An ASQC working group (at the request of Academic Senate) has undertaken a comprehensive revision of the definitions and principles surrounding shared teaching. The review considered evolving practices and factors such as risk management, the student experience, quality assurance, and impact on policies. The revised definitions outlined below are effective immediately.
What is meant by ‘Shared teaching’?
Shared teaching refers to a formal arrangement by which students in one unit of study share teaching and learning activities with students in a different unit of study. At Macquarie, there are three categories of shared teaching: co-taught, co-located and co-badged units.
These categories refer to regular timetabled teaching, and do not preclude the arrangement of one-off guest lectures or other ad hoc arrangements. They also do not preclude access to shared online resources.
Shared teaching arrangements are determined based on the function of the unit within the context of the course.
The 3 categories of shared teaching defined
1. Co-Badging
- Co-badging refers to an arrangement through which a single unit is assigned multiple unit codes and names.
- Co-badging will only be approved if the expected level of preparation for entry to the unit is consistent for all students.
- Co-badging will only be approved if the teaching and expected level of outcome is consistent for all students and appropriate for the level of each unit.
- Co-badging will not occur across undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
2. Co-Teaching
- Co-teaching refers to an arrangement through which students from different units share equivalences of some or all of the learning outcomes, activities and/or assessment tasks.
- Co-teaching will only be approved if the expected level of preparation for entry to the unit is equivalent for all students.
- Co-teaching will only be approved if the teaching and expected level of outcome of each unit is appropriate for the level of each unit and for its purpose within the course.
3. Co-Locating
- Co-locating refers to a timetabled arrangement through which students from different units share a teaching location but undertake distinctly different teaching activities.
Shared teaching can be low risk – or high risk
Quality assurance and approval of shared teaching arrangements takes a risk-based approach.
LOW RISK
(a) Across units at the same level or 1000-3000 language units;
(b) Across units at 7000 and 8000 level, or 4000 (from a Bachelor Honours course) and 7000 or 8000 level units;
(c) Across 1000-5000 with 6000 level units.
Outside the above combinations, shared teaching should be considered an exceptional arrangement and is considered HIGH RISK.
Low risk combinations are approved by the respective Faculty Board or the Macquarie University College Board and reporting is included in Unit Review and Annual Health Check processes.
HIGH RISK
(d) Across units at different levels (other than cases specified as low risk).
High risk combinations are endorsed by the respective Faculty Board or the Macquarie University College Board and submitted to Academic Standards and Quality Committee for approval.
Shared teaching arrangements are recorded in the MQCMS
Shared teaching has a range of implications and impacts on resources, teaching spaces, staff workloads, student learning experiences, academic standards and quality and regulatory compliance.
Recording shared teaching arrangements in the MQCMS enables us to manage the student experience through the design of our curriculum. The information can help us review, understand and enhance our educational practices and the way students experience learning at Macquarie. It also informs quality assurance and future development and innovations in teaching and curriculum.
Explore further:
Refer to the MQCMS wiki page on Shared Teaching
Complete the Introduction to MQCMS module in Workday. Suitable for anyone needing to use or work with the MQCMS: covers what MQCMS is used for, information flow, approval process, searching information, making unit or course amendments.
Banner image: Photo by Billion Photos on Shutterstock
Post edited by Kylie Coaldrake
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