Excellence in Education

Excellence in Education

The Strategic Plan (2008 - 2012) states that "In a great research university, education and research are not alternatives but integrated, mutually supportive and equally valued activities" and identifies as the primary education goal for the University to "provide a distinctive learning experience of high quality for our students".

At the Vice-Chancellors Committee meeting held on the 11th of March 2009, the establishment of the Excellence in Education project was noted and the communication strategy endorsed.

Objectives

The objective of the Excellence in Education project is to consolidate projects from across the University which will impact positively on student satisfaction and track progress and outcomes. This will not only serve to provide a single focus point to learning and teaching related initiatives, but also facilitate communication of progress and positive outcomes to students and staff.

The success of the Excellence in Education project will be measured by achievements which include:

• the University being in the top 50% nationwide for Overall Satisfaction in the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) in all discipline groups within five years
• undergraduate attrition reduced to 10%
• all courses in the University to make effective use of the online environment.

Reporting

The Excellence in Education project is overseen by the University Learning Committee (ULC), where progress reports will be tabled on an annual basis. The Director, Learning and Quality Support is the project manager and the project will span the 5 years, 2009 - 2013.

Scope

The Excellence in Education project consolidates projects from across the University which will impact positively on student satisfaction.

Faculty Specific Projects

Although there are similarities across the faculties in terms of the issues that students face there are also differences. It is important to acknowledge these differences as well as the efforts made by the faculties to ensure that initiatives are tailored to the needs of different student groups.

The University has continued its support for faculty-based initiatives in 2011. For example, in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences a series of workshops are being held to support staff development in a number of important areas of learning and teaching. These workshops are part of a broader project to complete the Faculty's Education Implementation Plan in 2011 and prepare staff for some of the long term challenges presented by imminent changes in Australian higher education. The Faculty also launched a Learning and Teaching website and forum in 2011. A number of school-based initiatives have been implemented through funding received as part of the 2010 University Implementation Grants for Learning and Teaching Enhancements.

Best Practice

Excellence in Education Award Winners

• Details of University staff who were successful in receiving awards for their excellence in teaching.

Teaching Resources

• Learning to Teach Online
  The Learning to Teach Online project is a free professional development resource designed to help teachers from any discipline, whether experienced in online teaching or not, to gain a working understanding of successful online teaching pedagogies that they can apply in their own unique teaching situations. The development of the project has been funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) to help foster a spirit of collegiality and knowledge sharing between teachers from any discipline, institution or country. The project is designed to play a vital role in the advancement of online pedagogy, the student learning experience, and also the teaching experiences of teachers heading into an increasingly digitally networked future.

• Making Teaching Easier
  Making Teaching Easier (MTE) is your gateway to important information, teaching approaches that colleagues have found useful, and resources to assist you in your work. MTE provides instant desktop acess to a range of resources, both as introductory and ongoing support  for new and experienced teaching staff.  The content is sharply focused, generally as one or two-page guides to a teaching query or issue.
  
  Making Teaching Easier focuses on the following seven areas:
  
  • Teaching for Learning
  • Using Technology in Teaching
  • New to Teaching at Adelaide (downloadable booklet)
  • Sessional Teaching Program
  • Support Student Learning
  • Researching Learning and Teaching
  • Rewarding Teaching

• Discipline of Higher Education, School of Education

Indicators

Go to Indicators page (Staff-only access).