Faculty Review of Learning and Teaching

Tags:teaching, Governance, Administration, faculty

The annual Faculty Review of Learning and Teaching (FRLT) process is a key element of UNSW's quality assurance and improvement processes for learning and teaching.

Purpose of the FRLT process

The purposes of the Faculty Review of Learning and Teaching (FRLT) process are to:

  • ensure that learning, teaching, curricula and institutional infrastructure to support learning and teaching are monitored, reviewed and benchmarked continuously on annual basis as part of UNSW's quality assurance processes
  • assure alignment between learning and teaching programs and practices with the University's goals, values and strategic objectives
  • identify areas of learning, teaching, curriculum or institutional infrastructure for learning and teaching in need of improvement
  • develop strategies to address areas in need of improvement
  • inform the distribution of strategic funding to support development of learning, teaching, curriculum, or institutional infrastructure for learning and teaching.

Responsibility for the FRLT Process

  • The annual FRLT process is overseen by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
  • The Director L&T @ UNSW is responsible for leading and managing the coordination of the process throughout the university on behalf of the DVC(A).
  • The Associate Dean Education (ADE) in each faculty is responsible for the development and submission of their Faculty's FRLT Portfolio.

The FRLT Portfolio

The FRLT Portfolio comprises seven parts:

Part A: A Description of the Faculty's processes for assuring and improving the quality of:

  • Learning (Student Experience and Outcomes)
  • Teaching (Staff Practice and Scholarship
  • Curriculum (Programs and Courses) and
  • Infrastructure for Learning and Teaching (Organisational, Physical and Technological)

Part B: A Record of all Academic Program Reviews undertaken within the Faculty in the last year.

This record describes all Academic Program Reviews undertaken within the faculty in the previous twelve months. Each record provides:

  • the name of the Review
  • a brief description of the purpose, focus, scope and process of the review, including a description of the place of the review in the Faculty's schedule Academic Program Reviews
  • a summary of the key findings of the review (i.e. any commendations, affirmations, recommendations)
  • a description of how the faculty intends to respond to the review (i.e. specific goals, strategies and outcomes).

Part C: A Performance Report on the Faculty's Performance in UG coursework programs against UNSW's Core Learning and Teaching Indicators (CLTIs).

Part D: A Performance Report on Faculty Performance in achieving institutional goals for improvement of learning and teaching as articulated from time to time. In 2011 this report should focus on the Faculty's performance in:

  • improving the quality AND efficiency of assessment of student work
  • simplifying the rules that govern faculties' programs in accordance with the principles approved by Academic Board.

Part E: A Performance Report on the Faculty's Performance in achieving its own goals for learning and teaching enhancement as articulated in the previous year's Faculty Learning and Teaching Enhancement Plan (FLTEP).

Faculty performance should be reported against the goals and outcomes of planned improvements in each of the following areas:

  • Learning (Student Experience and Outcomes)
  • Teaching (Staff Practice and Scholarship)
  • Curriculum (Programs and Courses) and
  • Infrastructure for Learning and Teaching (Organisational, Physical and Technological)

Part F: A Revised Faculty Learning and Teaching Enhancement Plan (FLTEP) that articulates goals, desired outcomes and strategies for improvement for the next twelve months in each of the following areas:

  • Learning (Student Experience and Outcomes)
  • Teaching (Staff Practice and Scholarship)
  • Curriculum (Programs and Courses) and
  • Infrastructure for Learning and Teaching (Organisational, Physical and Technological)

These plans should address:

  1. UNSW and Faculty learning and teaching development priorities, and
  2. any issues identified through reflection on:
    • a) the Faculty's performance against UNSW's CLTIs
    • b) the outcomes of any Academic Program Reviews completed in the last year.

Part G: A Prioritised Compendium of Applications for Strategic L&T Development Funding (SLTDF) to support learning and teaching development projects that align with institutional and Faculty priorities as outlined in the revised Faculty Learning and Teaching Enhancement Plan (FLTEP).

Timing

Completed FRLT Portfolios are submitted to the Director, Learning & Teaching @ UNSW by 5.00 pm on the first Friday of September each year.

Review of Portfolios

Portfolios are reviewed by a Review Panel comprising:

  • Director, Learning & Teaching @ UNSW (Chair)
  • President of Academic Board (or nominee)
  • Two external experts on learning and teaching development
  • One Undergraduate student representative
  • One Postgraduate student representative.

Further Information

For further information, please refer to the Faculty Review of Learning and Teaching Process.