A new year and a new decade are the perfect opportunity to launch a new vision regarding Learning and Teaching at Macquarie University. With the university going through a period of change it is important to focus on one of our core activities as a university which is teaching. Students are at the heart of the Learning and Teaching Strategic Framework: 2020-2024 titled Enhancing student learning to maximise future success. We want our students to learn, achieve, grow and develop themselves as civic-minded citizens who will be prepared for the future world of work.
To achieve this vision the strategic framework sets out two key learning and teaching objectives:
1. To create a Macquarie University distinctive pedagogy and
2. Provide students with transformative learning experiences that promote their success in an ever-changing world.
The Macquarie University distinctive pedagogy will establish a set of principles that will distinguish the way we teach and how students learn. These principles will be finalised, through consultation with key stakeholders from the learning and teaching community, for implementation in 2021. The transformative learning experiences will be designed and facilitated to realise the aspirations of the Macquarie University distinctive pedagogy.
The critical key to achieving the learning and teaching objectives are the strategic enablers. Implementation of some of these enablers commenced in 2019 including Program Illuminate, the development of a PLaCE framework, working with students as partners and improving learning support for students. There is still a lot of work to be done in 2020 and beyond and staff will be kept informed via this blog, newsletters and staff forums.
I thank you for your feedback, ideas and suggestions which have helped refine and finalise the strategic framework. The strategic framework belongs to all members of the university community so I hope you will embrace it as we continue to assist our students in reaching their full potential.
Any further enquiries regarding Enhancing student learning to maximise future success can be directed to the Office of PVC (Learning and Teaching) at pvclt@mq.edu.au
Just a quick explanation, folks: “PLaCE” stands for Professional Learning and Capability Enhancement – we’re going to work within this framework to rebuild support for the professional learning and development of staff involved in L&T across the University (both Academic and Professional staff).
PLaCE (and the programs we develop under it) will be aligned with career progression needs, professional recognition requirements and the MQ distinctive pedagogy (because of course we’re going practise what we preach!)
Very much looking forward to working on this with colleagues across MQ.