Curriculum pilot projects

Ten curriculum pilot projects have been initiated in 2009 to test and refine potential processes that will be implemented in 2011 through 2013 as part of the University's Curriculum Review and Renewal.

The strategic aims for the pilot project programme include:

Develop curriculum review and redesign capacity across the Faculty
Develop useful indicators and measures
Discover likely pitfalls
Develop useful networks
Learn unexpected things

Connecting with Education

Project lead: Dr Jennifer Masters
Project Manager: Mr Jason Brown

In 2008, the Faculty of Education, Bendigo successfully implemented a common, cornerstone year for undergraduate courses. This project seeks to further plan, implement and evaluate quality teaching, learning and assessment to enrich first year and beyond over the next 2 years. It is anticipated that this project will inform and transform teaching and learning across the Faculty.

Evaluation of the Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary)

Project lead: Dr Peta Heywood
Project Manager: Mr Jason Brown

This project aims to examine the one-year Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary) course for pre-service teachers taught at the Bundoora campus by the Faculty of Education. This program is being selected because it underwent considerable change in semester 2, 2008.

It is anticipated that the results from this project will assist in identifying which program design and teaching strategies are working well and which need to be improved. On completion of the research we expect to be able to identify some effective research methods for gathering useful information about student learning experiences at this University.

Mapping Student Outcomes

Project lead: Professor David Spencer
Project Manager: Mr Jason Brown

This project will develop a model to map student outcomes; map student outcomes across all subjects within the Faculty of Law and Management; and develop a template to design cornerstone subjects.

Building Blocks: Embedding Research/Inquiry (information literacy) graduate capabilities into the curriculum

Project lead: Ms Fiona Salisbury
Project Manager: Mr Jason Brown

This project will develop an information literacy (IL) strategy that addresses the inquiry/research graduate capabilities for the University. The strategy will form the basis of the Library’s contribution to developing the graduate capability of inquiry/research. The aim of the project is to have an overall strategy, an prototype for one Faculty and some reusable, multipurpose IL resources available to be implemented in 2010.

Myth, Legend and History

Project lead: Dr Adrian Jones
Project Manager: Mr Jason Brown

‘Myth, Legend and History (MLH)’ is a first year level core subject in the History Program of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. It is to be taught in Albury-Wodonga, Bundoora and Mildura.

This pilot project will increase student engagement and enrich student learning experiences by promoting more active and more collaborative models of learning by incorporating enquiry based learning approaches, peer support and developing multi campus teaching and learning strategies.

"The Interview"

Project lead: Dr Lawrie Zion
Project Manager: Mr Jason Brown

"The Interview" is a first year level subject being introduced to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The subject will be taught across all campuses, and is intended to be an elective subject that any student can take. This pilot project will test a model developing a cross discipline subject that will be taught in a multi-campus delivery mode.

Social Research Methods

Project lead: Professor Evan Willis
Project Manager: Mr Jason Brown

From 2010, the School of Social Sciences, like other programs, will move to a curriculum design model involving core subjects to be taught across all campuses. In Sociology, one of these core subjects is to be the long-standing subject (Sociology 2/3 MSR: Introduction to Social Research Methods), that has been designed to introduce students to the main research methods used in the social sciences.

Sociology 2/3 MSR will develop and pilot an implementation of a multicampus, core subject for the Sociology Program within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, using a blended learning approach.

This pilot project is intended to contribute towards the development of a flexible model for institutional curriculum design, by offering one design template that is capable of being adapted and implemented within other Programs and beyond the Faculty.

FSTE Firm Foundations in Science

Project lead: Dr Liz Johnson
Project Manager: Mr Marcus de Rijk

Cross Disciplinary Subject - ENV1CS

Project lead: Dr Sue O'Keefe
Project Manager: Mr Marcus de Rijk

Health Sciences evaluation

Project lead: Associate Professor Kerry Fitzmaurice
Project Manager: Mr Marcus de Rijk