Teaching & Learning Connection

If you would like your Semester 2 lectures audio-recorded for podcasting and you have not already made a request, please let us know by return email, providing these details:

• Unit code
• Coordinator name and UNE username
• Dates and times of each lecture
• Venue location for each lecture.

The capacity of the Centre to undertake recording and processing of audio files for podcast is limited. Last semester some 618 lectures were recorded and processed for syndicated distribution of the files on the Web as podcasts, yet demand continues to exceed our available resources. Requests are dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis, so please make your request as soon as possible.

Contact: Catherine Clarke with the details of your request or for more information about the podcasting process for audio lectures.

In early March 2009 a working group was set up under the auspices of the Teaching and Learning Committee of Academic Board to develop a policy framework to underpin Flexible Learning at UNE. Since then a Sakai site has been created for the project and the following information added to the site: flexible learning policy within the sector, definitions of flexible learning, policies at UNE which might relate to flexible learning, and results of a survey of UNE staff. A survey of students was requested from PIR but to date the results have not been available.

A draft statement of understanding of current practice regarding flexible learning at UNE was developed and emailed to course coordinators for feedback. Feedback was received and a second draft statement was developed. This was presented at the T&L Committee and the statement was approved on the understanding that this was the first stage in a multistage process.

The next step is to make the ’statement of understanding’ the cornerstone of UNE’s policy framework. In order to ground that statement it needs to be interpreted for operations such as:

• Student recruitment
• Enrolment and admission
• Pedagogy
• Student professional experience
• Assessment (of all forms)
• Learning resources and output formats
• Accessibility
• Student support (academic)
• Student support (technology)
• Systems, processes and technologies which underpin UNE’s operations (including but not limited to Callista and the VLE)
• Staff support (academic development/professional development etc)
• Staff support (technology)
• Systems, processes and technology (technical) support
• Expectations of academic staff
• Expectations of support directorates
• Staff recruitment and workload models

The working group will investigate each of these aspects separately.