About this site
This site provides access to background information, news and resources for those interested in the development of threshold learning outcomes (‘standards’) in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (ASSH) that is being undertaken as part of the Australian Government’s Education Revolution.
Australian national Geography Standards Statement - Call for Comment
You are invited to comment on the proposed Australian national Geography Standards Statement available at
www.altc.edu.au/standards/disciplines/ASSH
as an individual, and/or as the representative of an organisation/academic unit, by 30 September 2010.
Background
The Australian Government is developing a new Higher Education Quality and Regulatory Framework as part of its Education Revolution. Among other things, the Government is establishing the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) to regulate the sector against agreed standards for higher education. Five elements to the regulatory framework are likely:
|
Provider standards |
Qualification standards |
Learning and teaching standards |
Research standards |
Information standards |
|
National protocols and ESOS Act |
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) |
Threshold learning outcomes |
Excellence in Research in Australia (ERA) |
For the market and regulators |
Value of standards
The LTAS project will help protect national and local academic reputations by setting out expectations about threshold standards for degrees in a range of subject areas. These standards will describe what gives a discipline its coherence and identity, and define the skills knowledge and other attributes that can be expected of a graduate in that discipline. As such, the standards may be of interest to prospective students and employers seeking information about the nature and standards or awards in a subject area.
The LTAS project will NOT establish a national curriculum. Individual institutions will be free to set learning outcomes over and above national minimum standards and increase the number of learning outcomes they expect. They will also be free to determine the processes by which threshold learning outcomes are achieved, including curriculum, learning resources, learning activities and formative and summative assessment methods. It is expected however that the standards will offer a useful resource to assist those involved in program design, delivery and review.
ASSH in the LTAS project
The Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (ASSH) aspects of the project are led by the ALTC Discipline Scholar: Professor Iain Hay and his Project Officer, Jill Rashleigh (both based at Flinders University). They will work consultatively with the academics, students, employers and other stakeholders over 2010 to define the threshold (or core/minimum) learning outcomes for the bachelor level degree (as defined in the draft Qualification Standards – the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)) with a major in Geography or History. Demonstrated achievement of these threshold learning outcomes is expected to be one aspect (among others) of TEQSA’s evaluation of Australian universities. The specific ways in which TEQSA will monitor standards will be negotiated separately.
It is very important to note that although Geographyis being handled within the ASSH grouping, all aspectes of the discipline (e.g. physical, human-environment relations, GIS) will be considered in the establishment of Geography standards.
Geography as a demonstration discipline
The Australasian Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH) recommended History and Geography as demonstration disciplines for this project. That recommendation was supported at a national forum held in Melbourne in February 2010 and subsequently accepted by peak discipline bodies – the Australian Historical Association (AHA) and the Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG) – following discussion with the Discipline Scholar.
By the end of 2010 a set of learning outcomes and a commentary on the process by which they were achieved will be available to advise those disciplines which will follow over the coming years.
Role of the Discipline Scholar
As the Discipline Scholar for Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities Professor Hay will:
- engage discipline communities and higher education institutions in the standards setting agenda.
- facilitate disciplinary development of academic standards as minimum learning outcomes for programs/majors
- provide resources to inform both the new regulatory framework and institutional development of standards related processes.
- lay foundations for demonstrated achievement of learning outcomes by higher education institutions.
Discipline Reference Group
A Discipline Reference Group Geography has been nominated by IAG and DASSH to support the LTAS Project by:
- providing advice to the Discipline Scholar on the direction and implementation of the Learning and Teaching Academic Standards Project
- drafting and/or reviewing drafts of project-related material, including statements of threshold learning outcomes
- facilitating and supporting engagement with key discipline group stakeholders.
The Geography Discipline Reference Group is:
| Professor Iain Hay | Chair and Discipline Scholar |
| Professor Lesley | Head President IAG |
| Dr Stephen Legg | DASSH Nominee |
| Dr Robyn Bartel | Discipline Expert |
| Professor Kevin Dunn | Discipline Expert |
| Professor Nigel Tapper | Discipline Expert |
| Mr Brad Ruting | Recent graduate |
| Dr Lorraine Craig | Discipline Expert - jurisdiction outside Australia |
| Dr Donna Ferretti | Relevant employer representative |
How to participate
- Sign up to receive a regular monthly Disciplines Setting Standards Newsletter http://www.altc.edu.au/standards/newsletter by sending a blank email to join-standards_newsletter@edna.edu.au
- Join the discussion of the draft Geography standards to be held at the 2010 NZGS/IAG conference in Christchurch, New Zealand (see Events below for details),
- Respond to calls for comments made through communications from the Institute of Australian Geographers (e.g. iag-list, IAG Newsletter, IAG website).
- Respond to draft standards when they posted at this site (1st versions expected about June).
- Contribute to the forum on this site.
- Phone, write to or email the Discipline Scholar.
- Ask the Discipline Scholar to come speak to your organisation or institution about the LTAS Project.
Events
- International panel session to discuss draft Geography standards to be held at the 2010 NZGS/IAG conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, 5-8 July. Details at: http://www.nzgs2010.org.nz/
- Presentation to discuss draft standards to be held at the 2010 DASSH conference in Fremantle WA, 29 September – 1 October. Details at: http://www.dassh.edu.au/conference/2010/about
Contacts
- Jill Rashleigh (Project Officer) jill.rashleigh@flinders.edu.au
- Professor Iain Hay (Discipline Scholar) iain.hay@altc.edu.au
External website links
http://www.dassh.edu.au/ - Learning and Teaching Academic Standards project http://www.altc.edu.au/standards
- Institute of Australian Geographers www.iag.org.au
- Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia http://www.assa.edu.au/
- Australian Academy of the Humanities http://www.humanities.org.au/
Help
Email: support@altcexchange.edu.au
External Website Links:
