Centre for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT)
ELT503
Innovation and Leadership in University Learning and Teaching
Spring Semester
Commencement: November 29th , 2010
Unit Outline
Professor Robyn Lines
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Contact details
Unit coordinator/lecturer
Unit coordinator/lecturer: / Dr Robyn LinesCampus: / Hobart
Email: /
Phone: / 6226-8504
Fax: / 6226-1881
Room number / MML Level 1 Room 103
Consultation hours: / By email with 48 hour turnaround during business hours
Other staff
Unit Administrators / Ms Natalie Edwards, Graduate Certificate AdministrationCampus: / Launceston
Email: /
Phone: / 6324-3501
Fax: / 6324-3301
Room number / CALT Reception
Consultation hours: / Business hours
© The University of Tasmania 2010
Unit Outline: November2010
Contents
Unit description*
Intended learning outcomes*
Generic graduate attributes^
Alterations to the unit as a result of student feedback*
Prior knowledge &/or skills
Learning expectations and teaching strategies/approaches
Learning resources required
Details of teaching arrangements*
Specific attendance/performance requirements*
Assessment*
How your final result is determined*
Submission of assignments*
Requests for extensions
Penalties*
Review of results and appeals
Academic referencing*
Academic misconduct*
Further information and assistance
Unit schedule
Unit description*
This unit supports you in developing your understanding of contemporary innovation and leadership theories and practices in higher education. The focus is on enabling you to refine and apply your understanding in a professional environment, with due consideration of the needs of your teaching and research discipline, institution, colleagues and students. This unit culminates in the creation of a personal learning and teaching ‘innovation and leadership’ career plan, which incorporates opportunities for professional advancement and development.
Intended learning outcomes*
On completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- apply theories and strategies of contemporary leadership and innovation to your context, taking into account the needs of the organisation, colleagues and students
- devise a case for change in your context requiring leadership and/or innovation, taking into account enablers, challenges and the needs of all stakeholders
- create a personal career development plan that incorporates leadership and innovation strategies in learning and teaching.
Generic graduate attributes^
The University has defined a set of generic graduate attributes (GGAs) that can be expected of all graduates (see As this is a graduate unit it builds upon the attributes you have developed through previous study and through your experiences at work. By undertaking this unit you should further develop the following attributes
Knowledge of leadership and innovation theories and practices form the core knowledge within this Unit and your understanding of these will be assessed through all three assignments.
Problem-solving skillsform a central aspect of this unit. You will develop your abilities to analyse contexts in relation to innovation and leadership within universities;make and test propositions for change against environmental and staff constraints and to imagine, predict and critically analyse likely responses.You will also use problem solving skills to critically assess your own development as leader and innovator and to plan for your future development. These abilities will be assessed through all three assignments.
Alterations to the unit as a result of student feedback*
Feedback from students in 2009 contributed to some changes in the assessment tasks. These have been refocussed to provide a more staged approach to developing leadership an innovation understanding and skills and have been reweighted to reflect the effort required to complete them.
Prior knowledge &/or skills
Previous experience in learning and teaching or the creation of environments that encourage good learning and teaching within a university are essential background for this Unit.
Learning expectations and teaching strategies/approaches
Expectations
The University is committed to high standards of professional conduct in all activities, and holds its commitment and responsibilities to its students as being of paramount importance. Likewise, it holds expectations about the responsibilities students have as they pursue their studies within the special environment the University offers.
The University’s Code of Conduct for Teaching and Learning states:
Students are expected to participate actively and positively in the teaching/learning environment. They must attend classes when and as required, strive to maintain steady progress within the subject or unit framework, comply with workload expectations, and submit required work on time.
Teaching and learning strategies
In developing the Unit care has been taken to make assessment authentic by setting tasks which are situated in your work context and which address current work requirements, tasks or possibilities. The first assignment requires a detailed analysis of your work environment (activity system) in relation to concepts of leadership and innovation. In the second assignment you will plan the introduction of a necessary or desirable innovation in that work context. This assignment is designed to lay the basis for action. The final assessment requires the articulation of a person leadership philosophy and three year plan. This should assist you with career development and promotion if that forms part of your plan. We recognise that that all academics are time poor and that authentic and situated help to address this fact as well as promoting learning.
One teaching strategy used throughout the Unit is to use time within the limited face to face sessions to explore ideas for the assessment tasks and through this toprovide opportunities for participants to test ideas with others within the unit and to extend and enrich thinking before completing assignments.
Intensive face to face workshops use a variety of teaching and learning strategies – discussion, activities and interactive presentations – to provide varied opportunities for learning and to link new theories and ideas to past experiences.
Learning resources required
Requisite texts
Bolden, R, Petrov, G, & Gosling, J,. (2008) Developing Collective Leadership in Higher Education: Final Report. Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.
