Communication Strategy

Victoria University is committed to an organisational culture based on sound ethical values and quality assurance practices. 

 

The teaching and learning policies and associated procedures have been introduced as part of a quality assurance mechanism aimed at providing and ensuring standardised, transparent, robust and meaningful directions and approaches for professional practice that produce reciprocal benefits for staff and students.

 

Click here to download the Communication Strategy.

 

Key Policies and Strategies

• Learning & Teaching Policy
• Higher Education Academic Promotion Policy
• Probation Policy
• Professional Development Policy
• Staff Performance & Development Plan Policy
• Induction for Teaching
• e-Learning Strategy

 

 

VU provides a range of Professional Development alternatives in the area of Learning and Teaching:

 

Induction for New Employees

This website provides information assist you to settle into your new role. Included in this site is access to the Induction program and workshops, checklists and links to help you get started at VU.

 

PD schedule 2007

Staff can login to the VU Online PD Booking System to view up to date information on what PD sessions are currently being offered.

 

PD schedule 2006

 

Professional Development Activities 2005

Activities in the field of learning and teaching were mainly offered by the Staff College.

 

Professional Development Activities 2004

Activities in the field of learning and teaching were mainly offered by the Staff College.

 

Accredited Staff Development

• Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education
  Teaching staff in TAFE and higher education are invited to participate in graduate program in tertiary education offered by the School of Education and the Staff College . The program has been developed for staff members who want to develop their expertise as tertiary teachers and gain a professional qualification at the same time.
• The Education Professional Development Unit offers a range of courses, such as the Cert. IV in Training and Assessment, for people with, or seeking further knowledge and skills in training and assessment and/or trainer qualifications.

Continual Professional Staff Development

The Staff Career & Professional Development Unit is part of the Staff College . The Unit facilitates the identification, development, delivery and brokering of programs which support staff across the University in effectively undertaking their roles and developing their careers. In addition the Unit assists Human Resources, Finance, Equity and Social Justice and other relevant organisational units in delivering compliance related training and specific training for specific categories of staff.

 

Academic Promotion

The University provides an opportunity for academic staff to seek promotion to the next level, on the basis of meritorious performance.

 

Staff Performance & Development Plan

A new performance management system - the Staff Performance and Development Plan (SPDP)- is being introduced for all staff across the University from June 2006. Each member of staff (ongoing and fixed term) will on an annual basis negotiate with their supervisor an individual performance and development plan setting out, amongst other things their objectives and professional development needs for the coming year.

 

VU Online Booking System
This system automates and centralises PD bookings for staff at VU. Some of the features of the booking system include, automated booking reminders and waitlist, online feedback, history of PD bookings and reporting functions.

 

Student Evaluation of Teaching

 

Student evaluation questionnaires are used by staff at Victoria University to collect feedback on the quality of teaching and learning. The student evaluation process is applicable to both TAFE and Higher Education students. Feedback is elicited through the following:

• Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) – The objective of SET is to gather information on the quality of teaching provided by an individual lecturer, teacher, or tutor in a particular subject, unit, or module.
• Student Evaluation of Units (SEU)  - The objective of SEU is to gather information on the quality of resources and subject content provided in a particular subject, unit, or module.
• Learner Evaluation of Training (LET) – The objective of LET is to gather information on the quality of training given to TAFE students.

All questionnaires consist of fixed items and open-ended questions. The fixed items are presented as statements to which students must respond on a scale. The open-ended items ask students to write a brief response to a question.

The current evaluation policy for higher education requires that all higher education subjects must be evaluated using SEU questionnaires at least once every two years. At a minimum, this means using a SEU questionnaire that includes the ten core items and the two standard open-ended items.

 

Under funding arrangements with OTTE, the TAFE sector is required to conduct student evaluations within each program area.  Each module or unit of competency within a course/training package is to be evaluated at least once in a three-year cycle (see TAFE Division Integrated Management System, Evaluation of Service Delivery IMP 10.1).  Either LET or SEU can be used as appropriate for this purpose; and where desired, individual teachers may also chose to use the SET in conjunction with the SEU.

 

The SET is a voluntary questionnaire undertaken by the individual lecturer/teacher/tutor concerned.  These individual evaluation results are kept confidential.  The actual results are provided only to the individual who undertook the evaluation of their own teaching.  However, there is an overall aggregated SET result provided to each faculty.  Nevertheless, applications for promotion within higher education must include SET results as one form of evidence of teaching effectiveness.

 

Electronic result reports of the individual evaluations are returned to the individual who placed the order upon final processing of the order.  The higher education response forms, upon which students will have written comments, are returned within the week following the posting of students’ results.  At the end of each semester or year, aggregated subject/unit/module reports for LET and SEU evaluations are provided on a Faculty/School basis for each sector.

 

Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) and Student Evaluation of Units (SEU)

 

Learner Evaluation of Training (LET)

• Carrick Institute Awards
  VU Winners - Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning 2006.
• Awards & Achievements
  VU is recognised through the awards it has received.
• Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Teaching Excellence 2006
• Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Teaching Excellence 2005

• Student Learning Services
  Student Learning Services (SLS) provides support for students and staff in the following areas:
  1. English language and academic skills support for students from Certificate 1 to postgraduate. We provide classes, workshops, drop-in times, self-access & online materials, team teaching, guest lectures, tutorials and individual appointments.
  2. English language preparatory courses for international students on and off shore.
  3. English language testing for international students on and off shore.
  4. Assistance and advice for VU staff in developing and implementing strategies for supporting students, including NESB and international students.
  5. Advice on policy development. Areas include student learning support, English language and communication issues, academic transition and academic peer mentoring.
• The Blue Guide "Promoting and Enhancing Excellence in Learning and Teaching"
  This publication has been developed by the Staff College with the primary aim of providing support to all teaching staff across both sectors of the University.  The guide contains important reading on a range of issues and topics including University based support systems; the organisational structure for the delivery of teaching and learning across the University; challenges associated with high quality teaching and learning and demand for new types of learning environments and an overview of the key University teaching and learning policies.
• Key Academic and Teaching Policies
  

 

• Carrick Awards
  Staff are encouraged and supported to apply for Carrick Awards.
• Carrick Institute Award Winners
  Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning 2006.
• Student Exchange Opportunities
  Victoria University has formed over 100 exchange agreements throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas.
• Vice-Chancellor Awards
  The awards scheme aims to provide an incentive for improvement in all areas that support teaching and learning, research and research training, service to the University and engagement and serve as an opportunity to celebrate and make more visible those efforts.
• TAFE Awards
  The annual TAFE awards presentation is a special evening held to recognise the outstanding achievements and endeavours of TAFE students and staff in their nominated category.  Awards are presented to the  Outstanding Students of the Year as well as the outstanding student for each of the four TAFE Schools. We also recognise the contributions of our teaching staff with awards for Innovation in Vocational Education & Training, and Entrepreneurship in Vocational Education & Training.

Teaching & Learning Support (TLS)

The purpose of TLS is to support the building and improving of learning, teaching, career development and work experiences for students, as well as professional and career development of staff of Victoria University, with particular emphasis on its diverse and cross sectoral nature, through:

• enhancing students' learning capabilities and English language skills
• supporting the staff of the University through professional development, and building VU's educational processes
• strengthening the interface between the University's students, the world of work and building and supporting opportunities for the University's graduates
• using research to improve learning and teaching and providing support for practitioner led research into learning and teaching.

Enquiries about teaching and learning at VU may be addressed to:

• Belinda McLennan
  Pro Vice Chancellor - Teaching & Learning Support