Transcript Document

The best possible educational outcomes
for all learners
Presentation to the University of Otago / Otago Polytechnic
7 and 8 November 2007
Peter Coolbear
Where did Ako Aotearoa come from?
• Cabinet asked for work to be done on the development of a national
centre for tertiary teaching excellence
• The Teaching Matters Forum developed the proposal
• The Government agreed to fund it to $20m over 5 years
• TEC sought tenders
• A consortium comprising Massey, AUT and Canterbury Universities,
with MIT and UCOL was selected to develop and host the Centre
• Contract signed in October 2006
September 2007
So why do we need Ako Aotearoa?
Are we a solution looking for a problem?
• Put effective teaching and learning to centre stage
• Ensure learners and tax payers get value for money
• Recognition that the tertiary education environment
is changing dramatically
• Support tertiary educators as professionals
• Contribute to the alignment of tertiary education and
training with government’s tertiary education
strategy
September 2007
Course completion rates vs qualification completion rates
• In 2005: over 500,000 students in formal tertiary
education.
• They passed 72% of all courses (papers) taken.
• But overall only around 40% will complete
qualifications
• Within these data some alarming clusters of apparent
non-completion.
September 2007
Seven year completion rates for the 1998 cohort
entering tertiary education institutions
Level started
Direct from
School
Direct from
Workforce
Total (all
entrants)
L 1-3 Certificate
52%
28%
38%
L4
27%
16%
22%
L 5-6 Diploma
29%
19%
24%
L7
64%
34%
53%
56%
27%
41%
Certificate
Degree
TOTAL
Ussher 2006
September 2007
Our vision:
The best possible educational outcomes for all
learners.
September 2007
Our mission:
Through a focus on enhancing the effectiveness of
tertiary teaching and learning practices, the Centre
will assist educators and organisations to enable
the best possible educational outcomes for all
learners.
September 2007
What we are beginning to do - 1:
• Identifying, celebrating and sharing good practice
– Taking over the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards
– Establishing a National Awards Academy
• Supporting research and its application
– Regional Hub Projects Funding Scheme underway
– Major funding available in 2008
• Supporting and evaluating new ideas
– Regional Hub Projects Funding Scheme underway
– Major funding available in 2008
September 2007
The National Awards Academy
Very significant resource
• Develop public domain resources for tertiary educators
• Project leadership
• Evaluation roles
• Mentoring Roles
• etc., etc.
Authoritative voice
September 2007
What we are beginning to do - 2
• Working across the whole sector
– Mapping project
– Transferring knowledge across sub-sectors
– Capability building
• Raising the level of debate about tertiary teaching and learning
– Major interactive web-site
– Major sponsorship for key conferences
• Supporting and learning from Kaupapa Māori
– What lessons can we learn from successful Māori providers?
• Raising expectations for all learners
– Listen to and promote the learner voice
September 2007
The structure of Ako Aotearoa
The essential elements are:
• A Governance Board
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A Māori Caucus
A Reference Group
A National Office
Three Regional Hubs
September 2007
Our mode of action
• Focussed on learner outcomes
• Look to be evidence based
• Build on and support the good stuff that is already
going on
• Be collaborative where-ever possible
• Be inclusive
• Take a leadership role in the on-going debate
September 2007
Working across the whole sector
- Our biggest challenge and, potentially, our biggest
strength
Ako Aotearoa is unique in seeking to work across the
whole of the tertiary sector.
Not just tertiary education organisations, but we also
have an active interest in workplace learning and
adult and community education.
September 2007
Learners
• 504,000 learners enrolled in study programmes in
tertiary providers
• 162,000 industry-based trainees
• 161,000 enrolments in short courses
• 360,000 enrolments in non-formal education
NZ Tertiary Education Sector
Profile and Trends 2005
MoE (2006)
September 2007
Towards a theory of action
Starting assumptions:
– There is a considerable amount of good and excellent teaching practice
within the New Zealand tertiary sector
– Excellent teaching practice is often hidden and undervalued (other than
by the learners who engage with it)
– There is no one model of best practice, either within a subject discipline
or within a sub-sector if the tertiary system
– Besides teaching, there are a wide range of activities within any learning
environment that may impact on effective learning outcomes
– The regulatory context may also impact on effective learning outcomes
– Discipline based education research is perceived to be devalued by the
PBRF
September 2007
Towards a theory of action
And the three most problematic …..
– Unless an intervention is required by an institution, professional
development groups within TEIs often have difficulty getting traction
beyond the enthusiasts
– There is very little research which examines the impact of efforts to
enhance the effectiveness of teaching practice on learner outcomes
– In the New Zealand policy context there remains an unresolved, three
way tension between tertiary education as a means of selection, as a
commodity and as a means of empowerment of the individual
September 2007
Four levels of interaction
• Organisations in the tertiary sector
• Educators
• Learners
• Workplace
September 2007
So where to in the next two years?
• Ako Aotearoa becomes the first-call resource for advice
and debate on tertiary teaching and learning and a
window on overseas work
• Flourishing National Awards Academy
• Clearly defined partnerships between ourselves and
other bodies both within New Zealand and overseas
• Major research and implementation projects
• Working with others to develop a more coherent body of
knowledge about tertiary education in New Zealand
September 2007
Where might the major projects be focussed?
Whole of organisation or discipline - focussed
retention and success strategies
Workplace learning
Pathways to Māori and Pasifika success
Impact of quality assurance processes on teaching
and learning
The nature of national qualifications ….
etc., etc.
September 2007
September 2007