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Teaching Index Policy

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Purpose

 To outline the Teaching Esteem Factors that are included in the annual Teaching Index data collection and to describe how they are converted into funding. This funding is then used by organisational units to further encourage staff to pursue the scholarship of teaching.

Overview

 The Teaching Index was established to:
  • reward Departments for staff activity in the area of the scholarship of teaching
  • provide Departments with the financial resources to further encourage staff to pursue the scholarship of teaching.

The Teaching Index is part of a suite of learning and teaching awards and grants that encourage the growth of a performance culture in learning and teaching.  The development and support of excellence in teaching is an objective of the Academic Plan 2010-2014.

DEFINITION
Staff: full-time or part-time staff on the University payroll. It does not include adjunct, honorary, guest lecturers and/or casual staff.

Scope

 The Teaching Index is open to staff (academic, technical and professional) in academic departments, faculties, University-wide centres and offices.

Policy

ELIGIBILITY
Only professional and technical staff in teaching departments, faculties, University-wide centres and offices are eligible to apply for Teaching Index points.

Adjunct, honorary, guest lecturers and/or casual staff are not eligible to apply for Teaching Index points.

Once a staff member has left the University, they are ineligible for inclusion in a Teaching Index calculation.

EVIDENCE
Documentary evidence is required to support all applications for Teaching Index points.

CALCULATION
Teaching Index points will be awarded on the basis of the following weighted self-reported Teaching Esteem Factors:
  1. Qualifications in university teaching (10 points)
  2. National or state learning and teaching awards (10 points)
  3. Lead researcher in an Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) grant (10 points)
  4. Vice-Chancellor’s Award for learning and teaching (5 points)
  5. Participant research team member (listed in Grant application) in an ALTC grant (5 points)
  6. Faculty awards for learning and teaching (2 points)
  7. Commercial publication of a monograph on university teaching, or a commercially published textbook for university students (10 points)
  8. Refereed chapter in a book on university teaching, or a refereed chapter in a commercially published textbook for university students, or article in published proceedings of a refereed conference on university teaching (2 points)
  9. Article in a refereed journal on university teaching (2 points)
  10. Non-refereed article on university teaching (1 point)
  11. Presented conference paper or poster on university teaching (1 point)
  12. Serving on external bodies to enhance learning and teaching (1 point)

The Teaching Index is calculated by dividing the Teaching Index budget by the sum of the audited points gained by each organisational unit.

FUNDING
Funds will be transferred to organisational units on the basis of their Teaching Index.

Teaching Index funds must be spent on activities which further the scholarship of teaching.  Examples of such activities include:
  • faculty learning and teaching awards
  • funding of teaching relief to enable staff to undertake qualifications in university teaching
  • departmental learning and teaching strategic projects that align with faculty and University learning and teaching goals
  • departmental learning and teaching symposia
  • staff attendance at learning and teaching conferences and symposia, etc.
Teaching Index funds are to be committed and expended within the Budget Year. Carry forward of funds will not be permitted.

Policy Information

Contact Officer Learning and Teaching Awards and Grants Officer, Office of the Provost
Date Approved 15 February 2011
Approval Authority Academic Senate
Date of Commencement 15 February 2011
Amendment Dates February 2011 – reviewed at the end of the 2008-2012 Learning and Teaching Plan; eligibility clarified.
Date for Next Review December 2012
Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines, Forms or Templates Teaching Index Procedure / Guideline
Policies/ Rules Superseded by this Policy Teaching Index Policy approved 12 August 2008
Keywords Learning, Teaching, Scholarship, Index
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