Implementing a devolved model of academic staff development

The provision of appropriate forms of academic staff development is always a challenge for any tertiary institution. In a large, diverse institution, with a devolved management structure, such as Curtin University, the challenge is particularly great. This set of papers provides a variety of perspectives on the implementation of a model of academic staff development which appears to have considerable potential in such an institution. It describes a project in which six academic staff members (one in each of Curtin's four teaching Divisions and two Branches) were granted time-release to devise programs of academic staff development specifically to suit their own Division or Branch. These six staff, known as Academic Staff Development Associates, began by identifying staff development needs within their Division/Branch, then acting as facilitators, change agents and mentors, in attempting to meet those needs. As described in this set of papers, the project evolved rather differently in each Division or Branch. Overall, however, the experiences of the participants provide a sound basis from which to develop further this model for provision of staff development programs in an institution with a devolved structure.

Background: The Curtin context

Responsibility for academic staff development at Curtin rests with the Teaching Learning Group (TLG), situated within the Division of Academic Affairs and reporting directly to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. During the past two years, activities typical of those initiated and carried out by the TLG's Academic Staff Development group (of 4-5 academic staff) include:

• the provision of an induction program for new staff;

• the provision of a 12-week program of "reflective practice" sessions for new and continuing staff;

• coordination of the academic staff promotion process;

• the conduct of research in areas critical to quality teaching and learning;

• the provision of workshops and advice on cross-cultural teaching;

• management and guidance regarding systems for student appraisal of teaching.

The concept of the Academic Staff Development Associates scheme

In general terms, the main purpose of the initiative were:

• to continue to raise levels of interest in, and awareness of, quality teaching issues across the University, in ways appropriate to the culture, organisation and resources of the various disciplines and through persons possessing considerable credibility within their particular Division/Branch;

• to provide support for staff to develop alternative, innovative teaching strategies and practices, as appropriate to the diverse disciplines, organisational contexts and professional cultures represented at Curtin University;

• to improve links between the Divisions/Branches and the centrally-placed TLG, to enable the TLG to make appropriately-informed, more discipline-specific input, to bodies such as the University's Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee, on issues concerning teaching and learning, innovation and change, and staff development needs;

• to provide mid-career staff (namely, the six ASD Associates)with new skills and professional/personal development opportunities, particularly in the area of enhancement of teaching and learning;

• to foster inter-Division/Branch and inter-School collaboration in improving teaching and learning.

Implementation of the scheme

From the outset, regular (usually weekly), informal meetings between TLG staff and ASD Associates were an important part of the scheme. Where it was not possible for the Associates from the Branches at Muresk and Kalgoorlie to attend these meetings, video-conference links were set up, so that they could still be part of them. In the early stages, the TLG's role in the project involved the provision of support and training for the ASD Associates, including (I) information about national and local agendas in higher education and about innovations in university teaching and learning, (ii) access to key literature and, (iii) skills in needs diagnosis, facilitation, change and empowerment processes. As time went on, TLG staff worked with the ASD Associates in planning and/or conducting workshops, surveys and action research within their Division/Branch. The weekly meetings became a forum for the exchange of ideas and discussion of what did and did not work well and, in this sense, the ASD Associates were able to learn from one anothers' experiences.

The final stage of evaluating the relevance and usefulness of this decentralised, partnership model of academic staff development is now underway. Impressionistic evidence attests to the success of the model and the intention for 1995 is to continue the model, with two specific foci - one on the development of resources to support part-time, sessional academic staff (funded from a second OSD grant) and the other on the piloting of a new instrument for student evaluation of teaching (funded from Curtin University's allocation from the Quality committee).