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Collaborative efforts work! Reflections on a two-year relationship between Faculty of Health and International Student Services - Language and Learning Unit. Rena Frohman Language and Learning Adviser International Student Services/Faculty of Health November, 2011
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Collaborative efforts work! Reflections on a two-year relationship between Faculty of Health and International Student Services - Language and Learning Unit. Rena Frohman Language and Learning Adviser International Student Services/Faculty of Health November, 2011 AALL 10th Biennial Conference Adelaide, SA
The Collaborative Initiative FoH: 6 schools/4,000 students Nursing & Midwifery & Public Health: 20% int’l/CALD and growing ISS: Centralised Unit on 2 campuses Previous workshops in FoH Increasing focus: HRD students Push factors QUT Mission Statement AUQA/TEQSA Audit Good Practice Principles transforming into standards(Barthel, 2011) FYHE: transition pedagogy – greater collaboration between academics and professional staff (Kift, Nelson, & Clarke, 2010) GOAL: provide support to growing demand
The Pilot Program Scoping the Collaboration • Which FoH students would have access? • PhD, PG, UG? • Int’l/domestic NESB, CALD? • What types of support strategies? • Academic units/academic literacies? • Clinical Practice Placements? • What was the LLA’s role in the faculty? • Co-curricular/extra-curricular workshops? • PD Sessions • Curriculum/assessment development
Semester 1, 2010 From little things big things grow • UG: 5 unit-specific workshops targeted: • High failure rates & Advanced academic writing needs • PG: Writing Workshops (generic skills) LLA met needs: ‘deficit’/Reactive approach (Harper, Prentice, & Wilson, 2011; Kift, Nelson, Clarke, 2010) Student/Academic Feedback • Improve marketing • Working, BUT not reaching enough students PRIORITISING TENSION: LIMITED RESOURCES
Sem. 2, 2010 – Sem. 1, 2011 Development to 7 Strategies • Academic Writing Skills Workshops • ‘disciplined flavoured’ (Barthel, 2011) • Unit Specific Workshops for academic literacies • PG Writing Circles • Pre-clinical Placement Role Play workshops • PD Sessions for academic staff • Volunteering in Hospitals Program • AT RISK intervention program REACTIVE and PROACTIVE approaches blended to support students from transition through to more advanced levels of study
Lesson 1: Understand the Big Picture Policy Policy Enablers: • University mission statement • National policy changes • (AUQA/TEQSA & GPP) • FYHE Support comes from higher level stakeholders. When problems arise: management moves the process along
Lesson 2: Evaluation builds legitimacy Policy Enablers: • Evaluation purposes • Determine if collaboration meets students’ needs • Build legitimacy with academic staff Collect Data: • As much as possible, in as many ways • Share outcomes w/academics Reflect on feedback w/ academics: builds teamwork and legitimacy BUT IT TAKES TIME – PRIORITISING TENSION
Lesson 3: Collaboration requires flexible cooperation Practical Considerations Enablers: • Faculty Champion required • Faculty support from admin teams required • Open Communication • Planning/Flexibility • Problem-solving Building close academic/professional relationship with constant scheduled & unscheduled communication is VITAL to deal with inevitable TENSIONS caused by unexpected changes.
Lesson 4: Collaboration requires long-term vision Practical Considerations Enablers: • Collaboration & change is ‘hard work’(Kift, Nelson, & Clarke, 2010) • GPP Standards in AUQA/TEQSA = long term • Shared vision among all is VITAL for sustained commitment • Communal willingness to support the goal BUT for sustainability PILOT PROJECTS must be guaranteed through policy & funding
Lesson 5: Defining Identity Personal Philosophy Enablers: • Understanding my main purpose: • to help CALD students by developing a range of support strategies • Believing FYHE/GPP momentum will increase and encourage institutional changes TENSIONS: • Wanting to accept invitations to participate in more roles/initiatives but limited by resources & time
References Barthel, A. (2011). From good practice principles to standards. Retrieved June 15, 2011, from http://www.studentservices.uwa.edu.au/__data/page/169199/Alex_Barthel_Keynote.pdf Harper, R., Prentice, S. & Wilson, K. (2011). English language perplexity: Articulating the tensions in the DEEWR “Good Practice Principles”. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 2(1). 36-48. doi:10.5204/intjfyhev.2i1.51 Kift, S., Nelson, K. & Clarke, J. (2010). Transition Pedagogy: A third generation approach to FYE – A case study of policy and practice for the higher education sector. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 1(1). 1-20. Retrieved July 14, 2011, from https://www.fyhe.com.au/journal/index.php/intjfyhe