student feedback and leadership - Office for Learning and Teaching

Student Feedback & Leadership
an existing Learning and Teaching Committee, demonstration of increased
understanding of learning and teaching issues by the Head of School was
evident in his agreement to cap the maximum size of classes (despite the
staffing and timetable implications of this).
Fourth, Leaders of various Service Support areas developed a greater understanding
of the leadership role of their departments in providing an overall
supportive learning and teaching environment that enhances the student
learning and teaching experience. This led to the establishment of a formal
Consultative Group to bring together academic leaders and leaders of property
services to ensure learning spaces are designed in accord with the prevailing
pedagogical direction of the university.
Fifth, leaders from each of the multi-levels of leadership across the university
identified their role in enhancing student learning and teaching practice. The
attendance of the three Pro-Vice Chancellors (Academic) 1 at various Plenary
sessions, their responses to interview questions on their roles, and the
support given to changes to learning and teaching resulting from the
project are examples of recognition of their contribution.
The effectiveness of this distributed approach is demonstrated also in the
adoption of this approach for other projects established by the University
since this project. However it is recognised that cultural change of this
magnitude requires ongoing commitment to continual change and the
embedding of change. To this end a number of actions have either been
taken or are being considered. These include:
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The addition of two learning and teaching forums a year to provide
a mechanism to monitor and gather feedback on learning space
issues experienced by students and staff.
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Extension of the Action Research Approach to leadership capacity
building across the University, for example through the dissemination
of ART experience and achievements in learning and teaching forums
in each College.
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Consideration of how students (as stakeholders) may gain greater
‘voice’ in a more formative manner than the summative approach
of end of Semester Course Experience Questionnaires. For example
how Staff-Student Consultative Committees may be strengthened.
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Discussion with organisers of the RMIT Leadership Professional
Development to include sessions on the P.A.C.E.D Distributed
Leadership model.
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Acknowledgment in the RMIT Promotion criteria of the value of learning
and teaching and leading in learning and teaching for promotion purposes.
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Extension of the Student Transition Program developed by PVC (Student
Services) area to include academic transition issues.
1 It should be noted there were several changes of PVC(A) over the course of this project.
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