Reflections by Ian Chubb Reflections By:Ian Chubb I Vice Chancellor, Flinders University and President of the AVCC from the Editor 2

ISSN 0157-1826 VOLUME 22 NO. I APRIL 2000 Contents Reflections by Ian Chubb Reflections by:Ian Chubb I Vice Chancellor, Flinders University and President of the AVCC From the Editor 2

Recently Professor Chubb kindly performance. IL seems to me that we do Assisting Learnin'g in the agreed to respond to a number of need to provide the best possible Disciplines by Highlighting questions relating to the current research training environment for the How and What is Taught. 5 higher degree research students we enrol, situation facing universities in both in order for them to reach their HERDSA Visiting Australia put to him by Jan Orrell potential, but also for us to be able to on behalf of HERDSA News. Here provide the basic, or more than the basic, Scholar 2000 7 are his reflections on the support for lhem. Making a Difference through questions. There has also been a shift in the Department-Based, JAN:What do you think is the likely way in which performance will be viewed. Higher degree load could drop Collaborative Academic impact 011 universities of some of the because your university performed very recent new directions for higher Develoement 8 well for its size and does not have the education that have come from capacity to improve its performance Get Disciplined: Geographic DETYA? quantitatively at quite the same rate Perseectives 11 IAN: For t he short term, the most some others, and yet the performance significant issue that the federal might be very good qualitatively. The The Mechanic's Car: Do government has produced is the White A VCC argued that there had to be a Paper on research and the second one is qualitative measure, not just the pure Academic Development the quality agency. quantitative one that was in the Green Unit's Web Sites Reflect The White Paper on research lacks Paper. The government took note and the HowWe Support minister has the publication index back detail so what I say is necessarily Academic Staff? 14 speculative. Until we know what they in as an indicator of the quality of research performed in an institution. I intend by some of the comments that are Working to Become a Truly made, it's a bit hard to assess what the think thal change was important. Reflective Practitioner impact will be on the university sector as We have to recognise that a 16 a whole - or on any individual proportion of the operating grant that university. A disappointing feature of the currently comes to us with some EIDOS Idea Dossier No. 11 17 White Paper is that it has less detail in it discretion will probably have less than the Green Paper, so there is that discretion attached to it in the future. Electronic Course Portfolio uncertainty. But overall I think that what This mighl well mean that research, in a new on-line Graduate they've done is to head in the right research training, and management plans Certificate in Flexible direction. In principle I think that the will result in higher degree research load Learning 19 White Paper is something that we should allocated to us in the future in ways over get behind and try to make work, but of which we have some control though not Research in Higher course how vigorously we do that would total. The end result will be a depend on the detail which is only now redistribution of the research student Education 20 beginning to emerge. profile between fields and between universities. I suspect we will end up Work in Progress 22 JAN: Are there any particular aspects with some fields of study that are biased of the White Paper that you would like heavily towards teaching and some that Book Reviews 23 to see us get behind and get working? are much more heavily oriented towards IAN: It's crystal clear that our research. That has significant News of HERDSA Branches 33 universities have different levels of implications for the way we regard and research performance. So, I don't think indeed evaluate academic performance Seecial Interest Groues 34 it's at all unreasonable for a government because some staff will clearly have to say that it will somehow try to match more opportunities for research, research Notes from HERDSA higher degree research load with that activities and supervisory activities. Executive 35

continued page 2 HNlD SA Executive From the

Pres~ ent Angela,81:ew N&W 't Seoretacy Simon Barrrle NSW Editor Treasurer Barbara Black WA- ~ Publication Editors SusanHayes, /\llan Geody& Peter Hodder 'You don't know anything about Kathleen Quinlan reports on a Journal Co-Editor~ teaching biology,' a Professor at USP departmental based model of staff once told me, 'so don't talk to me about development which could be a useful one Peter~ing,, ElaineMartin, Mike, Prosser VI€ teaching.' This is a problem that staff to follow, Newslett er Editor Reiger Liandbeek Q4G? developers have faced as they have We are pleased to include an article organised workshops for staff based on Gilllan;,B0uh:on-Lewls QLO from one of the 1999 National Teaching research into teaching and learning Award winners, Jeff Giddings, who Car~l'8owfo QLD generally . However recent research into writes inspiringly about teaching and VI.C teaching and learning has begun to bi Challis offers some useful practical advice to c.s explore the nature of specific disciplines John otai:n .A;CT colleagues. and how the general results from research Reyriblafflacphe 'rson NZ can be applied, This issue contains no less than ten reviews of books, which cover a range of Macy·'Melrose NZ At the same time Alan Jenkins, who topics from several aspects of teaching to Janice-Orrell SA came to staff development from teaching policy making to guides for students, Al.ex Radloff- s WA geography, has started to encc,urage his The HERDSA News editorial lia:bel NSW colleagues to develop activities for staff 6' S.dliman .3;:;;: . . that recognise the particular features of committee is planning three issues HEgJJSA .,Offece academic di sc iplines and how these devoted to the theme, Academic Life 0 ., = .... features should affect the teaching of that Today, starting with the August 2000 o; Adm inistration Officer Coria!Watson discipline. edition and further details can be found ';"° 3;' , ~ . . '.« M .~ Mer:rib~rship & Publkati ons 0ffi cer- It is therefore timely to present on the back cover. Heai1ef~oc;h , articles in this issue that explore Finally we are privileged to publish PO,Bll,x 5To.Jamison, ACT 2614, Australia teaching and learning in the an interview with Professor Ian Chubb, 4 disciplines. Mike Prosser and Elaine current chair of the A VCC , conducted by Pho&e -i: ,:+:6J 2 "6253 4242 Fa_x,'.,;,F:-- ~6 l 2 62534'246 Martin offer a discussion paper to a member of the HERDSA executive , Jan :v ~-,. stimulate debate on differences in OrrelL We gratefully acknowledge the Email ;,;&hendsa,offi~e@effeai\ne~:aa knowing and teaching in the different time given to us by Professor Chubb and We bsi~ ,~~_tp://www2h~rdsa.or-g.au disciplines, Alan Jenkins, aided by his thank him for his analysis of the current ·s- ~ colleague in geography, Mick Healey, situation facing universities in Australia. extend their ideas on staff development ffEIIDSA News activities with particular reference to ~ ¼ . ~ . geography, They use their experience in

-i \·f\t1 :~ ; Australia to provide local application. Roger Landbeck ,/ ~di~ ': 9ier ~andbet:\ ;!: .S· }2 M~J].;tsh-Rbad, T~m;,a8lndi,Qld "4-l 21 Phoi't'e . +61 7 3848 OS89 is not done then the university will M Fax., j ~'dv.er

3 HERDSA NEWS April 2000

IAN: Well it would count, because I and how can they serve this new university of those staff who have think that what you want is staff who are agenda? traditionally spent a considerable amount really dedicated to the education of IAN: Change has been with us for a long of their time developing new ways of students and their learning and the way time now , some dramatic and some teaching and assessing. These staff are that those staff go about their task in a incremental. But what we are about to substantial participants in student very practical, as well as conceptual learning. They must not feel somehow see, I think, is another fairly fundamental sense, will be very important. I think the that they are less important because their shift: this time we see a partial separation, importance of those staff in the new research performance is lower than others at the very least, of teaching and research. environment will probably increase in qualitatively or quantitatively. Their role There are other substantial issues on the lots of ways. I think that academics, agenda, such as deregulation whatever will be critical to the learning whether they are personally conducting environment that we will create in our research or not, will be telling universities. students, certainly in later years in The inevitability of the change to their courses, where knowledge is in ._ The inevitability of the chan ge the culture is buried away in the that field, and where it is heading . White Paper. The taff Development There will be staff who spend a good to the culture is buried away in Units have a real part to play in bit of their time on research and there the White Paper. The Staff shifting that culture and in will be staff who spend most of their enhancing what is good in our time teaching students, even learning Development Units have a real existing culture. from them. And there will be a group JAN: In summarizing, while there of staff who do both. I think that the part to play in shifting that scope for that development is culture and in en h ancmg• w h at • 1s are weaknesses, gaps and silences increased by the White Paper. in this White Paper, you actually I suspect that what will develop, good in our existing culture. " see it as a good opportunity for more obviously and more uniformly univer sities to take stock of their than now, over time, is a couple of particular direction. It also means parallel strands in academic careers. It's that means, but they are less immediate we have to be more planned and explicit up to us to ensure that it's self evident than this one. in our approach, than we were in the that each is equally valuable. It will be up As a consequence of the changes past and have a defensible rationale for to us to accommodate staff crossing from mooted for research, research training and what we're doing. We also need good one to the other. Commonwealth funding, we can foresee a mechanisms to allow us to critically Jan: What it sounds to me like you're substantial shift in academic career paths scrutinize what we're actually doing so saying is, by and large universities are and options. Preparing our staff for the that then we can report back to the going to have to take much more changes will be important and a key function of Staff Development Units. We quality agencies. This means that there planned approach towards both teaching have a responsibility to our staff and it will be shifts in the nature of what an and research, and how that gets acted will be those Units that will help us meet academic career looks like over time. out by the teachers and the researchers. those obligations. As an example, it will IAN: Yes. One of the pressures for Ian: I suspect that's right. I think that be important that staff know what the people to do research I feel has been the we must ensure that the staff who are changes to research training mean for fact that the sector has traditionally getting the research grants and super them and for the university as a whole. valued it highly. Unless you think you're vising the students and writing the And if they are supervising graduate going to stay where you are for the rest of publications are rewarded. In addition, we students, it will be important that they your working life, then you actually have must reward the people who are running understand that the implications from to prepare yourself for the fact that you good courses and creating a good now on, are quite different from what might want to go where they will look at environment for the education of the they used to be. If they are less active in different criteria from your present students without such an emphasis on research, it will be important that they institution. So for some of these things to research . know about career planning and work well (valuing teaching for example) JAN: What role do Academic development that has a different form I think they have to be accepted by the from what was once more common. Development Units, or Staff Develop sector as a whole or at least enough of the We will need to work even ment Units, have in this current climate, sector for people still to be able to move harder to show the importance to the around should that be their wish or need.

THE http://www.herdsa.org.au To gain access to the member's You might have an HERDSA section, key in your surname for item to add to the 'username' and your membership calendar of visits number (found on your address and activities listed in WEBSITE label) for 'password'. the member's section.

4 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April 2000 ~ AssistingLearning in the Disciplines by HighlightingHow .and What is Taught Michael Prosser and Elaine Martin

Introduction In their book Learning and aimed at in the learning of the subjects Awareness, Marton and Booth argue that matter, where the subject matter comes Our intention here is to open a learning occurs by bringing about a from and where it will lead. The debate on differences in knowing meeting of awarenesses of the teacher relevance structure relates to how the and in teaching in the different and the learner. The bringing about of student experiences and understands the disciplines. The issue of knowing this meeting of awarenesses in teaching aims of the subject matter, not how well differently in the disciplines has a and learning situations depends on two or how clear the aims are presented or key principles. They are: well established and respected stated. literature (see for instance, Kim The architecture of variation refers to the opening up of a variation for the Thomas, 1990 and Tony Becher, " There is compelling 1989). We, however, focus on the students in how they experience and teaching of the discipline and we argument presented understand the subject matter being presented. A key aspect of their represent the humanities and through the student argument, and ours, is that students learn science as contrasting extremes in learning literature that by experiencing the variation in what it order to make an argument. Our students engage with is they are to learn. They learn by intention is to open up debate, not experiencing how things differ - seeing to present a rounded and complete issues and problems the key aspects of a variation. argument. We consequently by being helped to This variation has been opened up present a short position paper for us by writers such as Becher, 1989. below and encourage you, our see distinctions and The table below, which draws on colleagues, to engage in this differences and distinctions made by Becher (1989) and debate. We suggest you send your variation in a topic Thomas (1990) shows the sciences and views and comments to the editor the humanities occupying the extremes of HERDSA News and that this or area. " at either end of a number of continuums, debate be developed over two or for instance, the humanities are represented as holistic whilst the three editions of the News. • Building a relevance structure; and sciences are represented as atomistic. We argue that when teachers make Clearly, much work in the humanities • The architecture of variation. decisions about what is to be taught and and sciences might be positioned in the how it will be taught they do so in line The building of a relevance structure middle ground. The table is used, with an explicit or implicit theory of how involves making explicit in the however, to help to make the argument experience of the students what is being knowledge in their subject is structured for disciplinary variation . and what teaching and learning in the subject involves. We argue that the structure of the Table I: Discipline Culture in Humanities and Sciences discipline strongly influences the way teachers see the learning of their subject Humanities Sciences matter and consequently the theory of teaching and learning that teachers work from. Perhaps the major difference in Knowledge: Holistic Atomistic di sci pli ne structure is between the Qualitative Quantitative humanities on one hand and the sciences on the other hand and it is this major Seeks complexity Seeks simpli~cation divide on which we focus Reiterative Cumulative There is compelling argument Looselystructured Tightly structured presented through the student learning literature (Marton and Booth, 1996; Research: Broad research topics Narrow research topics Ramsden, 1992, Prosser and Trigwell, Highly individualistic Collaborative teams 1999) that students engage with issues and problems by being helped to see Not competitive Highly competitive distinctions and differences and variation High task uncertainty Low task uncertainty in a topic or area. Paradigmunc ertainty Based on paradigms

s HERDSANEWS April 2000

Teaching and Learning in historical evolution of thinking in the speculation is reasonable, and the the Humanities and the field, the development from an principle of the architecture of variation Aristotelian to a Newtonian view of the is accepted then it suggests that there is a Sciences world, in physics, for instance. fundamental difference in the how and In the teaching and learning in the This idea that there is variation in what of teaching between the humanities humanities variation is typically opened how students make sense of a and the sciences. Teaching in the up for students through an analysis and phenomenon is the basis of the scientific humanities needs to focus on helping critiquing of the topic under study itself. misconception literature of science students see and experience the various A study of King Lear, for instance, education. Whilst there is little room for arguments, positions, perspectives etc. becomes the study of a range of critiquing accepted scientific theories While in the sciences, teaching needs to interpretations of the text as well as the (the what) of learning, there is help students see and experience text itself. Such attention to variation considerable opportunity for introducing differences between they way they becomes what the subject is. The subject understand the phenomenon under matter, as presented and experienced discussion and the way the sciences carries a variation with it. thinks about it. The humanities needs Far example, in one of our recent to ensure that students are aware of research interviews, a teacher of .. The humanities needs to and discuss the various arguments, English literature talking about his while the sciences need to ensure that subject relating to gender in early ensure that students are students are made aware of their 17th century English literature aware of and discuss the current understandings and compare stated: those with the scientists. From this various arguments, while the perspective, variation between the I want to get the students thinking disciplines is fundamental to the about the contrasts between certain sciences need to ensure that nature of teaching and learning things, about preconceptions of within the disciplines. gender, present them with material students are made aware of that that will let them feel they are their current understandings References getting in touch with early 17th century ideas as they were expressed and compare those with Becher, T. (1989) Academic Tribes at the time. and Territories - intellectual enquiry the scientists. " and the cultures of the disciplines. Milton Keynes, Open University To get the students to really think Press. Marton, F. and Booth, S. about the social context of certain ( 1997) Learning and Awareness. ideas and especially to get them to think the study of variation in science by New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum how the 17th century thought differently helping students to see how their own Associates. from the way that we think. understanding and that of their peers Prosser, M. and Trigwell, K. (1999). Here we see the teacher talking about varies from that which holds scientific Understanding Learning an presenting different perspectives of the credence. Teaching. Milton Keynes, Open subject matter to the students. The Again in one of our recent interviews University press. subject matter itself carries a substantial with a teacher of first year physics, he Ramsden, P. (1992) Learning to Teach variation. says: in Higher Education. London, In the sciences, however, there can One way of saying what we're trying to Routledge. be much less varied interpretation of the achieve in learning physics, is for people Thomas, K. (1990) Gender and Subject topic because scientific and to shift their view from the laypersons in Higher Education. Milton Keynes, technological phenomenon are tightly view of the world, to what we would call Open University Press. defined and described and closely linked a scientific/physicist's view of the world I to empirical outcomes. The modelling think, that's what I'm on about. of DNA for instance, at university Here we see the physics teacher student level, at least, offers little room Michael Prosser is Professor for critiquing, rethinking and setting out to confront students with a and Director of the Academic restructuring. variation between what they presently understand and what the scientist Development Unit at Latrobe Whilst in science and technology presently understands. He is not setting University and Elaine Martin is there is typically only one way of our to provide a variation in the subject making sense of a phenomenon which Professor of Higher Education at matter itself. carries scientific credence, at any one the Royal Melbourne Institute of time, within any classroom there will be Conclusion Technology. a range of ways in which the So what does this mean for teaching Contact email: phenomenon is seen and understood by and learning in the disciplines? If our [email protected] students. Often the range will follow the

6 HERDSANEWS April 2000 HERDSAVisiting Scholar 2000

Dr Charles Glassick, Senior Associate of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has agreed to visit Australia and New Zealand as the 2000 Visiting Scholar. He will be accompanied by his wife Mary.

