Division of Economic and Financial Studies

Goal 1: Improve Teaching

1.1 Quality Assurance: Staff

Strategies

Performance Measures

Action

Progress Report

1.1.1

New appointments

Ensure new staff have the capability to become good lecturers

Ensure new lecturers receive training in teaching and learning

Ensure new lecturers receive appropriate induction to teaching and learning

Ensure new lecturers receive support in their first year of teaching
  1. Essential criteria for L&T in advertisements

  2. T & L assessed from research seminar

  3. New appointments must complete Foundations in Learning and Teaching (FILT) run by Centre for Professional development (CPD) in first year of appointment (unless they have equivalent training)

  4. At least 10% teaching reduction in first year to attend FILT and other induction and development programs

  5. Induction provided for all new staff

  6. Mentor provided by the Department and progress monitored by supervisor
  1. HODs, HR Manager

  2. Selection committees
  3. HODs, HR
    Manager
  4. HODs

  5. HR Manager, A/Dean T&L

  6. HODs, supervisors

  1. Done

  2. Done

  3. Implement in 2007

  4. Implement in 2007

  5. In progress

  6. In progress

1.1.2

Sessional/adjunct staff

Employ highly qualified staff

Ensure staff have adequate induction

Provide targeted professional development

Support with adequate administrative procedures

  1. Qualifications and experience on Department data base

  2. Teaching monitored by Departments

  3. Induction programs for all new sessional staff

  4. Encourage to complete FILT. Aim for 4 sessionals to complete in 2007

  5. Workshops and seminars provided by Division, 10 in 2007

  6. Titles formalised and contact information on Division web site

  1. HODs

  2. HODs, LICs

  3. HODs, program leaders, HR Manager

  4. HODs

  5. Dir L&T

  6. HR Manager, Div Manager

  1. Done

  2. In progress

  3. Implement in 2007

  4. Implement in 2007

  5. In progress

  6. In progress

1.1.3

Academic staff (professional development)

Ensure appropriate professional development to assist staff make teaching more enjoyable, effective and efficient

Encourage staff to complete formal teaching and learning training

Teaching issues identified

Seminars by L & T award and grant recipients

Ensure learning and teaching policy and professional development is available electronically

  1. Survey of staff as to appropriate professional development

  2. Division L&T workshops and seminars to be presented – 6 in 2007

  3. Award/grant holders to present seminars – 6 in 2007

  4. Liaise with CPD to make the FILT more accessible and appropriate for EFS

  5. Encourage to complete FILT – 4 to complete in 2007

  6. Learning and teaching website

  1. Dir L&T

  2. Dir L&T, CPD

  3. Dir L&T

  4. Dir L&T, CPD

  5. HODs, HR Manager

  6. Dir L&T, A/Dean T&L

  1. Done

  2. Implement in 2007

  3. Implement in 2007

  4. In progress

  5. Implement in 2007

  6. Done, further develop in 2007

1.1.4

General staff

Ensure adequate administrative and technical support for L&T

Increase communication avenues for general and technical staff

  1. Staff commended by students and academic staff, continue to monitor

  2. Technical support needs to be identified

  3. Web site for L&T

  1. HR Manager, Div Manager

  2. Dir L&T

  3. Dir L&T, A/Dean T&L

  1. Continue to monitor

  2. Assess needs in 2007

  3. Develop for general staff in 2007

1.1.5

Support for learning and teaching

Continue to use learning and teaching committees in the Division (Division level and Departmental)

Appointment of Director, Learning and Teaching Studies, to coordinate L&T initiatives

  1. Bi monthly meetings, minutes on web

  2. Leigh Wood appointed August 2006

  1. A/Dean T&L

  2. Dean

  1. Done

  2. Done

1.2 Foster Excellence

Strategies

Performance Measures

Action

Progress Report

1.2.1

New initiatives

Enhance staff competitiveness for Carrick Grants and improve teaching by a scholarly approach to learning developments

  1. Learning Excellence and Development (LEAD) project in the Division – 10-15 projects selected for 2007

  2. Publication of results of projects in scholarly journals. Target of 12 symposium presentations and 6 journal articles

  1. Dir L&T, A/Dean T&L

  2. Team members

  1. $55 K in development funds for 2007. Projects received and selected

  2. Projects to commence in 2007. Publications in 2008

1.2.2

Rewards for good teaching

Performance-based loadings will only be awarded to staff who demonstrate good teaching

The Division will reward teachers with good student ratings

Staff will be supported to apply for local and national teaching awards and grants

  1. Staff wanting performance based loadings will supply to their supervisor a demonstration of good teaching in all units. This will require student feedback for all units and an in-depth evaluation of at least one unit (for example, student, peer and self evaluation)

  2. University measures – Learner experience of unit (LEU) surveys. All staff with LEU above 4 for most measures will receive a letter of  congratulations from the Dean

