October 2009
The purpose of this policy is to promote a fair, equitable and transparent system for the distribution of teaching workload within and across disciplines for academics in the Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney. The policy also aims to promote excellence in learning and teaching and an enhanced undergraduate and postgraduate student experience in the Faculty. With these two complementary aims in mind the following overarching principles are recommended to allocate teaching within the Faculty.
Teaching workload guidelines
1.
Staff teach within the areas in which they have on going research activity and/or recognised expertise
2.
All staff will normally complete a combination of unit development, lectures, small group teaching and on-line teaching in each year
3.
Activities such as updating of content and teaching materials and development of new materials occurs in the semester breaks and are ready for implementation during semester
4.
Staff recognise that students value and need formative and summative feedback on their developing knowledge and skills in appropriately planned and designed assessment tasks.
This policy applies to the majority of academic staff members who are in standard academic positions where the general principle of the division of workload into 40% teaching, 40% research and 20% service applies. The policy does not apply to clinical educators, discipline specialists or academics employed in research only or teaching focussed roles.
This policy will be reviewed annually and a consultative committee will meet each semester to evaluate the implementation of the policy
Teaching Targets
Based on the following calculation each academic staff member can be expected to contribute
690 hours per year to teaching.
46 weeks @37.5hrs /week
Therefore 40% teaching equals 690 hours per year
This total quanta of hours is likely to have an uneven distribution through the year for most staff. It is expected that periods of high teaching load within semesters will balance with periods of lower teaching load outside of semester commitments. Teaching workloads during teaching weeks of the year should not normally exceed the hours of a normal working week.
A process for negotiated agreement
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October 2009
Each staff members’ teaching allocation is to be discussed and negotiated with the relevant
Course Coordinators using an online allocation system in the preceding year. Some renegotiation of teaching allocation will occur each year for second semester teaching loads.
Individual staff members will then arrange for loading of their teaching responsibilities as agreed with course coordinators for the coming year into a teaching load database and self assess whether they are proposing a workload that is consistent with the Faculty target of 690 hours per year. Individuals who are either over or under (+_ 5%) with regards to teaching workload are then required to renegotiate their load with the relevant course coordinators.
Those staff members who remain over or under load after this process are required to contact the teaching allocation support officer to resolve this situation.
System for counting teaching hours
The proposed system for counting teaching hours relates face to face teaching activities and other unit activities such as development and marking to a nominal figure designed to allow an equitable distribution of teaching duties between staff. To implement this arrangement a systematic quantum of task related hours will be assigned to each unit on the basis of its credit point value and expanded by its student enrolment. As the standard unit size is six credit points, all units that vary from six credit points will be calculated on a pro-rata basis. eLearning and distance units will be entitled to the same quantum as a six credit point unit presented on-campus.
This system for counting teaching hours is designed to recognise and improve the student experience through a diversity of well designed and conducted learning experiences. The system also aims to promote a similar workload including face to face contact, eLearning and assessment for students across all six credit point units. The system is consistent with a guideline of three hours per week of contact with staff per student per six credit point unit.
The system assumes the same hour allocations for units taught face to face, through eLearning or other means.
This system does not include clinical education or fieldwork units of study or honours units that do not involve group teaching. Individual honours supervisors are given an hours allocation for such units.
Standard Quantum for counting hours
For all 6 cp units the hours associated with each unit will be calculated based on the following principles:

