Course development for Adelaide University
In August, staff across the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide will begin work on the next phase of curriculum development for Adelaide University. This phase, Part Three: Course Development, extends until December 2027, and will see more than 1500 colleagues develop the content for Adelaide University’s new courses and programs.
This major milestone in our curriculum program builds on the hard work of staff involved in Part One: Program Design and Part Two: Course Design. Those parts focused on high-level program design, with more than 900 staff involved directly, 2400 people engaged and over 2000 active participants in workshops.
Through Program Design and Course Design, colleagues contributed to the Adelaide Attainment Model – a unique approach to learning that prioritises flexibility for students, using the most advanced teaching methods available. During the Course Development phase, the Adelaide Attainment Model will guide course creation, led by our experienced educators, and supported by our learning designers, academic developers, and library experts.
The Course Development process will be tailored for each course, with staff adopting and implementing best-practice for their discipline area. Course developers will determine how their courses align to the Adelaide Attainment Model, while this common framework will shape an overarching learning environment that aims to promote exceptional student experience.
New courses developed for Adelaide University will be modular in structure, to support a flexible learning journey for students. Courses will be delivered in a digitally-rich hybrid learning environment, prioritising engaged face-to-face teaching activities underpinned by technology including advanced learning resources, AI, and interactive analytics. Expert learning designers and academic developers will support course developers to shape the best balance of hybrid learning for their discipline.
Work-integrated learning, informed by industry experts in conjunction with program advisory groups, will form a key part of our new courses. This hands-on experience will provide practical, applied knowledge, and help students develop a professional network, so they graduate with strong industry experience and contacts.
Course development will occur in a 10-week cycle, with each course requiring an average of 150 hours of academic time to develop, which may be undertaken by one or more developers. More than 30 development cycles are planned from August 2024 to December 2027, and in the period to February 2026, 14 cycles will prioritise development of all first-year, second-year, and postgraduate courses.
Colleagues participating in course development will receive training in the new Adelaide University learning management system, Canvas, prior to their cycle commencing, with dedicated support provided throughout development. Canvas access and training will then be provided progressively to other staff in 2025, including the provision of a personal Canvas sandpit in which they can experiment with the LMS.
The Curriculum IMO team has worked with Executive Deans and the Academic Transition Panel to prioritise courses to develop in 2024 and 2025, identifying experienced educators and organising backfill. They have also worked with discipline areas to prepare a course development schedule for each program and identify courses with significant development needs or requiring further support.
Thank you to all colleagues who have brought us to this point of curriculum development. We look forward to working further with many more of you as we undertake new course development for Adelaide University.
Professor Joanne Cys and Professor Katrina Falkner
Curriculum Domain Lead & Alternate
Joint Committee, Building a new Adelaide University