GBS Sessional Staff InductionOur Learning & Teaching Community:

Creating the Links

27 July 2011 Gold Coast28 July 2011 Nathan

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Introductions

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Introductions

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Intended Outcomes• IO1: Recognise and engage with the communities (staff and students) which

contextualise learning and teaching work in the GBS

• IO2: Feel equipped to prepare and facilitate effective tutorials which align with course objectives, GBS Program Goals and Griffith Graduate Attributes, and enable your students to learn and demonstrate the achievement of those course objectives, program goals and graduate attributes.

• IO3: Better appreciate and best perform to meet the many requirements of assessment, including assurance of learning, student experience and learning, teaching staff workload and coordination

• IO4: Be encouraged to reflect upon your teaching experiences and contribute to continuous improvement and quality of GBS courses, while recognising the contribution of the tutoring experience to your own professional growth.

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T’ from today’s session...1. Better understanding of the structure of GBS, its programs and its

courses2. Knowledge of how your teaching contributes to the goals of the

organization3. Know how to engage with the different communities within GU and how

they can help4. Understand how objectives of each lesson (tutorial) are reached through

L&T activities and how best to help students achieve in the assessment items (formative and summative) - constructive alignment

5. How to focus on reflective practice as a teacher - what worked? why did it work? what didn't work? how would I change it to make it better? - make notes and keep records

6. Understand why evaluating your teaching is important to your career as an academic

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• Better understanding of the structure of GBS, its programs and its courses…

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GBS

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GBS and Griffith University

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GBS Structure

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GBS Degrees

• Degrees– B. Bus– B. Com– B. Bus (HTERS)– B. Politics, Asian Studies and International

Relations– Graduate Coursework

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GBS DegreesBachelor of Business

Majors in •Employment Relations•Human Resources Mgmt•International Management•Logistics & Supply Chain Mgmt•Management•Marketing•Sustainable Enterprise

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GBS DegreesBachelor of CommerceMajors in: Accounting; Finance; Financial Planning; Economics

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GBS DegreesBachelor of Business (HTRS)

Majors in •Events Management•Hotel Management•Int’l Tourism & Hotel Mgmt•Real Estate & Property Dev•Sports Management•Tourism Management

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GBS Degrees

Bachelor of Politics, Asian Studies and International Relations

Majors inPolitics & GovernmentInternational RelationsAsian & International Studies

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GBS DegreesGraduate Coursework Programs: • MBA• MIS• M Bus• M Com• M Marketing• MHRM• MER• MIB• MPA• MIR• ...and Certificates articulating into some of the above

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• Knowledge of how your teaching contributes to the goals of the organization…

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GBS Degree Roles

• Roles– Program Directors– Discipline Leader– Program Services Officer

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GBS Courses

• Roles– Course Convenor– Campus Convenor– Head Tutor– Tutor

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Tutor Role (1)

• A tutor is responsible to the Course Convenor and the Head of Department for the conduct, teaching and assessment of one or more tutorials. Using prepared materials set by the convenor, the Tutor should deliver tutorial sessions to achieve learning objectives. The tutor should ensure that the tutorial is:

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Tutor Role (2)

• Conducted in a manner that is consistent with the approved Course Profile

• Conducted in accordance with the comprehensive tutorial guidelines prepared by the convenor

• Modified, if appropriate, in response to its routine evaluations, and

• Conducted in accordance with University policies, particularly the Assessment Policy;

• In order that all students may have an effective learning experience and an equal opportunity to learn

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Tutor Role (3)

• Ensure that every tutorial is reviewed using University SET and other means of evaluation

• Respond to student enquiries for explanation and discussion, including emails, both in class and at other times as specified

• Contact and follow up students who are not attending tutorials regularly

• Participate in all meetings of the teaching team• Engage in the coaching and development of other

members of the teaching team.

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Tutor Role (4)

• Monitor class interaction and reflect on teaching practice, to improve course design and delivery

• Mark assignments, under supervision and with marking guidelines or rubrics

• Provide feedback to students, on assignments and in consultation

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Repository for Role and other documents...

https://qplace01.domino.griffith.edu.au/gbs-staff-teamplace

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GBS Courses

Lectures and Tutorials• Students want a more interactive lecture experience

and clear links between lectures (which are more than the text repeated!) and clearly purposed tutorials and assessment. Tutorials are not a positive learning experience if:

• They are unstructured, poorly structured, and/or lack learning objectives;

• They are used to present assessment items (e.g., other students presenting);

• They don’t align with the lecture material; or• Tutors provide different advice than lecturers.