Dr Glassick collaborated with Ernest Boyer and Gene Rice in the preparation of "Scholarship Reconsidered" and then co-authored "Scholarship Assessed". While at Carnegie he also assisted in "Campus Life - In Search of Community" as well as "Reinventing Undergraduate Education". His present role includes speaking worldwide on "Scholarship Reconsidered" and "Scholarship Assessed".

Char le received a PhD in Chcmi try from Princeton University . He taught organic chemis try for many years and was an award winning teacher . Later he became President of Gelly burg College and was named "one of the nation 's most outstanding presidents ." He has received many honors including Phi Beta Kappa. In recognition of his scholarly work, he has been awarded several honorary doctorates. His topics for presentation include: Scholarship Reconsidered important and both can be rewarded but scholarship into undergraduate and Ass essed - Recent Trends differences must be kept clear. The education. Examples and techniques of Scholarship of Engagement also is incorporating some scholarly work into and Progress pl ayi ng an important role in many the experience of the undergraduate are This topic includes a quick review of the universities . Definitions and presented. concepts (Boyer; Glassick et al) and then documentation of quality are difficult. Campus Life in Search of explains how these concepts are Recent developments are discussed. Community prospering at US universities. Several Scholarship Reconsid ered interpretations have developed to suit Taken from the report of the same title, various types of institutions. and Assessed - An Overview this presentation lays out a value system for strengthening the sense of Faculty and administrators need to be Trends in F aculty Scholarship with community on campus and gives thoroughly familiar with the concepts Emphasi s on Developments in the examples of successful incorporation of and vocabul ary if these definitions of Scholarship of Teaching and the these concepts . Scholarship of Engagement scholarship are to become policy. Frequently an overview is needed to All presentations include the most recent There has been an emphasis on the before campus discussions can prosper. developments from the work for AAHE definition of the Scholarship of Reinventing Undergraduate and Carnegie as well as reports at Teaching and a recognition of the Education national meetings. difference between scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching . Both are This report focuses on bringing faculty

The draft itinerary is: HERDSA (Victoria) [email protected] Contacts Pet er Webb peterwebb@v u .ed u. au July 10 July 27 Fly from Brisbane to Pe rth, WA Fly to Wellington, New Zealand July 19 Hosts Hosts Fly to Canberra/Sydney HERDSA (W este rrn Australia) HERDSA (New Zeal a nd Central Contact Contact: Wei lington) John Dearn Jennie Bickmore-Brrnd Contact jennicbb@cle o. murooch.ed u.au dearn@cts .canberra .edu .au Gordon Suddaby Angela Brew g.t .. uddaby @massey.ac.nz July 13 A.Brew@ctl .usyd .edu .au Fly to Adelaide, SA July 30 Hosts July 23 Fly to Christchurch HERDSA (South Australia) Fly to Auckland, New Zealand Hosts Contact: Hosts HERDSA (New Zealand South Janice Orrell HERDSA (New Zealand North Christchurch) janice .orrell@ fl i nders .ed u .au Auckland) Contacts Contact Sally Hunter July 16 M ary Melr ose s. [email protected]. nz Fly to Melbourne, Victoria mary .melrn e@a ut.ac.nz Hosts Jan e Khull

7 HERDSANEWS April2000 Making a Difference Through Department-Based, Collaborative Academic Development ------Kathleen Quinlan

Introduction the particular concerns of a profession underlying action research in higher and its related disciplines. education. In Lee Shulman's (1993) Most literature on instructional Departments are typically the local words, department-based teaching development has focused on cross manifestation of disciplinary commun collaboration and review has the disciplinary, centrally provided ities in a university. Situating academic potential to make teaching "community programs, such as those available development programs in departments property" and, in so doing, integrate it through university academic can also be used to effect change in the into scholarly, valued channels of development units. However, the context of teaching - the departmental discourse. potential of department-based culture itself - thus potentially increasing Given the potential advantages of department-based peer collaboration in instructional development and, support for individuals who are experimenting with new approaches. the development of academics' teaching more specifically, academic peer These advantages are particularly philosophy and practice, there is a need collaboration about learning and pertinent when the aim is to change to examine the factors that affect such teaching within departments has academics' beliefs about teaching and activities. In a recent study (Quinlan & been receiving increasing attention learning, rather than simply addressing Akerlind, in press; Quinlan, 1996), I over the last decade examined two departments (history; (McDaniel, 1987; Zuber- mechanical engineering) that were Skerritt, 1991; Shulman, each part of a national project in the United States to experiment with 1993; Keig and Waggoner, .. Collaborative approaches forms of peer collaboration or peer 1994; Cox, 1996; Hutchings, to departmental instructional review of teaching (see Quinlan, 1996; Quinlan, 1998; Jenkins, development rest on a view 1996-1997 for a summary of the 1996). Even Eidos (1999, national project). I studied the November) has, in this of teachers as "reflective differences and similarities between newsletter, argued that "a practitioners" (Schon, 1983) who those two projects to better department is one place a understand some of the factors that may affect the process and developer might be able to learn best when given the outcomes of collaborative, REALLY make a difference!" opportunity to collaboratively departmentally based teaching Programs of department construct knowledge with peers improvement activities. I offer a based peer collaboration as a brief synopsis of each project and form of instructional develop about problems that are related highlight some key features that ment have significant to their own experience ~ affected the process and outcomes. potential advantages over Although I illustrate here some of the features of good practice that institutional-level programs. ------• teaching skills and strategies. facilitators may be able to control, Academics, particularly those at Collaborative approaches to depart readers are referred to Quinlan & research-oriented universities, tend to mental instructional development rest on Akerlind (in press) for a full discussion identify first with their fields of study a view of teachers as "reflective of a variety of other contextual factors (Carnegie Foundation for the practitioners" (Schon, 1983) who learn that seemed to affect the process and Advancement of Teaching, 1989; Clark, best when given the opportunity to outcomes. 1987; Shulman, 1993; Diamond & collaboratively construct knowledge Adam, 1995; Jenkins, 1996). Teaching with peers about problems that are Summary of Cases activities that are contextualized in the related to their own experience (Belenky, In the mechanical engineering discipline or profession are likely to be et al., 1986; Freire 1971). These ideas department, the project was initiated and seen by individual academics as more have underpinned recent thinking about led by two academics that were relevant, interesting and directly teaching improvement in secondary experienced leaders of educational transferable to their teaching practice schools, in which teachers become reform activities who wanted to extend (Smith & Geis, 1996; Jenkins, 1996). engaged in collaborative inquiry about previous work. The project, a grassroots Connecting teaching development with aspects of their teaching practice initiative, involved a group of seven disciplinary discussions also offers (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999), academics who developed a framework opportunities to enhance teaching as particularly within departments and activities for peer review of scholarship. The richness of the field of (Stodolsky & Grossman, 1996; Talbert, teaching. Using those frameworks, the medical education is an example of the 1991). This is also the philosophy group tried various experiments with power of approaches that are rooted in

8 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April2000 ~ peer assessment of courses, including history department were less consistently participated in the meetings and offered reading memos describing the rationale constructive. A committed small group literature and expertise as needed. The for courses, interviewing each others' with a well-defined, ongoing task can facilitators in the history department did students, and critiquing sample student build the trust required to ask questions not have experience with educational assignments. Colleagues wrote peer and expose vulnerabilities. Such trust is leadership and did not have such reviews of the courses, which were then not easily developed through a series of extensive support from an educational discussed among the group. one-off discussions with larger groups of development specialist. In the history department, the people who don't know each other as The discussions in the mechanical university's provost committed to well. Furthermore, each of the engineering group were grounded in participate in the national project, then departments was building on different specific courses, so discussions were worked with the academic development existing departmental patterns of about particular examples, cases and center to recruit department heads to situations. Gathering and sharing in participate. The department head the interpretation of student selected the academic leaders for " As a result of both projects, comments was a powerful device in their commitment to teaching, causing academics to re-think 0 political neutrality and general participants were exposed to practices and belie fs. The most popularity in the department. The positive and constructive seminars in project involved a series of nine new ideas and new teaching the history department also focused discussion hours about various approaches and techniques. on particular examples of practice . topics about teaching and learning that interested the department. All ... there was a heightened Conclusion academics in the department were respect and appreciation for The study on which this article is invited to participate in each of the based represents an attempt to better independent sessions, but enrolments the aims and approaches understand what contributes to or were limited to 12 people. of their colleagues. " inhibits the success of collaborative departmental instructional Results and Discussion development programs. Here I have In the history department, the touched on some of the issues and interaction and communication. The project was highly visible and involved a choices that would-be facilitators face in existing model of departmental inter large percentage of the department, both pl a nning and implementing a action in the history department was of in the department, and later, across the department-based collaborative program. departmental research seminars, in which campus . More than half of the In addition, my study revealed a lone scholar gives an expert's account department members participated in one contextual factors that may constrain or of his or her work. In the engineering or more of the discussions. The facilitate such a process, including department, the process was modeled mechanical engineering project had less aspects of the university, disciplinary more like a laboratory research group in visibility in the department and involved and departmental cultures. Further which the members conduct collab only a small percentage of the experiments with and investigations of orative inquiry and problem solve department in its first year . departmental approaches to instructional together about works-in-progress. development may help pave the wave for As a result of both projects, Someone interested in facilitating the next generation of instructional participants were exposed to new ideas department-based programs may want to enhancement programs. and new teaching approaches and consciously consider what models and techniques . Core beliefs and values were, experience are already available in the References with a few exceptions, largely department that they can build on. unchanged in both cases. However, in Belenky, M., Clinchy, B., Goldberger, In both departments, it was vital that both departments, there was a heightened N., and Tarule, J. (I 986) Women 's there was an attempt to ensure respect and appreciation for the aims and Ways of Knowing . New York: Basic academics' ownership in the process. In approaches of their colleagues. In the Books, Inc. the history department, the faculty mechanical engineering department, in Carnegie Foundation for the suggested ideas for seminar topics, based particular, the collaborative project Advancement of Teaching (l 989) on perceived needs and interests . In the seemed to build a bridge between two The Condition of the Professoriate: mechanical engineering department, divisions within the department, across Attitudes and Trends. New Jersey: participating academics developed both which there had historically been a lack Princeton University Press . the process and the areas on which to of cooperation, tensions and focus. In both cases it was also critical Clark, B. (] 987) The Academic Life. misunderstandings. This outcome may that there were academics that took Special report of the Carnegie be a particularly important one, which responsibility for coordinating activities Foundation for the Advancement of can be facilitated by deliberately and facilitating meetings. Teaching. Lawrenceville, NJ: involving different subspecialties or Princeton University Press. subcultures in the department in In the mechanical engineering carefully facilitated, focused discussions. department, where the collaboration was Cochran-Smith, M. & Lytle, S.L. more intense and seemed to have a more ( 1999). The teacher research The discussions in the mechanical significant impact on individual movement: A decade later. engineering department seemed to be participants, the academic leaders were more inquiry-oriented and collaborative, Educational Researcher, 28 (7) pp. 15-25. experienced with educational reform with a greater willingness to expose projects and in facilitating collegial dilemmas and question s, rather than just discussions on learning and leaching . An offer solutions. Discu ss ions in the educational development specialist also

9 HERDSA NEWS April2000

Cox, M. D. (Ed.). (1996). A department Adult learning principles applied to Improve the Academy (Vol. 15, pp. based approach to developing teaching improvement, in J. Kurfiss 129-153). Stillwater, OK: New teaching portfolios: perspectives for (ed.) To Improve the Academy: Forums Press and the Professional faculty developers. (Vol. 15). Resources for Student, Faculty and and Organizational Development Still water, OK: New Forums Press Institutional Development. Network in Higher Education. and the Professional and Stillwater, Okla.: New Forums Press. Stodolsky, S.S., & Grossman, P. L. Organizational Development Quinlan, K.M. & Akerlind, G.S. (in (1996). Subject-matter differences in Network in Higher Education. press). Factors affecting secondary schools: Connections to departmental peer collaboration for Diamond, R., & Adam, B. (Eds.). higher education. In N. Hativa & M. faculty development: Two cases in (1995). The Disciplines Speak: Marincovich (Eds.), Disciplinary context. Higher Education. Rewarding the Scholarly, Differences in Teaching and Professional, and Creative Work of Quinlan, K. M. (I 998) Promoting faculty Learning: Implications for Practice Faculty. Washington, DC: American learning about collaborative (Vol. 64, pp. 71-78). San Francisco: Association for Higher Education. teaching, College Teaching, Vol. 46 Jossey-Bass Publishers. Freedman, M. (1979) Academic Culture (2), pp. 43-47. Talbert, J.E. (1991, April). Boundaries and Faculty Development. Berkeley: Quinlan, K. M. (April 1997, November of Teachers' Professional Montaigne. 1996) A report from the United Communities in U.S. High Schools. States: The American Association Freire, P. (1971) Pedagogy of the Paper presented at the American Oppressed. New York: Seaview. for Higher Education's "From Idea to Prototype: The Peer Review of Educational Research Association, Hutchings, P. (1994) Peer review of Teaching Project." HERDSA News. Chicago. teaching. AAHE Bulletin, November Quinlan, K.M. (1996). Collaboration Zuber-Skerritt, 0. (1991) Professional 1994, pp. 3-7. and Cultures of Teaching in Development in Higher Education. Hutchings, P. ( 1996). Making Teaching University Departments: Faculty Brisbane, Australia: CALT, Griffith Community Property: A Menu for Beliefs about Teaching and Learning University. Peer Collaboration and Peer in History and Engineering. Review. Washington, DC: American Unpublished doctoral thesis. Association for Higher Education. Stanford University. Hutchings, P. & Shulman, L. (1999). Schon, D. (1983) The Reflective Dr. Kathleen M. Quinlan is The scholarship of teaching: New Practitioner. New York: Basic Director of the Office of elaborations, new developments. Books. Educational Development at the Change, 31(5), 11-15. Shulman, L. (1993) Teaching as Cornell University College of Jenkins, A. (1996) Discipline-based community property: Putting an end Veterinary Medicine. Her educational development. to pedagogical solitude. Change, 25 previous positions include International Journal of Academic (6), pp. 6-7. Lecturer in the Centre for Development, I (]) pp. 50-62. Shulman, L. and Quinlan, K. (1996) The Keig, L. and Waggoner, M. (1994) comparative psychology of school Educational Development and Collaborative Peer Review: The subjects, in D. Berliner and R. Academic Methods at the Role of Faculty in Improving Calfee (eds) Handbook of Australian National University College Teaching. ASHE-ERIC Educational Psychology. New and Research Assistant with the Higher Education Report No. 2, York: Simon Schuster and American Association for Higher Washington, DC: The George McMillan. Education's peer review of Washington University. Smith, R. A., & Geis, G. L. (1996). teaching project. McDaniel, E. (1987) Faculty Professors as clients for instructional collaboration for better teaching: development. In L. R. (Ed.), To Contact email: [email protected]

Conference Announcement HIGHER EDUCATION CLOSE UP (2)

will be held at Lancaster University between July 16-18, 200 I. The conference follows the success of the first Higher Education Close Up (HECU) conference held in Preston in 1998. Papers from that conference are available at: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/hecu98.htm These conferences are dedicated to the fine-grained study of Further and Higher Education. As organizers, our aim is to make this next conference as supportive as possible of current research on higher education. To achieve this we have set up a consultation website at which details of research areas, possible speakers and other issues can be gathered from possible participants. We hope you will be able to visit this website at http://www.kirkridge.abelgratis.co.uk/hecu2.htm The current conference web page can be found here: http://www.massey.ac.nz/-cprichar/hecu2.html Craig Prichard Email: [email protected]

