Annual Report 2008 - Central Queensland University

Learning &
Teaching
• Respond to current trends in student demand;
• Develop a statement that will uniquely describe CQUniversity’s learning models;
• Identify a set of underpinning educational principles; and
• Determine organisational support and system requirements needed to implement
the learning models.
The first part of the project involved interviews with a number of academic staff
across the faculties and regional campuses about their approaches to learning
and teaching, with the findings providing very useful information about current
approaches, issues and challenges across a number of our programs. The next phase
of the project, in 2009, is to share and further build on these preliminary findings via
a series of workshops with academic staff across disciplines and campuses.
Two new Communities of Practice were established during 2008, an Online
Learning Community of Practice (CoP) and a Faculty CoP within the Faculty of
Business and Informatics (now know as the Faculty of Arts, Business, Informatics and
Education). Communities of Practice, which have been created in response to staff
needs, provide a forum where staff can meet and discuss and reflect on issues related
to their role and learning and teaching practices.
As part of CQUniversity’s commitment to quality outcomes in Learning and
Teaching, the University conducts a regular series of lunch time seminars focusing
on educational research, scholarship in learning and teaching, or critical issues
affecting learning and teaching. The total number of participants who attended these
seminars in 2008 was approximately 588. This is a 13% increase in participation
from 2007.
The Early Career Academics Program (ECAP) is designed to assist in the
professional development of recently recruited early career academics. ECAP
aims to provide early career academics with a comprehensive suite of skills,
knowledge and abilities to ensure a successful academic career, as well as support
and opportunities to develop strong networking and collaborative relationships.
CQUniversity staff self-identify as early career academics, and ECAP participants
are provided with mentors. This program was established in 2007 for staff on the
Rockhampton campus. This program continues to be initiated and facilitated by
Dale Trott (Lecturer) in Health and Human Performance. The program content is
designed and facilitated by staff development professionals within the University.
The program was launched on 10 July 2008 with 27 early career academics
attending, including three from Mackay and three from Bundaberg who attended
the launch in Rockhampton. This program continues to receive strong support from
academics across the University.
The successful Foundations of University Learning and Teaching (FoULT) induction
program was offered twice during 2008 for new academic staff. In 2008, the program
included the course ‘Introduction to Research Training’, which was previously
offered as part of research supervisor training. In support of the teaching-research
nexus, all FoULT attendees are provided with the Jenkins, Healey & Zetter (2007)
book “Linking teaching and research in disciplines and departments”. The impact
evaluation of the 2007 FoULT offerings found that staff benefitted in a number of
ways from attending, valued the program and would recommend it to other staff and
to new staff as being useful in their role as an academic at CQUniversity.
Nulloo Yumbah continues to engage in activities which encourage and support
Indigenous people to access CQUniversity programs. The Centre works
collaboratively in small team groups to develop and improve alternative entry
pathways, learning and teaching, recruitment and retention, and enrolment and
promotions. Nulloo Yumbah staff work collaboratively with other areas of the
University to maximise the opportunities for successful student engagement.
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