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Selection criteria, skill sets and competencies : What is their role in the appointment of vice-chancellors in Australian universities?

- O'Meara, Bernard, Petzall, Stanley

  • Authors: O'Meara, Bernard , Petzall, Stanley
  • Date: 2009
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Educational Management Vol. 23, no. 3 (2009), p. 252-265
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  • Description: Purpose - The research presented here attempts to identify and analyse the reported selection criteria used in the appointment of Australian vice-chancellors (VCs) and to contrast this with the selection criteria actually used. Design/methodology/approach - Contemporary research into the nature, role and purpose of section criteria in appointment processes has chiefly been conducted in the private sector and across various hierarchical levels. The research is based on a PhD entitled "The recruitment and selection of vice-chancellors for Australian universities". The research for the thesis had ethics approval and involved interviews with former and incumbent chancellors, VCs, consultants, representatives of the Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee and selection panel members. Central to this research was the selection criteria and the skill bases selection criteria attempted to measure. A questionnaire was also sent to those listed above. Findings - The findings show that a matching of organisational antecedents with candidate attributes does occur. The research also highlights the key selection criteria used to appoint VCs. It also demonstrates how these key criteria are universally applied but in different orders depending upon the various foci of universities. Non-stated, but important, criteria and competencies are also discussed. Originality/value - No other research exists outlining the skill sets and competencies required by Australian VCs. It is hoped that this research will form the basis for further research and discovery into this field that we know so little about. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Credit transfer from VET to higher education: a pathways policy meets a roadblock.

- Smith, Erica, Kemmis, Ros Brennan

  • Authors: Smith, Erica , Kemmis, Ros Brennan
  • Date: 2014
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Research in Post-Compulsory Education Vol. 19, no. 2 (2014), p. 230-244
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  • Description: Higher education is increasingly available to a wider range of people, not just recent school-leavers with established academic ability. One way of encouraging this trend is to provide credit transfer into higher education (HE) qualifications for people’s prior vocational education and training (VET) studies. However, it is generally recognised that while a range of pathways have been created, the numbers of students involved in such pathways are relatively limited. This paper explores some of the reasons this might be so, using, as a case study, an analysis of a national Australian government policy initiative. The initiative, known as ‘VET FEE-HELP’, involved the introduction of student loans for fees for higher-level VET studies and was designed partly to encourage credit transfer. Availability of loans to students was on the proviso that the course in which the student enrolled had a documented pathway providing credit transfer into a higher education course. This created a climate in which VET providers actively pursued partnerships with higher education. But recently, the credit transfer requirement of the policy has been removed. The paper concludes by discussing the issues for governments in finding appropriate policy levers to increase proportions of students transferring from VET to higher education.
  • Description: C1

At last count : Engineering undergraduates in 21st Century Australia

- Dobson, Ian

  • Authors: Dobson, Ian
  • Date: 2013
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education Vol. 10, no. 4 (2013), p. 253-257
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  • Description: The number of enrolments in undergraduate programmes in engineering has grown at more than the national average this century. The main areas of enrolment growth in Australian higher education have been of women and overseas students, and the latter group has been particularly relevant in the case in engineering. The analysis undertaken for this article is based on statistical data from the ministry responsible for Australia's tertiary education. However, women remain underrepresented in engineering programmes, and there is a risk that the high proportion of overseas students means that Australia is exporting engineering talent at a cost to the development of its own knowledge-intensive labour force. © 2012 WIETE.
  • Description: 2003010825

Effective university teaching: views of Australian university students from low socio-economic status backgrounds

- Devlin, Marcia

  • Authors: Devlin, Marcia
  • Date: 2013
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Tertiary Education and Management Vol. 19, no. 3 (2013), p. 233-245
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  • Description: The widening participation agenda in Australian higher education heralds changes that demand fresh thinking in university leadership and management of learning and teaching. The findings from interviews, across two national studies in 16 Australian universities, with 50 staff and 89 successful students from low socio-economic backgrounds, provide the basis for new directions related to the leadership and management of university teaching and learning in the context of an increasingly diverse student body. These directions relate to: institutional strategic alignment; reward for and recognition of teachers; appropriate resourcing; and effective structure and organization of teaching and learning support. © 2013 European Higher Education Society.
  • Description: C1

Crossing over: Collaborative cross-cultural teaching of Indigenous education in a higher education context