10 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April2000 ~ Getting Disciplined: Geographic Perspectives Alan Jenkins and Mick Healey

One of the strengths of the various by discipline-based perspectives. For all carrying out discipline based CAUT/CUSDT projects is that disciplines have particular pedagogic development, and the lack of effective many of them were discipline concerns that will not immediately be and secure funding. Lately the UK based, capitalising on academics' developed from a generic perspective. funding councils, in part shaped by the For example, geographers generally CAUT experience have recognised the commitment to their subject. Here argue that much learning should be in value of this discipline-based approach. we offer arguments for this the field or city, and face the challenge They have funded competitive national discipline approach to educational of helping students integrate the very curriculum projects through the Fund for development and illustrate them different perspectives of the physical and the Development of Teaching and with examples of good practice. social sciences and humanities (Healey, Learning (FDTL) (http://www .ncteam. We are aware that in Australia, et al., 2000a). ac.uk/fdtl.htrnl), most of which have with the ending of CUTSD in The generic texts on teaching and been discipline-based. Geography was successful in winning seven of these December 1999, immediate course design are generally silent on awards, in one of which - the Geography funding for such projects may these and other discipline-based concerns. To recognise this discipline Discipline Network (GDN) - we are seem hard to envisage. We hope based perspective, at Oxford Brookes the both centrally involved. The GDN project assembled a team of geographers that this article may help to argue SEDA/ ILT accredited course for new and educational developers from nine for their importance, and for such staff (www.brookes.ac. uk/services/ old and new universities and colleges to projects and funding to be ocsd/cthe/cthe.html), has added an develop a set of guides and linked reinstated. outcome which requires staff to carry out workshops on teaching, learning and a small action based research study on Our views are largely based on assessment, with full reference to the teaching of their discipline and British experience and working in discipline-based concerns and strongly reflect on their experience of teaching geography . We demonstrate the value of featuring examples from geographers that discipline. Tutors face the challenge this discipline approach (Jenkins, 1996) and geography departments. Further of working on these projects with staff by considering three types of activity: examples of good practice, and various from many disciplines. This approach is institutional and national courses on geographical education books and papers more effective when it is backed by teaching, national curriculum are available on the GDN web site local/department-based expertise and development projects, and international (http://www.chelt.ac.uk/gdn). GDN has mentoring, and when one can point to projects and networks. successfully bid for other development national/international curriculum projects (e.g. one on developing 'key' development networks that provide a Courses on Teaching skills in geography courses, and another discipline-based literature and contacts. World-wide, many institutions are on providing learning support for developing courses for new and National Curriculum disabled students undertaking established staff on teaching. In the UK fieldwork). We also recently obtained the focus has been on new teaching staff Development Projects funding to run a national workshop for and developing a national accreditation In their research and their new staff in geography and earth and framework , first through the Staff and professional concerns academics are environmental sciences - the aim of Educational Development Association often members of national organisations, which is to complement the more (SEDA) and more recently through the such as the Institute of Australian generic courses in their institutions. This newly established Institute for Learning Geographers and the New Zealand 'experiment' is to be evaluated by the and Teaching (IL T). These were created Geographical Society. Through these IL T and, if successful, will be repeated largely by educational developers and organisations, ideas are developed, in future years and may be used as a are mainly concerned with generic challenged and diffused. Too often these model by other disciplines. aspects of teaching that apply to all discipline networks have only focused Such organisations and projects as disciplines. However, ILT requirements on research. Ideas on teaching have GDN and those funded through CUTD, for membership state that members will rarely strayed outside the department or while capitalising on disciplinary be expected to have knowledge of even the individual academic's allegiances face the evident problems of classroom. "appropriate methods for teaching and short term, uncoordinated, and often learning in the subject area ... (and) In British geography, we have been limited funding . The success of the models of how students learn, both involved for over 25 years in various FDTL projects, such as GDN, and the generically and in their subject national organisations and projects to recognition by the UK Funding Councils (emphasis added). share ideas and improve teaching in the of the power of this discipline-based We agree that there is a need for discipline (Healey, 1999; 2000, Jenkins approach to improvement, has now led generic courses for (new) academic staff. 1997). At first these networks faced the to the launch this year of some 24 However, we consider that this generic linked problems of lack of credibility in national discipline based Subject Centres perspective needs to be complemented the discipline, initial lack of expertise in with secure funding for 5 years

II HERDSA NEWS April 2000

(http://www.ilt.ac.ukJltsn/index.htm). The applying for promotion and funding . problems, and the social networks Funding Councils have established these A good example of the benefits of through which ideas flow. Welcoming centres to "become the main points international cooperation comes from the and incorporating this approach of contact within subject communities National Centre for Geographic strengthens educational development. for information and advice on Information and Analysis Core We recognise that there are good practice and innovations in Curriculum project in which 35 GIS limitations to a discipline-based approach learning, teaching and assessment" educator s in the US, Canada and the UK to educational development. In improving (http://www.ilt.ac.uk/ltsn/ index.htm) . developed a comprehensive set of lecture teaching in our discipline we need to adopt the same values and practices International as we do in our research, where we Disciplinary Networks continually search other (cognate) We bel ieve th at such nat ional '- .. . one way to raise the status disciplines for findings and discipline-based educa tional organi of teaching, is for teachi ng approaches (Healey, I 999) . This sations can play a key role in sharing discipline-based perspective to and developing good practice . improveme nt practices to educaiional development needs to be However they ne e d to be mim ic the way that rese arch complemented by the per pectives of co mplcm en1.cd by international cog nate disciplines, in cluding the networks and projects . Academic operates, includin g its d isci pi in ary and research based research networks are international, international perspective. expertise of educational developers. so in using the power of disciplinary We need to develop structures and social networks , dis ci pline -ba ed Moreover, the increased power languages for us to listen to each educational development needs also other. That we attempted in GDN, by to be internation al. For as Gibbs and effectiveness of information drawing into the project 1he expenise (1995) has argued one way to raise technology makes such of educational developers . One of the status of teac hing, is for teaching the challenges for the new UK improvement practic es to mimi c the international networking both subject centres, will be to ensure that way that research operates, including more feasible and effective. " they do not become too inward its international perspective. looking, insular to their disciplines Moreover, the increased power and and the wider world . effectiveness of information We conclude though with a technology makes such international notes for teaching beginning GIS problem which affects us all networking both more feasible and professionals. An updated web-based internationally . In the UK we appear to effective. Also curriculum materials and version of this course is in preparation, have immediately convinced the fund projects, while respecting local an d which includes 76 lecture topics and 19 holders of the value of a national national contexts, benefit from the section editors from five different discipline-based approach - though the economies of scale , and the academic countries (http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/ funding at present in no way matches that specialisation and co-operation that can pubs/core .html). for discipline-based research. We believe be achieved internationally . Again we The principle of international that despite the recent cutting of CUTSD, will demonstrate such generic arguments cooperation and sharing good practice to the funding agencies in Australia, New through examples from geography. avoid recreating wheels also lies behind Zealand and elsewhere should be In 1977 a group of British the initiative to establish the International interested and hopefully convinced by geographers founded the Journal of Network for Learning and Teaching this approach . What is harder to see is Geography in Higher Education. While ([NL T) Geography in Higher Education . how such discipline-based projects could recognising that immediately, for The idea for this grew out of the personal be funded internationally. We understand organisational reasons, it had to be experience of the benefits the three that just before its demise there were British-based, they determined to develop convenors (from Australia , US and UK) discussions on creating links between it as an international journal (Jenkins, believed they had gained from CUTSD and the FDTL and subject 1997). Now it is effectively that, or more networking nationally and internationally centres in the UK. We need to create realistically, it carries articles from about learning and teaching issues in effective international discipline-based Australasia, the UK, North America, and, geography. The INLT was set up in 1999 links with significant funding . Nationally to a less extent, 'elsewhere'. This with its own listserve, Web pages and internationally we need to work 'international' perspective is now (http://www. chel t. ac. u k/i nit. i nde . h tm) together to achieve that goal . confirmed and shaped by the editorial and Newsletter. It is in the process of organisation . Scholars from Australasia establishing a database and clearinghouse References and North America now submit their for educational materials and a number of Gibbs, G. (1995) "How can promoting articles to local editors, who also arrange international projects are planned. Nine excellent teachers promote excellent refereeing, decide acceptance or rejection papers from the first international teaching?" Innovations in Education of articles, and shape overall editorial symposium are in press (Mealey et al., and Training International, 32 (1), policy (the Commissioning Editor for 2000b) and the programm e for the second 74-82. Australasia is Dr Jain May from Flinders symposium is well advanced. Healey, M. (1999) Developing the Univer sity). There are hard co mmercial scholarship of teaching geogra phy in reasons for this internation al perspect ive Conclusion higher education , lntem ational in helping sales. For academics it has the The intellectual and pedagogic Student Leaming Symposium on evident 'performance indicator' attraction strengths of the disciplines lie in the 'Improving Student learning through of publishing in an international journal concentrated and shared focus on a set of the Disciplines', University of York, and thus being better received when

12 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April 2000 ~

September. Available at: on learning and teaching geography Alan Jenkins long taught http://www .chelt.ac.uk/g dn/confpubl in higher education: A JGHE geography. He is now Professor in /boston.htm Symposium, Journal of Geography Higher Education at Oxford Healey, M. (2000) "How to put in Higher Education 24 (2), Brookes. He is in charge of the forthcoming. scholarship into teaching", Times ILT/ SEDA accredited course for Jenkins, A. (1997) "Twenty -one Higher Educa tional Supplement 4th new staff. He was founding editor February. Also available at: volumes on: is teaching valued in http://www.chelt.ac .uk/gdn/thes.htm geography in higher education?" of the Journal of Geography in Higher Education. Healey M., Jenkins A., and Kneale P. Journal of Geography in Higher (2000a) "Small Worlds on An Education, 21 (I), 5-14. Mick Healey is Professor of interconnected Planet: Teaching and Jenkins A. (1996) "Discipline-based Geography at Cheltenham and learning geography in higher Educational Development", Gloucester College of Higher education", in Rust C. (ed.) International Journal for Academic Education. He is Director of the Improving Student Learning Development, I (I), 50-62. Geography Discipline Network, Through the Disciplines. Geography Advisor to t):teGeography, Proceedings of the 1999 7th Earth and Environmental Science International Symposium, Oxford, Subject Centre and Co-Chair of the Oxford Centre for Staff and International Network for Learning Learning Development and Teaching (INL T) Geography in (forthcoming) . Higher Education. Contact email: Healey, M., Foote, K. and Hay, I. (eds) [email protected] (2000b) International perspectives

Twelfth International Conference on Assessing Quality in Higher Education: "AQHE - 2000 RMIT Storey Hall, RMIT Univers ity, Melbourne, Australia June 28-30, 2000 Conference website : http://www .cmqr.rmit.edu.au/aqhe .html

Keynote speakers:

• Profess or Lee Harvey, Director, Centre for Research into Quality, University of Central England, and Editor "Qua lity in Higher Education",

• Professor John Bowde n, RMIT University, Co-aut hor "The University of Learn ing- Beyond Quality and Co mpeten ce"

• Marvin W Peterson, Professor of Higher Education, University of Michigan,and

• Professor Paul Ramsden, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), University of Sydney.

For Further Information Contact: G Srikanthan, Centre for Mgmt . Quality Research., RMIT Univ., Melbourne, Australia. Tel: (+61) 3 9925 7211; Fax: (+61) 3 9925 7696; E-mail: [email protected] AQHE-2000 28 - 30 June Melbourne, Victoria HERDSA/ASET conference 2 - 5 July Toowoomba, Queensland Pacific Rim 5 - 7 July Brisbane, Queensland The Fourth Pacific Rim First Year in Higher Education Conference "Creating Futures for a New Millennium" Brisbane , Queensland , Australia July 5 - 7, 2000

• will focus on equipping first year students with the tools they need for academic and personal success - a worldwide priority. This conference presents an opportunity to address the key challenges of the first year of university.

For further information visit the conference website: http:// www .qut.e du.au/daa/a sdu /fye/ FYE .htm

13 HERDSA NEWS April 2000

The Mechanic's Car: Do Academic Development Unit's Web Sites Reflect How We Support Academic Staff? Peter Kandlebinder

Even a casual look at academic to answer the question, "what is flexible fragility in their sense of staff development unit' s (ADU) web learning?" (for one suggestion, see development pedagogy. sites reveals that ADUs are www.itl.usyd.edu.au/newflex). Forsaking pedagogy as the basis of undecided about the benefits of the There is a base authenticity in this design leaves ADUs with little choice emerging on-line technologies for idea of using the technology to teach the but to pursue the administrate advantage technology. Other than this offered by new technologies. A look staff development. Outside of the uncomplicated pedagogy there have been behind the home page reveals decisions current fashion s for flexible few attempt s to articulate an appropriate that anticipate the most important need learning and on-line learning design for information technology in of visitors will be to find information . management systems, like academic staff development. It is Like the shy boy at a party ADU' s web WebCT, the majority of ADUs therefore somewhat surprising that ADU sites talk incessantly about who they are have adopted a cautious approach web sites do reveal a high degree of (web.dcue .adelaide.edu .au/acue/fs_servi to using these same technologies collective agreement on the role they ces.html) and what they do assign on-line technologies. Do not (www.adu .latrobe.edu .au/WhatISADU.h for their own practice. With expect web sites to attempt to enhance tml). This self-obsessed conversation technology playing a growing role student le arning through the active with ourselves is celebrated in FAQs in the transformation of engagement of academic staff. Instead (www.newcastle.edu .au/services/iesd/lea universities, on-line technologies ADU web sites have an air of rndevelop/faq.html), a formulaic series serve as a significant place to view administrative responsibility suggesting of questions that fabricate consultation likely directions for academic staff the main game has moved to university when in all likelihood they stem from a development. In this review I will policy development. process of self-inquiry rather than the real questions of visitors. The obsession describe the use ADUs currently A way from the show and tell of with what ADUs do creates a cascade make of the Web before these flexible learning, ADU s appear to take a nai"ve approach to their web design. of documents from up-coming activities are fully integrated into There is no self-consciousness that the events (www.anu .edu.au/CEDAM/ their day-to-day practice. It is only Web was commercialised around its calendar.html) to strategic plans the start of a conversation about value in distribution and publishing . ( www .gu.edu.au/centre/strategic_fr .html) . the range of alternatives that Web site designs rely on a neo-classic Those with more to say than their needs to take place while there is simplicity aimed at not turning visitors position on an organisation chart claim still some possibility for change. away rather than the riskier strategy of academic value is measured on the All examples are offered purely as projecting a strong message. The models ability to publish or perish . In an most in evidence have been tried and administrative parody of production illustrations and it is tested as business applications for ADU s re-edit their work to present acknowledged that they normally administration or commerce . The a fresh face to their visitors. exist within the broader logic of an recurring motif of the typical homepage Anthologies of web sites entire web site. is the organisational chart, clean, (www.chepd.mq.edu.au/cpd/highlink/hig Web site s can be e n seen as a functional and structured hierarchically hlink.htm) are linked together into tables projecti on of what an ADU does , around topics that reflect the tasks of the of contents, bestowing value by delivered to the out side world . The organisation. In an example of what association. On-line technologies co mmon represent ation ac ross Baudrillard (1996) describes as search monitor site visits to show which are uni versiti es rem ain s th at ADU' s are for timelessness through an absence of most highly valued in the popularist res ponsibl e for imp roving teaching and style, modular components fragment version of peer review . lea rning within the ir re sp ective ADU web sites into their various The major weakness of most in stituti ons. The conte nt of their web functions to create the uniformity that academic publishing is its obscurity. si tes in d ica te th at this co nsists of permits a multiplicity of arrangements . Web-based technologies have in ductin g ne w staff, writin g gra nt The absence of style makes the ADU removed the financial barriers to ap plica tions, condu ct ing cour ses and homepage a place of egalitarian values. publishing by reducing the cost of workshops, resea rchin g student learning It is spread broad but shallow, accepting distribution. Just-in-time publishing and contri butin g to policy framewo rks all possibl e interpretations . An equal (www.tedi.uq.edu.aulTeaching/TertiaryT on good teac hing . Wh ere on ce it was weighting is placed on each of its objects oolbox) ensures the right tools are in the primarily in institu tions inv olve d in to ensure that there is no obligation hands of academics should they ever dis tance edu cat ion that ADU s held a surrounding the menu of choices. need them . Examples from on-line responsibility of ove rseei ng educational Without a strong sense of which of these commerce show that each web site visit technolo gy, the incr eased imp ortance of objects the represent ADU values, the presents an opportunity for exch ange. By technology now has each site attempting homepage becomes a symbol of the parring down interaction to its most

