Faculty of Health Sciences Quality Assurance Framework
Faculty Toolkit for Learning and Teaching
The Faculty's Quality Assurance Framework for Learning and Teaching incorporates a number of tools that staff can use to customise their quality assurance planning for programs and courses.
Program/Course Review and Evaluation
Program Review
Program Reviews are conducted by the University on a 5-yearly cycle. The Program Review is primarily directed towards addressing University priorities established in the context of its strategic direction, and incorporates issues from initial student applications through to graduation, as well as a review of academic quality. Review panels include the senior management of the University. A number of Principles and Procedures underpin the five-Yearly Program Reviews. Detailed instructions on accessing data for these reviews can be obtained via this link.
Course Review
The University Learning and Teaching Committee recommends a program of regular course reviews undertaken at the local level, specifically focussing on the processes and outcomes of individual courses. The Faculty of Health Sciences suggests that these Course Reviews are undertaken every three years, and a proforma is provided.
Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT):
SELTs are an important source of information that program areas, courses and individual teachers can use to assess the effectiveness with which the learning environment and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. University policy requires SELT surveys to be conducted regularly, as follows:
- Each Program Coordinator will seek student feedback in the form of a Program SELT survey for each level of the Program at least once every 2 years;
- Each Course Coordinator will seek student feedback in the form of a Course SELT survey at least once every 2 years;
- Each tenured, tenurable or contract teacher will seek student feedback in the form of an individual or team teaching SELT survey at least once every two years. All other teachers will discuss with the relevant Head or Dean the frequency with which they will be required to seek student feedback.
The SELT policy also requires individual teachers, Course and Program Coordinators to provide summary feedback to students on outcomes from SELT survey report reviews.
Here are some guidelines on interpreting SELT data.
Local Program Evaluation Plan
The Faculty strongly recommends that each program develop and conduct a Program Evaluation Plan on a regular basis to collect specific data on whether programs are meeting their learning objectives and external accreditation requirements (if applicable); to explore teacher and student satisfaction; and to implement systematic improvement processes. Each Local Program Evaluation Plan should provide a systematic process for the review of SELT results and incorporation of the associated recommendations.
Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and Graduate Destination Survey (GDS)
The CEQ and GDS are external benchmark surveys administered by Graduate Careers Australia. The CEQ surveys graduates on their attitudes towards the coursework programs they have recently completed and the skills they have acquired as a result of their studies. The GDS tracks the activities of graduates approximately four months after they have completed a program at an Australian university. In particular, the survey asks whether graduates are in employment at the time of the survey and the type of work gained, or whether they have proceeded to further study.
- A number of performance indicators from the CEQ and the GDS are used by the Australian Government’s Learning and Teaching Performance Fund in allocating extra funding to universities.
- The CEQ and GDS provide useful student-derived data for the overall Program Evaluation Plan and the results should be incorporated into the overall Program Evaluation Plan results.
Standardised Faculty Approach to Honours Programs
The Faculty has prepared an Honours handbook toolkit that contains essential information on a standardised Faculty-based approach to Honours programs. It covers the following components – Student Support, Admissions/Enrolments, Curriculum, Assessment, Quality Assurance – to encourage Honours programs in the Faculty that are equivalent in terms of standards and quality processes.
Introduction of New Courses / Programs
Approval process
The Faculty has in place a Faculty Course and Program Approval Committee that considers both the academic and resource aspects of significant course and program development within the Faculty. The Committee meets 2 or 3 times every semester, timed so as to meet University Program Approval timelines. The following related forms can be accessed below.
Course Profile
The University has developed a standardised Course Profile template to enable Schools and Disciplines to provide course-level information in a consistent manner.
Student-at-Risk Processes
Early Intervention of Students at Risk
Quality learning involves helping students to perform to their academic potential. Timely intervention is often key in identifying students who are having difficulty staying on track in their studies. The Faculty has in place a 2-tier model for early intervention that applies across programs to:
- track students who are deemed to have made unsatisfactory progress under the Unsatisfactory Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy;
- additionally identify students who may be at risk of not meeting individual program progression requirements but who may escape identification under current University policy
Access the Faculty of Health Sciences Report on the Early Identification of Students at Risk at the Faculty Learning and Teaching website.
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