2024 Australian Learning and Teaching Leaders’ Roundtable on Assessment Reform and Student Support

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Building off a successful learning and teaching leaders’ roundtable in July 2023, we are seeking to bring together leaders again to discuss and workshop two pressing issues facing Australian higher education in 2024: responding to assessment reform in the age of artificial intelligence, and the Government’s student support legislation. These two critical issues will shape policy and practices at our institutions for many years to come. 

The roundtable will be primarily participant-driven and focus on active collaboration and sharing. Participants can expect to gain practical strategies and approaches to take back to their institutions. Student representatives from attending institutions are also warmly invited to contribute to discussions. 

Each institution is welcome to send 5 staff and 3 students to this free event. Given the nature of the content, we suggest sending a combination of L&T design/delivery leaders and L&T quality/support leaders to provide a broad set of perspectives. The University of Sydney can provide travel sponsorship to some students – please get in touch with us to discuss this. 

 

Details 

Date and time: Tuesday 6 February 2024 from 9:00 am Australian Eastern Daylight Time 

Venue: The University of Sydney and online (hybrid) 

Cost: Free, but registration is essential and in-person spaces are limited 

Program: The morning will be dedicated to discussing assessment reform in the age of generative AI, and the afternoon will be dedicated to discussing the student support legislation 

Register for the roundtable

 

Morning discussion: Responding to assessment reform in the age of artificial intelligence 

Higher education institutions need to seriously engage with the impact of generative AI on assessment. In 2024, institutions will need to develop and report action plans and appropriate governance mechanisms to ensure the integrity and continued usefulness of our awards. The TEQSA guidance on assessment reform in the age of AI compels institutions to reimagine assessment practices so that they are authentic and equip students to participate in a society pervaded by AI, and ensure that trustworthy judgements about student learning can be made. 

At this roundtable, we will: 

  • Share existing policies and approaches on assessment reform 
  • Explore principles and good practices for assessment design that promote learning and maintain academic standards 
  • Identify strategies for supporting educators in reforming assessment 
  • Consider equity issues around assessment reform 

Schedule

This schedule is subject to change.

  • 9:00 Welcome and context setting
  • 9:30 Developing principles and policies towards institutional priorities
  • 10:30 Morning tea
  • 11:00 Building practical action plans for your context
  • 12:00 Wrap-up discussion
  • 12:30 Lunch

 

Afternoon discussion: Responding to student support legislation 

The Australian Government’s amendments to the Higher Education Provider Guidelines 2023 proposes that higher education providers will need much stronger student support policies. This includes ensuring that students who need it are proactively identified and supported through academic and non-academic channels. Institutions will be required to have more comprehensive support systems in place, with an increased focus on transparency through public reporting requirements. 

At this roundtable, we will: 

  • Share existing approaches and policies to student support 
  • Openly discuss student support approaches that have succeeded and failed 
  • Discuss resourcing and technology implications of providing robust support systems 
  • Consider appropriate and realistic ways to build positive relationships between students, educators, and the institution and enhance the feeling of mattering 

Schedule

This schedule is subject to change.

  • 2:00 Introduction and context setting
  • 2:15 Student perspectives
  • 3:00 Unpacking the new legislation and its implications for institutions
  • 3:30 Afternoon tea
  • 4:00 Sensemaking and action planning
  • 4:30 Close

 

Get in touch

This event is being organised by Danny Liu and Adam Bridgeman from the DVC (Education) Portfolio at the University of Sydney along with Michael Cowling from CQUniversity, Tim Fawns from Monash University, Trish McCluskey from Deakin University, Jason Lodge from the University of Queensland, and Helen Gniel (Director, Higher Education Integrity Unit, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency). Please get in touch with [email protected] and [email protected] if you have any questions about the event.