14 HERDSANEWS April2000

basic form, a transaction, the barriers to Graduate Certificates (for an example, ways of working . The challenge we face acquiring services like student feedback (www.adm.monash.edu.au/ched/coursses is to understand which pursuits should questionnaires are removed /GCHE/index.html). Here are all the remain with traditional methods and (survey .uow.edu.au/authoring) and can above elements linked together by an those best delegated to "virtual" ADUs be acquired without any questions asked. educational function. Sadly , like many ( www .rmit.edu. au/resources/di rectory). It is not peculiar to on-line forms of forms of traditional teaching it is With their web sites already resembling publishing that the reduction of cost pedagogy locked away from the public the traditional models of instruction that will not overcome the hurdle of gaze, our strongest contender for a emphasis a mastery of text-based irrelevance . Free on-line discussions metaphor of the new directions in information, the danger is if ADUs come (www.pdc.unsw.edu.au/webteachdemo/ academic staff development. to take the pedagogy for granted and welcome.html) rarely succeed as become unintentionally lured into more On-line learning lies at the frontier of developmental activities without the didactic modes of teaching and learning. university teaching and the values of the support and extrinsic value provided frontier do not align easily with the by a formal course. Opening the Reference traditions of academic development. conversation to all simply dilutes its Baudrillard, J. (1996) System of Signs. Studies demonstrate that interacting with purpose, whereas targeted databases New York, NY: Verso. the Web leads to greater isolation and (www.csd.uwa.edu.au/altmodes) at least staff in ADUs are no doubt aware that Peter Kandlebinder is a lecturer at appears to involve senior staff in the Institute for Teaching and discussion of which methods served their the history of technology in education Learning at the University of own staff development. demonstrates that it is design not technology that impacts on student Sydney. Few ADUs take the pedagogical learning. Technological changes present high ground in designing their web sites. Contact traditional staff development with new Educational motives are more commonly email:[email protected] buried deep in the microworld of possibilities , new demands and new

ASET/HERDSA 2000 Joint Conference Flexible Learning for a flexible society 2- 5 JULY 2000 University of Southern Queensland Toowoomba, Queensland

As educators we are continually required to be flexible and respond to change in new and dynamic ways. Flexible teaching and flexible learning have become the mantra of the education community. In this conference we will examine new conceptualizations of flexibility in relation to the myriad of education contexts which exist in our society . Participants will have opportunities to explore and discuss the challenges of change from a variety of perspectives, in four strands that reflect different dimensions of change, all of which are important for education as we enter the new millenium.

In Changing learning contexts we will reflect on thE: ways in which students , teachers, and curricula have changed in terms of aspects such as the impact of new information technologies, location time ad the characteristics of students.

Changes in the workplace will look beyond schools and universities to the locations where we, as university teachers and facilitators make a unique contribution to lifelong learning and wellbeing of the nation in a variety of ways,

In a climate of change we need to be aware of ways in which Supporting change will benefit all stakeholders. This strand will explore strategies to support change from a personal to the systemic level.

Finally, our decision making should be informed by high quality research that links to theory to practice . This will require new ideas and Changing research paradigms that will assist us to reconceptualise practice and develop more effective teaching and learning strategies.

Program and Registration details: http://www. herds a. org. au/conf htm or contact by email: [email protected]

15 HERDSANEWS April 2000

Working to Become a Truly Reflective Practitioner -Je_ff_G_i-dd-i-ng-s

This article sets out some of my with the delivery of valuable community • Seek out people who share your thoughts on law teaching - what I services. A key respon sibility for the enthusiasm for teaching. I have greatly do, what I enjoy about my work, and clinical teacher is to assist students to enjoyed working with law school what maintains my enthusiasm. The cross what one of my students described colleagues on teaching projects. I have as the 'credibility gap' where they feel central aim of my teaching is for also been lucky to receive support and uncertain about how relevant the law they encouragement from staff of the both my students and I to develop as have learnt will be to the legal problems Griffith Institute for Higher Education, reflective practitioners. In my facing members of our community . in particular Dr Peter Taylor. experience, student learning is vastly I see quality teaching as a real • Develop links with colleagues in other improved by the incorporation of challenge, in both small and larger institutions. l draw great strength from 'learning by doing'. Students are groups. I find it very important to actively my peers in clinical legal education, engage with my students. Whether the encouraged to take greater both across Australia and overseas. responsibility for both their learning student group I'm teaching numbers 6 or • Watch other teachers. I learnt a great and their work. For me, it is also 136, I treat my classes as a conversation where I try to engage each and every deal about teaching (both what to do important to show students how student to think about how the law in a and what not to do) from watching the dynamic the law can be. particular area works or doesn't work. senior academics involved in the For the past 15 years, I have been Having this type of conversation with a Masters program at Monash Law committed to clinical legal education large group of students can be difficult School. (students learning through working on and requires a lot of 'thinking on your • Be prepared to try new approaches. real law cases). This commitment is very feet' but the results suggest that it works. Provided you think carefully about personal, stemming from my experience The students enjoy it and they find the what you want to achieve and explain as a clinical legal education student at material to be interesting. We discuss your approach to your students, taking Monash Law School. Until I was placed current legal developments in detail and I new approaches helps to keep you on at Springvale Legal Service, I had found seek to emphasise the central contribution your toes and your students interested. my law studies to be very dreary and of the legal system and lawyers to the detached from reality. My semester at effective workings of our democratic • You can make the learning fun, for you Springvale Legal Service saw me change institutions. Lawyers have a vital role to and your students, while still insisting from feeling that the legal profession had play in improving accountability on high standards of work from your no place for me to believing that I had a structures. students. valuable contribution to make to our I regularly hear from Griffith When I joined Griffith Law School, I justice system. I encountered real people colleagues about concerns with the had a great opportunity to put my ideas with real legal problems and discovered pressure we all face to prioritise research that I had the legal knowledge to assist on legal education into practice. The new over teaching. One suggestion I have them. The Monash clinical program set subjects I designed drew heavily on offered is for such colleagues to consider me on the path to a very rewarding career lessons I had learnt as a student, teacher whether they can publish material related as both a lawyer and law teacher. I owe a and lawyer. These subjects continue to be to their teaching. In 1999, 3 of the journal great deal to my clinic supervisors, Simon refined and improved with substantial articles I published related to my teaching Smith and Jon Faine, who inspired and input from both students and the lawyers in clinical legal education and alternative motivated me. Simon in particular we work with. I have also continued to dispute resolution. remains a wonderful mentor even after all strengthen the links between my teaching, this time. I have serious concerns about research and community service. This universities devaluing the links between Much of my approach to teaching development process relies heavily on me teaching and research. I see very strong comes from the lessons I learnt during my reflecting on my performance, keeping a links between my teaching, research and time as a lawyer in community legal clear focus on what I am trying to community service. My research ideas centre practice . Working with an amazing achieve. These reflective practices are the often come directly from my teaching. array of clients, police, bureaucrats, foundation of my work as a teacher, My community service ideals are pursued politicians, volunteers and the like researcher and community lawyer. teaches you many lessons about commu through my teaching and I hope that my students will be encouraged to pursue Jeff Giddings is an Associate Professor nicating with other people, working and Director of Clinical Legal cooperatively and standing up for what similar ideals in their professional Jives. I Education at Griffith University Law you believe in. My legal centre work am lucky that my research interests School. He was joint winner of the Law showed me very clearly the importance of coincide with my areas of teaching and Legal Studies Category of the 1999 equal access to our legal system. responsibility. The following are my suggestions for Australian Awards for University As a teacher, I am now committed to Teaching. He also received the making a real difference to the lives and teachers wishing to maintain their inaugural Griffith University Award careers of the students I work with . At enthusiasm : for Excellence in Teaching as an Griffith Law School, I have had the • You need to keep a clear sense of Individual Teacher. opportunity to develop a group of diverse purpose. Whenever I face major clinical legal education subjects which challenges with my teaching, I focus on Contact email: effectively combine learning objectives what it is I want to achieve. [email protected]

16 HERDSA NEWS April 2000 EIDOS Idea Dossier No. 11 Redeeming the Evil Empire? Thoughts on the moral perils of Management

Such a long shadow it is that the "everywoman", every person who has That either may or might not be an old screen hack cowboy Ronald and might ever inhabit that profession, or empirically correct claim; anyhow, it's Reagan managed to cast over the take on that role in life. "Characters" are not the main thrust of Maclntyre's late 20th century! His influence on social roles, but rather more than just that. case. The second part cuts deepest. world affairs, his virtues and vices, They exercise specific constraints (ii) The Character of Manager (as Actor his statesmanship, occupy upon the moral personality of the person on C20th stage) exhibits a profound moral failure. Everything he does as increasing metres and hours of playing them. "Characters" serve to represent the culture of the time; a mask Manager is terminally tainted by an media attention. Possibly due to capturing the way the world of the day irremediable moral flaw. By role him the "Evil Empire" notion sees and understands itself. By their definition he is the embodiment of became a byword for the enemy we appearance, they instantly legitimate bureaucratic authority, that form of all need so we can demonise it, certain modes of moral existence. So ... power over others that justifies itself thereby saving ourselves. what would be the dominant "Character solely in terms of its own effectiveness. If it works, it's right. That is his moral Whether I'm right or wrong about Roles" within our play? trap. that, the Cold War period did demonstrate One answer (Alistair Macintyre, in how easy it is to mobilise a people around After Virtue: 1985, Duckworth) is The He cannot avoid acting so as to some amorphous, faceless and demonised Manager and The Therapist. With their influence the motives (the intentions and enemy. And how potent an effect that can appearance on the stage, these two ultimately the actions) of subordinates. have; and how hard it is to break free unerringly evoke the audience into That is what management is about. Its from - even when the need for it has responding "I know exactly what this is modus operand is to ensure that disappeared. all about - I know them both well". subordinates will not only comply, but will justify their compliance by The phenomenon probably operates They need no badge, no costume, yet themselves arguing from premises which beyond national politics (I almost wrote we in the audience instantly know them will produce agreement with The 'mere' politics, but nothing is less mere by the stance they adopt towards the rest than the political). Some forms of late Manager's own prior conclusions. His of the world. We can now more or less function is to control human behaviour Cl 9th class-analysis display it well successfully predict the plot's direction. enough. The history of trade unionism is and to suppress conflict in such a way Nobody need announce "This is a a rich seam of group demonising and "us" that his own justification for existence is Manager speaking". What we hear said, versus "them" constructs. reinforced. and its manner of saying, leaves no doubt There's a premise underlying the All that may seem light-years away about the kind of person we are dealing greater part of 2000 years of moral from Higher Education. But l'm inclined with! to believe that a kind of "Evil Empire" thought in the West, culminating in Kant. (Here l' 11 deal only with The thinking is alive and well in academe. A moral action is one in which persons Manager, but be warned. I foresee a This article asks the question "ls respect and honour one another's future essay on The Therapist, which Management (in the eyes of academia) motives, needs and intentions. People in a today's Evil Empire? And if so, what can bears irresistibly on a critique of the moral relationship show one another Managers - or anyone - do about it?" practice of teaching) mutual respect as "moral agents", each in their own right. The Manager as Character Characters in a Morality That may well be a silly, misguided Play Remember - we're not talking actual premise; but it is ancient and venerable. people, but archetypes or "forms of If someone wrote a medieval-style By that test, each of us must be allowed - morality-play about life in the late C20th, character" here. Also, I'll call my in all imaginable conjunctures and what kinds of "stock characters" would characters "he" because I suspect theatres of life - the inalienable prero they use? "Stock" or "Archetype" bureaucracies were a male invention. gative to choose how to act, to accept the characters have to be immediately Here's the gist of the case (following consequences of that choice, and on what recognisable to an audience. They appear MacIntyre) ... grounds to justify our actions. Others who within the action, and simply by being (i) The Manager's claim to legitimacy is a honour that in us are in an essentially there and doing what everyone knows sham; he is a fraud. He demands the moral relationships with us. they have to do, they partially define the right to manage by claiming that The Character of Manager (the stage possibilities of what can happen. To underlying it is a Science, and that he persona, not particular managers understand them is to hold a key to knows the Science of Management. inhabiting the role) fails on that single interpreting the action. Alas - there is no such thing. critical test for the quality of moral Everyone knows they are not actual Management Science is a confidence relationships. He is not and cannot be in people, not even representations of actual lrick; it is has virtually nothing an authentically moral relationship with people; they are "everyman" and recognisably scientific about it. his subordinates. If he tries to be, he

17 HERDSANEWS April 2000

ceases to manage them, since he has no I guess at this point my line of managing", they said, and these are days choice as manager but to control them . argument commits me to accepting that for "action not words". The Manager probably does represent I may be wrong but think that stance The Evil Empire Revisited today's academic Reagonesque "Evil is not good enough for people who work Enter Reagan, and a new face for The Empire ". But I believe strongly that even in a university. I hesitate to lightly Evil Empire: not communism, not if The Manager (as Character) is the impugn those who argued that way; but I atheism, not even capitalism . It has to be "enemy we have to have" (and love to wish we could talk about it more, and Managerialism (or, as one correspondent hate) we are foolish in the extreme if we that's Catch 22. It illustrated just one reminded me , Managerialism's breeding mistake our target and fight our actual more of the ways the demon Management ground, the technocratic rationalism managers as role-incumbents. Role usurps other values. Maybe an underlying all bureaucracy . I'm important , not yet understood role for uncomfortable fighting abstract "isms" Complicity in What? academics is to work with managers in a however. I'll stick to The Manager as Those who inhabit the Managerial way that managers themselves (most of archetype). office-suites are not our enemy, any more them?) don ' t yet know how to ask for. Nothing in Macintyre, nor here, seeks than we are our own enemy. We are all to incriminate actual managers as evil implicated in technocratic rationality. We What Managers Ask For people . But The Character (the Great are together complicit in the structures Whatever managers think they're Role) they inhabit, the shoes they step that created the demon incarnate, the asking us for (cooperation, into, the mask they are obliged to wear system that then denies all possibility of reasonableness, dialogue, sharing the (on pain of failure) are morally fraught moral relationships in the workplace . vision, productivity ... you know the and highly problematic ("there is I must assume there may be story better than I), or we think we' re something about an archetype", my managers, or future managers, reading being asked to give, it has to be ancillary correspondent wrote, "that turns this piece. They will want me to tell them to what would make the critical relatively decent people into petty how the insightful, "conscientized" difference. What I suggest many don't tyrants"). manager, sensitive to the vast chasm of know how to ask for, because they're not Another colleague pointed out one moral turpidity that s/he can slip into at yet ready to face up to it themselves, is unexpected situation in which managerial any moment, how that person redeems insight into their own moral dilemma. moral dilemmas operate. "The their fate? How does anyone M anage A dear mentor of mine taught me, suggestion", he wrote "that supervisors with moral rectitude? however, to be wary on this one. Never (managers) should become facilitators of I think those who succeed may be tell a person anything about their own (their staff's) learning is highly those who first know the danger. A ware inner life that they're not ready to admit problematic ... Staff do not trust their they have chosen (or it chose them) one to themselves. They'll hate you for it, and supervisors sufficiently to enable the of the most morally contradictory turn on you with spite. latter to act as facilitators of their practices anyone can play (second only to It's a delicate issue. I'd like to think learning." You'd have to be off your The Teacher?), they are humbled . that at core it's no different from any noodle to trust, as 'teacher', someone Seeking a kind of redemption, they want other problem of moral education. whose work-role demanded of them that to survive The Role with some moral Anyhow, morality can't be taught, can it? they be morally compromised. integrity intact. Yet there is such a thing as moral growth, But my own feeling is that some We owe them a special kind of help - and conditions under which it is managers I have known were deeply a self-interested support. In the promoted. Maybe those of us who claim moral persons . Some I've come to respect redemption of their work lies that of ours. to be good teachers ought to know the (maybe even to love) have certainly The two are inseparable, as long as we way around that one? understood this moral problem - if only tolerate working in a bureaucracy and the How can we educate our managers to tacitly . I suspect they actually worked indignity of being managed . Was there understand and face their own moral hard to try to redeem their parlous ever a paradisiacal time when academics dilemma? Or, first, develop ourselves into situation; and, sensing this, I've wanted managed themselves? I wasn't there, people with the perceptive awareness to be on their side, certainly not fighting maybe it's a myth. Today we and our needed to act as moral trustees for against them . Sensing their own role managers succeed or fail together, like it academia's future ? And maybe contribute dilemma they worked to remain morally or not. a little to redeeming an Evil Empire? intact. But it's a rough passage. Last ye ar an interesting and On the other hand, I did come to disturbing discussion followed comments despise and pity other managers. I suspect I wrote on Academic Development. The [Warm thanks to several ADSIG they didn't know what was happening. Manager of a successful "new-style" AD colleagues who generously They hadn't a serious thought about the unit described certain imperatives (vis a responded to an earlier version of Manager as Character and, even if they vis Management) if the AD enterprise is this piece] had, they neither cared nor knew how to to succeed. It created rumblings. But respond to the trap . With nothing to those central! y concerned seemed redeem or be redeemed, they went on unwilling to spend any time continuing madly managing , to everyone's pain and the debate or expanding the reasoning peril. behind their positions. "Too busy Eidos

