Tertiary Education Management Conference 2006 Integration For a New Generation – Technological solutions for linking core functions of teaching and learning K Connoley

2006 TERTIARY EDUCATION MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE What We Do Makes A Difference 27 – 30 August, Hilton Hotel, Sydney Kathy Connoley Acting Faculty General Manager Faculty of Arts ‘Innovation in Faculty Administration – Finding efficiencies for both administrative and academic staff’

Introduction The Teaching and Learning Group in the Faculty of Arts, Deakin University has successfully implemented Stage One of a Teaching and Learning Database. This database is first of its kind at Deakin, and it aims to integrate the core functions of: Academic Staff Leave Academic Workloads Curriculum Maintenance Educational Development Quality Assurance Reporting Unit Chair and Assessment Panel Maintenance Unit Guides Query Function and Reporting

Introduction cont… The Database provides a repository of information that can be used from operational and strategic decision making. A sophisticated query function, and, in doing so, illustrating its adaptability and flexibility, and potential to be used by both academic and administrative staff. This is an ongoing development project, offering significant potential to further integrate continuous quality improvements through teaching and learning activities undertaken within the Faculty of Arts.

Background How the database was conceived A driving force behind the database project has been: The increasing reporting requirements being imposed on Faculties by University decision makers. Quality reporting is more increasingly being sought from Universities throughout Australia, as governments progressively want to see evidence of efficient and effective spending of public funds. Decreasing staff budgets and the need to find efficiencies.

T&L Group Portfolio The Teaching and Learning Group (TLG) is responsible for a broad strategic portfolio, and works closely with the School Executive and academic staff in the three Schools. The TLG’s portfolio of responsibilities includes: Curriculum Maintenance Course Development and approval Quality Assurance Educational Development School Administration Refer overleaf for details

T&L Group Portfolio

Proposed Benefits Sustaining excellence through Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement. Develop an ‘Innovative’ solution to the increased quality assurance reporting requirements. Find efficiencies through the use of technology. Empower Faculty staff, both Administrative and Academic. Centralise core Teaching and Learning functions within the Faculty.

Overview In response to the University’s Quality Assurance Framework, the Teaching and Learning Group aimed to develop user friendly systems to promote a culture of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) rather than ‘Compliance’. The development of a Teaching and Learning Database provided an effective tool to achieve this.

University & Faculty Plans: Strategic Operational Business Curriculum Planning: Course Review Working Party Educational Development Course and Unit Reviews Accreditations Re-accreditations Course Revisions Faculty & University approval processes: School Executive Curriculum Committee Faculty Board PRC Coursework Awards Review Committee (Accreditation Committee) Quality Assurance Framework: University and Faculty Policies and procedures Assessment Excellent Courses Experiential Learning Plagiarism International Consideration Common Core Learning Materials Implementation of University Policies and procedures: Assessment Panels Unit Guides Faculty Instructions Quality Assurance Reporting and Evaluation Unit Evaluations Unit Reviews Assessment Reports Course Reviews Teaching & Learning Activities T&L continuous Quality Improvement Cycle

Structure of Database Flexible and User Friendly Align data structure with Callista Curriculum data sourced from Callista Ability to develop and amend queries

Development Team Kathy Connoley Tamara Harvey Di Johnston Jane Acopian Peter Huf (Consultant)

Now lets check out the Teaching and Learning Database….

Implementation Strategy Trial database functions for Summer Semester, including quality assurance reporting Limit functionality to Teaching and Learning Group during implementation phase Commence processing of curriculum amendments on database Education and training provided to staff Planned to release functional database to all Faculty staff throughout 2006.

Feedback, review and analysis Meet with Key stakeholders Review and analyse issues uncovered in testing phase Refine active modules

Future Development ‘Fine Tuning’ in response to implementation phase Optional release to other Faculties Additional Modules including: -Workload Model -Educational Development Development of potential partnerships with other Universities

Conclusion This paper has described the initial development of a Teaching and Learning database project that is set to alter traditional practices within the Faculty of Arts in meeting quality reporting, and in integrating other core teaching and learning activities. Further development and implementation of the database has the potential to further enhance teaching and learning administrative processes, while providing a prototype for the University that may be used to design and develop a corporate system that meets the needs of other faculties and the University.

Thank-you! Kathy Connoley Deakin University, Faculty of Arts AUSTRALIA

Tertiary Education Management Conference 2006 Morning Tea Please reconvene at 11.15am