Professor Sylvia Rodger

1. Building capacity among emerging occupational therapy academic leaders in curriculum renewal and evaluation at UQ and nationally Professor Sylvia Rodger

2. Background - me- February 2001

3. Critical Issues –some years later Capacity building

4. ALTC Fellowship Emerging Leaders’ Network Purpose: To build curriculum leadership capacity within the occupational therapy profession nationally through a community of practice and personal learning networks.

5. Key ALTC Programme Outcomes • Development, evaluation and refinement of a curriculum reform framework • Development of evidence-based guidelines/ resources associated with this framework • http://www.olt.gov.au/resources?text=Sylvia+Rodger • Development of a cadre of emerging curriculum leaders nationally who engaged in capacity building opportunities

6. Curriculum Framework

7. ELN Community • 17 OT academics nominated by HOS from 15 HEI • 7 webinars and 2day • F2F workshop • In or moving into leadership positions • Also used social networking tools

8. Webinars and F2F Workshop • Content focussed on each aspect of framework • Guest presenters in each area OT and HE sector • Discussions and questions • Leadership reflections Focus Framework

9. ELN Reflecting on Leadership

10. ELN –‘effective’ Community of Practice • Community –social fabric • Domain– common identity (emerging leaders) • Practice–the shared practice (curriculum leadership) (Wenger, Snyder & McDermott, 2002)

11. Good Practice Guides • Developed to focus on the Framework • ELN in pairs to develop a GPG • Other GPGs and exemplary Case Studies developed by ALTC Fellow • GPGs peer reviewed, edited and developed as hard copy and pdf for upload

13. Post ELN Evaluation • Increase in the number of ELNs coordinating a whole year level with significant and full responsibility 34% pre to 62% post. • Coordination of whole program 19% pre to 50% post. • Post - more responsibilities related to curriculum development, new roles such as course director, program coordinator. • New skills allowed them to discuss and engage in curriculum issues with confidence and a greater vision.

14. Post ELN Confidence Gains • Identifying key stakeholder groups, occupational therapy specific and other curricula, and curriculum drivers within their local context. • Identifying curriculum drivers external to their local university. • Developing processes for curriculum mapping and developing processes for discussing curriculum matters with their academic team • Own leadership capacity.

15. Gains made through • Peer networking, support • Positive experiences of peer collaboration • Having the space and time to focus on curriculum development over one year • Resources developed • Sharing of expertise by Fellow, guests and peers. • Formed relationships with different faculties and TL communities within their universities. “Now you feel like you go to conference and you feel connected”

16. 12 months later… 11 participants at OTALN • informed their curriculum including planning and evaluation. • communicated and shared their learning with their colleagues. • new teaching and learning leadership roles (all) • increased interest in teaching and learning issues • 2 undertaking Grad Cert HE • 2 presented at conferences on T/L , attended T/L conferences for first time • Applied T/L grants for first time

17. “In terms of what’s been useful from this group… • “Specifically its around curriculum evaluation. We’ve evaluated our course even after one semester and we’ve changed about 50% of it we think” • Gateways, capstone courses and learning theories, informing the orientation process, educational methods, philosophy and first year experience • “With the first years I’ve used the threshold concepts and have tried to focus on more kind of pastoral care issues. So those were the important things I picked up”

18. Summary • Leadership in professional preparation founded on two pillars: • knowledge and expertise in curriculum planning: development, vision, design, stakeholder engagement, mapping and evaluation • capacity for leadership in the contemporary HE sector, with an understanding of contextual drivers and change management. • Modeling effective leadership is critical in developing leadership

19. Have a successor! • Working with OLT funding OT Academic Leaders Network – Discipline Specific Network • OLT grants • School and Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee (chair), UQ • Major curriculum reform across OT, PT, SP, AUD at UQ.

20. References • Rodger, S. (2011). Final Report. Building capacity among emerging occupational therapy academic leaders in curriculum renewal and evaluation at UQ and nationally. Strawberry Hills, Sydney: Australian Learning and Teaching Council. • Rodger, S. (2011). Good Practice Guides and Cases to Support CurriculumDevelopment and Renewal in Occupational Therapy. Strawberry Hills, Sydney: Australian Learning and Teaching Council. • http://www.olt.gov.au/resources?text=occupational+therapy