18 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April2000 '®' Electronic Course Portfolio in a new on-line Graduate Certificate in Flexible Learning Carol Bowie, Peter Taylor, Craig Zimitat and Brad Young

Assessment by portfolio is The course portfolio in the Graduate The activity log documents two commonly used in accreditation Certificate in Flexible Learning is things: the participant's physical progress courses in higher education for electronic. There are a number of reasons through the subject activities as well as for this. One advantage of using an their academic or scholarly progress and tertiary teachers, particularly at electronic format is to facilitate development through engagement in the graduate certificate level. collaborative discussion of work in subject activities. The we!;, environment Traditionally, in assessment, the progress and over time between dispersed facilitates the second of these tasks easily teacher sets ( 1) the assessment task that groups of learners . On-line interaction through enabling complex networking of defines the assessment criteria and (2) the between peers, teachers and colleagues links to and from documents. For product or evidence required to can enable and enhance discussion of the example, participants may indicate that demonstrate that the criteria have been nature and quality of the learning they have completed certain readings, met. (3) Then the teacher judges whether processes and outcomes. The participants done some classroom research and the assessment criteria have been met and in the course develop their portfolio discussed issues with their learning group to what degree and awards a grade, Biggs continuously . The course portfolio, if as ticks in boxes in the activity log. Then and Tang, (1997:80) . accessible to both the teaching team and they might make comment about the As Biggs and Tang (1997:80) point the course community, gives both the quality and value of the experience and out, "Assessment has two roles: the teachers and the learners some indication relevance to their practice and context obvious one of seeing how well the of progress through the course. and link to a piece of their reflective objectives have been attained, and The Graduate Certificate in Higher writing. This piece might contain hotlinks reporting the result in an institutionally Education has been designed to be able to to the annotations from the readings, the appropriate way: and less obviously, be completed remote from campus. In summary of the classroom research because "assessment always defines the Foundations of Flexible Learning, (the results and the notes or log from their curriculum" (Ramsden 1992 : 187), to first of the four subjects in the course), learning group discussion at the convey to students what is expected of two tools have been incorporated into the appropriate illustrative points. them." subject and the course portfolio to In the Graduate Certificate in Flexible enhance flexibility and increase Participation and Learning, we have decided to assess by communication and feedback about Progress: Expectations and portfolio at the course level and in an progress - a critical path and an activity Commitments electronic format. Assessment by log. There are a range of explicit portfolio will drive the learning process in The interactive critical path diagram expectations and commitments that have each of the subjects so as to increase the for the subject indicates the relationships been spelt out for the participants and the students participation in level of control between when elements of the subject teaching staff in this subject. Expectations of (2) and (3) above . were intended to be completed. This about communication and interaction The selection of materials for diagram helps students to choose how frequencies, mode, processes and sets of inclusion in a portfolio requires the they will construct their path through the matching commitments from teaching student to become more actively involved subject. There are a minimum set of staff have been articulated or mapped in in the learning process. The student must dates, (presently 3), across the semester diagrams. For example the critical path use higher level cognitive skills that for provocations. What is intended to be diagram also maps out the type of require analysis and evaluation of their completed before these provocations is interactions (peer, indi victual, learning own work against the set criteria to select indicated in their positioning on the group, teaching staff etc) expected for the best package to present. They need to critical path diagram. All of the rest of the each activity and the type of feedback to be sufficiently metacognitive to evaluate subject activities can be engaged in be expected; each activity log presents and judge the quality of their own work . according to the path the participant information about progress to teaching The process of selection itself is a core chooses. staff with a commitment for responsive element of the learning experience and The provocations form the final stage feedback from the teaching team. When will generate further triggers for research of each of three major reflective cycles these expectations or commitments are or activities. designed into the subject. They consist of not met then negotiation with the teaching team and participant(s) is to The course portfolio is a document an activity with the whole course group occur. that is dynamic across the course and will that will inform each participant's present provide a resource subsequent to course version of what is to be submitted in their The use of an on-line course portfolio completion. Participants' progress course portfolio to meet the subject as the major assessment tool in the towards achieving the course and subject assessment criteria. These criteria are Graduate Certificate in Flexible Leaming objectives is assessed through evaluation aligned with the subject and course is being evaluated and we are researching of the course portfolio submitted at the objectives and are explicitly mapped out the following dimensions : end of each semester. on the web site. • effectiveness as an assessment tool and as part of the principal learning task in

19 HERDSA NEWS April 2000

the course • as a way of experiencing incorporation Routledge . of technology in teaching and learning • value of the on-line nature of the Carol Bowie, Peter Taylor, and Craig processes from a student perspective assessment tool to the achievement of Zimitat, are on the staff of the Griffith the intended learning outcomes Acknowledgment Institute for Higher Education while • value as a tool for documenting and This research and evaluation program Brad Young works with the Griffith demonstrating learning and will be partially supported as part of an Flexible Learning Services at Griffith professional development for the ASCILITE / CUTSD NTDG project. course and the individual University • value as a tool for enabling the learning References processes and outcomes for the Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (1997) Assessment Further information available from participants to be more 'visible' and by Portfolio: Constructing Learning Dr Carol Bowie accessible to staff and other and Designing Teaching, Research Griffith Institute for Higher Education participants and Development in Higher Griffith University • value as a tool to facilitate a Education, p79-87. collaborative ref! ective learning Ramsden P. (1992) Learning to Teach in Nathan Q 4111 process Higher Education London: [email protected]

Research in Higher Education Progress Reports

A study of interns' experience structured educational opportunities for doctor within the new context of work of the transition from medical interns in order to ease their transition. rather than study. student to doctor The study investigated interns' They bring to the challenge of motivations, self-concepts in transition becoming competent doctors two quite Sarah Mann and Richard from medical student to doctor, hopes and different starting points. The intern with Tarala fears, learning experiences; and what a more positive self-image is confident in There is an abrupt transition between interns identified as helps and hindrances his/her capacity to become competent, undergraduate medical studies and to their development as doctors. realistically acknowledges his/her becoming a medical practitioner. The Data for the study was collected by limitations, believes s/he has a transition relates to assuming, for the first interviewing and surveying junior doctors contribution to make, and uses the new time, responsibility for direct patient care at different stages in their first two years role as a means of conferring positive and confronting issues in communication, of practice at a teaching hospital in attributes on the intern's position. The time management, and stress. A poor Western Australia. intern with a more negative self-image transition can impact both on patient care, has no real sense of themselves as a Two groups of respondents were and on the subsequent personal and doctor, feels unsure and alone, is fearful involved: twenty eight interns near the professional development of the junior of the task ahead and sees the new role as end of their intern (Postgraduate Year 1) doctor. A range of issues have been conferring on them the status of victim of year (Group A) and 5 residents, identified as impacting on the experience the system in a dog's body role. The (Postgraduate Year 2) in their second year of the intern year. These include lack of findings also suggest, however, that there of practice (Group 8). appropriate preparation for the year is a shift through the year for most interns (Calman & Donaldson, 1991); long In-depth interviews were conducted to a more positive and realistic self working hours (Goldacre et al., 1997); with the five residents in order to inform image . the development of the survey question poor communication of educational Interns seem to have three main fears naire which was used with group A. objectives (Calman, 1992); poor finding themselves alone and supervision and support (Goldacre et al., The questionnaire was sent out to all responsible for a very sick patient, and op cit); lack of formal education and interns in this group (n = 58) towards the thus potentially also responsible for loss training opportunities (Goldacre et al., op end of their intern year, with a response of life; working with unfriendly, critical cit), mistreatment by senior staff rate of 48% (n = 28). and abusive senior staff; and being over (Baldwin & Daugherty , 1997), and poor The following is a necessarily brief stressed, exhausted and out of balance as assessment processes (Wise et al, I 995). summary of the picture that emerges from a result of very long and demanding The purpose of this study was the findings. working hours. therefore to investigate junior doctors' Although the interns in this sample They experience a significant shift in educational experience of the intern year may be motivated by the desire to help the context and processes of their learning during a period in which increased effort patients, their primary concern in the from their undergraduate years to the had been put into providing more intern year is to gain competence as a work-based context of their intern year.

20 HERDSANEWS April 2000

The most significant sources of • formal educational and training significant role of the registrar in learning for the interns are practical opportunities enhancing the work-based learning experience and reflection on that What is interesting from this study is context of the intern year. experience and discussion with and the significance of the registrar in support from senior staff and other influencing whether the intern has a References colleagues. Registrars are identified as productive educational experience and is Baldwin D.C. Jr, Daugherty S.R. 1997. having the most significant role in able to work through the transition of the Do residents also feel "abused"? supporting the interns' learning. Other year. It is the registrar who is most Perceived mistreatment during less significant resources include reading closely involved with the intern and who internship . Academic Medicine 72, up on cases in books and journals and has the knowledge and experience to help attending formal educational sessions. No. 10 October (Supplement I): 51- the intern turn their experience into a 53. Although practical experience is a learning experience. It is the registrar significant source of learning for both who, in the here and now of day-to-day Calman K.C . 1992 . The pre-registration interns and undergraduates, reading practice on the wards and in the operating year. In : R.S. Downie & B. Charlton appears to be one of the most significant theatres, can make the most of the The making of a doctor,_ medical sources of learning for undergraduates . teaching and learning opportunities education in theory and practice. Lectures and tutorials, though identified offered by the intern' s engagement with Oxford: Oxford University Press. as sources of learning by around 15-20% the work environment. The registrar can Calman K.C & Donaldson M. 1991. The of respondents, seem to be less significant offer feedback, explanation, be available pre-registration house-officer year: a than either practical experience or reading for discussion , answer questions, think critical incident study . Medical and self -study. In both the intern learning aloud while making a clinical decision, Education 25 :51-9. experience and the undergraduate involve interns, encourage them , inform Collins, A., Brown, J.S. learning experience, lack of time, them, orient them, observe them. In & Newman, S.E. tiredness, adverse cnt1c1sm and short , the registrar can take advantage of 1989. Cognitive apprenticeship: indifferent or unapproachable significant 'teachable moments' in the work-based teaching the crafts of reading, writing, others have a negative impact on learning environment in order to make and mathematics. In L.B. Besnih (ed.) learning; and practical experience, and explicit what is normally tacit and Knowing, Learning and Instruction : support and encouragement from senior unspoken . The registrar is also in the best Essays in Honor of Robert Glaser. colleagues, peers, family and friends all position to offer feedback to interns on Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. have a positive impact. Greater their progress towards becoming Goldacre M., Stear S., & Lambert T. significance seems to be given , however , competent doctors. to personal motivation and determination 1997. Session 3: the pre-registration The transition from medical student in the undergraduate years. year - the trainees' experience. to doctor is a difficult one. Feelings of Medical Education 31 (Supplement To summarise, interns identify the inadequacy are common. Significant care 1): 57-60. following as necessary to helping them needs to be taken in order to support Wise A, Rutledge A, & Craig M. 1995. succeed in the task of developing their interns through this transition and in competence during the intern year are: Preparing proper doctors - an order to make the most of the work-based • a developing a sense of their own learning opportunities it provides. The evaluation of the intern training in competence, through regular feedback findings from this study seem to indicate Queensland hospitals - 1990. and success with whatever it is they are how the work-based learning experience Queensland Medical Education doing can be significantly enhanced through the Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The • the respect and recognition of constructive support of an expert University of Queensland. significant others, including senior significant other who can prompt Sarah Mann conducted the research doctors, peers, allied health staff and reflection , offer instruction and provide with Richard Tarala while working at patients support. One coulrl say that the registrar the University of Western Australia. • increasing responsibility provide s the 'master' or 'coach' role She is now with the Teaching and identified as a crucial feature of • good rel a tionships with their Learning Service at the University of traditional apprenticeships by Collins, colleagues and the team Glasgow, UK. Brown and Newman (1989). • support, encouragement and Richard Tarala is Director of Although the provision of formal understanding from senior doctors Postgraduate Medical Education and educational opportunities contributed • the opportunity to talk through issues positively to the enh ancement of the Consultant in Respiratory Medicine, and decisions with senior doctors and education al experience of the intern year, Royal Perth Hospital, WA Medicine. other colleagues and peers what is most crucial is the attention that Email contact: Sarah Mann. • time needs to be paid to developing the ([email protected])

21 HERDSA NEWS April2000

Work in Progress

*JUBILEE: JISC User Key words Research-as learning Behaviour Information seekin g; Information seeking; electronic postgraduate students' research Longitudinal Evaluation of information; styles, Electronic Inform ation Services Contact Using action research with a cohort of (EIS). Pat Gannon-Leary, Univer sity of Israeli PhD students and a UK sample, JISC is the Joint Information Systems Northumbri a at Newcastle (UNN), the project will look at postgraduate Committee funded by the Scottish Higher Newcastle upon Tyne. [email protected] .uk Education Funding Council, the Higher students' research and learning styles to Education Funding Council for England, Constructing the ESOL Curriculum: a identify potential dissonance between critical ethnography of teacher, student, the Higher Education Funding Council research methods/outcomes, and develop for Wales and the Department of and institutional negotiation of the second supportive programmes Education Northern Ireland. Its mission is language curriculum 'To stimulate and enable the cost The project is the dissertation Researchers effective exploitation of information component of a doctoral portfolio for systems and to provide a high quality Deakin University EdD . This 'insider' Gina Wisker national network infr ast ructure for the ethnography at a NZ Polytechnic involves Key words UK higher education and research interviews with management and councils communities' (see website at policymakers, ESL co-teachers (with the Postgraduates, learning, research, support www.jisc.ac.uk) author), and a group of self-selected (ESL) student participants on their views Contact JUBILEE surveys end users of of curriculum making and the agendas Dr Gina Wisker, Anglia Polytechnic Electronic Information Services (EIS) and and expectations they have. Texts of seeks to predict, monitor and characterise University, Cambridge, UK focus group interviews with students users' information seeking behaviour. generated over a twenty week semester [email protected] The project findings will inform future and team-teacher meetings over the same strategic decision making and investment period provide two broad narratives of the in EIS by the Joint Information Systems teaching and learning experience. These Student learning in the Committee, in partnership with Higher interviews are supplemented by weekly disciplines Education institutions in the United student journal entries and 'other' teacher Working with staff from Law, Social Kingdom. documents . The aim is to construct a EIS stands for electronic information 'g rounded' insider ethnography of the work, English, Womens' Studies, services and includes a number of texts and discourses participants use to Creative writing and Computer skills for services including subject gateways position themselves with respect to others linguists, using questionnaires and focus (e.g.EEVL), online vendor services, on and to investigate the degree to which groups with first and third years the line public access library catalogues, negotiation is a useful term to describe university web sites,mailbase archives, this. Another significant strand in the project will look at student learning data sets (e.g. Univ . of Virginia work are the subjectivities and reflexive styles, matching these to learning capabilities of the researcher as insider. Electronic Text Centre, electronic demands, and outcomes of the subjects- journals, web-based dictionaries & Researchers encyclopaedias and CD-Roms, either Gavin Melles stand-alone or networked . Waikato Polytechnic (NZ) Researchers Funding is for three academic years, Deakin University (AUS) G Wisker, J Tiley , S. Waller, J .Thomas, or three cycles. Six HE institution will be Key words studied per cycle and, within each M Watkins, A Wisker ESL, Curriculum, Ethnography, Critical, institution, three disciplines will be Insider, Negotiation Key words investigated. For the first cycle, the disciplines are: Health Sciences, Business Contact disciplines, curriculum, outcomes, Studie s, English. Gavin Melles Tutor - ESOL and learning Continuing Education *JUBILEE is an acronym for JISC Contact User Behaviour in Information Seeking: The Waikato Polytechnic Private Bag HN 3036 Dr Gina Wisker Anglia Polytechnic Researchers Hamilton, NZ University, Cambridge UK Dr. Pat Gannon-Leary ; Dr. Linda [email protected] Banwell [email protected] .nz [email protected]

