Overview
In this unit, you will investigate a learning and teaching phenomenon of professional or personal relevance through a review of current trends in tertiary education at national and international levels. The outocmes of this investigation will be used to assist in designing and proposing needed changes to teaching practice. Using Ernst Boyer’s four-part Scholarship of Learning and Teaching model as a guide, this Unit will broaden your conception of what constitutes knowledge, evidence, practice and scholarship in learning and teaching.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE
The information needs to be centralised within each Moodle module tab.
Module material will be reviewed to ensure that it is centralised.
Feedback from SUTE
More videos and recorded lectures would be more engaging.
Short videos will be created to introduce topics.
Feedback from SUTE
Current fast-tracked structure is valuable.
Maintain the 7-week term structure in T3.
- Explore published research in response to specific information needs
- Investigate your own teaching practice in light of current research findings
- Synthesise information from a variety of sources to create robust arguments
- Document proposed changes to teaching practice in ways that are concrete and persuasive.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Presentation - 0% | ||||
2 - Research Proposal - 0% | ||||
3 - Written Assessment - 0% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||
2 - Communication | ||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
4 - Research | ||||
5 - Self-management | ||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
7 - Leadership | ||||
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
1 - Presentation - 0% | ||||||||
2 - Research Proposal - 0% | ||||||||
3 - Written Assessment - 0% |
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.fleming@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to research in the scholarship of learning and teaching.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Identifying a SoLT research problem and creating your research questions.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Identifying a SoLT research problem and creating your research questions.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Exploring and reviewing literature.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Exploring and reviewing literature.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Formulating your research design.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Formulating your research design.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Examining ethical and practical SoLT research considerations.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Examining ethical and practical SoLT research considerations.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Evaluating and disseminating your SoLT research.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Evaluating and disseminating your SoLT research.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Catch up, review and assessment.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Presentation
For this task, you will be giving a live presentation to your peers via Zoom. The presentation will:
- outline your SoLT research problem and questions
- provide your rationale for this area of enquiry (including references to scholarly literature to substantiate your arguments)
- share initial ideas about the methodological design for your proposed study
- reflect on your research journey thus far (e.g., findings which have been surprising; what has been learned about SoLT, the topic, and methodology; unforeseen challenges or difficulties and how these might be overcome).
The content of this presentation should form the basis of Assessment 2, your research proposal. Peer and instructor feedback from this presentation will help you further refine your ideas.
The presentations will be conducted during a Zoom session at the beginning of Week 4. The presentation should be a maximum of 10 minutes in length, plus a further 5 minutes for questions and discussion. You are expected to stay for the entire session and provide your peers with quality feedback on their presentations.
Please upload the assessment criteria sheet as a record of you having completed task 1.
Week 4 Monday (30 Nov 2020) 11:00 am AEST
Live presentation via Zoom. Please refer to the Moodle site for details.
Week 5 Monday (14 Dec 2020)
Written feedback will be provided via the criteria sheet, submitted into the Moodle site.
This assessment task will be assessed using the following criteria:
- Content and synthesis. The presentation effectively summarises the student’s SoLT research problem and question/s, draws on scholarly literature to establish what is already known about the research area and what further research is needed, and provides emerging ideas about methodologically appropriate ways to investigate the proposed research question.
- Reflection. The presentation offers the student's insights into their own growth as a SoLT researcher, based on their experiences with unit materials, their peers within the unit, and the research into the literature they have conducted so far within the unit.
- Communication and presentation. The presentation materials are free from grammatical and spelling errors. The presenter speaks fluently and clearly, adopting an appropriate pace. The language used is accessible to those outside the discipline. The presentation contains the level of detail needed to communicate the essential points. The presentation does not exceed the maximum time limit (10 minutes). Any written supporting materials (e.g., PowerPoint slides) include appropriate references presented in a consistent style (APA 6th or Harvard).
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Explore published research in response to specific information needs
- Investigate your own teaching practice in light of current research findings
2 Research Proposal
In this task, you will write a formal written research proposal explaining and justifying your planned SoLT project. This proposal should draw heavily on your initial presentation for the unit (Assessment 1) and show evidence that you have incorporated peer and instructor feedback from the presentation. The research proposal should:
- Demonstrate the need for the research. This rationale should be supported by a short review of relevant literature establishing what is already known and identifying gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed.
