Review Processes
Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching
Closing the Loop
The Faculty of Science has an internal reporting mechanism that supports communication between students and staff to ensure a quality learning experience and monitor improvements in our teaching.
All units of study are regularly evaluated by students through course experience questionnaires and via the student-staff liaison committees within each discipline. This feedback allows us to analyse the efficacy of our course curricula and teaching practices and modify them to suit the changing needs of our students. We then report on these changes to each new group of students.
Standards Compact
The Standards Compact details our improvement targets for Learning and Teaching. It includes an analysis of our strengths and weaknesses and an outline of the enhancement strategies that we are adopting.
Staff-Student Liaison Committees
These committees are the primary way for student evaluation and feedback during semester. They are organised and run by each School within the Faculty. Representatives are chosen by self-nomination and by elections (if required). For more details, see the LMS (Blackboard) sites for each unit of study.
Concerns which are not covered by these committees, such as Faculty-wide issues, should be addressed to the .
| School | Student Representation | Number of Meetings |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Sciences | Representatives for each unit | 1 meeting for Junior / Intermediate and 1 meeting for Senior per semester |
| Chemistry | 1 representative for each stream and unit | 2 meetings per semester |
| Geosciences | 1 or 2 representatives for each unit | 1 meeting per semester |
| Mathematics and Statistics | 5 or 6 representatives for Junior units and 1 or 2 representatives for Intermediate and Senior units | 2 meetings per semester |
| Molecular Biosccience | ||
| Biochemistry / Molecular Biology | 7-8 representatives | 1 meeting per semester |
| Microbiology | 1 representative for each practical class for each unit | 1 meeting per semester |
| Nutrition | 1 representative for each Masters and Undergraduate couese | 1 meeting per year |
| Physics | 2 representatives for each stream and unit | 1 meeting for Junior and 1 meeting for Intermediate / Senior per semester |
| Psychology | 2 representatives from each year elected by Psyche (The Psychological Society) attend the School Learning and Teaching Committee | |
Committees
The following committees meet regularly in order to facilitate communication in the Faculty of Science reporting process.
Learning and Teaching Committee
The Learning and Teaching Committee coordinates activities across all schools and units in the Faculty of Science. The committee also oversees Faculty learning and teaching programs and responds to the Academic Board on policy decisions. Student representatives sit on meetings held during semester,
Dean’s Advisory Committee
The Dean’s Advisory Committee provides a forum for discussion between the Heads of School within the Faculty of Science. The Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) reports to this committee, ensuring that learning and teaching initiatives are communicated to key decision makers within each School.
Undergraduate Studies Committee
The Undergraduate Studies Committee reviews and approves all degree programs within the Faculty of Science.
ITL Associate Deans (L&T) Group
The Institute for Learning and Teaching Associate Deans (L&T) Committee provides a forum for collaboration across different faculties on learning and teaching initiatives.
First-year experience working group
The First Year Experience Working Group provides a forum for collaboration across different faculties on initiatives that aim to enhance the experience of first-year students at the University of Sydney. First-year coordinators within the Schools sit on this committee and report to the Learning and Teaching Committee.