developing teaching and learning standards in a new regulatory environment elizabeth deane,...
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Developing teaching and learning standards in a new
regulatory environment
Elizabeth Deane, Kerri-Lee Krause and Geoff ScottUniversity of Western Sydney, Australia
The international context
Global focus on demonstrating benchmarked achievement of student learning outcomes:
AHELO; EU Tuning; Qualifications Frameworks; Exit testing; Moderation/External examination
Increasing accountability for quality and relevance of student learning experience:
Government oversight; regulation/registration and funding; Surveys
Counter drivers of research based rankings and global competiveness of Universities; Private providers
Standards = ?
The language and complexity of standards:Contentious Defined by disciplineThe concept of “threshold”Teaching versus Learning Standards
Inputs: course design; learner support and resource provisions; teacher skills and qualityOutcomes: level of attainment of skills + knowledge +..
(assessment and grading)
Qualifications Frameworks, Registration and Regulation
QFs: Defines learning expectations for level of award; move to international alignments (already exist in some professions); facilitate broad benchmarking
Registration and Regulation: Defines operating parameters; levels of investment , infrastructure and support; policy and process frameworks for educational quality. Substantial powers
The Australian context
New Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)Ten levels defined by Learning Outcomes and
Volume (=) Duration of Learning
Establishment of Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency “replaces” Australian Universities Quality Agency
Regulator versus Reviewer TEQSA regulates using:
a standards-based quality framework, and; under principles relating to regulatory
necessity, risk and proportionality
Higher Education StandardsDeveloped by HE Standards Panel who advise Minister and TEQSAFrom former National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes and the
AQF
The Threshold Standards consist of:Provider Registration Standards Provider Category Standards Provider Course Accreditation Standards * (descriptors relate to T&L)Qualification Standards (AQF).
Plus ‘Non-Threshold’ Standards (still evolving):Teaching and Learning Standards Research Standards Information Standards.
The project
Funded by the Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT);Eleven Australian Universities; Aligned with ambitions and ambiguities of Teaching and Learning Standards;Based on inter-institution, discipline based peer-review across twelve discipline areas, including creative arts; Contextualised in subject (s0metimes program) learning outcomes material, discipline expectations and assessment rubrics
The process
• High commonality final year subjects identified• Materials from “home” uni collected and sent to
discipline reviewers in two partners • Materials included: – four de-identified and cleaned assessment artefacts in
each grade band; – Subject outlines, all assessment tasks, marking criteria
and if available program level outcome expectations• Responses required: – Remarked assessments; comments on suitability/validity
The findings
• Broad agreement on grades• Analysis of subject materials and levels of
agreement on: – Appropriateness of curriculum content 89.4%– Relationship assessment to LO 76.5%– Assessment to program LOs 63.5%– Explanation of grade expectations to students 54.1%– Clarity grading guidelines 68.3%– Suitability of tasks 84.6%
Participants perspectives
Feedback collected from reviewers regarding overall process; written comments during process and follow up focus groups
– Positive benefits in seeing what others are doing; getting to know discipline expectations and previously unknown peers;
– Professional development and validation;– Diversity is good!
Implications
Peer review that works and has value add for participants is characterised by: – Targeted to final year agreed “common” subjects– Blinded of student and comment details– Sampled at grades– Contextualised in discipline and institutional
expectations of learning outcomes**
Could be managed as cyclical process to minimise academic burdenWould satisfy HE Standards expectations