22 HERDSA NEWS April2000 Book Reviews Designing Courses for Higher Education By Susan Toohey. Allen & Unwin, 1999 Price AUD$55

Reviewed by Peter Karuso

Higher education is a complex naturally at odds with the conditions that to learning. If it is our aim to produce endeavour fraught with traps and pitfalls promote effective learning but provide a life-long-learners and to facilitate higher for the unwary, uncaring or overworked challenge to which this book rises. The order cognition we need to start by academic. This book seeks to carve a first chapter also contains a very brief looking at the current assessment we use path through the literature on learning and summary of how students learn and the and the messages it sends in terms of the course design at the tertiary level. It factors that affect the approach taken by types of knowledge we value. Then, end takes a refreshing broad-based approach them. that is non-judgmental and does not over by redesigning this assessment to reflect The next few chapters examine the emphasize one or other system of the messages we actually want to send. belief systems and values in academia education (e.g. and it would be an improvident academic Perhaps the most useful (at least the traditional/behaviou ral/cogni ti ve etc.). that, while reading this section, would not most important) chapter is left till last. One exception is Mager's behavioural recognize the many inappropriate This covers the implementation of objective approach, which is (rightly) ideologies that are present in their own curriculum change and the factors that criticized. However, the book is not just department. In this respect, the book have, all too often, resulted in the a list of references to the literature borrows from "managing change" type connected by terse prose but an in depth abandonment of change. The keys, as texts but the fundamental advice of first and fascinating account of learning and Susan says, are openness and ownership stepping back and examining the values teaching at tertiary institutions. Key and the application of pressure and inherent in the current system is good. references allow the reader to explore reward. It is perhaps unfortunate that the This provides the seed for revolution or, further the books and papers that have development of truly effective higher more constructively, the pressure for contributed particularly to current opinion education is dependent, like all human change. on educational theory. endeavours, on politics. The book then dives into the nuts and The work is supplemented by The book is well written, easy to read appropriate case studies, taken mostly bolts of articulating goals; objectives and and contains very few typographical from Australia but also a few from outcomes by outlining the different types errors. It is definitely a book for the overseas (e.g., New Zealand, UK and the of knowledge and the methods best used USA), although the language used (e.g. to achieve the desired outcomes. Along times and one that fills an important "graduate school") indicate the book is the way, I learnt a great deal about the niche . At $55 RRP, it seems a bit targeted at the American market. structure of knowledge and the various expensive for a relatively small methods that can be used to facilitate The opening chapter paints a gloomy paperback but when one considers that learning. Each method is summarized, perspective of modern higher education, this could, and should, become the bible referenced and advantages and suffering under ever increasing of higher education curriculum design, it disadvantages clearly indicated. Each workloads, reduced resources, and more is indeed good value . diverse students and educational chapter concludes with a useful summary. objectives . A recurring theme is the The penultimate chapter on reduced public funding of higher assessment is important, as assessment is Peter Karuso is a Senior Lecturer in education that has pushed the system to what influences, more than any other the Department of Chemistry at its current limits. These conditions are factor, the approaches taken by students Macquarie University.

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for you to enter details of visits, or to collect details of visits to your area.

23 HERDSAN EWS April 2000 Teaching for Quality Learning at University

By John Biggs. Buckingham: The Society for Research into Learning and Teaching and Open Universit y Press. AUD49 .95.

Reviewed by Roger Landbeck

John Biggs has combined years of treated to a whole chapter, thus context from the individual teacher to research into student learning , recognising the difficult situations facing the department and institutional level with exp erience as a teacher to those who wish to teach for quality and their role in supporting teaching for produc e a book that tackl es head learning despite the adverse quality learning. circumstances. on the difficultie s of teaching for One topic that is only briefly There is a very helpful chapter on quality lea rnin g in toda y 's considered, albeit very usefully, is teaching international students which university. Th e re is much flexible learning and the difficult answers all the usual stereotypical practical advice that is based on a statements about this group of students, question of delivering teaching for solid research base and a helpful such as 'they rote learn and lack critical quality learning through this mode. model of teaching in terms of thinking skills, ' and 'progressive Although the book was published in three levels. Level 1, which focuses Western teaching methods won't work 1999 developments in this area have on what the student is, Level 2 on with Asians.' Biggs provides a model for been so rapid that it is not surprising that what the teacher does and level 3 teaching international students which the treatment is brief . It is to be hoped on what the student does. challenges teachers to see teaching as that flexible learning and its education not as assimilation Bi ggs st res ses the ne ed to ali gn ramifications can be considered in (international students must become curriculum objectives with teaching and greater depth in a subsequent edition. more like local students). 'Teach better learning activ ities and assessment tasks and you'll address the problems John Biggs' book deserves to fo r effective le arn ing by st ud ents, a presented by international students.' become as popular as Paul Ramsden's process he calls constructive alignment. 'Learning to Teach in Higher It is of inte re st to lea rn that he only There is a useful final chapter on Education .' Both should be read and crystalli sed these ideas comp ara tively implementation in which Biggs uses the rec entl y. Having set the stage he then principles he has been enunciating acted upon. John Biggs provides sys tematica ll y descri bes th ese thr ee throughout the book, to look at ways of perhaps a greater emphasis on practical components, devoting two chapters to putting things into practice. Here there is teaching which acts as a complement to assessm ent. Teach ing larg e classes is useful discussion which extends the Paul Ramsden's approach.

Changing Academic Life. Developing the Learning University.

By Elaine Martin . Buckingham: The Society for Research into Learning and Teaching and Open University Press. AUD 49.95. Reviewedby Roger Landbeck

No-one needs reminding that the research findings from learning and to see that the answer to the difficult acad emic world is a stressful teaching with those in organisational situations lies within themselves to help environment at present, full of fast change and learning organisations to themselves . Great leaders are unlikely to examine these changes. Having related moving change s and events that come to provide direction. 'Each of us the experience to the research four sets must look to ourselves and expect that threaten to radically chang e the of tensions or paradoxes which face nature of the aca demy and life academics are explored in detail. The our own contribution, combined with within it. It is therefore encouraging description of the changes is provided by that of others, will be enough to make a to read an analysis of the pres ent a survey and interview data gathered difference. To quote Gandhi: 'We must situation in terms of a research from a small sample (N= 161) of be the change we wish to see in the model, which is not only able to academic staff at all levels. This data is world,' (Pg 5). used throughout the analysis to provide illum inate, but also offer encour If ever we needed to be reminded of illustrations and example which adds agemen t and hope to acad emics. real interest to the text making it easy to the value of research within a university Such an analysis has been provided read. We hear about colleagues to provide comment and explanation of by Elaine Martin in this book. grappling with changes and enjoy the world in which we live this book Following a descri ption of the major hearing about those who found creative provides that. May the possibilities changes in academic life in recent years ways of dealing with them. Elaine Martin sets before us in it be Elaine Marti n skilfully brin gs toge ther In the end the readers are challenged realised in many institutions.

24 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April2000 ~

Managing Your Academic Career: Strategies for Success by D Royce Sadler. Published by Allen & Unwin, 1999. 209 pp + xiv. AUD 24.95 Reviewed by Mary Keyes

This great little book provides a that this is important advice, it risks (developing the ideas introduced in part comprehensive range of career perpetuating a system which may be one), and renaming the present part four advice to beginning academics. faulty. Indeed the book responds to the 'Research II: publishing' and the urgent needs created by one particularly The book takes the form of 33 present part five 'Research III: entrenched fault - the lack of academic doctorates and beyond'. fairly brief chapters written in the definition and support. style of informal, friendly I found the style engaging, lively, Part one on academic life addresses a and very readable. Professor Sadler' s correspondence to hypothetical range of issues, some of which are advice throughout is pragmatic and junior colleagues. It aims to fundamental to establishing an academic honest without being patronising or explain the context of academic career such as articulating your harsh. The index and structure make the work: the 'values and 'academic focus', as well as specific book accessible, so that it could be easily environment of higher education' issues like serving on a selection referred to for advice on specific issues. (p 199), to encourage academics to committee (eh 5) and dealing with bias It also reads well from cover to cover, excel within that environment, and and discrimination (eh I 0). Other and it would be a valuable resource in chapters might have been placed hence to achieve greater staff orientation. elsewhere in the book - in particular satisfaction in their work. The It might have assisted novices who advice on writing grant proposals and are not acquainted with the university book deals with many designing a period of research leave environment to have included an fundamental issues faced by might have been located together with introductory section which gave a academics, including 'managing other material on research. This part is general overview of the matters full of thoughtful observations and your time' (eh 2), 'helping surveyed in the book, and explained the thought-provoking suggestions, such as students learn' (eh 17) and relation between the different issues the 'ten tips for establishing priorities', 'converting your thesis into a discussed. The final chapter provides a on pp 14-16. book' (eh 32). Although the very concise conclusion, which like the chapters are mostly short, and the Part two gives comprehensive advice rest of the book is thought-provoking. on job and promotion applications, issues covered are very Professor Sadler lists his attributes of the which is practical and helpful. One comprehensive, the advice is not ideal university environment (pp 200-1), particularly good feature of this book is and sends readers on their way with a superficial. It encourages a that it encourages reflection on lack of suggestion that realisation of such reflective and collegial approach success, and provides useful suggestions conditions is partly our own to improving and enjoying on how to learn from it. Chapter 16 responsibility. academic work. advises, for example, on how to deal This book provides a wise, personal, with and learn from non-promotion. The primary audience for the book is reflective perspective that experienced Professor Sadler's expertise in learning new academics, although Professor academics accumulate through their theory and assessment is clearly evident Sadler suggests that it might be a useful careers, and which is otherwise not in part three which addresses issues to reference for academic leaders (p xi). readily accessible - certainly not in such do with teaching. Chapter 18 is a The book responds to the lack of specific an encyclopedic form - to beginners. direction and support which appears splendid, concise discussion of the principles of excellence in teaching. It While the target audience of Lhe book is often to attend academic appointments. novices, and to a lesser extent leaders, One of the few faults I found with the gives interesting suggestions about curriculum design, application, and I'd be surprised if anyone could read this book is that it does not critic ally book without learning something from it. challenge (nor encourage others to evaluation, and emphasises the benefits of collaborative work. Chapter 20 I recommend it thoroughly to academics critically consider) the status quo in at all stages of their careers. academia, including the failures of dealing with cultural sensitivity is also academic leaders clearly to explain outstanding. expectations and to provide useful career Part four is entitled 'Publishing'. Mary Keyes is a lecturer in the School advice and support. The main message The book's coherency might be of Law at Griffith University. In 1999 of the book is: understand your working improved by a minor structural redesign Mary won the inaugural award for environment, and know how tightening up the discussion of research. excellence in teaching, in the category strategically to respond to the incentives This might be achieved by including an of beginning teacher at Griffith it offers. While I would not disagree introductory part on research focus University.

25 HERDSANEWS April 2000

Good Practice in Postgraduate Supervision

Edited by Gina Wisker and Nick Sutcliffe. 1999. Birmingham: Staff and Educational Development Association. ISBN: 1 902435 03 6. (SEDA Paper 106 - 147pp. Order through : [email protected])

Reviewed by Leslie Willcoxson

The strength in this collection of While this collection of papers will of scholarship (chapter 3) goes some papers is implied in its title: it undoubtedly provide some useful 'how way towards addressing unexamined presents detailed descriptions of to' guidance through its detailed assumptions, as it makes absolutely clear accounts of supervision or supervision practical strategies for supervising the importance of integrity and critical development strategies, a little more research degree students in the editorial rigour could perhaps have been reflectivity in scholarship and argues not sciences (chapters 4 and 5), for used to eliminate typographical errors, against 'managerialism' but for supervising students who speak author titling discrepancies and scholarship. This sort of argument English as a second language inconsequential details such as ambient might provide some clarity for those (chapters 6 and 7), and for temperatures in supervision rooms or an who, like the writers of chapter four, feel author's discovery that a student has supervising students at a distance pressured by government agencies to through the use of technology and three children and her account of what she might have done under assess research training in terms of value face-to-face contact (chapters 7 circumstances different from those for money. Alternatively several and 9). Like the several similar which eventuated. Of more concern, chapters in the book provide discussion books of the 80's & '90s which however, are some of the unexamined of strategies that may assist in more have preceded it and which form assumptions which permeate the book, rapid completions (e.g., chapter 5, which the practice reference base for yet these also provide the basis for some discusses departmental initiatives to many of the papers here (e.g. interesting implicit point-counterpoint support progress; chapter 7, which Moses 1985; Phillip & Pugh 1992; argument. outlines a programme designed to assist Zuber-Skerritt & Ryan 1994), the One might hope that the claim in overseas dis lance-education focus of this book is generally on chapter one that 'because you argue the the supervision of research degree case [in a thesis], you don't have to postgraduates). believe it' has been modified by the students working at PhD level, Overall, with the exception of the author's subsequent experience as a original and stimulating critique of although there is passing reference supervisor, and the evocative dismissal to some Masters degree of quality assurance processes as a supervision and scholarship provided in supervision, and issues in working 'managerial' imposition (discussed in chapter three, this collection is more with students undertaking chapter 2) has been questioned as notable for its practical suggestions than professional doctorates are academics have become more for original critical reflection on issues acquainted with recent business sketched (chapter 8). Several affecting supervision. It is likely to be management literature which chapters allude to staff of most interest to those seeking an conceptualises management as a development issues in negotiated, collective process. outline of current practice and issues in postgraduate research supervision Nevertheless chapter one, in providing a supervision and some tested and and some provide practical just-finished student account of implementable supervision or supervisor institutional or departmental supervision provides some useful development strategies. strategies for developing reflection on potential problems in supervision skills (chapters 4, 10 supervision and chapter two raises some and 11), with the chapter eleven interesting questions about the Lesley Willcoxson has just been evaluation of supervision and the discussion of a formal award appointed a Senior Lecturer in the relationship between discipline diversity Department of Human Resource course for supervisors effectively and originality and supervisor reward Management and Employment highlighting both the benefits and strategies. In any case, the sparkling, difficulties of this relatively new challenging chapter on supervision as an Relations at the University of path. act of scholarship and of re-incarnation Southern Queensland.