- Morgan, Shirley, Golding, Barry

  • Authors: Morgan, Shirley , Golding, Barry
  • Date: 2010
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: The Australian Journal of Indigenous education Vol. 39, no. (2010), p. 8-14
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  • Description: This paper explores the dynamics and outcomes from a collaborative cross-cultural approach to teaching an Indigenous education elective unit in a Bachelor of Education (Primary) undergraduate degree at the University of Ballarat in 2009. The three facilitators, one non-Aboriginal and two Aboriginal were a lecturer, an Aboriginal Centre Manager and Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group member from the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative respectively. The paper explores the open-ended and collaborative approach used to facilitate the learning, including pedagogies, activities and assessment. The paper, and the collaborative cross-cultural teaching approach it arguably embodies, is presented as a model of desirable practice with undergraduate education students, in particular for pre-service teachers undertaking a P-10 Bachelor of Education degree. As we describe later in the paper, these pre-service teachers, with some exceptions, in general had very limited and often stereotyped knowledge and experience of Aboriginal education, Aboriginal students or Aboriginal perspectives in other areas of the school curriculum. The teaching process we adopted and that we articulate in this paper attempted to address this previous lack of engagement with the subject matter of Indigenous education by actively modelling the processes of local Aboriginal consultation and collaboration that we were trying to teach.

Young people transitioning from Out-of-home Care and Access to Higher Education: A Critical review of the literature

- Mendes, Philip, Michell, Dee, Wilson, Jacqueline

  • Authors: Mendes, Philip , Michell, Dee , Wilson, Jacqueline
  • Date: 2014
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Children Australia Vol. 39, no. 4 (2014), p. 243-252
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  • Description: Young people transitioning from out-of-home care are known to have poor educational outcomes compared to their non-care peers. Yet little is known about the experiences or needs of the small numbers of Australian care leavers who enter higher education. This article critically examines existing Australian and international research on the access of care leavers to higher education. A group of pre-care, in-care, transition from care and post-care factors are identified as either hindering or assisting care leavers to maximise their educational opportunities. Some specific policy and practice reforms are recommended to enhance opportunities for Australian care leavers to participate in and complete higher education.

'Low income doesn't mean stupid and destined for failure' : challenging the deficit discourse around students from low SES backgrounds in higher education

- McKay, Jade, Devlin, Marcia

  • Authors: McKay, Jade , Devlin, Marcia
  • Date: 2016
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Inclusive Education Vol. 20, no. 4 (Apr 2016), p. 347-363
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  • Description: The discourse around students from low socio-economic backgrounds often adopts a deficit conception in which these students are seen as a 'problem' in higher education. In light of recent figures pointing to an increase in the number and proportion of these students participating in higher education [Pitman, T. 2014. "More Students in Higher ed, But it's no more Representative." The Conversation 28: 1-4] and an absence of evidence to support deficit thinking, this deficit discourse requires re-examination. Qualitative data from 115 interviews carried out across 6 Australian universities as part of a national study reveal that, contrary to the conception of these students as a 'problem', students from low SES backgrounds demonstrate high levels of determination and academic skills and that they actively seek high standards in their studies. This paper critically examines deficit conceptions of these students, drawing on findings from qualitative interviews with 89 successful students from low SES backgrounds and 26 staff members recognised as exemplary in their provision of teaching and support of students from low SES backgrounds. Drawing on these findings, this paper challenges the deficit discourse and argues for a more affirmative and nuanced conception of students from low SES backgrounds.

The frustrated career : Casual employment in higher education

- Gottschalk, Lorene, McEachern, Steven

  • Authors: Gottschalk, Lorene , McEachern, Steven
  • Date: 2010
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australian Universities Review Vol. 52, no. 1 (2010), p. 37-50
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  • Description: The use of casual staff, including casual teaching staff, is a common practice in Australian universities and the numbers of casual staff in the sector has increased significantly in the last decade. The traditional profile for casual teachers was that of industry expert and students. Recent research has shown that the casual teacher is now more likely to be a person holding several casual jobs and seeking a career. Likewise, general staff in casual positions are often people who would prefer job security and a career. This research was conducted at a regional Australian university and used a questionnaire targeting staff in both the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and higher education divisions in all occupational groups as well as in depth interviews of casual teaching staff. The findings show that the traditional profile no longer applies. Staff employed in casual positions often hold more than one job, at more than one institution and are seeking job security. They frequently, but unsuccessfully use casual work as a career strategy. The result is frustrated careers. [Author abstract]
  • Description: 2003008238