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GBS Courses

Lectures and Tutorials• Positive tutorial experiences are often the result

of clear tutorial planning by convenors, coupled with a ‘road map’ of the course which clearly links the constituent parts. Tutorials are often the students’ only opportunity to practice core skills and concepts, or to gain skills and understanding essential for completion of assessment items.

• (Operation Program Focus Report, October 2010)

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Integration of Assessment with Lectures and Tutorials

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GBS Courses• Blended Learning

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OPF findings on Technology use...

The results of an audit of Learning@Griffith shows an underutilisation of the learning management system by staff, however, with relatively low uptake beyond first year classes, except in AFE. Across all courses, the majority of use is posting of content (e.g., PPTs) and announcements, with far less use of interactive or assessment tools, and limited use of Grade Centre.

(Operation Program Focus Report, October 2010)

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Entering Marks in Grade Centre

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GBS Courses• Assessment Types

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Operation Program Focus

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• Knowledge of how your teaching contributes to the goals of the organization…

• How to focus on reflective practice as a teacher - what worked? why did it work? what didn't work? how would I change it to make it better? - make notes and keep records….

• Understand why evaluating your teaching is important to your career as an academic….

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Evaluation of Your TeachingThe Griffith University Student Evaluation of

Teaching (SET) instrument consists of three sections:

1. mandatory, fixed questions which are the same across the whole institution;

2. additional, but optional, questions selected by the individual academic staff from a database of questions; and

3. spaces for respondents to write comments as text, with open-ended prompts to identify aspects done well and those that could be improved. (Sec 2.2)

Timing of Data CollectionData collection using Evaluations@Griffith is

completed between Weeks 10 to 14 each semester to facilitate the reporting and benchmarking of course and teaching evaluation data. Equivalent timing towards the end of a course is used for courses taught in non-standard periods or intensive mode. (Sec 2.5)

(Griffith University Policy Library, 2010)

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• Know how to engage with the different communities within GU and how they can help…

• How to focus on reflective practice as a teacher - what worked? why did it work? what didn't work? how would I change it to make it better? - make notes and keep records…

• Understand why evaluating your teaching is important to your career as an academic…

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Communities of Practice?

“…are formed by people who in engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavour.”Domain

(shared interest and commitment)Community

(learning –from each other- relationships)Practice

(shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems…)

(Wenger, 2006)

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Overview

Adapted fromhttp://www.southalabama.edu/oll/mobile/theory_workbook/graphic/situatediagram.jpg

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Teaching Staff CoP

• Domain?• Community?• Practice?

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GBS Communities

• Teaching Community of Practice (TCoP)

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GU Communities

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GIHE

PD for free!

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Student Diversity & Predictors of Student Success

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Break

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Student CoPs?

• Learning Communities [intentional](Angelo, 1997; Tinto,2003)

• What are some characteristics of Student CoPs?– Domain?– Community?– Practice?

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Interactions (Discontinuous Network Memberships)

(Brown & Duguid, 2000)

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Student CoPs (Transience & Persistence of Memes)

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Memes

• “Unit of cultural transmission” (Dawkins, 1976)

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Student CoPs (Transience & Persistence of Memes)

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Toward virtue

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Strategies for Virtuousness

• Feedback/Formative Assessment• Other strategies?

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• Better understanding of the structure of GBS, its programs and its courses…

• Knowledge of how your teaching contributes to the goals of the organization…

• Understand how objectives of each lesson (tutorial) are reached through L&T activities and how best to help students achieve in the assessment items (formative and summative) - constructive alignment…

• How to focus on reflective practice as a teacher - what worked? why did it work? what didn't work? how would I change it to make it better? - make notes and keep records…

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Creating the Links

1. Intro withTAPPS [talking aloud paired problem solving] discussion in pairs:Q1: What should be the object of tutorials in GBS?Q2: What kind of activities typically happen in tutorials in GBS?Summarise for the whole group on both Qs.Present list of tutorial activities.

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Creating the Links.

2. In Groups: Consider a course with this assessment

Paper/Report Due Week 4 20%Mid-semester Exam Weeks 7 25%Group Project (paper) due Week 13 20%Final Exam week 15/16 35%

The course also has predictable lectures and a list of readings with which students are expected to engage.

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Creating the Links.

