INDUCTION OF PART TIME LECTURERS (5)

10. ORGANISATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

The successful management of academic staff training and development activities depends significantly on the organisational infrastructure at higher education institutions, comprising of academic- and support services components.

A well organised staff training and development structure requires a balance between central co-ordination and control and cross-faculty authority and responsibility. Effective co-operation between these structures will enhance effective and efficient professional academic staff training and development initiatives.

In light of the above, the establishment of the following training and development infrastructure in faculties is of the utmost importance.

TEACHING AND LEARNING DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goals and objectives of the Teaching and Learning Development Plan are:

1. Set out in paragraph 9 of the document Strategies for the implementation of a learning-centred approach to education at the CUT which are as follows:

1.1 Establish a new learning culture at the CUT.
1.2 Promote active learner learning by focusing on learning outcomes.
1.3 Compile study guides in all subjects.
1.4 Utilise information- and communication technology.
1.5 Compile lecturer teaching portfolios.
1.6 Implement different modes of facilitation/teaching.
1.7 Implement a range of assessment techniques/modes.
1.8 Establish a staff training and development committee structure in faculties, and

2. Functional training and development goals (not in order of priority), which are as follows:

2.1 provide professional academic staff training and development opportunities to all academic staff on matters related to the enhancing of teaching and learning.
2.1 Encourage and support academic staff in the use of information technology in teaching/facilitation.
2.3 Conduct research in teaching and learning and disseminate the information to academic staff.
2.4 Establish a system of learner evaluation of teaching/facilitation and subject content.
2.5 Promote sensitivity to the diversity of the learner community through staff training and development initiatives.

The goals and objectives in this document provide the framework for the compilation of faculty/school action plans for the execution of the Teaching and Learning Development Plan. It is of the utmost importance that the training and development goals and objectives articulated with other relevant CUT implementation plans.

Because appropriate action plans are normally designed to improve teaching and learning initiatives in an academic environment that increasingly demands accountability and ownership, it must be set in conjunction with all academic stakeholders. The proposed Teaching and Learning Quality Committee structure in faculties will direct the development and maintenance of systems and processes, as well as the continual review and monitoring of performance in the teaching and learning environment.


GOALS

OBJECTIVES
1. Establish a new learning-culture at the CUT.


1.1 To establish effective communication networks between academic staff and learners.

1.2 To involve the learner community in the implementation of a learning-centred approach to education.

1.3 To involve the whole CUT community in the implementation of a learning-centred approach to education.

1.4 To orientate and train academic staff to present/facilitate programme material in a learning-centred approach.

2. Promote active learner learning by focusing on learning outcomes.


2.1 To enable learners to access appropriate material for reading and effectively communicate their knowledge by written and oral means.

2.2 To understand how to work with numbers, patterns, mathematical relationships and be able to use appropriate mathematical language to do so.

2.3 To apply scientific knowledge and skills to problem-solving, in the broadest sense, and in everyday life.

2.4 To be able and willing to ask questions.

2.5 To access, process and use data and information appropriately.

2.6 To have a deep knowledge and understanding of the content of selected disciplines and be able to apply this knowledge.


3. Compile study guides in all subjects.
3.1 To focus on specified and critical cross-field learning outcomes.

3.2 To encourage lifelong learning, critical thinking and problem solving skills.

3.3 To promote emotional, moral and social development.

3.4 To promote an integrated approach to learning.

4. Utilise information- and communication technologies.
4.1 To promote a positive e-learning culture in faculties.

4.2 To integrate e-learning strategies with the formal learning strategy in faculties.

4.3 To integrate e-learning strategies with OBET principles in faculties.

4.4 To utilise information technologies in the assessment strategies in faculties.

5. Compile lecturer teaching portfolios.
5.1 To prompt individual reflection to improve teaching goals.

5.2 To encourage/assist academic staff in the compilation of teaching portfolios.

6. Implement different modes of teaching/facilitation.
6.1 To identify the appropriate mode(s) of teaching/facilitation for specific learning environments.

6.2 To select the appropriate mode(s) of teaching/facilitation: Inter alia:
• lectures
• group work
• panel discussions
• computer-aided teaching
• case studies
• problem solving
• role- play
• tour/field trips
7. Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of assessment techniques/modes.
7.1 To use early assessments of first year learners as a way to identify learners at risk.

7.2 To establish a CUT -wide review of assessment practices and how these relate to the quality of learner learning.

7.3 To maximise the potential of online assessment for informative and timely feedback to learners;

8. Establish teaching and learning quality committees in faculties.
8.1 To promote and establish teaching and learning quality committees in faculties.

8.2 To select and appoint committee members.

8.3 To assist committee members in committee work

8.4 To evaluate the effectiveness of committees.


9. Provide professional academic staff training and development opportunities to all academic staff on matters related to the enhancement of teaching and learning.
9.1 To arrange and present orientation sessions and continuous training and development sessions for newly-appointed academic staff.

9.2 To determine training and development needs of academic staff through various methods and techniques.

9.3 To present need directed training and development sessions to academic staff.

9.4 To evaluate training and development sessions.

10. Encourage and support academic staff in the use of information technology in teaching/facilitation.
10.1 To determine the training and development needs of academic staff in information technology.

10.2 To encourage and support academic staff in the attendance of courses/workshops.

10.3 To encourage the integration of information technology literacy into curriculum content.

10.4 To evaluate the effectiveness of the use of information technology in teaching and learning.
11. Conduct research in teaching and learning and disseminate the information to academic staff.
11.1 To determine research needs/priorities of academic staff in teaching and learning.

11.2 To conduct research in teaching and learning topics and compile reports.

11.3 To distribute research findings to academic staff.

12. Establish a system of learner evaluation of teaching/facilitation and subject content in faculties.
12.1 To compile measuring instruments for the evaluation of teaching/facilitation and subject content by learners.

12.2 To conduct evaluations in faculties.

12.3 To administer evaluation information and compile evaluation reports.

12.4 To give feedback on evaluation outcomes to faculty management and individual academic staff.

12.5 To take corrective actions where necessary.


11. CONCLUSION

The successful execution of the goals and objectives of the ASTDIP will depend on the compilation of action plans by faculty management and academic within a well established training and development committee structure in faculties. The successes achieved during implementation should be measured against the teaching and learning outcomes, cost effectiveness and stakeholder participation and satisfaction.