Foundations of University Learning and Teaching Program (FULT)

The Foundations of University Learning and Teaching (FULT) program is a 5-day face-to-face interactive workshop with a compulsory follow-up activity for UNSW academics who wish to develop their practice by exploring a range of perspectives, ideas and theories of learning and teaching in the higher education context. All UNSW staff with a current teaching role are eligible to attend at no cost.

If you have an enquiry about the program, please email FULT@unsw.edu.au

Program aims

The FULT program aims to help you to increase your understanding and develop skills and confidence in your learning and teaching practice, drawing from your own reflections, experience of your peers and educational literature. After completing this program you should be able to:

  • Review your teaching and/or learning practice drawing on various sources of evidence.
  • Align learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities, and assessment strategies in your context.
  • Demonstrate awareness of UNSW support structures and policies relevant to your learning and teaching context.

Topic areas

The FULT program includes sessions on:

  • approaches to student learning and how this relates to your particular context and discipline
  • fundamentals of good practice in curriculum development
    • constructive alignment between teaching aims, learning outcomes, learning activities, and assessment
    • appropriate assessment approaches to support intended student learning
  • teaching and learning strategies relevant to specific teaching contexts
  • developing your teaching practice through your own reflection, input from your colleagues and student feedback
  • practical demonstration of a learning and teaching strategy and methodology informed by current theory and good practice.

Dates for 2013

  • FULT 1: 18-22 February, 2013
  • FULT 2: 24-28 June, 2013 (waitlist only)
  • FULT 3: Fridays 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 August, 2013 (5 half days, to be held in a blended format.  Expressions of interest being taken now)
  • FULT 4: 13-15 and 18-19 November, 2013 (tbc, the program may shift in dates and include an online/blended component.  Expressions of interest being taken now)

Registration

Please note that the registrations are not accepted on "first come, first served" basis. The FULT program is usually oversubscribed and priority is given to those with a significant teaching load and ongoing teaching responsibilities. In addition, program coordinators select participants to support the cross-disciplinary nature of the program. Participants are selected based on the information they provide in the registration form.

Entry requirements

To enrol in the program, you must be employed by the University and be teaching a formal university course and/or workshops and seminars for students or staff. The FULT program focuses on sustained teaching development, and is not an induction program. The program builds on the participants' prior teaching experience; therefore, we advise participants to teach at UNSW for at least one semester before attending FULT.

Attendance requirements

Sessions commence at 9am and finish at 5pm

  • Participation in all sessions of the 5-day workshop is mandatory.
  • Full attendance on Day 1 is a prerequisite for participation in subsequent sessions throughout the week.
  • Participants who miss a session after Day 1 will be required to make up that session in a later program to be eligible for the FULT certificate.
  • The peer reviewed practice session on Day 5 builds upon a FULT cohort community and as such normally cannot be made up for later.

This Sample FULT program provides more detail on the sessions within a typical 5-day FULT program. There may be some variation between FULT programs.

Before enrolling, consider whether you can meet the expected time commitment, keeping in mind your workload and other commitments (e.g. ARC submission deadlines, assessment marking or staff meetings).

Completion requirements

A required follow-up activity allows you to:

  • develop a deeper understanding of ideas and strategies explored during the 5-day workshop
  • try these out within your teaching context, and
  • reflect on this process and, where relevant, evaluate its impact on student learning.

To be awarded a certificate of completion you will be required to write a reflective piece describing the follow-up activity and submit it to the program co-ordinator.

Accreditation

The FULT certificate can be included in your teaching portfolio, and in applications for promotion and other forms of recognition. This program articulates with the Graduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching, which is an accredited university program. Instead of the follow-up activity, an assessable component can be added to the initial 5-day FULT program for those wishing to undertake further study.

Exemption

For some academic staff, your employment at UNSW is conditional on you attending FULT within the first three years of your appointment. If you have significant teaching experience and/or formal teaching qualifications, an exemption may be granted on the grounds of (one or more of) the following:

  • successful completion of a Graduate Certificate, a Diploma or Master's degree in Higher Education at UNSW or another university
  • successful completion of a higher education course equivalent to the Foundations of University Learning and Teaching program, at UNSW or another university.
  • demonstrated experience of at least three years in high quality university teaching, i.e. learning and teaching awards, Vice-Chancellor's teaching excellence awards, citation etc.

If you meet these criteria, complete the Exemption Form and email it to FULT@unsw.edu.au

Benefits for participants

The FULT program aims to help you to develop an understanding of, and skills and confidence in, your teaching practice. This process is supported by a comprehensive workshop folder that contains readings and resources that you can use to further enhance your teaching practice.

Frequently reported benefits by previous participants include:

  • the opportunity to get feedback on your teaching from colleagues and workshop facilitators in a supportive environment
  • cross-disciplinary sharing of ideas and strategies with colleagues involved in learning and teaching
  • interaction with and support of learning partners and colleagues.

Academics Discuss Benefits of FULT

Featuring Dr. Frances Miley, Dr. Husna Razee and Dr. Duncan McDuie-Ra







 

Testimonials

"It was a wonderful experience. I feel very lucky to have had this training and time to think about my teaching practice. I eagerly look forward to putting what I have learnt into practice."

"I found the opportunity to network with colleagues of different level[s] of teaching experience especially helpful in my current and future teaching/career planning. Also the open and friendly environment for idea exchange and instant feedback were very welcoming and helpful."

"I learnt that many of my teaching practices are on the right track, but now I have more skills and tools for reflecting upon and refining my teaching. The course made explicit many of things that intuitively make sense, but I think having done the course, the processes of development of my teaching practices will improve and become more rational. And with this comes confidence that I can keep learning from, and enjoying, teaching."

Contact

If you have an enquiry about the program email FULT@unsw.edu.au