Marshall S., 2006, Issues in the Development of Leadership in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Occasional paper for the Carrick Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, viewed December 2008
Trowler, P. Saunders, M. & Knight, P,. (2003). Change Thinking, Change Practices.
LTSN Generic Centre, Learning and Teaching Support Network. Accessed 15-11-09.
Recommended reading
Ramsden, P. (1998a) Learning to Lead in Higher Education. London: Routledge.
This key Australian text provides a useful overview of leadership in higher education.
The most useful readings will vary for individual participants depending upon the innovation project selected and the orientation to change and leadership developed. A recommended reference list is provided in the Unit resource pack and the workshop schedule refers to key readings by topic.
E- (electronic) resources
Collaboration, questioning and guidance will be provided by email throughout the unit. Some key readings will be distributed electronically.
Details of teaching arrangements*
Intensive sessions
The Unit commences with a 2 day intensive workshop on November 29th and 30th.A further full day workshop is scheduled for January 31st 2011. During our first workshop the group will negotiate any desired further meeting times and determine their mode (if applicable).
For information about videoconferencing at UTAS and how to participate effectively, see the Students’ guide to Videoconferencing available at:
Occupational health and safety (OH&S)
The University is committed to providing a safe and secure teaching and learning environment. In addition to specific requirements of this unit you should refer to the University’s policy at:
Specific attendance/performance requirements*
The Faculty of Education policy specifies a minimum of 80% attendance.
Assessment*
Assessment schedule*
Assessment task / Date due / Percent weighting / Links to Intended Learning Outcomes1.A written description and analysis of your leadership and innovation context (course team, school, professional unit etc) and your current role within it. / Monday 24thJanuary 2011 / 30% / 1 & 2
2. A written proposal for a teaching/leadership innovation to address a challenge in your school/professional unit / Monday 21stFebruary 2011 / 30% / 1
3. A written statement of your leadership philosophy accompanied by a personal innovation and leadership plan for the next three years / Monday 4thApril 2011 / 40% / 3
Assessment details*
Assessment task 1
Task description
/One strand of the leadershp literature stresses that approaches to leadership need to vary in response to the situation or context for leadership. This task requires you to describe and analyse both the formal and infomal aspects of teaching and learning leadership in your context as abasis for planning successful change initiatives. The assignment should describe the ways in which learning and teaching change and improvement are undertaken in your course team/school/professional unit at the moment using concepts ofdistributed leadership and innovationdrawn from the literature. Current practice must then be analysed to determine strengths, weaknesses and gaps in practice. Finally you must reflect upon your role within that context. The description and analysis should include:
- A brief factual outline of the purpose of the course team or professional unit (eg. degree type, discipline, staff numbers and distribution, linkages to other degrees etc).
- a description of formal structures, responsibilities and mechanisms forevaluation of and decision making about curriculum and teaching practice in the course/professional unit;
- A description of informal leadership for teaching and learning;
- A description of the roles you currently take with regard to innovation and leadership within this context;
- An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current practice
Task length
/2000 words – diagrams may be helpful
Links to unit’s intended learning outcomes
/Links to learning outcome 1
Assessment criteria
/See criteria sheet
Due date
/Monday 24th January 2011
Assessment task 2
Task description
/ This task asks you to plan a change/innovationwhich is designed to enhance learning and teaching in your professional unit by:- identifying a significant innovation/leadership challenge relevant to your course team/school/professional unit;
- reviewing a range of literature associated with the challenge; and
- recommending strategies to address the challenge within your course team/school/unit. The strategies will need to:
- take account of the climate and structures of authority and decision making in your course team/school/unit identified in Assignment 1;
- take account of the key players (ie stakeholders) and modes of informal leadership; and
- reference the general, and teaching/professional discipline based leadership and innovation literature.
Task length
/ 2000 wordsLinks to unit’s intended learning outcomes
/ 1 and 2Assessment criteria
/ See criteria sheetDate due
/ Monday February 21st2011Assessment task 3
Task description
/ The first part of this assignment asks you to condense your thinking about leadership into a succinct personal leadership philosophy. The second part of the assignment is to develop a personal innovation and leadership plan for the next three years which reflects your personal philosophy, current position and aspirations for the future.In the context of your teaching/professional discipline your leadership philosophy should describe your approach to leadership. It should be linked to the leadership theories you deem most pertinent to your situation.
The plan should show how you will enact this philosophy over the next three years. It may include advancement through formal leadership positions and/or through the development of informal leadership and leadership skills/capabilities.
