Unit Development, Delivery and Review Policy

PURPOSE

This policy details the systematic development, delivery, and review of units offered at Leaders Institute (LI).

SCOPE

All units

PRINCIPLES

LI ensures that units:

• meet regulatory and professional (if relevant) accreditation requirements;

• are monitored and reviewed as part of LI's continuous cycle of review and improvement;

• are designed to meet the relevant unit and course learning outcomes;

• align to the appropriate Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level and LI Graduate Attributes;

• demonstrate successive progression from introductory to advanced levels in the discipline area;

• be informed by current scholarship of learning and teaching, including assessment quality and integrity;

• are designed to maintain an engaging student experience.

DEFINITIONS

Archive: change of unit status from ‘active’ to ‘inactive’.

Assessment: an assignment or exam undertaken by students for partial fulfilment of Unit Learning Outcomes.

Co-delivery: multi-streaming or co-streaming where two units are delivered together where the Unit Learning Outcomes for both units are met.

Co-Streaming: two units in different courses of the same AQF level are delivered together where the Unit Learning Outcomes for both units are met.

Development: creation of a new unit.

Multi-Streaming: an AQF 7 100 level unit delivered with an AQF 8 400 level unit where the Unit Learning Outcomes for each unit are met.

Review: formal evaluation of an existing unit.

Special Elective Unit: generic subject that can be adapted to meet a specific need on a one-off basis. Special Elective Units have an ‘XX’ unit code (e.g. XX300) which is a placeholder that can be filled with a relevant discipline area such as MG300 Special Elective in Management.

Superseded: unit replaced by another unit.

Unit: subject of learning that articulates the Course Learning Outcomes and fulfils the integrated standards and commitments of a course.

UNIT DEVELOPMENT

New units must use the LI Unit Outline Template and include the following:

• appropriate code and title;

• brief unit description;

• learning outcomes mapped to the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and LI Graduate Attributes;

• assessment mapped to AQF and LI Assessment Workload Calculator, ensuring rigorous academic integrity processes;

• appropriate content;

• appropriate delivery modes;

• access to current prescribed and/or recommended readings, with an emphasis on open access resources;

• co-delivery options, if relevant, ensuring the Unit Coordinator and lecturers hold a qualification one AQF level higher than the highest course. Unit Learning Outcomes and assessment must be mapped and reflect the appropriate AQF level. The lecturer must hold a qualification one AQF level higher than the highest course. The Unit Learning Outcomes and assessment must reflect the relevant AQF levels;

• External Peer Review Report;

• Unit Coordinator Response to External Peer Review.

UNIT REVIEW

At the end of each semester, every Unit Coordinator provides a Unit Coordinator Report to the Program Director with proposed improvements to the unit if required. This report includes:

• completed Student Feedback Forms;

• student engagement, attrition, and completion data;

• effectiveness of support for underrepresented and disadvantaged subgroups;

• student learning data;

• formative and summative assessment results and grade distribution.

The Program Director reviews these reports then submits the Unit Coordinator Reports and actions completed to Development Committee if required.

PROCEDURES

DEVELOPING A NEW UNIT OUTLINE

Development Committee oversees the development of new unit outlines according to the following:

1. Initial draft unit outline

The Unit Coordinator drafts the unit outline according to the LI Unit Outline Template.

2. External peer review of unit outline

The Unit Coordinator commissions an external expert with relevant expertise and qualifications at least one AQF level higher than the unit being reviewed. The external expert completes the External Peer Review of Unit Outline Form.

3. Revise unit outline

The Unit Coordinator revises the unit outline in response to recommendations by the external expert and completes the Response to External Peer Review Form.

4. Submit unit outline to Development Committee

The Unit Coordinator submits to Development Committee the updated unit outline, along with the completed External Peer Review Form and Response to External Peer Review Form. If accepted, Development Committee commends the unit outline to Academic Board for approval.

4. Approval by Academic Board

If approved by Academic Board, the Program Director will notify the Unit Coordinator of the decision.

REVISING A UNIT OUTLINE

Revising an accredited unit outline depends on which element of the unit outline is being amended. Lecturer(s) must follow the relevant procedures below:

1. Minor Revisions to Unit Outline

Minor revisions to a unit outline include changes to:

• assessments and due dates;

• prerequisites and co-requisites;

• co-delivery arrangements;

• content;

• required and recommended reading, ensuring the Librarian is informed.

The Unit Coordinator may action recommended revisions with the approval of the Program Director. The Program Director will ensure that all stakeholders are informed in writing.

2. Major Revisions of Unit Outline

Major revisions to a unit outline include changes to:

• unit code or title;

• unit learning outcomes;

• assessment weighting.

Major revisions to a unit outline require an External Peer Review and Unit Coordinator Response to External Peer Review. Documentation is tabled to Development Committee. If accepted, Development Committee commends the revisions to Academic Board for approval.

3. Approval by Academic Board

If approved by Academic Board, the Program Director will notify the Unit Coordinator of the decision. Units with professional accreditation may require additional professional accreditation review processes.

4. Feedback to Stakeholders

Program Directors ensure all stakeholders, including students, are informed of the changes.

ASSESSMENT WORKLOAD CALCULATOR

Development and review of the LI Assessment Workload Calculator is overseen by Development Committee. Amendments must be benchmarked and externally reviewed. The LI Assessment Workload Calculator is approved by Academic Board.

CO-DELIVERY

To apply for co-delivery of a unit with another unit that is not the same AQF level, a proposal is tabled to Development Committee which demonstrates:

• unit content is related and suitable;

• the different unit learning outcomes of both units will be met;

• assessment readings and resources reflect the relevant AQF level;

• separate tutorials are provided to students of the higher unit level;

• the Lecturer holds a qualification one AQF level higher than the highest unit or meets the criteria for professional equivalence listed in the Academic Staff Register Policy;

If accepted, Development Committee commends the application to Academic Board for approval.