Learning and Teaching Committee
(A standing committee of Academic Board)
Meeting 6/2015 of the Learning and Teaching Committee commenced at 3.15pm on Tuesday 15
September 2015 in the Sir George Lush Room, 27 Chancellors Walk (Chancellery Building A), Clayton
campus.
MINUTES
1
There were present:
Professor Darrell Evans (Chair), Professors Ann Nicholson, Chris Davies, David Paganin, Jamie Evans, Tina
Overton, Wayne Hodgson (for Professor Marilyn Baird), Associate Professors Anna-Mart van Wyk (via
video conference), Angela Carbone, Kris Ryan, Dr Fay Patel (via teleconference), Dr Kate Tregloan, Dr Nell
Kimberley, Dr Patrick Emerton, Dr Paul White, Dr Sarah McDonald (for Associate Professor Susanna
Scarparo), Ms Lisa Smith, Ms Natalie Mitchell, Mr Ross Engelbrecht (for Mr Mark Hatwell), Mr Trevor
Woods.
Apologies:
Mr John Rivett, Mr Lindsay MacDonald, Professor Marilyn Baird, Mr Mark Hatwell, Mr Mike Scott, Ms
Saranya Ramesh, Associate Professor Susanna Scarparo.
In attendance: Dr Catherine Burnheim (for item 5.1), Ms Megan Deacon (for item 5.2), Ms Melanie Koo.
Observers: Mr Hamid Khattak, Ms Michaela Hill (for item 7)
2
Arrangement of Agenda and Starring of Items
Members noted that:
-
3
Item 5 - LTC Key Issues for 2015 be taken immediately before Item 3.
Professor David Paganin requested that Item 8 - Review of Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units
(SETU) – Progress Report be 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.
Minutes
3.1
The Minutes of Meeting 5/2015 of the Learning and Teaching Committee, held on Tuesday 11
August 2015, were confirmed.
3.2
Schedule of Action Items
Professor Evans updated LTC on the following outstanding action items:
-
Majority of outstanding action items have been deferred to LTC meeting 7/2015, scheduled to
be held on 20 October.
-
The Unit Guide template item to be discussed at this meeting under item 7.3.
-
Professor Evans has to date only received feedback from the Faculty of Business and
Economics regarding MOOCs and SPOC development. ADEs are encouraged contact Professor
Evans to suggest suitable areas for MOOC and SPOC development.
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Resolution:
The Committee noted the updated schedule of action items.
4
Chair’s Business
4.1
Chair’s Report
The Chair reported on a range of items including:
Exam Paper Errors
The Examinations team record the number of errors in exam papers, and reported a rise in errors
in recent exam papers.
Professor Evans has written to ADEs and received reports back (with the exception of MADA doesn’t conduct exams, and Faculty of Education - no errors in recent exams).
Professor Evans thanked ADEs for their reports and action taken to address the assurance
mechanisms in their faculty. OVPLT have developed some recommendations going forward
including a checklist for those involved in exam paper preparation, and a revised approach for the
exams office communicating with faculties on any changes in process, paperwork or approach.
The issue has been taken very seriously and LTC will continue to focus on quality assurance.
Report to be circulated in due course.
ePlatforms/resources
-
Ms Lisa Smith and Ms Janette Burke have been working on Pearson evaluation report
(Mastering, MyLabs and The Neighbourhood).
-
Wiley, Cengage and other organisations are also likely to want to engage with Monash
University in the ePlatforms/resources space.
-
The new approach to resource this appropriately is to have 50% central funding and 50%
faculty commitment.
-
Some faculties are also developing in-house products, in preference to using commercial
products.
-
Professor Evans reported that a governance structure for overseeing ePlatforms/resources
will be developed going forward.
Action Items
Item
Responsibility
Due
1. Submission of Pearson evaluation report
(Mastering, MyLabs and The
Neighbourhood) to future LTC meeting.
Ms Lisa Smith and Ms
Janette Burke.
Meeting
8/2015
scheduled 8
December.
Professor Evans commended Ms Margot Schuhmacher and the Faculty of IT on developing a video
on completing chief examiner reports.
