Discipline Scholars Network

The Discipline Scholars Network sought to establish an expert panel of leading academics contributing to standards-related policy in learning and teaching, and facilitate engagement of discipline communities as the standards policy developed.

The objective of the network has been to maintain and support an expert panel of leading academics who were appointed by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council as Discipline Scholars. The grant enabled the Scholars to continue to contribute to standards-related policy and practice developments through the coordination and synthesis of diverse disciplinary perspectives, and facilitated engagement of discipline communities.

The Network originally proposed to meet three times between September 2011 and September 2012, in order to review and report on progress achieved by institutions and professional bodies to advance the implementation of the agreed-upon learning outcome statements in curriculum design and assessment practices and assurance of their achievement. A further aim was to provide expert advice to the former Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [now the Department of Education] and to report to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, to the various Councils of Deans and Associate Deans on developments unfolding in the implementation of the Learning and Teaching Academic Standards project.

During the latter part of 2012, the Network asked the OLT to extend the duration of the grant, which, through a series of economies, was still in surplus. This was approved by the OLT and enabled the Discipline Scholar Network to further promote the academic standards agenda, especially in light of the work that was being carried out by the Higher Education Standards Panel [HESP] during 2012-2013. With the publication of the HESP’s ‘Draft Standards for Course Outcomes and Learning Outcomes’ on 5 March, 2013, the Network turned its attention to focus on the preparation of a National Forum for senior academics and tertiary administrators engaged in quality assurance and standards-related compliance of learning and teaching in the sector. The forum was scheduled for August, 2013, and involved the preparation of a substantial portfolio of background material for the invited attendees.