Professional Development
The University provides extensive opportunities to academic staff to help them become both effective and scholarly in their teaching practice. Effective CSU teachers:
- Possess the organisational know-how and the learning and teaching know-how they need to carry out their teaching roles effectively, including knowing how to operate effectively in the absence of fully articulated information, and knowing how to bring their own special contribution to a subject even when content and/or teaching processes have been significantly determined by others
- Are proactive in developing relationships with fellow teaching staff and support staff in order to more fully realise a meaningful community of educational practice at CSU
- Foster relationships with students in the spirit of (1) respecting student diversity (2) supporting them as professionals-in-training (3) travelling together as a community of scholars
- Exhibit sensitivity, concern, creativity and flexibility in accommodating the diverse needs of students in their teaching
- Exhibit passion for the subjects they teach and for their teaching craft
- Accept a share of responsibility for continuous improvement of CSU courses and subjects in order to realise the University vision to provide an excellent education for the professions.
These are ambitious goals for professional development programs in university learning and teaching. Of course they will not be fully realised in twelve months or even on completion of an academic’s probationary period. Indeed they are not quantifiable attributes. Rather they should be seen as dimensions of excellence in university teaching that are fostered across our professional development activities.
Induction into Learning and Teaching at CSU
When academic staff are first appointed (in the teaching-research or teaching-professional classifications), they enter a formal induction into the principles and practices of learning and teaching at CSU. The first stage of this induction is a program called Foundations of University Learning and Teaching. On completion of FULT staff enrol in the Graduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching (GCULT). To meet probation requirements they must complete FULT and the first subject of the program, EEL409 University Learning and Teaching. They may then complete the rest of the program at no cost to themselves.
(Note: from July 2009 EEL409 has replaced the Tertiary Teaching Colloquium (TTC) as the final requirement for probation.)
Continuing Professional Development at CSU
A range of continuing professional development opportunities are also provided for academic staff to develop new knowledge and skills in teaching.
Teaching Support and Resources
Educational Designers
A large team of Educational Designers work with academic staff in designing and developing quality learning resources (including e-resources) that are supported by relevant communications technology, in particular, CSUInteract. Educational Designers are located within the Schools of CSU and in the Learning Media Laboratories in Albury, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga. They are also involved in the evaluation of learning and teaching, staff development for academics, and the application of technology in learning and teaching.
Additional Resources
On this site you will find a series of short documents which provide useful tips and information on a number of aspects of teaching. You will also find links to online sites that deal with many aspects of teaching.
Good practice guides
- Good practice guide on Interactive Video Teaching (word.doc)
- Good practice guide on Tutorials (word.doc)
- Good practice guide on Curriculum (pdf)
- Good practice guide to a Teaching Portfolio (pdf)
Online resources about teaching strategies - this page includes links to a number of useful sites dealing with specific aspects of teaching and learning
Online journals and associations - this page includes links to a number of valuable online journals and relevant industry associations