quality enhancement and assurance for teaching in a research university

Quality enhancement and Quality enhancement and assurance for teaching in a assurance for teaching in a

research university.research university.

Professor Michael Jackson, PhD, Acting Professor Michael Jackson, PhD, Acting DirectorDirector

After

Founded in 1851, now 45,000 students, Founded in 1851, now 45,000 students, distributed campus in all degreesdistributed campus in all degrees

Polyglot student body, International and Non-Polyglot student body, International and Non-English Speaking BackgroundEnglish Speaking Background

An international universityAn international university

Research intensiveResearch intensive

A regulated environmentA regulated environment

The University of Sydney

The most important pointThe most important point

Myth of selection, tenure, and promotion Myth of selection, tenure, and promotion on research alone.on research alone.

Reality is that selection, tenure, and Reality is that selection, tenure, and promotion on teaching occurs. promotion on teaching occurs.

Means to promote teachingMeans to promote teaching

• Rhetoric to legislators and parentsRhetoric to legislators and parents

• Awards for teaching excellenceAwards for teaching excellencehttp://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/http://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/

awards.shtmlawards.shtml

• The Institute devoted to teaching developmentThe Institute devoted to teaching development

Most universities go this far. Most universities go this far.

Other means to promote Other means to promote teaching?teaching?

Teaching advocate in the chancelleryTeaching advocate in the chancellery

Integration of Institute in planning and Integration of Institute in planning and committeescommittees

Academic Board cycles of reviews of quality Academic Board cycles of reviews of quality enhancement and assurance.enhancement and assurance.

The Institute manage about six strategic projects related to teaching. Through these Working Parties Faculties make commitments to enhancement and assurance measures. These are worked out over time and in collaboration with others.http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/

These commitments are audited in Academic Board reviews.

Still other meansStill other meansRequired orientation to teaching for all new hires – Principles and Practice.

It articulates in to a Graduate Certificate

Active committee on Teaching and Learning in the Academic Board

Associate Deans teaching and learning in faculties

A public commitment to principles of good teaching on web site http://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/about/

Teaching improvement Teaching improvement fundfund

Aimed at areas for improvement or innovation, linked to university and faulty strategic plans

Competitive, less and more than $10,000*

Funds from top-slice of grant on basis of student load and fee-paying students

$1.5 million in totalhttp://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/ties.shtml

Scholarship in Teaching Scholarship in Teaching IndexIndex

Financial benefit to department whose staff Financial benefit to department whose staff contribute to teaching quality through the contribute to teaching quality through the Scholarship of teaching.Scholarship of teaching.

Faculties submit claims for points.Faculties submit claims for points.Criteria include credentials in teaching like Criteria include credentials in teaching like

the Graduate Certificate offered by the the Graduate Certificate offered by the Institute, teaching awards, publication, Institute, teaching awards, publication, and the like.and the like.

http://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/si.shtmlhttp://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/si.shtml#criteria#criteria

Scholarship in Teaching Scholarship in Teaching IndexIndexConsists of 0.5% grant and 0.5% of Consists of 0.5% grant and 0.5% of

College budgets, about $841,000College budgets, about $841,000

Distributed at discretion of facultyDistributed at discretion of faculty

An individual might get as much $10,000 An individual might get as much $10,000 in a consultancy accountin a consultancy account

Teaching Performance Teaching Performance IndicatorsIndicators

A teaching dividend allocated to A teaching dividend allocated to facultiesfaculties

Allocated on relative scores on Allocated on relative scores on teaching quality of a series of teaching quality of a series of quantitative indicatorsquantitative indicators

Indicators are mix of in-house Indicators are mix of in-house survey and national survey and national questionnairesquestionnaires

Teaching Performance Teaching Performance IndicatorsIndicators

Indicators include scales on good Indicators include scales on good teaching, overall satisfaction from teaching, overall satisfaction from national graduation surveynational graduation survey

Also graduate placementAlso graduate placement

Retention and progressionRetention and progression

Sydney Course Experience Sydney Course Experience QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

http://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/http://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/td.shtmltd.shtml

Does it make any difference?Does it make any difference?There is more activity related to quality teachingThere is more activity related to quality teachingScores on national surveys are improvingScores on national surveys are improvingSome gains in retention and progressionSome gains in retention and progressionEnthusiastic embrace by some facultiesEnthusiastic embrace by some facultiesChanges in open-ended remarksChanges in open-ended remarkshttp://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/synergy/article.cfm?http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/synergy/article.cfm?

print=1&articleID=281print=1&articleID=281

Benchmarking suggests we are doing wellBenchmarking suggests we are doing wellAustralian University Quality Agency said we areAustralian University Quality Agency said we areNewsweekNewsweek listed us at #50 listed us at #50http://www.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=1238http://www.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=1238

http://www.geert-hofstede.com/\

Purpose of Benchmarking Purpose of Benchmarking

Benchmarking is, first and foremost, a Benchmarking is, first and foremost, a learning process to identify learning process to identify comparative strengths and weaknesses comparative strengths and weaknesses as a basis for self improvement. as a basis for self improvement.

Guidelines for BenchmarkingGuidelines for BenchmarkingUniversity policy which bases our University policy which bases our benchmarking MOUs inbenchmarking MOUs in

http://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/http://www.usyd.edu.au/learning/quality/benchmarking.shtmlbenchmarking.shtml

““The process of identifying and The process of identifying and learning from good practices in other learning from good practices in other organisations”organisations”

(European Benchmarking Code of Conduct)(European Benchmarking Code of Conduct)

Sharing SCEQ data as a basis Sharing SCEQ data as a basis for benchmarkingfor benchmarking

• What sorts of conversations would this What sorts of conversations would this allow us to start?allow us to start?

• What sorts of limitations / forms will What sorts of limitations / forms will this impose on the conversation?this impose on the conversation?

• Who else can join in the same Who else can join in the same conversation?conversation?

• How might we efficiently extend the How might we efficiently extend the data to allow more meaningful data to allow more meaningful conversations?conversations?

An ongoing cycle…An ongoing cycle…

1.1. Purpose of engaging in benchmarkingPurpose of engaging in benchmarking

2.2. Priorities: Scope & Focus of Priorities: Scope & Focus of benchmarkingbenchmarking

3.3. Indicators & prompts for self Indicators & prompts for self assessment, comparison and learningassessment, comparison and learning

4.4. Process for implementationProcess for implementation

5.5. Commitment to actions arising & Commitment to actions arising & communicationcommunication

Before

The end.The end.