Teaching Quality Indicators Project

Rewarding and recognising quality teaching in higher education through systematic implementation of indicators and metrics
on teaching and teacher effectiveness


The Teaching Quality Indicators Project is led by Professor Denise Chalmers and is based at The University of Western Australia's Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. For further information, please visit www.catl.uwa.edu.au/tqi.


Overview


A key aspect of recognising quality teaching is the development and implementation of agreed indicators and metrics both in individual universities and across the Australian university sector. This project provides an opportunity to actively engage with the issue of recognising and rewarding quality teaching and teachers and to facilitate the process of defining, refining and in some cases developing reliable indicators.

Project Summary


The Teaching Quality Indicators project is funded by the ALTC and led by Professor Denise Chalmers, Director of the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning at the University of Western Australia.

The group of pilot universities referred to below is led by Professor Judyth Sachs, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Provost) at Macquarie University.

The Project is overseen by a Reference Group chaired by Professor Margaret Gardner AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of RMIT University. Professor Gardner is also a member of the Board of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.

The major outcome of this project will be the development and implementation of a framework that identifies indicators and outcomes of teaching quality at the institutional and individual levels. The framework is primarily methodological in nature, making use of new and existing data gathered systematically within nominated institutions. The framework will also identify systems and processes that will support and value teaching quality.

The project involves two main stages.

 

Stage 1

  • Examines and identifies ways in which quality teaching is recognised and rewarded at the individual, institutional, national and international levels.
  • Develops a Framework proposing indicators of quality teaching at each of these levels.

 

Stage 2

  • Trials the Framework to test its usefulness at eight universities broadly representative of the sector.
  • Develops tools and matrices, case studies and guidelines for implementing the Framework with a view to making them widely available within the sector.

 

Eight universities are engaged in implementing and evaluating the Framework at the institutional level. This involves examining and revising relevant policies and practices that affect the quality of teaching and learning, establishing the necessary infrastructure and systems to gather and interpret the data and implementing strategies to build a culture that values, recognises and rewards teaching quality.

The contribution of each pilot university is overseen by the institution's Deputy Vice-Chancellor/Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) or equivalent. ALTC funding supports the appointment of a Project Officer at each pilot institution to compile and coordinate the individual university responses.

The pilot universities, institutional Project Leaders and Project Officers are:

Deakin University, led by Professor John Rosenberg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
Project Officer: Ms Jennifer Brockett, kiwi@deakin.edu.au

Griffith University, led by Professor Sue Spence, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Student Services).
Project Officer: Ms Lynda Davies, l.davies@griffith.edu.au

Macquarie University, led by Professor Judyth Sachs, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Provost).
Project Officer: Ms Bronwyn Kosman, bronwyn.kosman@mq.edu.au

RMIT University, led by Professor James Barber, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
Project Officer: Dr Josephine Lang, josephine.land@rmit.edu.au

The University of Queensland, led by Professor Michael Keniger, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
Project Officer: Dr Anne Gilmore, a.gilmore@uq.edu.au

The University of Western Australia, led by Associate Professor Jane Long, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning).
Project Officer: Ms Jacqueline Flowers, jacqueline.flowers@uwa.edu.au

University of South Australia, led by Professor Peter Lee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
Project Officer: Ms Narelle Walker, narelle.walker@unisa.edu.au

University of Tasmania, led by Professor David Rich, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Provost.
Project Officer: Mr Steve Heron, steve.heron@utas.edu.au


 

Contact details


Professor Denise Chalmers, Project Leader
denise.chalmers@uwa.edu.au

Professor Judyth Sachs, University Pilot Group Leader
judyth.sachs@mq.edu.au

Kate Thomson, Project Officer
kate.thomson@vc.mq.edu.au