(l-r): Fidel Fernando, Kylie Coaldrake, Agnes Bosanquet, Karina Luzia, Michael Marston, Mathew Hillier, Cathy Rytmeister and Alana Mailey. Photo taken by Mike Catabay.

With teaching at the heart of what we do at the University, we meet the people who help ensure our staff are supported to facilitate quality learning for students.

Who are you?

The Learning and Teaching Staff Development team was established in April 2020, within the portfolio of the DVC (Academic), reporting to the PVC (Learning and Teaching).

The team is led by Associate Professor Agnes Bosanquet and includes Fidel Fernando, Dr Karina Luzia, Kylie Coaldrake and Dr Mathew Hillier. We work closely with other members of the PVC (Learning and Teaching) office, including Quality Assurance lead Cathy Rytmeister and the Teaching Evaluation for Development Service (TEDS) team, Michael Marston and Alana Mailey.

What do you do?

In line with the priorities of the Operating Plan, the Learning and Teaching Staff Development team works with staff across the University to ensure they are supported to facilitate quality learning for students. This includes offering professional development, contributing to curriculum and assessment design, recognising and rewarding good practice, supporting peer review of teaching, and leading scholarly reflection.

The TEDS team manages the ordering and processing of student feedback surveys on teaching and units, and provides guidance on the evaluation of teaching.

What’s planned for Session 2?

We will be busy during Session 2 as we are launching a Staff Induction module, and a program for new teachers. The Beginning to Teach program for new teachers will support the work of Faculty Learning Designers to pilot a Teaching Online program, to create resources to support teaching during COVID-19, and launch communities of practice.

We are also offering workshops on demand for 15 or more participants on a range of learning and teaching topics.

Why do you do it?

We are passionate about learning in higher education. This includes continuous learning for teaching staff. We want to showcase the excellent work happening across the University and provide evidence-based support to teachers. Our overarching goal is to build strong relationships between teachers and students.

What’s a recent achievement you’re proud of?

The Professional Learning and Capability Enhancement (PLaCE) framework has recently been approved by the Executive Group, after extensive consultation across the University and endorsement by SLTC, ASQC and Senate.

PLaCE makes explicit the capabilities for developing teachers and teaching support staff. It is structured across five levels of competence (Foundational, Proficient, Accomplished, Highly Accomplished and Expert) and five domains of educational practice and development: Learning and Teaching Scholarship in Higher Education; Student Learning and Support; Curriculum and Assessment; Reflection and Feedback on Practice; and Developing Self and Others.

What’s planned for the future?

The PLaCE framework is just the first step. Behind the scenes, we are developing resources including staff personas that exemplify capability development, a glossary of terms, and scholarly and practical descriptors for each capability. We are also creating and piloting professional development programs and initiatives.

Our vision is an online interactive version of the framework that enables teachers and teaching support staff to self-assess against the capabilities and identify professional learning opportunities. We want staff to be able to evidence this work in an e-portfolio and we are exploring options for micro-credentialing, recognising good practice, and supporting scholarship and leadership of teaching.

Where can we learn more?

Subscribe to the Teche blog for updates about professional learning offerings. Email professional.learning@mq.edu.au with questions or requests.