Investigating spiritual well-being among Islamic Divinity and religious education students in Turkey

- Coskun, Mehmet, Fisher, John

  • Authors: Coskun, Mehmet , Fisher, John
  • Date: 2013
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Religious Education Journal of Australia Vol. 29, no. 2 (2013), p. 21-28
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  • Description: In light of increased emphasis on universities being called to facilitate spiritual growth among students, the Spiritual Health And Life-Orientation Measure was used to assess four domains of spiritual well-being among 122 Divinity and 137 Religious Education students in Turkey. Students provided three responses to 20 items reflecting spiritual well-being, indicating their ideals for spiritual well-being, lived experience and how much university helped in each area. Another 16 potential factors were explored to help students develop their spiritual well-being, ranging from self-improvement to scripture. High scores on ideals for spiritual well-being, reported by both groups of students, underpin the lived experiences of Religious Education and Divinity students in each of four domains of spiritual well-being. Relating with God significantly influenced aspects of spiritual well-being but it appears that the highly religious students overstate the influence of religious activities, such as prayer and scripture, on their spiritual well-being. Universities provide small yet significant support in developing the four domains of spiritual well-being for these students. Overall, this study has shown many similarities, yet some significant variations in spiritual well-being between these Divinity and Religious Education students in Turkey. This project provides a sound base from which future studies can be launched to review, enhance and monitor university students' spiritual well-being and to determine the influence of these students' spiritual well-being on the clients they will serve after graduating and gaining employment.

University students' perceptions of social networking sites (SNSs) in their educational experiences at a regional Australian university

- Sadowski, Christina, Pediaditis, Mika, Townsend, Robert

  • Authors: Sadowski, Christina , Pediaditis, Mika , Townsend, Robert
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australasian Journal of Educational Technology Vol. 33, no. 5 (2017), p. 77-90
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  • Description: Higher education institutions, and the way education is delivered and supported, are being transformed by digital technologies. Internationally, institutions are increasingly incorporating online technologies into delivery frameworks and administration – both through internal learning management systems (LMS) and external social networking sites (SNSs). This study aims to explore how higher education students in a regional Australian dual-sector institute use and manage SNSs for personal and study-related activities and their perceptions of how this impacts their educational experiences. This mixed-methods study involved a quantitative and qualitative survey of 355 vocational training and higher education students and in-depth focus groups with ten higher education students. Four key themes were identified through thematic analysis: SNSs as a tool for fostering peer connectedness with fellow students; deliberate and distinct variation between personal and educational use of SNSs; resistance to external SNSs within education settings; and, need for a balance between digital and face-to-face learning and connectedness. Implications for curriculum design and delivery, and development of support for students in diverse learning contexts, are considered.

The appointment of Vice-Chancellors in Australian universities : A study of contemporary recruitment and selection practices

- O'Meara, Bernard, Petzall, Stanley

  • Authors: O'Meara, Bernard , Petzall, Stanley
  • Date: 2004
  • Type: Text , Conference paper
  • Relation: Paper presented at the 2004 Irish Academy of Management Annual Conference, Ireland : 2nd - 3rd December, 2004
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  • Description: This paper is based on recent PhD research. The practices for appointing Vice Chancellors (VC’s) in Australian Universities were examined together with the changing role of the VC and new demographic patterns in VC backgrounds. A number of other issues was also examined, including the ‘training’ and preparation of VCs, mentoring and the changing skill base required to be effective in the role. In addition, the paradox was investigated of appointing academics from the ranks of individuals with non-business backgrounds, to run large enterprises which are being compelled to adopt an increasingly business-oriented focus.
  • Description: E1
  • Description: 2003000766

White eyes open : Teaching the history wars in an indigenous studies unit at the University of Ballarat

- Blaskett, Beverley

What do we know about the chancellors of Australian universities?

