ACDS Workshop: Advancing the Science TLOs

Faculty leaders, discipline network leaders, learning and teaching leaders in science and allied disciplines met in Melbourne on Feb 22 to explore the next steps in embedding the Science Threshold Learning Outcomes in science degrees.  Presentation materials can be downloaded below.

The workshop opened with an address by Prof Alan Robson, Chair of the Higher Education Standards Panel, on the development of the higher education standards.

A/Prof Mark Freeman, Discipline Scholar for Business, leads a large program in business and allied disciplines to implement their TLOs in university curricula.  A/Prof Freeman explained the project and its strong positive effect on good teaching and assessment practice.  Later in the day, A/Prof Freeman teamed up with A/Prof Simon Pyke, University of Adelaide, to have workshop participants experience the calibration process for themselves.

The Science discipline networks presented their work on translating the Science TLOs for discipline academics.  Science discipline scholars, Prof Sue Jones and Prof Brian Yates, reviewed the relationship between the Science TLOs and discipline contexts.

A/Prof Liz Johnson, La Trobe University, presented the La Trobe experience of using the Science TLOs and University graduate capabilities for broadscale curriculum reform.

The workshop concluded with an open session chaired by Professor Christine Ewan, Project Leader for the ALTC’s Academic Learning & Teaching Standards project.  Discussion produced a list of action items for the sector to push forward embedding the Science TLOs in science degrees.  The ACDS TL Centre will facilitate a centre project on implementing the Science TLOs using the workshop outcomes.

Slides from presentations can be downloaded here.

Alan Robson:  Opening address – Higher Education Standards

Mark Freeman:  TLOs from another Galaxy

Liz Johnson:  Science TLOs for curriculum design

Sue Jones and Brian Yates:  coming soon…