Why Winter Term?

Why Winter Term?

A Student Survey conducted in July 2009 showed solid student support for the Winter Term in that 63% of 4,585 students who were consulted wanted to take units during the 2010 Winter Term.

Survey responses indicated that students were looking forward to the Winter Term allowing them to:

  • Finish their course in a shorter period of time (fast track their degree)
  • Spread their study load to assist with other commitments, or lighten their workload
  • Study a full-time load over one year, if they are currently studying part-time
  • Make more efficient use of a calendar year
  • Catch up on dropped, missed, or failed units
  • Increase the time they have available to work or earn extra money
  • Travel, undertake study abroad, or gain valuable work-experience

A University Academic Calendar Working Party was established in December 2008 and has met formally nine times to assist in the management and implementation of the new model. All faculties and key services have been represented on the Working Party since December 2008. Additionally, to assist faculties’ transition from the current model to the 2010 pattern, faculty-based Working Groups have been established and have met on an ‘as required’ basis.

The University’s Education Committee has launched a sub-committee to oversight the sequencing and educational quality and comparability of submitted Winter Term units.

Information for Academic Staff

The University is targeting the use of Online and Blended Learning for the Winter Term. The Teaching & Learning Centre is working with faculties to redevelop units for teaching in the Winter Term. Whole of faculty workshops are being held as well as faculty-based presentations on ‘Blended Learning Strategies for the Winter Term’. The Teaching & Learning Centre has identified an educational designer to work with each Faculty. Funding has been sought for the development of a Winter Term ‘hothouse’ for staff leading curriculum renewal in their faculties.

The Teaching and Learning Centre is designing a website of blended learning approaches with a focus on teaching in the intensive term. The site will have searchable toolbox of blended approaches to facilitate adoption by other staff. The Teaching and Learning Centre has also implemented a personal desktop capture system called Echo360, that will enable teaching staff (and eventually students) to make media-rich recordings anytime, anywhere. Recordings will be delivered online through Moodle. Staff involved in teaching in the Winter Term in 2010 will be invited to be part of this pilot.

See also

2009-10 TLC Faculty Contacts

Applied Science

LOW, Leonard

Arts & Design

BACON, Matthew

Business & Government

HUSSANEE, Shad

Health

MUNNERLEY, Danny

Education

LOW, Leonard

Information Sciences & Engineering

NUESSLER, Shane

Law

HUSSANEE, Shad