PURPOSE
This policy details the systematic development, delivery, and review of units offered at Leaders Institute (LI).
SCOPE
All units
PRINCIPLES
LI ensures that units:
- meet regulatory and professional (if relevant) accreditation requirements;
- are benchmarked to the sector;
- are designed to meet the relevant unit and course learning outcomes;
- align to the appropriate Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level and LI Graduate Attributes;
- demonstrate scaffolding and successive progression from introductory to advanced levels in the discipline area;
- provide flexibility in pedagogical approaches to maintain an engaging student experience;
- are informed by current scholarship of leaning and teaching, including assessment quality and integrity;
- are delivered by appropriately qualified and skilled academic staff;
- are reviewed according to LI’s Quality Assurance Framework, based on external moderation recommendations, staff and student feedback, student performance data analysis, and currency of scholarship;
- are included in LI’s continuous cycle of review and improvement.
DEFINITIONS
Archive: change of unit status from ‘active’ to ‘inactive’.
Assessment: an assignment or exam undertaken by students for partial fulfilment of Unit Learning Outcomes.
Co-delivery: multi-streaming or co-streaming where two units are delivered together where the Unit Learning Outcomes for both units are met.
Co-Streaming: two units in different courses of the same AQF level are delivered together where the Unit Learning Outcomes for both units are met.
Development: creation of a new unit.
Multi-Streaming: an AQF 7 100 level unit delivered with an AQF 8 400 level unit where the Unit Learning Outcomes for each unit are met.
Review: formal evaluation of an existing unit.
Special Elective Unit: generic subject that can be adapted to meet a specific need on a one-off basis. Special Elective Units have an ‘XX’ unit code (e.g. XX300) which is a placeholder that can be filled with a relevant discipline area such as MG300 Special Elective in Management.
Superseded: unit replaced by another unit.
Unit: subject of learning that articulates the Course Learning Outcomes and fulfils the integrated standards and commitments of a course.
UNIT DEVELOPMENT
New units must use the LI Unit Outline Template and include the following:
- appropriate code and title;
- brief unit description;
- learning outcomes mapped to the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and LI Graduate Attributes;
- assessment mapped to AQF and LI Assessment Workload Calculator, ensuring rigorous academic integrity processes;
- appropriate content;
- delivery sites and modes;
- access to current prescribed and/or recommended readings, with an emphasis on open access resources;
- co-delivery options, if relevant, ensuring the Unit Coordinator and lecturers hold a qualification one AQF level higher than the highest course. Unit Learning Outcomes and assessment must be mapped and reflect the appropriate AQF level. The lecturer must hold a qualification one AQF level higher than the highest course. The Unit Learning Outcomes and assessment must reflect the relevant AQF levels;
- External Peer Review Report;
- Unit Coordinator Response to External Peer Review.
UNIT REVIEW
At the end of each semester, every Unit Coordinator provides a Unit Coordinator Report to the Program Director with proposed improvements to the unit if required. This report includes:
- delivery site and mode of the unit;
- completed Student Feedback Forms;
- student engagement, attrition, and completion data comparing student performance across delivery sites and modes;
- effectiveness of support for underrepresented and disadvantaged subgroups;
- student learning data;
- formative and summative assessment results and grade distribution.
The Program Director reviews these reports then submits the Unit Coordinator Reports and actions completed to Development Committee if required.
PROCEDURES
DEVELOPING A NEW UNIT OUTLINE
Development Committee oversees the development of new unit outlines according to the following:
1. Initial draft unit outline
The Unit Coordinator drafts the unit outline according to the LI Unit Outline Template, including mapping learning outcomes and assessment to the course learning outcomes, LI Graduate Attributes, and AQF level. The draft unit outline also ensures equity of experience across delivery sites and modes.
2. External peer review of unit outline
The Unit Coordinator commissions an external expert with relevant expertise and qualifications at least one AQF level higher than the unit being reviewed. The external expert completes the External Peer Review of Unit Outline Form.
3. Revise unit outline
The Unit Coordinator revises the unit outline in response to recommendations by the external expert and completes the Response to External Peer Review Form.
4. Submit unit outline to Development Committee
The Unit Coordinator submits to Development Committee the updated unit outline, along with the completed External Peer Review Form and Response to External Peer Review Form. If accepted, Development Committee commends the unit outline to Academic Board for approval.
5. Approval by Academic Board
If approved by Academic Board, the Program Director will notify the Unit Coordinator of the decision.
REVISING A UNIT OUTLINE
Revising an accredited unit outline depends on which element of the unit outline is being amended. Lecturer(s) must follow the relevant procedures below:
1. Minor Revisions to Unit Outline
Minor revisions to a unit outline include changes to:
- assessments and due dates;
- prerequisites and co-requisites;
- content;
- required and recommended reading, ensuring the Librarian is informed.
The Unit Coordinator may action recommended revisions with the approval of the Program Director. The Program Director will ensure that all stakeholders are informed in writing.
2. Major Revisions of Unit Outline
Major revisions to a unit outline include changes to:
- unit code or title;
- unit learning outcomes;
- co-delivery arrangements, including multi-streaming and co-streaming;
- assessment weighting.
Major revisions to a unit outline require an External Peer Review and Unit Coordinator Response to External Peer Review. Documentation is tabled to Development Committee. If accepted, Development Committee commends the revisions to Academic Board for approval.
3. Approval by Academic Board
If approved by Academic Board, the Program Director will notify the Unit Coordinator of the decision. Units with professional accreditation may require additional professional accreditation review processes.
4. Feedback to Stakeholders
Program Directors ensure all stakeholders, including students, are informed of the changes.
ASSESSMENT WORKLOAD CALCULATOR
Development and review of the LI Assessment Workload Calculator is overseen by Development Committee. Amendments must be benchmarked and externally reviewed. The LI Assessment Workload Calculator is approved by Academic Board.
CO-DELIVERY
To apply for co-delivery of a unit with another unit that is not the same AQF level, a proposal is tabled to Development Committee which demonstrates:
- unit content is related and suitable;
- the different unit learning outcomes of both units will be met;
- assessment readings and resources reflect the relevant AQF level;
- separate tutorials are provided to students of the higher unit level;
- the Lecturer holds a qualification one AQF level higher than the highest unit or meets the criteria for professional equivalence listed in the Academic Staff Register Policy;
- If accepted, Development Committee commends the application to Academic Board for approval.