Professional Development
Requirements
Evidence of systematic support for professional development in learning and teaching for sessional
and full-time academic staff.
The documentation must be publicly available on the University's website.
Documentation
(i) Current academic staff professional development policy, identifying the areas which
demonstrate that development in learning and teaching is provided to academic staff.
Other acceptable documents might be:
- professional development schedule for academic staff for 2005; and/or
- learning and teaching development programmes for academic staff in 2005.
(ii) Information on professional development opportunities in the field of learning and
teaching which were provided in 2003 and/or 2004.
Evidence might include:
- a report on staff development programmes offered in the field of learning and teaching in
2003 or 2004; or
- the 2003 or 2004 staff development programme which shows the number of programmes offered
in the field of learning and teaching.
Evidence
The Academic Staff Collective Workplace Agreement (2006) specifically ensures professional
development in the area of teaching and learning. This can be found at: http://www.hr.murdoch.edu.au/staff/er/index.html
Murdoch University has a specific policy in place for Training & Performance Development
for Casual & Fixed Term Academic Staff Appointments for the purpose of maintaining
and enhancing the quality of teaching in the University. This can be found at: http://www.murdoch.edu.au/hr2/sd/pdrs-home.html
The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) provides central professional development through a range
of strategies. The 2008 calendar of events for staff is available at: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/calendar.html.
The TLC has also developed an Academic Staff Development Framework which refers to the various
stages of an academic's career [see: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/framework.html]
and then links to the various programs. These programs include:
Regular Academic Staff Development Sessions are conducted as part of the Academic Work Matters series.
Details of this program in 2008 can be found at: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/docs/workmatters.html.
The archived 2005-2007 programs are accessible from the same site.
In 2005 Murdoch initiated an annual Vice Chancellor's Symposium as an institution-wide academic
development activity. The theme for 2005 was Linking Teaching and Research and was followed by
additional Divisional workshops [see program at: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/forum.html.
The Scholarship of Engagement was our focus for the 2006 program [see program and details at: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/forum.html].
The 2006 program trialled Live Classroom in real time to include staff at regional campuses.
The majority of presentations have also been archived in WebCT [access through WebCT]. The Symposium
is scheduled to run again in 2008.
Other new initiatives in 2006 include a two-day academic leadership development for Heads of
School and Deans [see program details at: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/docs/leadership.html]
which is scheduled to run again in 2008 and the Murdoch Women's Initiative [see: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/wominit06.html]
of which the first three sessions focussed on teaching.
Academic Induction On-line was initiated in 2006 to provide continuous induction for academic
staff accessible from any location. This comprehensive site is grouped into key areas including
for example quality at Murdoch, teaching and Murdoch and Academic Staff Development Opportunities.
It provides links for new staff to key policies and areas that are significant [see: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/docs/induction.html]
The TLC provides numerous academic development resources through the TLC [available at: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/resources.html]
Evaluations of 2005 Tertiary Teaching Course and the 2005 and 2006 Academic Work Matters programs
as well as the 2006 VC's symposium are available via the 'Closing the Loop' website at: http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/feedback.html
The School Development Process is a coordinated, whole-school approach to enhancing teaching
and learning. It also involves one-on-one professional development with the Teaching and Learning
Centre staff for curriculum renewal and development. For further details see:
http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/schooldev/schooldp.html
Other well-established programs of professional development include those such as Online Teaching
Technologies aimed at supporting Murdoch's approach to flexible teaching and learning. Details
on these programs can be found at:
http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/asd/othertraining.html
Library Services also provide a range of professional development opportunities for all
staff. For example regular sessions on the use of EndNote, Databases and Ejournals are open to
all staff and students. Details can be found at:
http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/infoskills/index.html
HDR student supervisors are encouraged to participate in supervision training activities provided
within the School and the University. This is outlined in the Code of Practice for Supervision
and Candidature of Postgraduate Research Students which can be accessed at:
http://www.research.murdoch.edu.au/management/policies/pgguide.asp#link5
Details of regular Postgraduate Supervision Training can be found at:
http://www.research.murdoch.edu.au/gradcentre/profdev.html |
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