Arts & Education NeXus
Targeted Professional Learning (Issue 3 - May 2018)
Word from the editor
In this month’s NeXus, we look at our learning and teaching professional practice, workplace learning; and recognising good practice and people in our faculty.
The Deputy Dean portfolio in the faculty is entirely focused on Learning and Teaching matters. This means that I work closely with the Associate Dean Academic and our two Sub-Deans. Aspects that are more particular to my portfolio are high level, student-focused procedural aspects such as Review of Grades, Exclusions, Academic Misconduct (the reason I chair Faculty Assessment Committee); workloads; probationary review and what I consider to be the ‘fun stuff’ in the portfolio – Faculty Teaching Excellence Citations, Peer Review, and the soon to be released Faculty Awards.
As those of you that know me are aware I am very passionate about learning and teaching and will take any opportunity to talk about it! What I often notice is that academics are not great at selling themselves and their excellence in the teaching domain. I have often reflected on why this might be – Are we all very meek and mild? Do we just think this is what everyone else does as a matter of course and therefore nothing special? I am here to tell you that across our faculty we have staff doing incredible things in their classes and in the online space…and we need to shout about it!! I have the pleasure of listening to our newer colleagues talk about their teaching in probationary review meetings and it is such a thrill to hear, and see, their passion.
We are close to launching a faculty peer review process that I have been trialling with a few staff across the faculty who have graciously invited me to come and observe their classes. I have seen innovation and passion as I have attended lectures, workshops and tutorials in Dubbo, Bathurst and Wagga. Particular thanks to staff in the SHSS and SoTE who have welcomed me into their classes. If you are interested in having your teaching peer reviewed, please let me know.
For those of you that considered submitting a nomination for a faculty teaching citation earlier this year but didn’t quite manage it, I have some great news. For 2018, we will have a second round call around August/September as we align these awards more strategically with future national awards programs. Feel free to drop me an email or come and chat about it.
In my role I meet regularly with our Lecturers, Learning and Teaching and Academic Leads – Sessional Staff Support. I encourage you all to touch base with these incredible staff located across the SCCI, SHSS, SIS, SoE and SoTE. We also have two faculty-based Educational Designers from the Division of Learning and Teaching (DLT) working with us this year, so make sure that you utilise the SRS for any teaching related matters where you require assistance.
I would also like to thank Lena, Harriet and Kath for their work on this newsletter. Many staff have mentioned to me how much they have enjoyed and appreciated it. We have expanded it to include Workplace Learning (WPL) updates in this edition and future releases.
Regards,
Lucie
A word from the Sub Dean | Workplace Learning
It is an exciting time for Workplace Learning (WPL) in the tertiary sector. CSU is investing a lot of time and effort both at a university level and across the faculties to initiate and support a wide array of programs. Through the NeXus, I am looking forward to sharing a range of activities and initiatives currently happening in WPL in our faculty in upcoming issues.
~ Dr Matthew Winslade
Since being appointed to the position of Sub Dean for WPL, I have been lucky enough to work with some very dedicated CSU staff who are passionate about providing authentic opportunities for our students.
Opportunities to engage in real world programs that allow them to put their years of classroom learning into practice.
Not many people step back and think about it, but there is an entire community at CSU working tirelessly in the background to build networks, and create the safe and supportive spaces for placement. It doesn’t just happen overnight, thousands of stakeholders need to be found and canvassed; schedules need to be synced; memorandums of understanding need to be formulated; software needs to be designed and implemented; and of course students need to be placed and assessed.
We have thousands of students being partnered up every session with host institutions and this would not be possible without the work of such people as Rachel Fowler the Faculty WPL Administration Manager and Helen Lew our Senior WPL Officer, along with their team of WPL Administration Officers, pulling our programs together.
In this first contribution, I would like to introduce the faculty's seven education focused Workplace Learning Coordinators (WPLCs). Between them, they geographically cover the entire state from the Victorian border to Northern NSW (and in many cases supported by our professional experience liaison officers, go well beyond by helping students find and complete placements interstate and overseas).
In no particular order we have Kelly Tribolet based in Bathurst, Melanie Sugumaran and Clare Power based in Sydney and the Blue Mountains, Trish Briggs in Albury, Sharon Ahern in Wagga, Anne McLeod in Dubbo, and our newest addition to the team, Darryl Mason based in Port Macquarie.