- Specify the study’s aims and guiding research questions. The research questions should relate to the gaps in knowledge your study will address and guide your methodological approaches.
- Describe and justify your research design. The research proposal must provide a detailed description of and rationale for the study’s design, demonstrating that it is an appropriate way to investigate your research question/s. You must also show evidence that you have considered and addressed all potential ethical challenges that might arise within the research.
- Outline your study’s anticipated outcomes (including deliverables) and milestones. While it is expected that some of these dates will occur after the completion of this unit, your timeline of anticipated milestones and deliverables should be feasible and achievable.
The research proposal should be approximately 2,000 words and presented as a scholarly piece of work, written in third-person. The document should be structured using headings. Content should be synthesised, creating a strong argument for the need for the proposed research and the planned study design.
Week 6 Monday (21 Dec 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Research proposal is to be submitted online, in Moodle.
Vacation Week Monday (7 Dec 2020)
Written feedback will be provided via the criteria sheet, submitted into the Moodle site.
This task will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- Research proposal structure. The document conforms to the conventions of a research proposal (e.g., use of headings, third person voice, appropriate vocabulary and tone). It contains all of the necessary components (i.e., rationale for the proposed research, research problem and questions, proposed methodological approach, research timeline and milestones). Writing should be concise and avoid
repetition. - Research problem and questions. The proposal contains a strong argument for the need for the proposed research. Research questions are clear and researchable.
- Appropriate use of research literature. The proposal draws effectively on research literature to justify the need for the proposed research, identify what is already known, and explain why chosen methodologies and methods are appropriate. Ideas within the literature are synthesised and there is evidence that divergent results and points of view within the literature have been considered. All academic references are cited using APA 6th or Harvard referencing style, with both in-text citations and a full reference list included.
- Appropriate Research Design. The proposed research design is feasible, well justified, and aligns with the research problem and questions. References to literature about the chosen methodologies and methods are included to support methodological decisions. There is evidence that ethical considerations have been addressed within the study’s design.
- Evidence of Research Planning. The included research timeline is feasible and achievable. Proposed deliverables are appropriate and will help achieve research outcomes.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Explore published research in response to specific information needs
- Investigate your own teaching practice in light of current research findings
- Synthesise information from a variety of sources to create robust arguments
- Document proposed changes to teaching practice in ways that are concrete and persuasive.
3 Written Assessment
For this task, you must submit a deliverable outcome from your research project. This deliverable will be negotiated with your Unit Coordinator. While many students will not be able to complete their entire proposed research project within the term, all are expected to reach at least one significant milestone. Examples of possible deliverables include:
- A completed low-risk ethical clearance application for the proposed project (including Participant Information Sheets and Consent Forms)
- A internal or external grant application seeking funding for the proposed project
- A draft conference paper or journal article which is ready to submit for peer-review
- A white paper or report sharing the results of your research with a specific audience
This final deliverable should be approximately 2,000 words in length; however, slightly longer or shorter word counts may be negotiated with your instructor if these are appropriate considering the genre selected. In almost all cases, you will draw substantially on work done as part of your research proposal; however, this content must be revised and reshaped to match your chosen genre for this assessment task.
Week 12 Wednesday (10 Feb 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Assessment is to be submitted online, in Moodle.
Exam Week Friday (19 Feb 2021)
Written feedback will be provided via the criteria sheet, submitted into the Moodle site.
While the nature and the scope of the final project deliverable will vary somewhat between students, all deliverables will be assessed by the following criteria:
- Communication and presentation. The deliverable is written in clear and concise language. The structure of the document is in alignment with professional standards for the genre selected (conference paper, grant proposal, ethics application, etc.), adopting an appropriate tone and using vocabulary suitable for the intended audience.
- Scholarly use of literature. The deliverable effectively draws on a range of appropriate research literature and demonstrates understanding of the topic under investigation. It synthesises research literature and/or research findings into a coherent piece of writing, adhering to a consistent referencing style (APA 6th or Harvard) for both in-text and reference list citations.
- Effective use of arguments. The deliverable creates a compelling and scholarly case as to why the proposed or undertaken research is needed and effectively explains the potential impact of the findings.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
- Investigate your own teaching practice in light of current research findings
- Synthesise information from a variety of sources to create robust arguments
- Document proposed changes to teaching practice in ways that are concrete and persuasive.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.