Informing principles

The USQ Learning Support Plan operates within the Learning and Teaching Plan bound by the same informing principles.
The definitions of learning support are wide and encompass all support directly related to academic learning skill development of USQ’s students, supplementary to those provided by the faculties.
Effective academic learning support requires a multifaceted approach to assisting students, which can involve working with:

Students, through the provision of:
- one-to-one assistance; and
- specialised courses/workshops/resources.
Curriculum, through initiatives that are integrated within award programs
Academic staff, through the provision of one-to-one consultations and other learning experiences to further develop teaching, curriculum design and student support strategies that facilitate learner success.

Learning support by its nature focuses on students and their needs. Although it aims to support students for the duration of their study, it is underpinned by the goal of developing learner independence.
All learning support practice is informed by principles of adult learning and developmental rather than deficit models of support.

Goals

To provide learning support equitability and efficiently across all campuses, both on shore and off shore.
To provide the same quality of support across all modes and levels of enrolment.
To provide a clear pathway for students to supplementary academic advice and resources for academic learning skills.
To provide a diversity of integrated developmental strategies to support students in their efforts to improve and record learning.
To increase flexibility of learning support for all students.
To provide evidence-based practice, benchmarked across the sector.
To build the capacity to link all USQ support providers and systems.

Academic Learning Support Providers	Other relevant stakeholders
Learning and Teaching Support Unit	Student Guild
The Library	Dean of Students
Student Services	PVC (L&T)
Centre of Australian Indigenous Knowledges	Registrar
Outreach Services	Faculty Assoc Deans (L&T)
Student IT Support (within ICT)
Student Administration (incl. Residential Colleges)
USQ International
Springfield Campus
Fraser Coast Campus
Office of Research and Higher Degrees

Tasks

(Detailed timelines are prepared under individual plans)

1	Locate provision of academic skills under the direction of a single academic section		Links with recommendations of ROP Student Management Blueprint
	1.1	Define the nature of academic learning skills and location of the provisions
	1.2	Consult with effected providers, investigating interrelationship of academic skills provision, staffing and resourcing factors
	1.3	Restructure responsibilities and pathways for academic learning support in consultation with other rationalisation processes across USQ
2	Provide clear pathway for students to supplementary academic and academic-related advice (non-faculty academic advice)		Links with recommendations of ROP Student Management Blueprint
	2.1	Define clear authorities for the provision of supplementary academic and academic-related advice for students
	2.2	Clarify aims and objectives, roles and responsibilities of all participants within a university-wide student communication plan
	2.3	Develop university wide communication plan for students
	2.4	Implement rationalised communication plan for supplementary academic and academic-related advice for students
	2.5	Design appropriate quality assurance and evaluation measures for such a plan
3	Single integrated repository of academic skills online resources for students		See 4.2 Online Resources for Students Plan
	3.1	Map nature and location (audit) of online academic skills resources for students
	3.2	Restructure architecture of web resources in collaboration with USQ web restructure and implementation of new CMS Include linkages with USQAssist-like systems Include strong linkages to proposed virtual learning centre
	3.3	Implement a quality assurance process for development, provision and maintenance of online resources for academic skills
4	Diversity of support strategies
	4.1	Virtual Learning Centre Plan	See individual plans
	4.2	Online Resources for Students Plan
	4.3	PALS Implementation Plan
	4.4	Embedding Academic Skills Plan
	4.5	Pro-active management of plagiarism/collusion
5	Commence mapping against AALL benchmarking standards, AALL Transition Project (available 2008) or similar		See Evaluation Plan

Strategic alignment

USQ Learning and Teaching Operational Plan:

Curriculum Project
Enabling Project
Learning Support Project
Learning Spaces Project
Technology-enhanced Learning & Teaching Project

Program Revitalisation Plan

Student Experience/Engagement Plan

Realising our Potential, Student Management Blueprint

Communication Plan

Purpose	Communication Strategies	Responsibility	Timelines
Development of Implementation Plan	Circulation of draft to ROP Student Management Chair, LTSU staff, Key Stakeholders for consultation	LTSU, ALS Coordinator	7/12/07
	Tabled at USQ LTEC for wider consultation	PVC (L&T)	First meeting 2008
Introduction of Implementation plan	Incorporation of nominated components into Program Revitalisation Plan Consideration by ROP Student Management Implementation Plan Forward to relevant USQ Committees for consideration in relation to policy and procedural changes. Forward relevant component to Web restructure Committee Meeting with Assoc Deans L/T Detailed discussion with relevant stakeholders	LTSU, ALS coordinator	Commence mid-Feb 2008
Program Planning and Evaluation	Dissemination of plans to Faculty LTECs Dissemination of plans to relevant USQ sections		Timelines set in through consultations

Required documentation and policy rewriting

Student communication plan for supplementary academic advice, with procedures, roles and responsibilities; associated quality assurance and evaluation processes
Web resource development agreement, roles and responsibilities; associated quality assurance and evaluation processes
Academic Misconduct Policy, faculty regulations and procedures
“Plagiarism detection software” purchase and use procedures and protocols

Evaluation strategies

Satisfaction surveys (student/staff)
Focussed surveys
Student performance data
Student and staff usage data
Benchmarking and mapping against AALL or other benchmarking projects

C1 - Academic learning support