TAFE NSW HIGHER EDUCATION
SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY
GUIDELINES
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Guidelines
Modified: 30 March 2010
Version: 4
Page 1 of 8
Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3
2. Audience and applicability......................................................................................... 4
3. Definitions ................................................................................................................. 4
4. Document history and details .................................................................................... 4
5. Scholarly activity ....................................................................................................... 4
6. Approaches to encourage and facilitate staff engagement in scholarly activity .......... 5
7. Application to undertake individual scholarly activity ................................................. 6
8. Allocation of a budget to support scholarly activity .................................................... 6
9. Monitoring scholarly activity ...................................................................................... 6
10. Categories of scholarly activity ................................................................................ 6
11. Roles and responsibilities ....................................................................................... 7
12. Related documents ................................................................................................. 8
13. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements.................................................. 8
14. Publication of these guidelines ................................................................................ 8
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Guidelines
Modified: 30 March 2010
Version: 4
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1. Introduction
1.1 These guidelines underpin TAFE NSW Higher Education’s commitment to scholarly
activity as fundamental to maintaining and developing:
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the body of professional knowledge and literature;
research, intellectual examination and application;
professional and effective pedagogical practices, and
effective and relevant curriculum.
1.2 Scholarly activity undertaken by TAFE NSW Higher Education academic staff will
enhance:
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the practice of research within the TAFE NSW Higher Education Institute;
the body of contemporary disciplinary and inter-disciplinary knowledge informing
the learning and teaching;
reflection on and continuous improvement of pedagogical practices informed by
current literature and new research;
dialogue and collaboration with colleagues;
engagement with relevant professional bodies and industry;
the capacity for encouraging intellectual enquiry, critical thinking, creative
reasoning and learning with practical relevance, and
the focus on student achievement of learning outcomes.
1.3 This will be accomplished through a range of scholarly activities undertaken by
academic staff supported by the Dean and Course Coordinators and overseen by the
Academic Board.
1.4 The commitment to scholarship is the joint responsibility of individual staff members,
managers and supervisors, and TAFE NSW Higher Education.
1.5 Individual staff members are encouraged to seek appropriate opportunities for
scholarship both within the institution and externally.
1.6 TAFE NSW Higher Education will promote investigation, critical enquiry and
innovation through scholarship, teaching and partnerships with business, industry,
education and government.
1.7 The results of scholarly activity will be made public, open to critical review and
accessible to peers.
1.8 These guidelines will be supported by the TAFE NSW Higher Education Individual
Learning and Development Plan (ILDP) Policy and an annual plan for developing
academic staff devised by the Teaching and Learning Committee.
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Guidelines
Modified: 30 March 2010
Version: 4
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2. Audience and applicability
2.1 These guidelines apply to all TAFE NSW Higher Education academic staff.
3. Definitions
Academic Board
Academic staff
Course Co-ordinator
Scholarly activity
Teaching and Learning
Committee
TAFE NSW Higher
Education
Responsible for academic policy direction informed by
national and/or regional policies and pedagogical practices,
academic administration, oversight of the educational
process and administrative control of higher education
curriculum to ensure educational objectives to be achieved
Dean, Course Co-ordinators, Teachers
Head teacher of higher education course
Scholarly endeavours such as self directed research
involving review of current discipline related and pedagogical
literature and attendance at conferences and seminars;
professional practice and/or secondment; collecting,
interpreting, analysing and disseminating research findings,
to create new bodies of knowledge or synthesis of existing
knowledge; and gaining relevant higher level qualifications.
Scholarship of teaching also involves interacting with
students to enhance understanding of teaching and inform
ongoing improvements.
Committee responsible for monitoring and reporting on
quality assurance processes for teaching and learning
practices ensuring that day-to-day academic operations
meet quality educational standards. This committee devises
an annual academic staff development plan. (see comments
above)
TAFE NSW Commission Higher Education Institute
4. Document history and details
Version 4: March 2010
5. Scholarly activity
5.1 A normal part of the duties of academic staff of higher education institutions is to
undertake scholarly activity which:
 extends the boundaries of knowledge and understanding in their disciplines
through research and investigation;
 extends the scholarship of teaching:
 is reflected in continuous improvement of pedagogical and disciplinary practice,
and
 contributes to consistent student achievement of learning outcomes..
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Guidelines
Modified: 30 March 2010
Version: 4
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5.2 Academic staff will use the information and understandings that they achieve through
this scholarly activity to:
 create new and synthesised bodies of knowledge through research and
professional practice; continually reflect on current teaching practices and how
these contribute to the effective achievement of learning outcomes;
 use outcomes of scholarly activity improve the currency and relevance of
pedagogical and disciplinary practices, and
 disseminate theoretical and conceptual knowledge to enhance the pedagogical
and disciplinary practices of others.
5.3 It is recognised that while research, the ‘extension of the boundaries of knowledge’
and professional dialogue are a normal part of the work of academic staff in a higher
education institution, TAFE NSW Higher Education is primarily a teaching institution and
scholarship should be focussed on improving teaching and learning and the currency of
course content.
5.4 Scholarly activity may be conducted by an individual alone or in collaboration with
other members of staff or with senior students. The results of this learning will be made
public, open to critical and peer review. Results will be made available through:
 publication of papers in peer reviewed journals, delivering presentations,
and chairing forums at relevant conferences
 conduct of professional development workshops to disseminate new
practice based and theoretical knowledge to colleagues and others.
5.5 While scholarship is an integral part of the duties of academic staff, some general
staff members particularly at senior levels may, with the approval of their manager,
undertake scholarly activities.
5.6 Approval for specific projects will be given in consideration of their relevance to the
institution’s operational needs and the staff member’s normal duties.
