Building capacity among emerging occupational

therapy academic leaders in curriculum renewal and

evaluation at UQ and nationally

Professor Sylvia Rodger

Background - me- February 2001

Capacity building

Critical Issues –some years later

Purpose: To build curriculum leadership capacity within the occupational therapy profession nationally through a community of practice and personal learning networks.

ALTC Fellowship Emerging Leaders’ Network

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

Key ALTC Programme Outcomes

Curriculum Framework

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

Webinars and F2F Workshop

Focus Framework

Content focussed on each aspect of framework

Guest presenters in each area OT and HE sector

Discussions and questions

Leadership reflections

ELN Reflecting on Leadership

Community –social fabric

Domain – common identity (emerging leaders)

Practice –the shared practice (curriculum leadership)

(Wenger, Snyder & McDermott, 2002)

ELN –‘effective’ Community of Practice

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

Good Practice Guides

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.

Post ELN Evaluation

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.

Post ELN Confidence Gains

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”

Gains made through

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

12 months later… 11 participants at OTALN

“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”

“In terms of what’s been useful from this group …

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

Summary

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.

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 Curriculum Development and Renewal in Occupational Therapy. Strawberry Hills, Sydney: Australian Learning and Teaching Council.

http://www.olt.gov.au/resources?text=occupational+therapy

References