[Herdsa] Wed 26th March

[Roger Landbeck]

Supporting sessional teachers at university

An extract from the Press Release about the research project kindly supplied
by Denise Chalmers, the project leader.

The project, funded by the Australian Universities Teaching Committee (AUTC)
built on the Teaching Large Classes project and was conducted in 2002 in
collaboration with Queensland University of Technology.

A major finding of the project was a widespread lack of formal or
centralised policies and practices regarding sessional teaching staff across
Australian universities.

³The project team could find no examples of a Œwhole university¹ approach to
the management, support or training of sessional teachers. Given the
significant benefits and increased flexibility and diversity that sessional
teachers offer to universities, this is a major concern² Denise Chalmers
reported at the National Teaching Forum, in December 2002.

A major finding from the project was that local responses to the challenges
of training, managing and supporting sessional staff should occur within a
wider university framework of clear policies, guidelines and practices. More
practically, resources need to be allocated (and be specifically identified
for this purpose) to ensure that sessional teaching staff are appropriately
managed, supported and trained.

Multiple copies of the guidelines have been sent to all universities with a
letter from Prof John Hay (as Chair, Australian Universities Committee) as
well as promotional materials drawing attention to the resources available
on the web-site.

The guidelines, case studies, literature review and other resources
developed during the project can be found at the project web-site
www.tedi.uq.edu.au/sessionalteaching


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Position Available

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER (SENIOR LECTURER) IN HEALTH SCIENCE
ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

A central element of the brief of the Academic Development Programme (ADP)
and its parent body, the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED), is
to provide professional assistance to the University of Cape Town's
faculties with regard to programme and curriculum development and
specialised teaching, with particular reference to catering for student
diversity.

As the successful candidate for this post, you will carry responsibility for
the co-ordination, evaluation and development of AD-related work activities
and will provide support for curriculum development in the Health Sciences
Faculty. You will be jointly responsible to the Director of the ADP and the
Director of Education, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Responsibilities include:
Developing proposals for new educational development initiatives;
Engaging in curriculum development initiatives with other academic staff in
the Faculty, with particular reference to the development of new curricula;
Assisting with academic staff development related to improving teaching and
learning;
Assisting with the developmental aspects of quality assurance;
Undertaking research relevant to educational development in Health Sciences
and CHED;
Undertaking a partial teaching load if required;
Provide support to staff development activities related to improving
teaching and learning;
Liaising with the Director of Education on the production of documentation
for potential external donors.

Applicants should have appropriate qualifications.  A postgraduate
qualification and/or experience in educational development is required.  A
background Health Sciences will be an advantage.

The remuneration package, including benefits, is negotiable between R189
937 - R237 420 a year.

Please send a letter of application, your CV (no certificates), a one-page
summary of your CV, and details (tel/email) of 3 referees, to: Staff
Recruitment & Selection (Ref: 711), UCT, Rondebosch 7701 by 15 April 2003.
Telephone: (021) 650-2220, fax: (021) 650-2138, email:
mavundlm at bremner.uct.ac.za, website: www.uct.ac.za

The University is fully committed to employment equity.

******************************************


Roger Landbeck
List Moderator
Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Inc
PO Box 27
Milperra NSW 2214
AUSTRALIA

Ph: 61 2 9771 3911
Fax: 61 2 9771 4299
Email landbeck at ozemail.com.au
Web http://www.herdsa.org.au