  3. Maximum number of award applicants for local awards. Division support for the applicants

  1. HODs, supervisors, staff

  2. Dean, HODs, LICs

  3. Dir L&T, A/Dean T&L

  1. Implement in 2007

  2. Continue

  3. Continue

1.2.3

Research

Ensure we are at the forefront of learning developments in our disciplines

Improve the track record of the research team in the Division

Make explicit connections between research and teaching

Evaluate teaching initiatives to ensure effectiveness

  1. Participation in T&L conferences and professional meetings

  2. Publications in international research journals and conference proceedings. Publication of textbooks

  3. Divisional funding in 2007, apply for external funding for 2008

  4. Divisional funding for Business teaching initiative

  1. HODs, Dir L&T, DivRO

  2. Academic staff, ADR, DivRO

  3. Dir L&T, AD T&L

  4. Dir L&T, HOD Business

  1. Monitor attendance and report

  2. Monitor and report

  3. $37K for 2007

  4. $10K for 2007, monitor success for future evaluations

1.3 Improve Ranking on Teaching Excellence (LPTF)

Strategies

Performance Measures

Action

Progress Report

1.3.1

Course experience questionnaire (CEQ)

Improve awareness of the CEQ amongst staff and students

Compare EFS with similar discipline groupings for CEQ and address areas where EFS is below average

Improve assessment and feedback using improved policy and professional development

  1. Main 3rd year class for each department targeted with presentation and explanation of CEQ importance.

  2. Survey of 3rd year classes re L&T and generic skills

  3. Data lag by 2 years. Aim to be above average for discipline by 2009

  4. Improve assessment to above average by 2009

  1. Dir L&T

  2. Dir L&T

  3. Dean, A/Dean T&L

  4. Dir L&T, A/Dean T&L

  1. Done

  2. Done, results to be analysed

  3. Monitor

  4. Implement in 2007

1.3.2

Graduate Destination Survey (GDS)

EFS performs well for % employed and starting salary

In conjunction with research strategy, increase the numbers moving to further study

Map generic skills so that staff and students can track development

  1. Maintain position for starting salaries and employment

  2. 5% increase in students moving to honours and further study as measured by GDS

  3. Mapping complete for BComm- Marketing by end 2007, other programmes by 2009

  1. A/Dean T&L

  2. A/Dean T&L

  3. Dir L&T, Dir UgradStudies

  1. Monitor

  2. Monitor

  3. Planned for 2007 (LEAD project)

1.3.3

Progression rates

Expand the successful peer assisted learning (PAL) by one subject per year

Improve discipline specific language skills by monitoring examinations for language and increasing communication skill development in assessment

  1. Monitor failure rates, evaluate the program

  2. Number of examinations assessed

  3. Three professional development activities on assessment in 2007

  1. Dir L&T, A/Dean T&L

  2. Dir L&T, A/Dean T&L

  3. Dir L&T, A/Dean T&L

  1. In place for 2007

  2. In planning

  3. In planning

1.4 Improve the Student Experience

Strategies

Performance Measures

Action

Progress Report

1.4.1

Decrease student-staff ratio

Actively recruit new academic staff. 17 vacancies in 2006

Grow our own staff by increasing the opportunities for excellent students to become academics. A pedagogy subject will be implemented

Continue to support teaching with first class administrative staff

  1. New staff appointed

  2. A professional development unit will be written in 2007 for implementation in 2008

  3. Monitor staffing levels and quality

  1. HR Manager, HODs

  2. Dir L&T, LEAD team

  3. HR manager

  1. In progress

  2. Develop in 2007, implement in 2008

  3. Continue

1.4.2

Quality assurance: feedback

Compulsory collection of student feedback data on selected units to gain a snapshot of students experience using the learner experience of unit (LEU)

  • All 100 level units surveyed at end of first semester

  • All 300 level units surveyed each year

  • Other units
    surveyed on a rolling pattern
Feedback on teaching using the learner experience of teaching (LET) forms and other data on teaching required for performance salary loading

  1. LEU data collected

  2. LET and other data collected for performance loadings

  1. HODs, LICs

  2. HODs

  1. In progress

  2. In progress

1.4.3

Reduce high failure rates

Target units with high failure rates and investigate reasons. Devise strategies to alleviate
  1. All units with acceptable failure rates
  1. HODs, Dir L&T
  1. Investigate strategies in 2007

1.4.4

Quality assurance: assessment

All unit outlines to be MQ standard

Assessment policy to be developed and disseminated widely

Vet examinations for language usage to avoid ambiguities

  1. Audit of unit outlines

  2. Assessment policy developed and disseminated

  3. Examinations vetted

  4. Staff development on increased and more diverse use of WebCT

  1. HODs

  2. Dir L&T, Exec

  3. HR Manager

  4. HODs, Dir L&T

  1. Implement in 2007

  2. Develop in 2007

  3. Employ language expert

  4. Implement in 2007

1.4.5

Generic skills

Investigate ways of mapping and communicating the development of generic skills (see 1.3.2)

All unit outlines contain lists of generic skills developed in that unit but the evidence is that students do not realise this. Investigate strategies of communication

  1. Map the BComm-Marketing in 2007

  2. Monitor CEQ data for changes in perceptions of generic skills

  1. Dir L&T, Dir Ugrad Studies

  2. A/Dean T&L

  1. Planned for 2007

  2. Continue