- O'Meara, Bernard, Petzall, Stanley

  • Authors: O'Meara, Bernard , Petzall, Stanley
  • Date: 2008
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management Vol. 30, no. 2 (2008), p. 187-199
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  • Description: This research attempts to explore the key social characteristics and demographics of Australian chancellors to determine who they are and where they come from. The chancellor of an Australian university wields an enormous amount of power, from overseeing the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) to fulfilling various statutory requirements. Chancellors instil corporate values and they are pivotal to effective university governance and 'owner' representation. Yet, few have academic backgrounds. Chancellors are more than figureheads and ceremonial leaders and, as such, can have a significant impact on their individual universities and even on the higher education sector, overall. The research presented here demonstrates that it is possible to construct a reasonably accurate profile of the typical chancellor, based on factors such as occupation, age, academic field, gender and the undergraduate university that was attended. This research also mirrors similar research, undertaken by the authors, regarding Australian VCs.
  • Description: C1

Interdisciplinary higher education and the Melbourne model

- Davies, Martin, Devlin, Marcia

  • Authors: Davies, Martin , Devlin, Marcia
  • Date: 2007
  • Type: Text , Conference proceedings
  • Relation: Philosophy of Educaiton Society of Australasia Conference; Wellington, New Zealand; 6th-9th December 2007; published in Creativity, enterprise, policy : New directions in education p. 1-16
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  • Description: The so-called ‘Melbourne Model’ has recently been adopted by the Council of the University of Melbourne, Australia after a long consultation process and widespread media attention. It proposes the design of new subjects which offer what are referred to as ‘different ways of knowing’ from students’ ‘core’ disciplines, partly through ‘the delivery of breadth subjects that are interdisciplinary in character’. This paper explores interdisciplinary higher education in the light of The Melbourne Model’. Definitional issues associated with the term ‘academic discipline’, as well as the newer terms ‘interdisciplinary’, ‘pluridisciplinary’, ‘cross-disciplinary’, ‘transdisciplinary’ and ‘multidisciplinary’ are examined. Some of the pedagogical issues inherent in a move from a traditional form of educational delivery to that underlined by the Melbourne Model are outlined. Some epistemological considerations relevant to multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity are discussed.

Time is on my side : How do engineering academics spend their days - an international study

- Aarrevaara, Timo, Dobson, Ian

  • Authors: Aarrevaara, Timo , Dobson, Ian
  • Date: 2012
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education Vol. 10, no. 3 (2012), p. 184-191
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  • Description: This article uses empirical data from the international Changing Academic Profession (CAP) survey to establish similarities and differences in work patterns among the world's academic engineers. Overall working hours and the distribution of work between teaching, research and other activities are examined. Summary results indicate that in periods when classes are in session, engineering academics from South Korea and Hong Kong reported a longer working week than equivalent staff from other countries. Engineering academics from Mexico and South Africa spent the highest proportion of their time on teaching, whereas those from Argentina, China and Italy spent the highest proportion on research. The most likely reason for international differences in the length of the working week is that national systems (such as higher education) have been constructed from the individual histories and cultures in each country. © 2012 WIETE.
  • Description: 2003010832

Higher education massification and pedagogic adaptation : An investigation of business teaching excellence in inclusive university environments

- Baker, Adam

  • Authors: Baker, Adam
  • Date: 2016
  • Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
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  • Description: Massification, a phenomenon driven by both the collective aspirations of citizens and governmental encouragement of a highly skilled workforce, is revolutionising the field of higher education. The student body, particularly in widened participation universities, has expanded in number and diversity increasing the demands on HE institutions and their teaching staff. Australian business school graduates are expected to drive national success in fast-changing, globally competitive business environments. This qualitative study investigates characteristics of teaching excellence in widened-participation teaching environments in Australian business schools. The recency of the massification phenomenon has meant theoretical conceptualisations are sparse so Grounded Theory was used to generate new theory. Using university entry scores as a surrogate for an academically inclusive student cohort, 23 award winning teachers from the business schools of eight universities were interviewed. These exemplary business educators displayed strong similarities in terms of their approach to teaching. Seven dimensions of diversity that significantly impact teaching within a widened-participation environment were identified. This thesis argues that alignment between the diversity of cohort and both the type of educators and the pedagogic strategies they employ is the key to unlocking teaching excellence within widened-participation universities, thus giving rise to the notion of context mediated pedagogy and the associated conceptual model. Findings from this study are significant because extreme student diversity is now the norm in many university environments and a better understanding of teaching excellence may offer specific insights for policymakers, academic leaders and educators seeking to adapt pedagogy for the massified HE environment. Improving teaching quality in these widened-participation universities has the power to significantly impact on individual student success, whilst driving innovation on the global stage.
  • Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Wilding pedagogy in an unexpected landscape : Reflections and possibilities in initial teacher education