26 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April2000 ~

Peer Assessment in Practice Edited by Sally Brown. Birmingham: Staff and Educational Development Association. (SEDA Paper 102). Order through [email protected] Reviewed by Robyn Zevenbergen

This publication is a collection of accounts of their practices and are not evidence from their evaluations that writings focused on the use and particularly strong from an empirical students can be oppositional to peer implementation of peer assessment point of view, whereas others are very assessment with concerns, among other powerful in the claims that they offer as across a range of disciplines. It is things that students are uneasy at they are based on quality data collected written encompassing a range of marking their colleagues' work, being throughout the projects. Similarly, some genres from reflective and chapters are snapshots of a project, while unsure of how to make sense of subjective accounts through to others are long-term projects that have standards required and not wanting to more systematic studies of peer evolved over a number of take responsibility for marking. These assessment. The studies are implementations. Depending on the are common concerns noted by other predominantly from the United reader's persuasion to research, the authors, including Fullarton and Rafiq. Kingdom with one study being articles may offer more or less in terms However, the latter provide suggestions of outcomes. The quality of presentation conducted in Australia. The as to how these concerns can be also varies with some articles being very compilation represents the clear, while others somewhat less addressed. Both of these chapters have diversity in the ways peer focused. implemented peer assessment a number assessment can be implemented The article by Fullarton and Rafiq is of times and have progressively refined over a number of disciplines and particularly useful for people intending the procedures that are used. From the courses; and various aspects of to trial peer assessment within their own lessons that they have learnt through peer assessment including issues courses. The authors raise a number of progressive modification of peer associated with its implementation outcomes from their own work with peer assessment, both chapters provide and as a teaching practice. assessment. These are presented as justifications for the recommendations recommendations and provide very As the authors of the chapters in this that they offer. book attest, there are many aspects of constructive suggestions and would be As many of the chapters in this peer assessment that need to be useful for avoiding some of the pitfalls considered. These include the demands that are inherent in the practice. The collection are relatively descriptive of the discipline, the types of stimulus points raised by Fullarton and Rafiq are accounts and evaluations of the projects, that will be assessed ( oral presentations, empirically based over a number of the book makes a contribution to the cycles of implementation where they displays, examinations and so forth), the area by providing a means through have progressively refined their project forms of the peer assessment (whether which other educators can develop on peer assessment of groupwork. They individual or group), the criteria that will techniques of peer assessment within be used in the peer assessment, students' present their work as a series of their teaching contexts. The strengths reactions to peer assessment and the "lessons" that they have learnt in principles that should underpin effective implementing peer assessment. Similar and pitfalls are noted by most of the peer assessment. Throughout the findings are reported by other authors in authors, thereby indicating to those who various chapters in the book, these the text, thereby reinforcing the claims are interested and willing to attempt aspects of peer assessment are addressed made by Fullarton and Rafiq. This these approaches in their courses what chapter is useful for providing both in varying ways and degrees. Given that they need to consider when developing the authors work across a diverse range guidelines and rationale for peer their own projects. In this way, the book of disciplines including history, assessment, particularly of group work. makes a useful contribution to the education, construction, business, and Given the increasing demands being engineering the breadth of the projects made of academic' s time, the value of discussions and implementation of peer attest to the wide applicability of peer group work and the links that it has to assessment projects in higher education. the workplace, the need for ensuring assessment. Furthermore, there is Robyn Zevenbergen is a senior another chapter that addresses quality and fair assessment in this form interdisciplinary investigations of peer of pedagogy is considered in this lecturer at Griffith University assessment across the university, further chapter. Perennial issues associated with (Gold Coast Campus). She works strengthen the case of this innovation. group work and assessment are in the area of mathematics The diversity of approaches, issues and discussed, developed and addressed in education and has an interest in disciplines represents a broad sweep of this chapter, thus making a substantial the area of peer assessment. There is contribution to effective practice in this teaching and learning in higher often a conjoint addressing of similar area. education. Currently she has been aspects across different chapters so that One of the recurring themes with working on a number of authors often reinforce points made in peer assessment is students' concerns approaches to teaching including other chapters. about assessing their peers' work. This The articles vary in forms of was raised by a number of authors in peer assessment and the use of research - some are very reflective their chapters. Sher and Twigg provide study groups.

27 HERDSA NEWS April 2000

Students Supporting Students

By J. Dolan, and A.J. Castley, 1998. Birmingham: Staff and Educational Development Association. (SEDA Paper 105. Order through [email protected] Reviewed by Sandra Gollin

Having recently been charged Conference ( 1994) on Lifelong Both formal and informal programmes with co-ordinating the pilot of an Learning. are described. Peer assisted student insfitution-wide student mentoring The aim of the publication is to support (pass) at the University of scheme, and not having had any acknowledge and publicise the rapidly Lincolnshire and Humberside based on the well-known and popular US close connection with such growing phenomenon that is mentoring and to provide reflections on the design developed Supplemental Instruction schemes in the past, I have to and management of mentoring within model which provides accredited admit that this collection of case the changing context of higher training for trainers and a fully studies was a godsend. The work is education. It offers a clear view of the developed instructional system . A single highly accessible and a great wide range of schemes available in school initi ative at Nene University introduction to the topic of British tertiary institutions . College, Northampton is an informal arrangement where all second and third mentoring for the newcomer, The author s divide their book into while at the same time offering two sections. Part One contains several year Art and Design students are matched with an incoming 'fresher' . well-considered critical insights contributions that together map the They write to the student as a contact for £or those who have some territory and introduce some theoretical considerations; Part Two is a set of short the transition stage, offering friendly background, but who may be case studies. This division is useful, as advice about the college experience and looking for ideas to improve on some readers might be more interested in inviting them to respond with any existing schemes. Based on the UK the theory, while other might want to concerns. experience, this volume is also a pick up practical tips. I found it more The case studies in are written to a good counterpoint to another useful to start with the short case studies, formula in response to a set of questions recent report (Bond,1999), that is to get an idea of the kinds of schemes the researchers sent out to institutions . based on mentoring in Australian available, and then to read over the Each brief report covers the purpose of theoretical perspectives in Part One. the scheme, participants, a brief outline vocational contexts. Indeed, of how the scheme operates, how reading the two provides an In Part One, the authors define mentoring as 'peer assisted learning'. students are rewarded, key issues excellent mapping of the This is a very broad definition, and the emerging and anticipated developments. theoretical and practical issues concept is not explored at the same The format allows for easy comparison -and the range of approaches one depth as in Bond's work. Although the across schemes and also enables a quick :could take. benefit s of peer assisted learning to both overview of each particular issue from a Dolan and C astley' s collection of mentors and mentees are canvassed , range of perspectives. The case studies ,reports is timely . In Britain as in Dolan and Castley tend to make a are grouped according to either target , Australia, student mentoring is rapidly stronger case for the benefits to the group or function: peer induction, 'becoming a feature of university life. mentors. Donel an and Wallace provide a subject-based peer mentoring, learning \Why has mentoring become such a hot background to the current focus on skills-based, schemes for students with t.qpi.c? Reduction of government 'graduateness' stemming from report s disabilities and finally some innovative 'fund;ing, increased enrolm ents and the such as Kellog, Dearing and the Rome schemes in vol vi ng peer-supported so-called 'dumbing down'of tertiary Conference . Fazey provides insights into pedagogy . Interestingly, despite the wide education have all placed additional the value that mentors place on their range of target groups and purposes, the demands on resources for assisting experience. Boyle's chapter provides kinds of issues that arise are similar. students to make it at university . At the cogent argum ents for appropriate Recurrent themes include the need to same tim e, the growing emphasis on training, and financial commitment by motivate students to join, the value of 'graduate attributes' is being fuelled by the institution. In their own section, the voluntary participation by mentms and the demands from employers for authors themselves argue the case for mentees and how to enlist the ongoing graduates who can work in teams, improved student learning vi a support of academic departments. creatively solve problems, communicate mentoring. Returning to the issues canvassed in effectively with others and negotiate In Part Two, case studies introduce Part One, it is difficult to avoid the different perspectives. The public ation us to a wide variety of schemes. thought th at in many institutions provides a clear introduction to the Examples include a school-based mentoring may be seized on as a top-up global forces that ar e prop e lling induction program at Oxford Brookes for inadequate teaching, the reduction in mentoring to the forefront of educational Univer sity, cross-phase small group peer tutorial time and excessively large class thinking , for example , the recent large support in the psychology department at siz es. The writers tackle this question scale reports on post-secondary the University of Ea st London and directly, arguing cogently that mentoring education in the USA (Kello g, 1996) and support for part-tim e students of fulfils a totally different though UK (Dearing, 1997) and the Ro me Birkbeck College, University of London . complementary function to traditional

28 _J HERDSA NEWS ~~ April2000 ~ teaching. In spite of the arguments, One of the major difficulties in volunteers to commit to the scheme and however, those who are involved in getting a mentoring scheme off the finding staff within academic mentoring schemes will be aware of the ground is motivating mentors and departments with the time and energy to pressure from financial quarters to argue mentees. There is always a keen and devote to understanding, promoting and that mentoring need not be specially willing small core of volunteers, but guiding mentoring is an ongoing funded as it reduces the call on other many more students who would benefit challenge. It would have been useful to services such as language, mathematics from the experience, for various reasons have also read about what was learned and literacy support. The truth is that the are not prepared to prioritise this from some less than successful schemes overall level of student support in most activity. Fazey's chapter, 'Why should or schemes that succeeded against the tertiary institutions needs to be students want to support other students?' odds. increased, not merely maintained, draws on research on what motivates particularly as institutions open their students to take on mentoring. She References doors to more non-traditional students identifies three different categories of Bond, A. (1999) Student mentoring: and those from equity groups who are motivation: global, contextual and promoting high achievement and very often underprepared for tertiary situational. According to the research low attrition in education and study. results first year students are motivated training. Leabrook, SA: NCVER. both intrinsically and extrinsically. Hard evidence on the effect of Dearing, Sir R. (1997) Higher education mentoring on attrition, perseverence and A vexed topic at many institutions in the learning society National retention rates would be compelling. has been that of extrinsic rewards; Committee of Inquiry into Higher However, Stalker (1994) finds that ' ... should mentors be remunerated with Education. definitive empirical evidence about the payment for services rendered, should Kellogg Commission (1996) Returning activity of mentoring-particularly in they be seduced with offers of t-shirts to our roots- the student experience. academic settings is hard to come by', and bookshop discounts or should the Rethinking the role of public higher and these authors like so many others institution simply rely on their altruism education in the USA. have skirted the issue. Undoubtedly the and goodwill? The book provides plenty factors involved are complex and of food for thought in this area, and the Stalker, (1994) Athene in academe: interrelated. Perhaps the most consensus seems to be that although women mentoring women in the compelling evidence comes from students like to be recognized for their academy. International Journal of mentors and mentees themselves, who efforts, the most successful schemes rely Lifelong Education. vol 13, no 5, pp report significant personal gains. In her on voluntarism. The intrinsic rewards 361-372. chapter, Fazey provides some evidence include satisfaction in helping others and Sandra Gollin is currently Head of regarding the success of Peer Guides, the knowledge that employers will The Learning Centre at UWS Nepean, but in the book overall there is little recognize the additional skills including and Project Leader of the Student critical comment on the schemes ability to communicate, work in teams Mentoring Program, a tri-level described and no hard evidence. and tolerate different points of view. scheme addressing the first year For those attempting to initiate Overall, 'Students Supporting experience, and an integral part of the mentoring schemes options for training Students' is an invaluable guide for Nepean Core Program, which has as programs are sketched out in a chapter anyone contemplating setting up a its basis the development of key by Boyle, 'designing training and reward mentoring scheme from scratch or graduate attributes. for peer support schemes.' The chapter evaluating an existing scheme. There are leads the reader through a series of plenty of good ideas and examples, as practical and philosophical issues which well as some recognition of the pitfalls, would help planners tailor their scheme challenges and dilemmas. As one might to their client group. The three short case expect, all the case studies presented studies that conclude the chapter here throw a very positive light on the illustrate how apparently successful mentoring experience. From our local schemes addressing local needs are perspective, although the development organised, co-ordinated, financed and of a mentoring scheme is seen as a step related to curriculum. in the right direction, securing adequate funding, finding enough student

29 HERDSA NEWS April 2000

STUDYING IN AUSTRALIA. A Guide for International Students

By Teresa De Fazio. Published by Allen & Unwin

Review by Gail Wilson

I have had many opportunities to The book is practical, written in clear, in the chapter on Developing Writing work with international students informal language, and contains helpful Skills, the author draws on specific in different educational contexts. chapters to guide the international research done on different writing Often times it has been difficult to student through various aspects of conventions. Students have samples of tertiary study. The experience of the find the appropriate resources to different writing conventions - Arabic, author shows in its practical discussion support these students Asian, Russian and Southern European . of problems encountered particularly by Differences between these and English particularly in their early years of international students. writing traditions are discussed . study at tertiary level. This book Studying in Australia is divided into While there are other guides on the certainly fills that gap. several chapters: The Australian tertiary bookshelf to tempt both international education system, Choosing to study in The author, Tere sa De Fazio teaches students and lecturers who work with at the Centre for Educational Australia, Participating in classes, Note them , this text is well worth purchasing. Development and also in the Graduate taking Skills, Reading at Tertiary Level, Its clear style, easy to follow format and Diploma in Education at the Victoria Developing Writing Skills, Report wide coverage of important topics University of Technology. The Writing, Referencing, Giving clearly make it a highly recommended biographical details provided on the Presentations, Organising Study Time, cover jacket of the book indicate that Using the Library, Assessment, text for international students in Eli zabeth has extensive work experience Postgraduate Studies, and Using foundation or entry level studies. with students from non-English speaking Technology. Helpful appendices Gail Wilson is Dean of Studies, backgrounds and the basis of the book is address, among others, Australian The Blue Mountain International exp erience and ideas gain ed from 15 idioms and commonly used instruction Hotel Management School, Leora years teaching experience. words. A glossary and useful references NSW. She also lectures in The aim of the text is to assist the are also included . adjustment proces s to the Australian One of the selling points of this book Employment Relations and education context for international is its use of headings and samples to Planning and Management students in both T AFE and university. illustrate particular points . For examp le, Change.

Doing Postgraduate Research In Australia

by Kate Stevens and Christine Asmar., Melbourne University Press, 1999.

Review by Melanie Purcell

Postgraduate researc h has always the gestation of such a project becomes and procrastination . Self direction can been an environment fraught with far more than a process of writing up seem to expose the individual to an tensions and deliberations that for many, research results that will contribute to infinite mesh of pos sibilities that can can become a stress filled experience the existing body of knowledge in that cause further consternation and for this where time seems to speed by at chosen field. It inevitably becomes a very reason, the guidance that is offered exponential rates and ones own sense of process of self exploration and in "Doing Postgraduate Research In direction can become a challenging maturation that particularly if successful, Australia", is a valuable contribution to catharsis of self revelatory exploration. is potentially the most exhilarating educational resources. For some the proc ess is an exciting experience that an individual can have, Unlike many guides that seem to expansion into the consolidation of ideas and as Kate Stevens and Christine dryly address the obvious problems that that have been the object of ones Asmar sugg est, this experience is both many face when they undertake such thoughts for many years. For many, the the end of an extraordinary process, and research, Stevens and Asmar consider a thesis seems to be a forc e in itself, a the beginning of one's fullness of self, plethora of issues that make it a valuable coalescence of an entity that seems to where the future will see the expression resource for candidates that are not only acquire a life of its own as it forms of the wisdom that has been born. in the early stages of research, but also gradually through the lengthy gestation Negotiating such a terr ain is for those who are, like myself, in their period the we have committed ourselves certainly no easy task. Writing blocks final year. With a humorous and light to. The challenge that many face, is that can throw you into self doubt, despair tone, everything seems to be addressed

30 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April2000 ~ in a concise and readable fashion. The through such a lengthy process. By situation and providing tools alleviates information is presented in such a way humorously dealing with procrastination, the sense of isolation. that, through the use of tables and lists of general morale, writing blocks and ways The book is a source of inspiration additional resources added to the end of of overcoming the seemingly endless and throughout its text there is a each chapter, the book also becomes an drudgery of refining the end product, motivational tone that resonates a deep accessible quick reference guide as well with a dedication to providing solutions sense of support and encouragement. as a checklist. for "when things go wrong" the authors This book has for me become a source of The authors address topics such as have provided an exceptional and light that I now clearly see approaching the nature of the University system and practical guide. me. As I untangle the difficulties of my resources that are available, organisation University research is a way of life final process of drafting and of time and material, the refining of ones that extends over a large time period and consolidation, it has guided me through focus and potential ethical often effects all who are close to the perhaps the most treacherous of terrains, considerations, research techniques, and candidate. With current trends, the facing completion, and for this I would consid erations for presentations and average researcher is often engaged in like the opportunity to thank them. professional activities that involve full-time employment and also has conferences, seminars, and publishing. family commitments that can cause Melanie Purcell is a doctoral student With topics concerning time serious tension. The effect of such an in Philosophy at the University of management, traditional and electronic intense focus is profound and can be Newcastle. In 1999 she was awarded research, the value of teaching, transformational. To find a guide that one of the HERDSA Conference motivation and post degree approaches these considerations is useful Grants to Postgraduate students. opportunities , there is little that has not simply in the fact that such problems are been considered. recognised and discussed. The sense of The material is presented in a clear alienation that is often felt by a student and straightforward manner and uses who is also a mother and constrained by anecdotal quotes that illustrate the the responsibilities that are constantly in dynamics such a project has and ways need of attention , and the lack of that individuals have approached various extended periods of unbroken study challenges that are inevitably incurred time, can be profound and is often seen as a gross disadvantage. Addressing this