6. Approaches to encourage and facilitate staff engagement in scholarly
activity
6.1 TAFE NSW Higher Education will promote scholarly activity using a number of
strategies including but not limited to:
 Course Co-coordinator and Dean instigated programs and opportunities;
 Teacher elected activities:
 TAFE NSW Higher Education annual Individual Learning and Development
Planning (ILDP);
 Partnerships with Universities or other Higher Education providers;
 Partnerships with industry and professional bodies and associations;
 Scholarships (example in Appendix A)
 Visiting academics utilised in both a teaching/peer role and to deliver
papers/presentations to academic staff, and
 Curriculum development, incorporating reflective teaching practice and theory.
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Guidelines
Modified: 30 March 2010
Version: 4
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7. Application to undertake individual scholarly activity
7.1 Successful application to undertake individual scholarly activity will depend on:
 the nature and merit of the activity;
 (in competitive circumstances) the field of candidates, and
 budgetary allowance (see section 8).
7.2 Applicants for activities attracting a competitive field will be subject to a criteria based
selection process.
7.3 Academic staff wishing to undertake individual scholarly activity may apply to the
Dean for support. The application must outline the support required, including any
financial contribution required.
7.4 The Dean will assess the request within the budgetary parameters and advise the
staff member of the level of support that will be provided. The Dean may also approve
professional development leave for the staff member to undertake scholarly activity.
8. Allocation of a budget to support scholarly activity
8.1 TAFE NSW Higher Education will allocate an amount in the annual budget to support
scholarly activity. As a benchmark, this amount will be no less than 5% of total salaries of
all academic staff.
8.2 The Academic Board will ensure equity of access for all academic staff when
allocating resources for scholarly activity.
9. Monitoring scholarly activity
9.1 Using the TAFE NSW Higher Education Individual Learning and Development Plan
Policy, the Dean will monitor the scholarly activity of all academic staff to ensure an
appropriate level of scholarship throughout TAFE NSW Higher Education.
9.2 An annual report detailing scholarly activity undertaken by staff during the calendar
year will be prepared by the Dean and submitted to the Academic Board at its first
meeting of the next calendar year.
9.3 The report will include data on the types of scholarly activity undertaken, individuals
who have undertaken scholarly activity and TAFE NSW Higher Education’s contribution
financially and in-kind measured against the allocated budget.
9.4 The Academic Board will include a summary of scholarly activity as part of its annual
report to the Higher Education Governing Council.
10. Categories of scholarly activity
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Guidelines
Modified: 30 March 2010
Version: 4
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10.1 Scholarly activity should continue to question and inform TAFE NSW Higher
Education learning, teaching practice and course content. Scholarly activity may take a
number of forms and the following examples of scholarship which may be supported by
TAFE NSW Higher Education are illustrative and not intended to be exhaustive.
10.1.1 Attendance at courses, conferences and seminars: TAFE NSW Higher
Education provides in-house academic training sessions and workshops to all full-time,
part-time and casual academic staff and encourages attendance at short courses,
industry and educational conferences and seminars. Staff are encouraged to engage in
discourse, and disseminate and share disciplinary and pedagogical knowledge gained
through attendance of professional development activities.
10.1.2 Publication: TAFE NSW Higher Education supports the creation of new and
synthesised bodies of knowledge through submission of papers for publication in peer
reviewed journals and/or presentations at conferences where ideas and findings can be
discussed and debated to inform discipline based and teaching practice.
10.1.3 Professional practice: TAFE NSW Higher Education supports the active
involvement of all academic staff in relevant professional associations and industry and
academic groups associated with their area of expertise as a means of maintaining
professional currency.
10.1.4 Curriculum development: Academic staff may be involved in teaching, learning
and curriculum development projects to ensure continued academic relevance and
industry currency.
10.1.5 Secondment: A member of academic staff may be seconded to another part of
the institution or to an external organisation. This may include industrial or academic
exchanges to enhance professional currency.
10.1.6 Conduct of original research: It is important to TAFE NSW Higher Education
that research activity is regularly conducted, recognised and supported. Research may
take the form of action research and/or the collection, interpretation and analysis of new
data to inform disciplinary and teaching practice., Academic staff may be assisted in
relevant research projects with resources and in-kind support.
10.1.7 Achievement of higher level qualifications: Teachers are encouraged and
supported to gain further qualifications relevant to teaching or disciplinary expertise. Fulltime academic staff may attend course related activity and examinations as part of their
scholarly activity.
11. Roles and responsibilities
11.1 The Dean and Course Coordinator are responsible for the effective administration
and implementation of this policy.
11.2 The Dean will monitor the scholarly activity of all academic staff to ensure an
appropriate level of scholarship throughout TAFE NSW Higher Education in accordance
with these guidelines.
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Guidelines
Modified: 30 March 2010
Version: 4
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11.3 Academic staff are responsible for undertaking scholarly activity and sharing their
learning with peers..
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12. Related documents
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Policy
TAFE NSW Higher Education Free Intellectual Enquiry Policy
TAFE NSW Higher Education Individual Learning and Development Plan Policy
Appendix A: SIDA Foundation Scholarship
13. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements
12.1 This document will be reviewed and updated regularly in line with the Quality
Assurance and Continuous Improvement Framework.
14. Publication of these guidelines
13.1 All relevant TAFE NSW Higher Education policy and procedure will be published on
the TAFE NSW Higher Education web-site. Where appropriate it will be published in
subject outlines, subject teaching guides and on the academic staff web-site.
TAFE NSW Higher Education Scholarly Activity Guidelines
Modified: 30 March 2010
Version: 4
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