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Creating the Links.

3. Using the chart (showing weeks, with a student assessment due lane) below, discuss and agree to a plan of tutorial activities which will integrate with the assessment schedule.Example

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Creating the Links.

4. Now individually, refer to your own Course Profile (which you have all brought with you) and consider what the tutorial schedule should look like. Use the second chart template to prepare the integrated map for your own course.

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Session Planning and Reflecting

what worked? why did it work? what didn't work? how would I change it to make it better?

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Creating the Links.

5. Whole group discussion re issues?

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Creating the Links.Summary

University College, Dublin (2011)

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A closer look at assessment

Formative [definition]

Summative [definition]

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A closer look at assessment

...while 95 percent....reported having discussed ‘grades or assignments’ with an instructor, 29 percent reported that they had never discussed ideas from their readings or classes with faculty members outside of class [42% for first year students]...the more common discussions of grades may not be particularly beneficial for students’ cognitive growth (Arum & Roksa, 2011)

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Engagement & Assessment

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Engagement and Learning

“Learning begins with student engagement, which in turn leads to knowledge and understanding. Once someone understands, he or she becomes capable of performance or action. Critical reflection on one's practice and understanding leads to higher-order thinking in the form of a capacity to exercise judgment in the face of uncertainty and to create designs in the presence of constraints and unpredictability. Ultimately, the exercise of judgment makes possible the development of commitment. In commitment, we become capable of professing our understandings and our values, our faith and our love, our skepticism and our doubts, internalizing those attributes and making them integral to our identities. These commitments, in turn, make new engagements possible—and even necessary.” (Shulman 2002)

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Formative assessment• Formative assessment can be formal or informal .– determining present understanding (assessment), – challenging the veracity of incorrect understanding, – helping students develop a new understanding, – testing that new understanding (assessment of

development). Examples may be Q&A in discussions; or minute tests,

concept tests, clicker results, verbal multiple choices, but each should have a development step and retesting step

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Formative assessment

• Amber Risk: specific intervention process in all 1st year courses – Following the first piece of assessment, Course Convenors

or tutors are asked to contact any students who performed poorly (you should set an appropriate benchmark) or who did not submit/sit the assessment item.

– Note: This process can be carried out easily and efficiently if you use the Grade Centre in Learning@Griffith. Instructions on how to use the Grade Centre are on the GBS Blended Learning support site

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Formative AssessmentAssessment Feedback strategy (1)

Rust, et. al. (2005)

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Assessment Feedback strategy (2) Rust, et. al. (2005)

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Summative AssessmentWe assess because.....?

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Summative Assessment‘Constructively aligned’ with….

Griffith Graduate Attributes

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Summative Assessment‘Constructively aligned’ with….GBS Program Goals/Objectives, e.g. B.Bus will…

1. Develop graduates with effective communication skills in professional and business contexts

1.1 Work effectively (a) autonomously and (b) in diverse group1.2 Demonstrate core competencies in communication and presentation skills in (a) oral, (b) written and (c) multi media communication 1.3 Develop skills in client/stakeholder relationship management

2. Develop graduates with the values for acting responsibly in professional and business contexts

2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and application of ethical, legal and environmental responsibilities of individuals and organisations in society2.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the role of government and other stakeholders in the business environment

3. Develop graduates with business related problem solving skills3.1 Demonstrate an understanding of major theories and tools for analysing domestic and global environments 3.2 Apply models to analyse and interpret real world events and issues3.3 Demonstrate analytical, reflective and evaluation skills3.4 Demonstrate the use of information technologies as they influence the structure and processes of business 3.5 Demonstrate the use of statistical data analysis and business decision support tools for addressing business issues

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Summative Assessment‘Constructively aligned’ with….GBS Program Goals/Objectives

4. Develop individual students attributes in innovative, proactive, self-directed and forward thinking

4.1 Develop and demonstrate their ability to be innovative, pro-active, reflective and self-directed lifelong learners

5. Develop innovative and creative work-ready business graduates5.1 Work creatively, flexibly and adaptability within a business environment

6. Develop the student’s knowledge in a specific discipline area (Major)

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Assessment & Constructive Alignment

Biggs & Tang, (2007)

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Assessment Policy

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Assessment PolicyThe university adheres to criteria based assessment. This means that students' work must be assessed on its merits according to established criteria. We do not mark to a normal distribution although if your distribution is heavily skewed you may need to examine the appropriateness of your assessment regime and criteria for the next offering. (Communication from GBS Acting Dean Learning & Teaching, 2010)

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Academic Integrity (1)https://intranet.secure.griffith.edu.au/teaching/academic-integrity-staff

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Academic Integrity (2)

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Academic Integrity (3)

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GBS Assessment Moderation PolicyModeration procedures in the GBS:• Heads of Departments should ensure adequate moderation and

supervision of courses.• Course profiles should be checked by an academic with expertise in the

discipline prior to submission. (MBA core courses will be moderated by the MBA Program Director).