Managing Quality and Standards

By C. Liston Buckingham: Open University Press, 1999. ISBN O 335 20208 X (pb). 192pps. RRP Aus$49.95 Reviewed by Di Adams

This book is written for managers and institution. There seems to be a jump is that which deals with best practice. in universities and colleges. It between quality issues for individual The key points of leadership; strategy, purports to offer action guidelines, student grading and the quality systems policy and planning; information and for the institutional processes, which and procedures for demonstrating analysis; people; client focus; quality of offers an opportunity to explore the process, product and service; and improved performance via the tensions between academic or organisational performance provide application of standards for post professional judgements and those of the some guiding questions for institutions secondary institutions. institutional management. wishing to establish or refine their The book is divided into eight As the concept of quality for post quality systems. Chapter 7, Models to chapters, which cover definitions of secondary education is integral to the Consider, describes models such as Total terms used; a history of the "quality book, it is a pity that the work on Quality Management (TQM), Total debate"; an international overview; quality, published by Diana Green in the Service Quality (TSQ), ISO9000, and quality improvements in educational UK, is not used. Some of her work is Cycle Time Reduction (CTR). However environments; quality management and listed in the bibliography, but Green 's this chapter does not provide a planning; benchmarking and best multiple definitions of quality are convincing argument for the usefulness practice; models; and a summary. passed over for definitions arising from of any of these models individually, nor Some of the objectives of this book, industrial texts and the World Book for a synthesised model. as expressed in the preface, are to dispel Dictionary. It doesn't discuss the role of There are many assertions made in fear and discomfort and to increase the quality debate for its symbolic value, this book, some of which are knowledge and understanding of the as a legitimator of policies, as a unsupported by evidence, eg practice of managing quality and mechanism to constrain growth, or as a "governments impose more and more standards . These objectives are not fully mechanism to bring together all uniformity" (p25); and others have attained. I found the sections on stakeholders, although the latter inducted a general principle from a accreditation and on evaluation mechanism is implied in some parts of single specific study. For example, the confusing rather than enlightening, as the book. statement about review of health the focus meanders between individual The most useful section of the book professional education programs:

31 HERDSANEWS April 2000

"Indeed, no significant correlation depth, nor are the lessons from the basic grammatical mistakes (lack of between individuals' grades and clinical literature on implementation theory subject-verb agreement; relative competence has been found." (p35) is evident in this publication. However, it pronouns with ambiguous antecedents; based on a single study of physical may be carping to highlight omissions etc), many of the sentences are clumsy therapy students in 1988. There is also a rather than to concentrate on the and confused, requiring several readings statement that "sector-wide performance contents. For a listing of current theories to clarify meaning (eg final paragraph indicators are being developed" [my and models of managing quality in p67). This is just not acceptable for a emphasis] in response to the objectives generic organisations, this is possibly a book on quality and standards. enunciated by the Australian government useful resource. It provides a different "relevant minister" in 1996 (p45). Such perspective to the specifically higher References a statement implies that there had been education models as published by Becher, T. and Kogan, M. (1992) no previous development of performance Becher and Kogan on Process and Process and Structure in Higher indicators, such as the Linke document Structure in Higher Education(l992) and Education. London: Routledge (2nd of 1991 for DEET, or the HEC by Kogan, Moses and El-Khawas on edition) commissioned report #51, or the key Staffing Higher Education (1994). The Kogan, M., Moses, I., and El-Khawas, E. learning outcomes from the seven more recent publication by DETY A on (1994). Staffing Higher Education: projects on quality management of Benchmarking may be a useful Meeting New Challenges. London: university teaching and learning from complement to the section of best Jessica Kingsley Publishers. the Eltham Symposium of 1995. practice from this book. The tension between academic The most serious flaw of this book is cultural values and those of the the quality of editing. It would have Di Adams is a Lecturer in Higher managers in higher education is benefitted from the services of a Education at the University of mentioned, but not addressed in any professional editor. Apart from many Canberra.

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32 HERDSA NEWS ~~ April2000 ~ News of HERDSA Branches

and Dave Waldron and thanks them for visiting Hong Kong for other reasons NEW ZEALAND their professional efforts (Nancy as (usually as consultants to one or other of leader of a SIG and Dave as ex the institutions) and we prevail upon secretary). them to give a HERDSA talk at no cost. The HERDSA NZ Committee members HERDSA events for NZ members in Most agree. We hosted a very successful for 2000 are: 2000 are still in the planning stage. one here at Hong Kong University with Mary Melrose Arrangements for the 2000 Dr. Angela Brew, (Topic: Best Practice (Chairperson) HERDSA visiting scholar, Charles in Assessment: What We Can Learn Auckland University of Technology Glassick, to travel to venues around NZ from Australian Universities) on January Jane Khull are progressing . A Friday night/Saturday 26. Another one is planned with Dr. (Secretary) morning seminar in Auckland is being Michael Theall, (Director, Center for Auckland University of Technology planned around the 2000 Conference Teaching and Learning, University of theme of Flexible Learning. It is hoped 11linois at Springfield), for March 21 Maureen Reid that this might be mirrored in more than (Treasurer) (Topic: The courage of scholarship: one city in NZ, with cooperation Auckland University of Technology where Palmer and Boyer meet). Others between HERDSA committee members are still to be decided. Stanley Frielick and others. (The University of Auckland) Two recent publications may be of Local workshops on how to plan and interest. Reynold MacPherson present a conference presentation may (The University of Auckland) be held late in the year to encourage Kelly M. and Marsh J. (1999) Going Mark Barrow beginning researchers to attend the 2001 On-line with Student Evaluation of (UNITEC) conference, when the theme for that has Teaching, Evaluation of the Student Jane Gunn-Lewis been decided. Experience Project Series, Vol. 6, Centre (UNITEC) Last year's series of seminars where for the Enhancement Of Learning and Teaching, City University of Hong Kong Phil Ker politicians presented their views and (Auckland University of Technology) answered questions on tertiary education James J. (ed.) 1999, Quality in policy before the NZ election was very Shona Little Teaching and Learning: A collection of successful. Steve Maharey, the Minister (Auckland University of Technology) refereed papers from the first conference of Tertiary Education in the new Labour on Quality in Teaching and Leaming in Lorraine Parker Government, will be invited back to Higher Education, I 0-12 December, (Auckland University of Technology) Auckland to discuss the implementation 1998, Hong Kong SAR, China, Garry Russell of new policies, including the new Reprographics Unit, Hong Kong (Auckland University of Technology) Tertiary Education Commission. We Polytechnic University. John Melrose suggest that groups of members in other Jonathon Marsh (Manukau Institute of Technology) NZ Centres organise a similar event. A working title for the event might be -"So Colleen McMurchy-Pilkington now you are in power, given the (Auckland College of Education) promises you made and your QUEENSLAND Gordon Suddaby philosophical position, what changes are (Massey University) occurring in NZ tertiary education?" Eileen Piggot-Irvine Dr Mary Melrose Chairperson. At the AGM in November last year (Massey University) Email: [email protected] Nicola Yelland was elected as Ptesident, Alison Viskovic Carol Bowie as Treasurer and Jo (Massey Wellington) Brownlee as Secretary for the Helen Matthews HONGKONG Queensland Branch of HERDSA. (Christchurch Polytechnic) The main activity of the year centres Neil Haigh around the organization the 2000ASET/ Jonathon Marsh will be leaving (Waikato University) HERDSA international conference . We Hong Kong shortly to take up a post in have received over 200 abstracts for long Pip Bruce-Ferguson the United Arab Emirates so the role of and short papers, workshops and poster (Waikato Polytechnic) the President has recent! y passed on to sessions and these are currently being Chris Heath Dr. Aggi Tiwari, in the Department of refereed by a team of reviewers. The (Otago University) Nursing at Hong Kong University (afytiwar@hkucc. hku. hk). program committee meet on March 15 to The NZ Branch expresses their allocate successful presentations to thanks to Colleen McMurchy Activities so far this year have been specific timeslots and we are confident Pilkington(ex-treasurer) and Stanley restricted to planning a series of dinner of staging an interesting and provocative Frielick (ex-secretary) for their sustained talks.These are planned as regular events hard work We welcome Maureen Reid throughout the year, each being hosted program for delegates to Toowoomba and Jane Khull to these positions. The by one of the ten tertiary institutions in from July 2 to 5. committee farewells Nancy de Freitas Hong Kong. Our speakers are usually Nicola Yelland

33 HERDSANEWS April 2000 Special Interest Groups

HELM Position of Academic Language & University of New South Wales Learning Skills Advisers in Australian (Higher Education Leadership For further details of NSW/ACT Universities. In the ensuing discussion meetings contact: and Management) on this position paper, it was noted that John Grierson, (Convenor, NSW/ACT Please note that the convenor of this the roles and activities of language and Language and Learning SIG) SIG is now located at the University of learning advisers continue to be dictated the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. Her email primarily by the policies of individual Learning Development Centre address is clifford_ [email protected] institutions, and that a more consistent University of Western Sydney, national perspective on learning skills Macarthur Student Learning advising in universities needs to be PO Box 555, Campbelltown, NSW, achieved. Australia At the 1999 HERDSA Conference In order to achieve more clarity, it Phone: (02) 9772 640 I the Student Learning Group presented a was suggested that the current position series of papers at one of the sessions. It Fax: (02) 9773 5543 paper be re-drafted into two versions, is hoped to repeat this at the July one of which emphasizes professional E-mail: [email protected] conference. Those wishing to have their values, and the other focussing on papers scheduled for this special session industrial aspects relating to the position should indicate this to the organisers National Language and of academic skills advisers in when they submit them. Academic Skills universities in Australia. These Convenor: Gillian Boulton-Lewis, documents will then be presented to Conference. Queensland University of Technology. HERDSA and to the NTEU later this The National Language and Email: [email protected] year. Copy of the re-worked position Academic Skills conference, convened papers will be circulated through by Language and Learning Services, Unilearn or can be obtained from Anita Monash University, was held in UNILEARN (Language van der Wal (contact details below). Melbourne, 25 and 26 November, 1999, in the tranquil garden setting of the and Learning) Following the morning meeting, Corpus Christi College Conference participants enjoyed the end-of-year On 10 December 1999, a meeting of Centre. the Language and Learning Special Christmas lunch off campus. The day Over the two days, delegates Interest Group was held at the Learning confirmed our enthusiasm for our considered the conference theme of Centre, The University of Sydney. In activities, research interests, and "Language and Learning, the Learning the morning, participants shared collegial collaboration. Dimensions of our Work". Keynote information about activities in the Dr. Anita van der Wal various learning centres at the Australian speakers addressed four sub-themes: National Convenor, Language and Graham Webb of Monash University Catholic University, the University of Learning Special Interest Group NSW, The University of Wollongong, spoke on "Theories of Learning", The Learning Skills Group The University of Technology, Sydney, Lesleyanne Hawthorne of the University of Melbourne on "Cultures of Learning", The University of Western Sydney The University of Newcastle Gordon Taylor, formerly of Monash (Nepean), The University of Western Callaghan NSW 2308 University, considered "Generic and Sydney (Macarthur), and The University Phone: 02 4921 5 890 Di scipline-speci fie Learning", while of Newcastle. Fax: 02 4921 6994 Carmel McNaught of RMIT University Following a delicious morning tea, Email: [email protected] discussed "Flexible Learning". Papers various presentations were made: addressed these themes. Evaluations Sally Humphrey, from The indicate that the delegates enjoyed the Learning Centre at The University of Meetings of the Corpus Christi setting, found the Sydney, briefly described her current NSW/ACT HERDSA conference stimulating and useful, and research, which consists of a Language and Learning appreciated the opportunity to catch up comparative study of the academic Special Interest Group and share stories with fellow "Language demands of writing in a number of will be held: and Learners". disciplines with particular focus on the Refereed Proceedings, edited by the Friday 14 April 2000 transition from school to first year conference organisers, Glenda Crosling, university. University of Western Sydney Tim Moore and Sheila Vance, will be The Position of Academic (Rydalmere Campus) available for a cost of $30 later this year. Language & Learning Skills Advisers Friday 9 June 2000 Enquiries about the Proceedings can be in Australian Universities Australian National University directed to Bennos Cousins, Language and Learning Services, Monash Erst Carmichael, from the To be confirmed: September 2000 (Date University, phone (03) 9903 2507, or University of Western Sydney (Nepean), unknown) discussed the current draft of The [email protected]

34 HERDSA NEWS April 2000

Notes from the HERDSAExecutive

The HERDS A Executive HERDSA publications. Provide a responding to government policy Committee met at the University proposal for the future of HERDSA initiatives. While HERDSA is not of Sydney last November. Here Occasional Publications at the next primarily a political organisation, it does have a role in debate and discussion on are some notes of Executive meeting. higher education issues. While business not covered by articles HERDSA Constitution HERDSA already has the ability to elsewhere in this News: The Executive considered changes to produce papers, being more influential on a political level given current Website developments the HERDSA constitution required for incorporation in the ACT. The amended resources, would need a new strategy. HERDSA members are now able to constitution is being circulated to all be contacted by their branch secretary or members and your comments and vote How the Executive works convenor, via an email. This facility has are welcomed. After much discussion about the been developed through the new work of the Executive it became clear arrangements installed to the member's Strengthening bilateral that effective work happens when section on the HERDSA website. In support individuals have a definite task to move addition, the executive can now In relation to strengthening bilateral forward. exchange information and discussion on support and communication with similar A different structure emerged, linked the Executive Forum section. organisations (eg SEDA, POD, clearly to HERDSA's strategic plan: It was also agreed to obtain better SARRDHE) it was agreed to obtain 1. A series of Ongoing Activities and information about numbers and source details of where new international Responsibilities (OARs). of users of the HERDSA website, as members have come from over the past Conference convening there is an ongoing question of whether few years and investigate the feasibility HERDSA News items should be and financial implications of strategies Conference host identification published electronically. The Executive such as reduced conference registration and liaison - thanked Roger Landbeck for his work on rates & provision of newsletter & journal Conference guidelines the News only, for members of overseas President Dividing conference organisations, similar to HERDSA. Executive Officer (previously profits The executive will also initiate called Secretary) discussion on members rates for Treasurer It was agreed that after all accounts conference attendance with such HERD editor had been paid, the surplus generated organisations. from a conference was to be split 25% to News HERDSA national and 75% retained by The Australian Goods and Occasional publications branch, to support branch initiatives. Services Tax Advertising publications HERD journal The introduction of the Australian Conference publications GST will impact many facets of Visiting Scholar The 2000 special issue (July) will HERDSA work. The Treasurer, Barbara Postgraduate awards focus on the scholarship of teaching and Black, reported that HERDSA would Research prize learning. need to register with the Australian Tax Liaising with other institutions/ HERDSA Green and Gold Office (ATO), as then tax credits as well as liabilities are payable. organisations Guides Office liaison The Office has started collecting As Kym Fraser has tendered her pro-rata GST on membership renewals Office management resignation after many years of work, the and fees. While the ATO still has not Organisation management President, Angela Brew thanked Kym completed all the guidelines, it would Web development and for her valiant and impressive work as appear from the information available maintenance Green and Gold Guides editor. that exact GST costs should be passed Branches, SIGs liaison & Now to be called HERDSA on to members rather than rounding off. information folder Occasional Papers, and incorporate the The price structure on HERDSA Guides and other publications. Three co membership should clarify that the 2. New Annual Projects (NAPs). editors were appointed and welcomed: standard membership fee is still $95. These would be proposed and Susan Hayes, Allan Goody and Peter HERDSA'S role in selected within the Executive Hodder, with Susan as the convening according to clear criteria based editor. responding to government on (i) the extent to which the ([email protected]) policy project would further HERDSA's The new publications co-editors will The Executive was asked to consider strategic plan (ii) resource explore the direction and purpose of HERDSA's role and resources for requirements.

35 Commencing with the August 2000 edition there will be a series of three issues focusing on the theme Academic Life Today

Research in Academic Life

Articles will include

Managing academic life by Royce Sadler. An overview for the series.

The Changing Research Culture by Angela Brew

Research from the institutional viewpoint.

Case Studies from academics about their experiences of getting on the research track.

Professional Service to the Community

Suggestions of the names of possible contributors to the November 2000 and the April 200 I editions would be gratefully received by the Editor .

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