Visiting scholars

Dr Carol Nicoll

ALTC’s CEO, Dr Carol Nicoll visited USQ on Thursday, 25 March to meet with the Vice Chancellor, Professor Bill Lovegrove and USQ’s Deputy Vice Chancellors, Professors Phil Candy and Graham Baker.

Dr Nicoll canvassed a number of issues around higher education including the role of TEQSA and some new initiatives which she proposes for ALTC.

During her visit, Dr Nicoll took time to work with Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lynne Hunt, to develop five discussion-starter videos about ALTC’s teaching standards project. Dr Nicoll anticipates that these will help ALTC’s discipline scholars to translate their work to academics.

“We covered a range of topics including how standards can be given meaning in the work-a-day world of teaching. This means a concentration on threshold concepts and a focus on expected outcomes for graduates”, she said.

The video-clips also address matters such as the difference between standards and standardisation and the relationship between discipline-based standards and professional accreditation processes.

Dr Christine Broughan, Dr Carol Nicoll, Professor Lynne Hunt

Dr Nicoll also met with Dr Christine Broughan who was visiting USQ on a week-long study program to generate research about equity and student retention in the context of the widening participation agenda.

Interview

Professor Lynne Hunt interviews Dr Carol Nicoll

What do teaching standards mean?* (5:35 mins)
Do standards lead to standardisation?* (5:55 mins)
What is the relationship between teaching standards and professional accreditation?* (3:44 mins)
What should universities do to accommodate teaching standards?* (3:53 mins)

*This video is accessible to broadband (or better) users.