26 hours of lectures per semester (2 hours per week)
Plus

13 hours of tutorials (or demonstrations and practical classes) per semester for every
25 students ( 1 hour per week x number of tutorial groups per semester- distance units accrue this amount pro-rata)*
The quantum of hours for units with low enrolment numbers may be renegotiated with the relevant Associate Dean Learning and Teaching.
Conversion to Teaching Hours
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October 2009
These hours are then varied by adding assumed development hours, coordination and marking hours to convert them into teaching hours to be assigned to a staff member within the teaching allocation. Table 1 contains these hours. Note that the Lecture and Tutorial weightings do not include marking.
For the purposes of this document the following descriptions of tutorials and demonstration and practical classes are provided as guidelines. Unit of study coordinators determine whether students are provided with tutorials or demonstration or practical classes based on the guidelines below.
Tutorials typically use inquiry based learning approaches such as case based learning to develop students’ thinking abilities. The tutor leads informed class discussion on theoretical developments or the application of theory to practice and problem solving.
Demonstrations and practical classes typically focus on skill and competency development.
They involve demonstrating, instructing, explaining and practicing tasks. Students generally receive feedback on their skill development.
Table 1: UoS Teaching hours (for all UoSs with 25 or more enrolments)
Teaching Activity
1 hour lecture
Related teaching activity Total Applicable to:
2.5 hours 3.5 UOS
1 hour repeat lecture 1 hour
1 hour original tutorial 2 hours
1 hour
2
3
2
UOS
UOS
UOS 1 hour repeat tutorial (same person taking tutorial)
1 hour demonstration, practical class, workshop or clinical session
1 hour repeat demonstration, practical class, workshop or clinical session
1 hour
0
2
1
UOS
UOS
Feedback and Marking 1 hour per student per 6 credit point unit of study
1 hour per student
Each student in each UOS

Course Directors may negotiate with the A/Deans Learning and Teaching for smaller demonstration or practical groups if space, equipment of safety restrictions necessitate smaller groups. Course Directors may also negotiate for additional tutorials in a small number of selected units. This must be done at the time of the teaching allocation process. A process for this to occur will be developed based on demonstration of sound educational rationales.

Table 1 together with the principles for 6 credit point units describe how a unit and its components will be counted by the Faculty towards an individual’s target of 690 hours. They do not specify what hours are to be delivered or the nature of the delivery.
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October 2009

Units with only multiple choice assessments may have the marking amount reduced

Level A and B academic staff in their first year of appointment in the Faculty in academic roles where the 40:40:20 principle applies will receive addition time for lecture (total 4.5 hours) and tutorial (total 3.5 hours) delivery and preparation.

Inter campus travel for the purpose of teaching on two different campuses on one day will also be counted as teaching hours

