Learning and Teaching Committee
(A standing committee of Academic Board)
Meeting 2/2015 of the Learning and Teaching Committee commenced at 3.15 pm on Tuesday 17 March
2015 in the Sir George Lush Meeting Room, 27 Chancellors Walk (Chancellery Building A), Clayton campus.
MINUTES
1
There were present:
Professor Darrell Evans (Chair), Professor Marilyn Baird, Assoc Prof Angela Carbone, Professor Chris
Davies, Ms Tammy Fitzgerald, Ms Kara Gilbert, Mr Mark Hatwell, Dr Colin Jevons (for Dr Nell
Kimberley), Ms Rebecca Lew, Ms Natalie Mitchell, Ms Margaret Murphy, Professor Ann Nicholson,
Professor David Paganin, Assoc Prof Moira Paterson, Ms Saranya Ramesh, Assoc Profs Alan Reid, Kris
Ryan, Susanna Scarparo, Ms Lisa Smith, Ms Kate Tregloan, Dr Paul White, Ms Anna-Mart van Wyk.
Apologies: Drs Nell Kimberley, Fay Patel, Mr Loris Strappazzon, Mr Gavin Dixon
In attendance: Ms Kristina Kaulenas, Ms Elizabeth Toy, Ms Rhonda Hinds.
Observers: Ms Margaret Hill, Ms Madeleine Soederberg, Ms Melanie Koo.
2
Arrangement of Agenda and Starring of Items
No additional items were starred.
The Committee agreed that all items on the agenda not starred be adopted without discussion, and
that the actions recommended be taken or the information therein noted.
3
4
Minutes
3.1
The Minutes of Meeting 1/2015 of the Learning and Teaching Committee, held on Tuesday 3
February 2015, were confirmed subject to insertion of the following text immediately following
the first paragraph:
Members noted, in particular, that:
A disconnect between FIT and eSolutions is apparent, which is causing the university to miss
out on discipline-specific expertise during user acceptance testing of new systems/processes.
Some functionality from Unit Guide Web Editor was not present in Unit Guide Manager.
Members were advised that this would inevitably occur when moving to an enterprise-wide
system, but that the UGM business requirements had met the working group’s specifications.
3.2
The Committee noted the updated Schedule of Action Items.
Chair’s Business
4.1
Chair’s Report
The Chair reported that Monash’s new Strategic Plan was due for consideration at Council
meeting 2/2015. The Provost’s Office was also working on the new Academic Plan, and it was
expected that the Committee would be given opportunity for input into its development.
4.2
Delayed Deferred Exams (DDEs)
The Committee had before it confidential material relating to arrangements for managing
scheduling of deferred final assessment at Monash (i.e. Delayed Deferred Exams - DDEs) and
noted, inter alia:
−
The primacy of issues around student equity, support for student learning, equity and
clarity of process, continuity of learning, and role of the educator.
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Availability of DDE should be founded on sound pedagogy.
−
The gap between availability of Withdrawn Incomplete (WI) and DDEs.
−
Need for better process alignment between WI and DDEs, and consistency in
administration of DDEs across the University.
−
Importance of flexibility and choice for students in need– balanced against
administration of DDEs within a timely period, so as to ensure continuity of student
learning. In relation to the latter, the Committee agreed that the maximum period
during which a DDE could be scheduled should be 12 months from the end of the exam
period for the unit concerned.
−
Potential for exposure in some highly specialised units taught by single members of
staff.
The Committee endorsed retention of the capacity to schedule delayed deferred exams under
Academic Board Regulation 22.
Members then proceeded to discuss the additional agenda recommendations and determined
that:
Action Items
Item
Responsibility
Due
1. Investigate arrangements to cater Professor D Evans, Ms N
for cases where an academic is not Mitchell
available to create or mark a DDE.
4.3
2. Future LTC discussion item investigate possibility of
introducing default 6 months, with
12 as an exception.
Professor D Evans, Ms N
Mitchell
3. Review DDE eligibility criteria –
include work to ensure crossUniversity alignment and
alignment of DDE with WI.
Ms N Mitchell
4. Further work to develop clear
guidance and resources for staff
and students.
Ms N Mitchell
2015 Calendar of Activity
Members noted the 2015 Calendar of Activity.
5
Better Teaching, Better Learning
5.1
Technology Outlook - the Monash View
Members had before them, and were encouraged to provide feedback on, the OVPLT learning
technology approach and activities which scoped an approach to management of on campus
learning technology and a platform for further development.
Members noted that:
−
Varying levels of technological competence could be better reflected in the paper.
−
The next steps were indicative only, and would undergo refinement and be represented
back to LTC.
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Other Key Issues for 2015
6.1
Monash Education Academy
The Committee noted that:
−
The Academy would be formally launched on 18 March.
−
The Executive Council had been established and Academy operational staffing models
were being considered.
−
An Academy website had been established
http://intranet.monash.edu.au/learningandteaching/academy/index.html
The Committee also acknowledged the work of the Taskforce in bringing the Academy to this
point.
6.2
New model for Student Discipline
Item deferred to a future meeting.
6.3
SETU Implementation
The Committee noted that, as discussed with the President of Academic Board, implementation
would occur in two phases:
1. Enactment of new communications routes and introduction of the new statement of
purpose.
