines

Subject Panels

Every subject taught in the Higher Education Division at Swinburne has a Subject Panel, made up of the Subject Convenor (Chair) and the teaching staff in that subject. The Subject Panel meets before the start of the teaching semester to organise the semester's teaching in that subject, to make sure that any new teaching staff (including sessional staff) are both consulted and also fully informed on what is required of them, and to approve the Subject Outline (see below). The Panel meets when necessary during the semester to monitor the learning and teaching in the subject and to approve details of assessment tasks (including exams), and also at the end of the semester to approve the final results.

As described more fully in the Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedures (http://www.swin.edu.au/corporate/registrar/ppd/files/stuinf.htm, under Assessment in the Index), the Subject Panel makes recommendations on any changes to the learning objectives, curriculum and assessment tasks to the School's Academic Committee (or equivalent), and manages the subject throughout the semester to ensure effective delivery, and maintain academic standards and the integrity of the program. At the end of the semester, the Subject Panel recommends results to the School's Courses Committee or equivalent; and ensures that the Subject is delivered in compliance with University rules and School procedures.

Less formally, the Subject Panel acts as a "teaching community" where teachers in a subject can share experiences, compare assessment standards and expectations, and discuss issues such as alternative teaching approaches, possible updates to course content and teaching activities such as laboratory sessions. Regular Subject Panel meetings help to resolve small problems during the semester before they become large ones. A well-functioning Subject Panel is an invaluable resource for all teachers, but especially for sessional staff who may have only limited contact with the School in general. Where sessional staff are not always able to meet frequently during the semester with other the teachers as a group (for example, sessional staff who teach at night), other supplementary means such as email and Blackboard discussion forums (for staff only) can also be used to share information and ideas.

Subject Outlines

Every subject taught in the Higher Education Division at Swinburne also has a Subject Outline, which contains essential information for students and is updated and handed out for the first class of semester. Subject Outlines are also posted on subject Blackboard websites.

The Subject Outline is the students' "user's manual" for your subject. It lists important details about the subject such as course content, class activities, texts and references, teaching approach and intended learning outcomes, attendance requirements and assessment components - including assessment criteria, mark breakdown, and minimum performance requirements. It also includes information about due dates, penalties for late submission, the subject Blackboard site, contact details of the Subject Convenor and teaching staff, plus University wide statements about plagiarism, a link to the Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure, support for students with special needs, safety regulations in laboratories, and so on.

The details in the Subject Outline are also the teachers' "insurance policy" in the event of a dispute about issues such as assessment results. While we try not to make Subject Outlines so wordy that students are discouraged from reading them, it's in the interests of all teachers (and students) to make sure that details such as assessment criteria, due dates, policies on late submission and requests for extensions, and so on, are clearly explained in the Subject Outline.

The Subject Outline is usually prepared by the Subject Convenor in consultation with other teaching staff, and is approved by a meeting of the Subject Panel before the start of the semester. Any changes during semester to important details given in the Subject Outline such as assessment tasks and due dates should be by written agreement with all students concerned.

For more details on how to prepare a Subject Outline, see 'subject handout' in the Index of the Educational Programs section of the Policies and Procedures database http://ppd.swin.edu.au/edupro/EducationalAndResearchProgramManagement.htm. Also, most Schools have or are developing School-wide standard templates for Subject Outlines - consult the Subject Convenor or your School's Educational Development Coordinator.

Margaret Mazzolini,
BSEE Educational Development Coordinator
August 2003