The written philosophy and justification of chosen activities should be accompanied by the plan in graphic/tabular form. Thefollowing SMART format may be useful:
- the Specific outcomes your plan will help you achieve;
- how you will Measure the impact on stakeholders of enacting the plan;
- to whom you will be Accountable for achieving your goals;
- a Realistic appraisal of the approaches (i.e. tactics) that you will use to implement the plan;
- a Timeline describing how you will achieve each outcome, including a description of any professional activities that will address perceived gaps in the skills/understanding you will need to achieve the plan.
Task length
/ 3500 wordsLinks to unit’s learning outcomes
/ 3Assessment criteria
/ See criteria sheet.Date due
/ Monday 4 April, 2011How your final result is determined*
Your final result will be an average of marks achieved in the three assignments. Marking of each assignment will be moderated.
Submission of assignments*
Completed assessment tasks should be submitted via email to before or on the due date.
A hard copy of the assignment, including a signed cover sheet (see the end of this unit outline), appendices and non electronic attachments, should be delivered or mailed to the following address on the due date or the next standard business day.
Dr Robyn Lines, CALT, Private Bag 133, Hobart 7001
Due to occasional delays in mail between campuses and departments, the date and time the email was sent will be deemed to be the date and time the assignment was received.
Requests for extensions
All requests for extensions should be submitted via email to Teaching and Learning Administration () WELL BEFORE the due date of the assignment. Generally, foreseeable work commitments will not be grounds for an extension.
Penalties*
Students may submit assignments before the due date (via the means specified by the unit coordinator). A penalty will be applied for submission after the due date unless a formal extension has been granted, in writing. As copies of assignments are to be submitted electronically, submission on weekends is possible. Weekend days, therefore, will attract the same penalties as weekdays.
The following late penalties apply.
- Ten-percent (10%) of the maximum mark available for the assignment for each day late (including weekend days and public holidays) up until five days late.
- No acceptance of any assignment submitted more than five days after the due date (with a zero grade awarded for the item).
Word limits have been set for every assessment task. Submissions that exceed the word limit by more than 10% may incur a penalty of 10% of the awarded mark for each 10% over the word limit.
Review of results and appeals
Appeals should go to the coordinator - Dr Robyn Lines - in the first instance. If unresolved, appeals are referred to the Course Coordinator – Ms Sharon Thomas – and then, if necessary, to the Faculty Executive (Education).
Academic referencing*
In your written work you will need to support your ideas by referring to scholarly literature, works of art and/or inventions. It is important that you understand how to correctly refer to the work of others and maintain academic integrity.
Failure to appropriately acknowledge the ideas of others constitutes academic dishonesty (plagiarism), a matter considered by the University of Tasmania as a serious offence.
The appropriate referencing style for this unit is
All students are to adopt the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style.
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Web site: owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/research/r_apa.html
For information on presentation of assignments, including referencing styles:
Please read the following statement on plagiarism. Should you require clarification please see your unit coordinator or lecturer.
Academic misconduct*
Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism, allowing another student to copy work for an assignment or an examination and any other conduct by which a student:
(a) seeks to gain, for themselves or for any other person, any academic advantage or advancement to which they or that other person are not entitled; or
(b) improperly disadvantages any other student.
Students engaging in any form of academic misconduct may be dealt with under the Ordinance of Student Discipline, and this can include imposition of penalties that range from a deduction/cancellation of marks to exclusion from a unit or the University. Details of penalties that can be imposed are available in the Ordinance of Student Discipline – Part 3 Academic Misconduct, see
PlagiarismPlagiarism is a form of cheating. It is taking and using someone else's thoughts, writings or inventions and representing them as your own; for example, using an author's words without putting them in quotation marks and citing the source, using an author's ideas without proper acknowledgment and citation, copying another student's work. If you have any doubts about how to refer to the work of others in your assignments, please consult your lecturer or tutor for relevant referencing guidelines, and the academic integrity resources on the web at:
The intentional copying of someone else’s work as one’s own is a serious offence punishable by penalties that may range from a fine or deduction/cancellation of marks and, in the most serious of cases, to exclusion from a unit, a course or the University.
The University and any persons authorised by the University may submit your assessable works to a plagiarism checking service, to obtain a report on possible instances of plagiarism. Assessable works may also be included in a reference database. It is a condition of this arrangement that the original author’s permission is required before a work within the database can be viewed.
For further information on this statement and general referencing guidelines, see or follow the link under ‘Policy, Procedures and Feedback’ on the Current Students homepage.
Further information and assistance
If you are experiencing difficulties with your studies or assignments, have personal or life-planning issues, disability or illness which may affect your course of study, you are advised to raise these with your lecturer in the first instance.
There is a range of University-wide support services available to you including Teaching & Learning, Student Services, International Services. Please refer to the Current Students homepage at:
Should you require assistance in accessing the Library visit their website for more information at