2. Other elements, including the unit item list.
Members also had before them the proposed SETU Survey screening and distribution guidelines
and noted that these represented a move to a more proactive management approach. During
discussion, members noted that:
−
Central screening (with its safeguards) would facilitate timely distribution of information
to teaching teams.
−
Further training and information would be provided.
−
Should a serious allegation be made against a member of staff in the qualitative
comments, this would be dealt with at an early stage in accordance with Monash
policies.
Actions
6.4
Item
Responsibility
5. Investigate enabling of printing
function.
Ms K Kaulenas
6. Ensure access to information via
authcate.
Ms K Kaulenas, Professor A
Nicholson, Assoc Prof K Ryan
7. Discuss intersection of screening
and SETU secondary purpose.
Professor D Evans
Chairs, Ethics Committees
Due
Update to LTC 3/2015
Faculty led and introduced issues
Members engaged in discussion on Professor Paganin’s paper Parity of esteem for Education and
Research: Why we need it and how we are getting there. Key issues included:
−
The need for greater advocacy in this area.
−
The need to raise expectations of, and the bar for, education excellence.
−
Determination of appropriate measures of quality, including elements other than
publications and how to assess education-focussed as opposed to discipline-based
research.
−
The extent to which funding for education is used to support research.
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Potential for leveraging public perception of the role and function of universities.
−
Faculty practice e.g. parity of funding for education and research initiatives, use of
funding for OSP.
−
Potential for linking rankings with the ability to teach certain subjects.
−
Lobbying through the Go8 DVCs (Academic).
Members commended the work by Professor Evans to raise the profile and standard of
education at Monash, in particular the establishment of the Monash Education Academy.
7
Updates from LTC Working Groups
7.1
English Language Proficiency Development Working Group
Item deferred to LTC 3/2015.
7.2
Unit Guide Solution Working Group
Dr White reported on progress towards rollout of Unit Guide Manager.
The Committee:
1. Approved an extension to the exemption allowing faculties to use Unit Guide Editor for
production of units for Semester 2, 2015, using the 2014 Unit Guide template.
2. Supported the reconfiguration of the University unit guide template into ten faculty
variations with University mandatory sections in the Unit Guide Manager.
3. Approved inclusion in the Academic Services Group’s role of the creation/maintenance of
faculty variations and a quality assurance function to ensure compliance with the
University template/mandatory sections.
7.3
Learning and Teaching Pedagogical Principles Working Group
Item deferred to LTC Meeting 3/2015.
7.4
Assessment Working Group
Item deferred to LTC Meeting 3/2015.
7.5
Special Consideration Working Group
Members had before them an update from Ms Mitchell on the policy review and also noted that
the recent focus of the (centralisation) working group led by Mr Hatwell had been on supporting
the online applications facility. It was anticipated that this would go live for Semester 1
applications.
Actions
7.6
Item
Responsibility
Due
8. Demonstrate the online process.
Mr M Hatwell
LTC 3/2015
Copyright Advisory Group
Members noted that the revised Copyright Policy and Procedures were approved by Academic
Board Meeting 1/2014, and are now accessible at:
http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/management/governance/copyright-compliancepolicy.html
8
Policies and Procedures
8.1
Student Complaints and Grievances Policy and Procedures
The Committee:
1. Endorsed the Student Complaints and Grievances Policy for submission to Academic
Board.
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2.
3.
Approved the Student Complaints and Grievances Procedures, subject to approval by the
Graduate Research Committee.
Noted the Grievance Lodgement Form.
The Committee was also advised that late revisions specific to HDR student complaints would be
considered by the imminent meeting of the Graduate Research Committee.
8.2
Student Voice in Learning and Teaching
The Committee
1. Endorsed the new Student Voice in Learning and Teaching Policy for submission to
Academic Board.
2. Approved the amendments to the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU)
Procedures.
3. Noted that the SETU Procedures will be revised once the new approach to SETU is ready
to be operationalised.
4. Endorsed rescission of the Student Evaluation Policy for submission to Academic Board.
5. Endorsed rescission of the Student Representation and Consultation Policy for submission
to Academic Board.
6. Rescinded the MEQ Survey Procedures.
9
Monash Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) Project
The Committee noted the update on progress and future directions of the Monash Massive Open
Online Courses (MOOC) Project.
10 Timing of results release
The Committee noted that:
1. Results publication for Semesters 1 and 2 would occur at 9:00am (AEST/AEDT) on the Monday,
with no results to be released earlier, effective as of Semester 1 results publication on Monday 13
July.
2. Faculties, Monash Connect and the Campus Community Division (Counselling Services) would
ensure all support services are available to students from 9:00am on the Monday.
11 Quality Verification System (QVS)
Members noted the 2014 QVS Report, and in so doing, voiced concern over the slow turnaround time
in receipt of assessor reports.
Actions
Item
Responsibility
9. Prepare submission to Go8.
Professors D Paganin, D
Evans.
Due
12 University Experience Survey
The Committee received and noted the University Experience Survey (UES): Monash University
Preliminary Results 2014.
13 Faculty Reports
The Committee received and noted the Report of Meeting 1/2015 of the Education Committee of the
Faculty of Business and Economics.
14
Items of Other Business
The Committee noted the Update on Lectures Online availability.
15
Next meeting 5 May 2015.
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