• Course Convenors are required to have exam papers moderated by an academic with expertise in the discipline.

• Assessment in courses convened by a single convenor should be moderated by an academic with expertise in the discipline.

• In the case of cross campus offerings, Course Convenors should provide examples of two high, two medium and two low achievement items in the first major assessment to their counterparts at other campuses, to obtain agreement about the standard of marking. Examples of the standards should also be communicated to markers.

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GBS Assessment Moderation Policy

• Better practice? • What about moderation in within the teaching

team? (especially large courses)• Consensus moderation and evolution of

Griffith University Assessment Policy

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Issues and Examples

1. A student turns up at your door with a complaint that their friend has a better mark and they believe that their work is of an equal standard?

2. Two students hand in essays that are substantially the same – not just as to direction and structure, but even as to wording. When you call the students in to talk to you individually, both admit doing preparation work together, but each claims that he/she was the actual author of all the words on the page?

3. A student criticises another tutor or staff member?4. A student approaches a tutor to complain that he would prefer

to work with other Australian student than with students from international backgrounds.

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Issues and Examples5. The majority of students turn up to your session without having done the

reading and/or preparation required, and so can’t or won’t participate?6. A student complains about a ‘freeloader’ in their working group for their next

assignment and therefore wants to do the assignment individually?7. In a group assignment where the group has been put together randomly, a girl

from one culture complains to you that the two boys in her group from another culture are excluding her from the group’s work and insisting that she just ‘do the states’?

8. You have 50-100 papers to mark? How do you mark them fairly? How do bad grammar and spelling matter?

9. You have one student who is very opinionated and dominates discussion on most questions. She is dismissive of, even sarcastic about, what other class members say?

(Bowie, n.d.)

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Q & A

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Evaluation of Today’s Session

• One minute paper

• Quick survey on Intended Outcomes

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Thanks and close

Thank You and best wishes for a most successful teaching experience!

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ReferencesAngelo, T.A. (1997) Doing assessment as if learning matters most. AAHE Bulletin, 1999. Accessed at

http://www.che.org.il/download/files/angelo.pdf on 2February 26, 2010Arum, R. & Roksa, J. (2011) Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses. University of Chicago

Press. Chicago and London.Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. (3rd edition). McGraw-Hill. Berkshire.Bowie, C. (n.d.). Dealing with Tricky Issues. Griffith Institute of Higher Education. Handout at Sessional

Induction Workshop facilitated by Margaret Buckridge, July 28, 2010.Brown J. S, & Duguid, P. (2000). The Social Life of Information. Harvard Business School Press. Boston.Dawkins, R. (1976). The Selfish Gene. Oxford. Oxford University Press.Griffith University Policy Library (2010). Student Evaluation of Courses and Student Evaluation of Teaching

(SET). Accessed at http://www62.gu.edu.au/policylibrary.nsf/mainsearch/fec5ded2338d872e4a256f630063f8f0?opendocument on March

Online Learning Laboratory, University of South Alabama, Situated Learning Theory. Accessed at http://www.southalabama.edu/oll/mobile/theory_workbook/situated_learning_theory.htm, on Feb 26, 2010.

Rust, C., O’Donovan, B., & Price, M. (2005). A social constructivist assessment process model: how the research shows us this could be best practice, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol 30(3).

Shulman, L. S. (2002). "Making Differences: A Table of Learning." Change 34(6): 36-44. University College, Dublin (2011). Using Biggs' Model of Constructive Alignment in Curriculum Design. Open

Educational Resources of UCD Teaching and Learning, University College Dublin. Accessed at http://www.ucdoer.ie/index.php/Using_Biggs%27_Model_of_Constructive_Alignment_in_Curriculum_Design/Introduction on March 9, 2011.

Wenger, E. (2006). Communities of Practice, A Brief Introduction. Accessed at at http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm on Feb 3, 2010 .