Action Items
Item
Responsibility
2. ADE’s were encouraged to upload Faculty
All ADEs
Education Awards and Grants onto the ADE
Forum GoogleSite located at the link below:
https://sites.google.com/a/monash.edu/adeS:\ADM\ES\Learning & Teaching Committee (LTC)\Minutes\2015\06-2015-Ltc-Minutes-Confirmed.Docx
Due
LTC Meeting
7/2015.
Page 2 of 6
forum/home/faculty-education-awards-andgrants
5
6
-
The education product MeTL would not be progressed further at Monash University level, but
would be offered as an open source package going forward.
-
MOOCs at Monash have now had over 100,000 registrants in all. The Mindfulness MOOC has
over 30,000 registrants and the Creative Coding re-run over 18,000. Report to be submitted
to Academic Board in due course.
LTC Key Issues for 2015
5.1
Monash Warwick Alliance Education Strategy – Update on Priority Projects (Dr Catherine
Burnheim)
- Dr Catherine Burnheim reported on two priority projects for 2015-16 for noting. These
projects included 1) Developing intercultural competence using a 3-stage approach and 2)
Alliance Studios.
5.2
Online Copyright Modules (Ms Megan Deacon)
-
The Copyright Modules are available as a self-enrolling resource in Moodle:
http://moodle.vle.monash.edu/enrol/index.php?id=6373
-
The copyright modules comprise 6 self-paced learning resources on copyright issues such as
‘can I place this material online’.
-
The modules are have been specifically designed around Australian law.
-
ADEs were encouraged to try these modules and provide any questions or feedback to Ms
Megan Deacon.
-
Professor Evans thanked Ms Deacon for her work on developing the online copyright
modules.
-
Ms Lisa Smith noted that there will be a forthcoming University screenrights online survey (of
recordings from TV). The survey will run from 26 October to 6 December. Participation in the
survey is a legal requirement for selected Universities (Monash last undertook the
Screenrights survey in 2012). Official notification will be distributed in due course.
Updates from LTC Working Groups
6.1
Opt-Out System of Lecture Recordings Working Group (Dr Patrick Emerton)
- The opt-out system of lecture recordings proposal was put forward by Monash Student
Association (MSA) to support students with disabilities or carer responsibilities, as they may
not be able to attend every lecture or tutorial due to these circumstances.
- Working party members considered the balance between pedagogical demands vs equity
concerns.
- The library reported that faculties could opt-out of MULO recordings but there was also
flexibility to trigger access only to individual students. High degree of flexibility is achievable,
but some burden would need to be taken on by the Faculty to trigger access for individual
students. Some LTC members commented that they were in favor of a more simplistic optout approach.
- Currently, note takers are arranged by Disability Services but only used as companions. It was
suggested by the working group that note takers could also be used as proxies, where
recording isn’t appropriate or available.
- Students with carer responsibilities may need to be included in future policies and
procedures.
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Students representatives at the working group meeting made comment that currently, there
a variety of approaches in each faculty and that some faculties are more willing to support
students than others.
Action Items
6.2
Item
Responsibility
Due
3. Dr Emerton in conjunction with the working
group, to submit guidelines for endorsement
by LTC.
Dr Patrick Emerton
LTC Meeting
7/2015.
Academic Integrity and Intellectual Property Protection Working Party (Dr Nell Kimberley)
-
This working party is reviewing Academic Integrity from a Learning and Teaching perspective.
-
To protect the University brand and reputation, the working group is investigating bespoke
essay writing businesses, Monash resources being uploaded / sold online, ‘tutoring colleges’
etc.
-
The working group has requested the support of a research assistant to categorise and
translate the evidence found.
Action Items
7
Item
Responsibility
Due
4. Professor Evans to contact Dr Nell Kimberley
to discuss resourcing.
Professor Evans
[Following this
meeting, the
action item
has been
completed].
-
Need to promote the Student Charter and student values.
-
Two peak periods have been identified where students are using other mechanisms to assist
them during assignment and exam period. The working group is looking at providing
additional English language support during these periods.
