Sessional staff skills get professional boost

Edward O'Daly

19 September 2006: More than 100 of the University's sessional staff are taking part in a pioneering training program.

The program is an initiative of the Division of Learning and Teaching, using funding received in recognition of the University's top 10 ranking for teaching and learning, last year.

The teachers get physical in a session led by lecturer Amanda Burrell Photo: Kimberly Douglas

The pilot program consists of three sessions:

• a four-hour introductory session run by the University's Centre for the Enhancement of Learning, Teaching and Scholarship (CELTS)
• a two-hour program either run in-house by individual schools or a CELTS alternative
• a final two-hour session with CELTS (to be held in October)

The aim of the program was to ensure the professional development sessional teachers, who may come from industry or be students, was not neglected, project manager Patricia Kelly said.

"We have had very good feedback from sessional sta ff and they have been very keen, they have appreciated being noticed and valued by the program," Dr Kelly said.

The first sessions covered areas such as working effectively with groups, giving feedback, assessment, understanding policy and working with diversity. These are areas where new teachers tend to lack confidence, but which can be beneficial to all teachers, according to Dr Kelly.

The October sessions will see the 102 participants given instruction in advanced moderation of marks, plus organising their teaching portfolio, before being issued with a certificate of completion and a $160 payment for their time.

Dr Kelly added the program would be reviewed using the program evaluations and schools' input and a new, improved version offered next semester, with plans to reach 80 percent of the University's sessional staff by the end of next semester.

"I am seeing the value of the program at work in the way I am approaching my tutes this semester already!"
program participant