Each WPLC is responsible for a ‘footprint’ and is the public face of the university in that area, responsible for training and supervising our University Liaison Officers (ULOs) who check in and support the students whilst on placement (an extensive network of hundreds of experienced educators zigzagging across the country in and out of schools ensuring that all of our teacher education students are thriving). A big part of this process includes regular regional training workshops held by the WPLC and this year we have established online training workshops to support our more remote ULOs.
Moving forward, we will highlight the work being done in the field of Humanities and Social Sciences. We will look at some of the programs in place and some of the new and exciting partnerships they are currently working on around Australia.
Matt
WIKI Pages: May Spotlight
Prepare for session
Update your resources
Student engagement
During the L&T symposium, Dr Misty Kirby, Lecturer in Learning and Teaching (School of Education) facilitated a well-received workshop on the importance of student engagement. You can view her resources here.
Sensational Sessional Showcase
Brought to you by the: Academic Leads |Sessional Staff Support (SSS)
This month on SSS, let's talk about...
Connecting and seeing through your eyes - virtual professional practice empathy
As sessional staff, you are likely to be working from home, off-campus/remotely and may not even know about this wonderful tool. Let us give you the scoop!
If you only have time this week to do one wonderful thing to assist you with your work at CSU, and to help you resolve future issues, we highly recommend that you install the Bridgit screen-sharing software on your computers.
Ros Cox
SOTE & SOE
I can be contacted by phone on 02 6338 6115 and email on: rocox@csu.edu.au
Sam Malloy
I can be contacted by phone on 02 6338 4934 and by email on: smalloy@csu.edu.au
Anne Sparks
As well as being available by phone (02 6051 9362) and by email (ansparks@csu.edu.au). Further assistance can be found through the organisation site (SCCI Sessional Staff), which has links to resources and weekly announcements.
WIKI Wave!
The WIKI Wave is rolling…
In the first edition of Nexus (March 2018) we introduced the idea of the WIKI Wave as a way to share learning and teaching tips and strategies and also a way to give kudos to colleagues you may have been inspired by within your school and faculty. The rationale for the WIKI Wave is that we all benefit when we share our teaching practices as we can learn so much from each other. We have also noticed – as our Deputy Dean, Lucie mentions in her guest editorial piece this month – academics are not very good at selling themselves!
This month...
Rachel Walls is being WIKI waved by Sam Bowker for her ingenious use of Grade Centre as presented at the Learning and Teaching Symposium and for taking SCCI students on their first expedition to Japan earlier this year, supported by a major grant from the New Colombo Plan. Great work Rachel!
Another incongruity of note in academic life is that whilst communication is central to what we do we don’t necessarily communicate much about who we are. This is despite communicating more with our students, perhaps than we have ever done, and despite increased ways to communicate with each other regardless of location.
So let me steal a minute or less of your time... Introducing the WIKI Wave interview...
Sorry, no prizes for spotting Kim and Sam featured in both newsletters!
I was lucky enough to have a good old yarn with Sam and Kim our very first WIKI wave recipients; as well as with Donna, Paul and Zuleyha, WIKI Waved in the April issue.
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Don't forget CSU Recognising Excellence Daily (aka RED) program launched on the 23rd April 2018. The WIKI Wave is proud to be one of many jumping points for staff to be recognised for excellence in Learning & Teaching, and we see the Wave as just one pathway to RED. Take the first steps with us!
The WIKI Wave is an initiative sponsored by the Faculty Leadership and led by Wave Advocate (and our very own super sleuth), Harriet Ridolfo. Please contact Harriet if you would like to hear more.
Around the CSU L&T landscape
This month
IMPORTANT Information about the new Subject Outline Tool (SOT)
- The new Subject Outline Tool (https://outlines.csu.edu.au/) can be accessed from your i2 Dashboard.
- The SOT help guide is an important place to start - click here.
- DLT is here to support your SOT needs -the DLT Service Request System and Hotline (x34274 or 0269334274)
- SOT training recordings can be found in the WIKI Professional Learning page - click here
- Watch the getting started videos:
- https://youtu.be/x7dNJtVtZ_U - 1 min SO cloning video
- https://youtu.be/exLYvGHs1G0 - 6 min What's new in the SOT
- https://youtu.be/QstDQM5-GrE - 4 mins Subject schedule
Bookmark these websites....
Learning and Teaching WIKI - click here
Professional learning for new academics and sessional staff - click here
Learning Academy’s Teaching Tuesdays @CSU