-
At the last working group meeting, Dr Kate Tregloan presented the MADA Academic Integrity
Moodle site. This model could be applied to other faculties.
Policies and Procedures
7.1
Special Consideration Procedures – Cancellation of Exams (Ms Natalie Mitchell)
- Three options for cancellation of exams were considered by LTC members:
1) No change to current arrangements; or
2) Abolition of exam cancellation opportunity; or
3) Require exam cancellations to occur within the first hour of exam.
- A varied discussion took place, with no clear viewpoint coming
through.
Resolution:
LTC discussed the three options available for the exam cancellation process but general
consensus was not reached. LTC was not ready to make a final decision at this meeting and
request further information, especially related to the consequences of option 2.
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Action Items
7.2
Item
Responsibility
Due
5. Further information requested, especially
relating to the consequences of option 2.
Ms Natalie Mitchell
Meeting
7/2015.
Unit Assessment Procedures – Timeframe for Applying for Withdrawn Incomplete (WI) Grades
(Ms Natalie Mitchell)
-
MSA and MONSU have raised a proposal that the time frame for applying for WI grades be
amended to 20 working days rather than 4 weeks. The current wording currently impacts on
students, particularly those in Semester 2 due to University shut down. During this period, it
is difficult for students to access staff, professional advice and resources.
Resolution:
LTC approved the amendments to the Unit Assessment Procedures for transmission to Academic
Board.
7.3
2016 Unit Guide Template and the Unit Guide Manager (UGM) System: Proposed Faculty
Additions to Mandatory Sections (Mr Ross Engelbrecht and Dr Paul White)
-
At the last LTC meeting, LTC approved the list of mandatory unit guide sections but the order
of the mandatory sections was held over until this meeting.
-
LTC members raised concern regarding each faculty having their own order. This would be
confusing for students, particularly those studying double degrees. Need to think about the
student experience and ensuring that the unit guide is user friendly for students.
Resolution:
LTC approved the changes to the order of mandatory unit guide sections and noted the additional
faculty-specific information as set out in the tables in Appendix 1 to this paper, which will be
incorporated in faculty templates by the Academic Services Group for 2016, 2017 and 2018 unit
guides.
8
Review of Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) – Progress Report
Some comments was made regarding page 48 of the agenda papers under the heading “Action required
of ADEs”
-
Dot point 1 – “Determine and publish the line of management structure for units in the faculty by
the end of Week 8…”. Professor Paganin suggested developing a text template for wording.
Professor Evans to mention this to his team.
-
Dot point 3 – “By the end of Week 8, notify all educators involved in units to be evaluated that
personal information may be collected on them through the open comments by students”. It was
suggested that text be provided by the OVPLT including a contribution from the Privacy Officer.
Professor Evans confirmed that notification should be the responsibility of the ADEs.
Action Items
Item
Responsibility
Due
6. Text to be provided by OVPLT including
contribution from the Privacy Officer.
Ms Elizabeth Toy
Meeting
7/2015.
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Professor Ann Nicholson suggested that a flow diagram be developed to provide more clarity
around the processes.
Action Items
Item
Responsibility
Due
7. Flow diagram to be developed.
Ms Elizabeth Toy
Meeting
7/2015.
Resolution:
The Committee received and noted the SETU – Progress report.
9
Monash Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Project
Resolution:
The Committee received and noted the MOOCs project update.
10 Learning Systems Reference Group Update
Resolution:
The Committee received and noted the learning systems reference group update.
11 Moodle Upgrade Update
Resolution:
That the Committee receive and note the Moodle upgrade update.
12 Faculty Reports
Resolution:
The Committee received and noted the minutes / reports from the:
-
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
Faculty of Arts
Faculty of Business and Economics
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Information Technology
Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Faculty of Science
LTC also noted that the confirmed minutes are not yet available for the following Faculties (no report for
this meeting) from Faculty of Education, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and Faculty of
Law.
13 Other Business
No other business to report at this meeting.
14 Next Meeting is scheduled to be held on 20 October 2015 in the Sir George Lush Meeting Room,
Ground Floor, Building 3a, Clayton Campus.
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