- Green, Monica, Dyment, Janet

  • Authors: Green, Monica , Dyment, Janet
  • Date: 2018
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education Vol. 21, no. 3 (2018), p. 277-292
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  • Description: This article stems from our participation in the Wild Pedagogies colloquium on Tasmania’s Franklin River in December 2017. The two authors embarked on the 10-day rafting trip with a group of nine other educators and academics from Australia, Canada and England, engaging in extensive conversations about wild pedagogy principles in education. Conceived and developed by some of the Franklin river participants on earlier colloquiums in North America and Scotland, wild pedagogy thinking and practice is constituted by six key touchstones, including: (1) agency and the role of nature as co-teacher; (2) wildness and challenging ideas of control; (3) complexity, the unknown, and spontaneity; (4) locating the wild; (5) time and practice; and (6) cultural change. The touchstones framed our group’s discussions pre-, during and post-colloquium. Drawing on the colloquium’s conversations and engaging with a number of the main touchstone ideas post-colloquium, in this paper the teacher educator authors use two distinct case studies (regional and online contexts) to locate the wild within their initial teacher education practice. They do this by initially making links between current teacher education practice and the touchstone ideas, before re-engaging with the touchstones to collaboratively envisage future wilding possibilities. In conclusion the authors advance the touchstone ideas as particularly relevant to those teacher educators seeking to wild their teaching practice in challenging times.

The impact of enabling programs on indigenous participation, success and retention in Australian higher education

- Pitman, Tim, Harvey, Andrew, McKay, Jade, Devlin, Marcia, Trinidad, Sue, Brett, Matthew

  • Authors: Pitman, Tim , Harvey, Andrew , McKay, Jade , Devlin, Marcia , Trinidad, Sue , Brett, Matthew
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Book chapter
  • Relation: Indigenous Pathways, Transitions and Participation in Higher Education : From Policy to Practice Chapter 14 p. 235-249
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  • Description: Indigenous people remain extremely under-represented in Australian higher education. Despite a substantial increase in the overall number of Indigenous university enrolments since the demand-driven system was introduced, representation remains well below population parity (cf. Department of Education and Training 2015; Wilks and Wilson 2015). Along with participation rates, the university success and retention rates of Indigenous students are also relatively low (Behrendt et al. 2012). The causes of this under-representation and under-achievement have been well-documented. At one level, the relatively low secondary school completion and achievement levels of Indigenous people help to explain under-representation at the next level of education. At a deeper level, educational outcomes reflect broader disadvantage, historical exclusion and discrimination, and a system of education in which respect for culture and diversity often remains limited (Liddle 2016).

Effective University leadership and management of learning and teaching in a widening participation context: Findings from two national Australian studies

- Devlin, Marcia

  • Authors: Devlin, Marcia
  • Date: 2013
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Tertiary Education and Management Vol. 19, no. 3 (2013), p. 233-245
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  • Description: The widening participation agenda in Australian higher education heralds changes that demand fresh thinking in university leadership and management of learning and teaching. The findings from interviews, across two national studies in 16 Australian universities, with 50 staff and 89 successful students from low socio-economic backgrounds, provide the basis for new directions related to the leadership and management of university teaching and learning in the context of an increasingly diverse student body. These directions relate to: institutional strategic alignment; reward for and recognition of teachers; appropriate resourcing; and effective structure and organization of teaching and learning support. © 2013 European Higher Education Society.

A leadership enrichment program for research higher degree students : An experiential learning approach to leadership training

- Barron, Deirdre, Zeegers, Margaret

  • Authors: Barron, Deirdre , Zeegers, Margaret
  • Date: 2006
  • Type: Text , Conference paper
  • Relation: Paper presented at Australian Association of Research in Education (AARE) Conference 2006, Adelaide, South Australia : 26th-27th November 2006
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  • Description: Enrichment programs for Research Higher Degree (RHD) students are an endeavour undertaken by all Australian Universities. Most of these enrichment programs have in the main been centred on the generic skills required to expedite the research program, for example software skills, information gathering and collating skills, language development programs and seminars on various methodologies. There are some examples where enrichment programs have focused on leadership. These programs often assume not only that leadership can be taught, but also that a traditional seminar/lecture approaches to such a curriculum is a practical, efficient and effective approach to leadership education. This paper questions these assumptions by arguing for a more experientially-based approach to leadership education at the RHD level. This approach has demanded a consideration of pedagogical approaches outside, or peripheral, to the traditional approaches of RHD training. A specific example of a leadership program that incorporates experiential learning in is presented. The paper delineates a brief overview of experiential approaches to education, followed by a more specific review of the potential role these approaches can play in leadership education.
  • Description: 2003005532