A national approach to promoting & enhancing
excellence in learning and teaching
NIAD-UE Seminar, 8 December 2010
Dr Carol Nicoll, Chief Executive Officer, ALTC
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Outline of presentation
1. Australian developments in enhancing & promoting
teaching & learning
2. Introduction to the Australian Learning & TeachingCouncil (ALTC)
3. Teaching & Learning Standards
4. ALTC Learning & Teaching Standards Project

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Australian Context• Long history of national organisations dedicated to enhancing
learning & teaching¾ Committee for Advancement of University Teaching(1992-1996)¾ Committee for University Teaching & Staff Development(1997-1999)¾ Australian Universities Teaching Committee (2000-2004)• Managed within the Commonwealth/federal department• Limited funding sources - $1 million maximum for AUTC

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What is the ALTC?
• Backing Australia’s Future Higher Education Reforms (2003)¾ Establishment of a national institute for learning andteaching in higher education
 Funding of $24.6 million AUD from 2006
• Carrick Institute established in 2004
• Government owned agency (company) with independent Board• Renamed Australian Learning & Teaching Council in 2008
• Based in Sydney; approximately 35 staff• 46 eligible institutions – universities, other institutions receiving
Commonwealth funding for higher education places
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ALTC Goals• Name deliberate positioning of learning first, teaching
second• Enhance the status & centrality of teaching in universities• Enhance scholarship of teaching & learning• Contribute to effective & transformative national learning &teaching policies• Enhance quality of learning experiences for students• Benchmark learning & teaching nationally & internationally• Remit to focus on academic standards

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ALTC 2010
• Suite of programs & services
 Innovation & Development Grants – priorities & ‘blue sky’ Strategic Priority Projects – national issues of significance Leadership for Excellence in Learning & Teaching – grants& professional development
 National Teaching Fellowships
 Australian Awards for University Teaching & Citations
 Resources Library – website

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Biggest Challenges• Dissemination of project outcomes – breadth, sustained getting more value from project outcomes• Sector & institution wide impact versus individual impact• Reaching those academics who don’t care about highquality teaching & graduate outcomes – not justcommunicating with the ‘converted’• Positioning learning & teaching as central to higher
education within a culture that prioritises research• Addressing government priorities & sector priorities

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Teaching & Learning Standards• TEQSA to evaluate performance of higher education
providers against a Standards Framework• Teaching & Learning standards a key element• Issues still to be decided:¾ How best to evaluate the performance of providers inrelation to teaching & learning standards?
¾ How will teaching & learning standards be developed?
¾ How will the standards be used by TEQSA?

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Teaching & Learning Standards• Accountability for public funding – requires a systematic
approach to articulation & monitoring of educational
standards• Inputs are important but not enough – outcomes focus• Maintenance of standards:¾ Clear & public articulation of standards¾ Assessment of student achievement against standards– internal & external validation of assessment¾ Monitoring of compliance with standards• Academic standards – defined as learning outcomes
described in terms of core discipline knowledge and skills
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ALTC Learning & Teaching Standards Project• Demonstration project commissioned by DEEWR in late2009• 8 Discipline scholars working with discipline stakeholder
groups• Define Threshold Learning Outcomes for specified levels ofselected higher education degree programs within theAustralian Qualifications Framework (AQF)• Demonstrate one approach to development of learning &teaching standards & provide suggestions for possible
future approaches• Provide TEQSA with input to inform its decisions about how
to evaluate learning & teaching standards within astandards framework
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Selected Discipline Areas• Architecture & Building: Bachelor & Masters by coursework inArchitecture; Bachelor of Construction Management• Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities: Bachelor degree with major inHistory; major in Geography• Business, Management & Economics: Bachelor and Masters ofAccounting• Creative & Performing Arts: Bachelor & Masters by coursework –generic• Engineering & ICT: Bachelor of Engineering• Health, Medicine & Veterinary Science: Entry level professional• Law: Bachelor of Laws
• Science: Bachelor & Honours - Chemistry & Mathematics
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Standards Development Stages
1. Established reference/advisory group
2. Draft a set of threshold Learning Outcomes based on theAQF and other work (Australian & international
accreditation standards, Tuning project, UK subjectbenchmarks)
3. Feedback from key stakeholder groups
4. Engaged broader discipline communities
5. Revised draft Learning Outcomes
6. Support/endorsement of final Learning Outcomes
7. Dissemination to discipline communities
8. Maintenance mechanisms
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Project Outcomes• Report to DEEWR & TEQSA in December 2010
 Threshold Learning Outcomes Evaluation of the demonstration project Suggestions for sustainable approach beyond LTAS

• Booklets for each Discipline Consultation & development process Nature & extent of discipline Threshold learning outcomes for discipline Explanatory notes

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What have we learned?
• Discipline communities can work very well together –quality outcomes likely just from increased collaboration• Great stimulus for curriculum review & renewal• Internal & external validation of assessment require more
attention across the sector• Such a process generates better knowledge &understanding of quality issues across academic workforce• Effective way of engaging professional bodies & employer
groups

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Contact Details
Dr Carol Nicoll – carol.nicoll@altc.edu.auALTC website - www.altc.edu.au

Level 14, 300 Elizabeth St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia
PO Box 2375 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Australia
Telephone 02 8667 8500
Facsimile 02 8667 851515