| Mapping Graduate Attributes in the Engineering Curriculum John Currie, Anna Carew and Frances Zaballa, Faculty of Engineering jc@aciic.eng.usyd.edu.au Mapping Graduate Attributes in the Engineering Curriculum - pdf file |
| Teaching facilities management to graduate students David Leifer, Faculty of Architecture dleifer@arch.usyd.edu.au This poster deals with an educational perception of teaching graduate students by course-work in intensive study mode. Specifically we deal with an emergent profession - facility management (FM) - for which no undergraduate degree currently exists in Australasia. Generally part time students are recruited from either architecture graduates or from industry where student's backgrounds come from a wide range of prior learning experience and technical knowledge. The feature in common is that to be prepared for a professional role students need to acquire a platform of basic skills, tools, processes and procedures which they can subsequently apply to a range of real-life problems. This poster presents a case study of constructive alignment of and within the Facility Management programme to ensure that students cover all of the basic ground and are equipped with the mental attitude enabling them to utilise their new knowledge as FM professionals. Teaching Facilities Management to Graduate Students - pdf file |
| Faculty culture and excellence in teaching and learning Rosanne Taylor and Chis Maxwell, Faculty of Veterinary Science rosannet@vetsci.usyd.edu.au The key to enhancing educational quality in the Faculty of Veterinary Science (FVS) has been the creation of a culture of professionalism and commitment to student-centred learning. Working from an understanding of the profound impact of teacher approaches to teaching on student approaches to learning, FVS has developed structures and policies using evidence and scholarship to inform educational practice. The Faculty responded to financial difficulties introducing a new curriculum in 2000 and increasing student numbers and diversity, both necessitating a shift in teaching methods. An intense period of reflection and restructuring followed recognition of the compelling need for change to ensure sustainability and continuous quality improvement. Our culture recognizes the centrality 'of excellence and scholarship in teaching and learning' (FVS Strategic Plan, 2000-2003). Strategies to support teaching and learning include investment in staff (recruitment, induction, mentoring, leadership training, support, workload management and rewards) and curriculum (graduate attributes, professional partnerships, flexible learning resources, assessment policies, teaching support, quality monitoring and innovative educational design). Change has been substantial; over 90% of staff participate in development workshops, 30% have undertaken the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, 40% engage in teaching research/development projects. FVS has attracted competitive funding for teaching innovation and performance. There has been major qualitative change in the richness of dialogue about learning, generated by an expanding learning community of educators. International, national and University accreditation reviews praised the innovative and student-focused curriculum which is constructively aligned to the graduate attributes. Students' experience of learning improved at Unit and Course level (14% improvement in assessment over 3 years). Students' performance has improved with fewer failures and high level of honours. These outcomes suggest that sustainable changes in educational practice and student learning can be achieved through student-centred curriculum development and investment in staff, the most important educational resource. Faculty culture and excellence in teaching and learning - pdf file |
| Challenges in introduction of case based learning in a new course within a professional curriculum Peter Windsor and Rosanne Taylor, Faculty of Veterinary Science pwindsor@camden.usyd.edu.au Introduction: This paper describes the initiation of an interactive, student centered, case-based, team approach to the teaching of livestock animal health and production in veterinary science. The strategy was designed to encourage a deep approach to learning though discussion and problem solving, incorporating a combined curriculum of two separate course into one, with partial replacement of didactic lectures with case studies requiring students to work in teams. Methodology: The strategy was to develop a new course entitled Ruminant Health and Production that replaced curriculum material in the former cattle and sheep health courses. The new course consisted of reduced total lecture time, retention and further development of practical classes, and introduction of a case based learning strategy entitled TILHAPS (Teaching Innovations in Livestock Health and Production). The TILHAPS required students to form teams of four and answer a series of questions relating to a case study that was made available on WebCT. The case study required students to address the questions by their own research over a three week period and develop a presentation in PowerPoint, including illustrative material that has been placed on the Faculty's online image database OLIVER. The presentations were subjected to critical peer review with discussion and analysis, by the class and professional colleagues, and assessment by the Unit of Study Coordinator (UoSC), with their performance contributing 15% of the assessment for the course. The series of 28 cases were selected on the basis of their ability to illustrate material currently under discussion in lectures and practical classes, particularly involving diagnostic problems and an expectation that an outline of management options offered by the students in addressing the problem will include consideration of economic consequences of their decisions to producers, the livestock industry and in some cases, impacts on international trade. All students were expected to address the cases as a similar case-based approach formed a major part of the final examination. On the day of their presentation, students were required to post a case summary for discussion on the course WebCT web site and the UoSC facilitated discussion and added material of relevance to the case. The teaching strategy was initially evaluated by teacher reflection and student questionnaire to students in the old curriculum and this approach will be used for the first group of students in the new curriculum. Conclusion: Student feedback indicated initially that students appreciated that this approach assisted their generic skill development but were concerned at the quality of material presented by students that was perceived as in lieu of lectures. However further work has indicated that students recognize that the case-based approach exposed them to a real world production focus, including issues of importance to the rural community and food and fibre production sector. They identified that the approach challenged and engaged them in activities that help them learn with a variety of supports for learning including deep and holistic and group learning, consistent with graduate and professional attributes. 'Introduction of a global industry-focused case-based team-learning approach to the teaching of livestock animal health and production in Veterinary Science' - PowerPoint presentation |
| Teaching clinical problem solving to veterinary science students prior to their clinical year: an integrated case-based approach Sanaa Zaki, Lecturer in Veterinary Anaesthesia, Faculty of Veterinary Science szaki@mail.usyd.edu.au A sound approach to clinical problem solving is a fundamental skill that all veterinary graduates will draw upon as professionals. The challenge for the Veterinary Anaesthesia course was how to introduce a truly clinical perspective to a new curriculum that is already strongly case-based and problem orientated. With the introduction of the new curriculum, students are not formally engaging in clinical activities until their final year. So how do we teach students to make clinical decisions when they have no clinical experience? The new Veterinary Anaesthesia course was designed with the primary aim of preparing students for clinical practice. Lectures introduce students to problems in veterinary anaesthesia. Here information relevant to core subject material is put into context through a case-based lecture format. I utilise teaching hospital cases, so that students see the outcomes of real decisions made on real patients. Tutorial classes provide opportunities to reinforce and develop key concepts discussed in lectures. Using current clinical cases students learn to tackle complex problems through investigation and reflection. Practical classes provide opportunities for vital technical training. The introduction of animal training models and classes that utilise cadavers has enabled learning outcomes to be achieved that previously required the use of live animals. The introduction of what I call 'Clinical Learning Sessions' is the final key component of the new course. These small group sessions are designed to prepare forth year students for their 'internship' year by encouraging them to utilise their knowledge and skills, and begin to develop the confidence required for anaesthetising clinical cases. This integrated approach to clinical teaching has resulted in students being more attentive and focussed, and better able to carry forward knowledge and skill gained from one learning session into the next. Teaching clinical problem solving to veterinary science students prior to their clinical year: an integrated case-based approach - PowerPoint poster |
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