A new unit development lump sum will be awarded at 37.5 hrs per 6cp unit for new
UOS’s
Leadership activities in learning and teaching
As outlined in the companion document staff at various levels are expected to take leadership roles in the delivery of high quality learning and teaching experiences for our students. To recognise the work loads associated with these roles the following hours allocation are presented. The allocation recognises that the work associated with these roles occurs both within and outside semester times. The allocation also recognises some roles involve a similar workload regardless of the number of students while others are magnified depending on student numbers.
Table 2
Total Hours
644
Leadership Role
Associate Dean Learning and
Calculation
14 hours per week x 46
Teaching
Sub Dean Learning and Teaching 7 hours per week x 46
Course Director
( 100+ students)
7.5 hours per week (flag fall) x 46
Plus
0.25 hours per student, per year above 100 students
7.5 hours per week x 46 Course Director
(less than 100 students)
Student Liaison
Clinical/Fieldwork Coordination – academic leadership of entire clinical education curriculum
15 hours per year
Plus
0.25 hours per additional student over 50
0.25 hours per student enrolled in clinical units per year
322
345+
345
15+
UOS Coordination/ Development 13 hours per unit
PLUS
6.5 hours per 100 students pro-rata above 50 enrolments
Significant whole of course curriculum review and development
FRG Postgraduate Coordinator
To be negotiated with Associate
Dean Learning and Teaching
2 hrs per student per year
13+
2+
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October 2009
Research Higher Degree Supervision
Primary supervision and associate supervision of research higher degree students is recognised as part of academic staff teaching work load. Consequently primary supervisors and associate supervisors are allocated hours from the amount available in Table 3, as agreed for a student. This splitting of these hours may change during the candidature of a student.
This is especially appropriate when the primary supervisor is absent for a period of time.
Teaching hours are allocated during a students candidature period only; defined in this policy as 2 years for a Master by research and 3.5 years for a PhD candidate.
Table 3
Primary/ Associate
Research Supervision
Calculation Total Hours
Honours student supervision 2 hour per week per FTE enrolled in thesis only units e.g. 1 student in a 24cp Thesis unit equals 46 hours
46+
Masters by research students 2 hours per week per FTE student x
46
92+
PhD students 2 hour per week per FTE student x
46
92+
Postgraduate Fellows
Postgraduate fellows are generally appointed at 0.4FTE to undertake teaching and teaching related activities. It is recognised the PG fellows are developing their skills in learning and teaching and therefore require additional mentoring and support. Consequently PG fellows should only give lectures in the area of their current research and/or clinical experience, only present a portion of lectures in a UOS, should not coordinate UoSs and have a workload predominantly consisting of tutorials, demonstrations or practical classes.
The hours target for 0.4 FTE PG fellows is:
6-8 hours per week x 46 weeks = 276-368 hours
As PG fellows generally do not carry coordination responsibilities they may be called upon to assist with preparation of lecture, tutorial and on-line learning materials during the break period and share in the hours allocation for marking and feedback.
Procedures
A detailed procedure manual is being developed to accompany this policy. It will contain instructions on how to use the online allocation portal, and give examples and details of how to use this policy with complex units if study. It will also contain details of how this policy will interact with existing university policies. This will address procedural issues raised such as, but not limited to, long service leave, study leave, extended sick leave, inter-campus travel and dispute resolution procedures.
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October 2009
All staff are expected to devote 690 hours per year to learning and teaching activities.
Level A
Level A staff are developing their academic careers. They should not co-ordinate units of study, nor should they be solely responsible for the delivery of any unit of study. Level A staff could be expected to deliver lectures, or to present tutorial material, or to be responsible for a component (eg a module) of a Distance Unit of study.
Focus on Quality
Evidence of L&T monitoring and use of feedback at the UOS level, i.e peer/ student review process AND EVIDENCE OF RESPONSE TO IT
Level B
Level B represents the career level at which there is first an expectation of leadership on teaching, including co-ordination responsibilities. Academic Staff at Level B can be expected to have diverse teaching portfolios, covering several units of study and perhaps several courses. They can be expected to take on some co-ordination and curriculum responsibilities.
Such duties include unit of study co-ordination and student liaison.
Focus on Quality
Evidence of peer/ student review process AND EVIDENCE OF RESPONSE TO IT at the unit of study level.
Level C
Level C staff are expected to demonstrate leadership in Learning and Teaching activities and have central roles in course and curriculum development and peer mentoring. It is likely that they will teach in both Undergraduate and Postgraduate Courses. Level Cs are expected to have coordination responsibilities and contribute to mentoring in learning and teaching.
Focus on Quality
Evidence of peer/ student review process AND EVIDENCE OF RESPONSE TO IT.
Evidence of external review at the unit or course level.
Level D
Level D staff are expected to provide strategic, farsighted leadership in the planning and delivery of curriculum, and to give students consistently excellent learning experiences. In addition to their regular teaching, Level D staff can be expected to provide a ‘content specialist’ role within the Faculty- teaching in specialist areas across courses and disciplines as appropriate. To perform to a Superior level, Level D staff are expected to be able to document national or international recognition of the quality of their teaching.
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October 2009
Focus on Quality
Evidence of peer/ student review process AND EVIDENCE OF RESPONSE TO IT.
Evidence of external review at the unit or course level.
Level E
Level E Staff are expected to be internationally respected leaders in their areas of teaching and research.Level E staff are also expected to provide strategic, farsighted leadership in the planning and delivery of curriculum, and to give students consistently excellent learning experiences. It is likely that Level E staff will undertake the majority of teaching at the postgraduate level, but may also be expected to present specialist content areas in Facultywide undergraduate classes.
Focus on Quality
Evidence of content review and monitoring processes AND EVIDENCE OF RESPONSE TO
IT.
Evidence of external review at the unit or course level and participation in national curriculum projects.
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