March 2009 — Volume 3, Issue 2

Learning Networks key new element of ALTC

Launched at the November 2008 Leading Change Symposium, the Learning Networks initiative comprises three elements: the Discipline Support Strategy, the appointment of Discipline Scholars, and the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Exchange.

Learning Networks are a key new element of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council strategy to enhance learning and teaching in higher education.

Learning Networks is premised on the idea that changing cultural practice is best achieved by working with existing networks of discipline leaders, groups and other associations to address national and disciplinary priorities in learning and teaching. Although many of the issues identified across the sector are common, the solutions need to address the particular circumstances of each discipline. This is the level at which the greatest number of academics will be able to engage with the issues and develop solutions.

To add momentum to this idea, the Leading Change Symposium provided a space for a wide range of leaders within and across disciplines in higher education to come together to share their insights into the key issues facing the disciplines.

Attended by 180 people in a variety of leadership roles — ranging from heads of school, associate deans teaching and learning, and faculty deans, to pro vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors — the symposium provided a unique opportunity for this group to meet and discuss a variety of issues.

Three areas highlighted during discussion were the student experience, curriculum and engagement and promoting teaching and learning. A report on the even will soon be available on the ALTC website.

Discipline Support

Support will focus on nine broad discipline groupings, which align with many faculty structures in Australian higher education and the structure of councils of deans

The groupings are:

• Architecture and Building
• Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Business, Management and Economics
• Creative and Performing Arts
• Education and Human Service Professions
• Engineering and Technology
• Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science
• Law
• Science

In 2009, the three broad discipline groupings which will be supported are: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Business, Management and Economics; and Engineering and Technology. These disciplines were selected on the basis of the work completed through the Discipline Based Initiatives scheme. For Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, that involved the national audit of the Bachelor of Arts degree, Nature and Roles of Arts Degrees in Contemporary Society. For Business, Economics, and Management, the completion of the report Business as usual: A collaborative and inclusive investigation of existing resources, strengths, gaps and challenges to be addressed for sustainability in teaching and learning in Australian university business faculties. For Engineering and Technology, the report Addressing the Supply and Quality of Engineering Graduates for the New Century.

The Discipline Support Strategy

The ALTC will provide funding of up to $225,000 over three years to national bodies of deans to implement a Discipline Support Strategy which will support priority developments and embed learning and teaching outcomes from work undertaken through ALTC programs in the sector. This strategy, prepared by the national discipline body in consultation with the ALTC, aims to support the development of systemic processes and systems for learning and teaching.

Discipline Scholars

In addition to the discipline support funding for each discipline grouping, a Discipline Scholar will be appointed.

As well as working within their discipline, the scholars will collaborate on one cross-disciplinary issue during their appointment. To facilitate that collaboration, all of the scholars will spend three days together each month in the ALTC offices in Sydney.

Discipline Scholars will play a key facilitative role within their discipline, and provide an interface between the ALTC and national bodies of deans or other discipline leadership groups. This will involve engaging with the work of the ALTC in their fields of disciplines to identify current and emerging issues, strengths and gaps and to build strong relationships with relevant ALTC projects, ALTC Fellows and discipline leaders. They will be responsible for bringing the Learning Networks initiative to life, and for developing a continuing momentum of engagement in, and improvement of, a teaching and learning culture.

ALTC Discipline Scholars will have a record of progressing learning and teaching in their discipline as well as having contributed to setting learning and teaching agendas nationally. Typically, these scholars will have had extensive involvement through the key disciplinary bodies, or through high level institutional leadership in learning and teaching. A strong interest in supporting the work of others in the discipline, including the development of early career academics, is also important.

ALTC Exchange

The third element of Learning Networks is the ALTC Exchange (above), an online service that enables people to network to share information and facilitate the building of a body of knowledge related to learning and teaching issues.

The ALTC Exchange is an integral part of the ALTC’s strategy for disseminating and embedding change and development in learning and teaching across the Australian higher education sector.

The ALTC Exchange provides learning and teaching resources and functions to support communication and collaboration across the higher education sector. It provides access to virtual project collaborative spaces, increasing the capacity to connect within, across, and beyond the ALTC, as well as search, discovery, and repository functions for lodging and sharing resources, and portals to other learning resources.

To join the ALTC Exchange visit: www.altcexchange.edu.au.