* Thinking of going to HERDSA 2017?  The Early Bird date is fast approaching – 28 April!
* Academic developer full time continuing position at JCU
* Free online seminar: Engaging students for success: individual and institutional influences
* Academic Mentoring Guide
* Higher Education in the Headlines

To submit an announcement for this list complete the online form at http://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-notices

A full list of HERDSA Notices is online at http://www.herdsa.org.au/latest-news

To unsubscribe or change your email details see http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/herdsa

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Thinking of going to HERDSA 2017?  The Early Bird date is fast approaching – 28 April!

Don’t leave your registration too long.

http://www.herdsa2017.org/showcase.php

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Academic developer full time continuing position at JCU
5 March 2017

Academic Developer, Academic Level B $89,859 - $106,029 Full Time continuing
Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University

The Academic Developer leads curriculum design and mapping across the Division, with a particular focus on high quality assessment design under broad direction of the Director, Academic Quality and Strategy. The incumbent collaborates with a wide range of College based staff and staff in the Learning, Teaching and Student Engagement (LTSE) directorate to support the design of curriculum. The Academic Developer provides support to embed curriculum priorities at JCU, including internationalisation and embedding Indigenous perspectives in the curriculum, the teaching research nexus and work integrated learning. The incumbent working collaboratively with academic staff; Associate Deans, Learning and Teaching and LTSE staff, supports the review and development of undergraduate and postgraduate coursework curricula for diverse students using a student-centred approach.

Further information https://www.jcu.edu.au/careers-at-jcu/vacancies

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Free online seminar: Engaging students for success: individual and institutional influences
8 March 11am QLD time

Engaging students for success: individual and institutional influences
Professor Karen Nelson
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students), University of the Sunshine Coast

Date: 8 March 2017
Time: 11.00 am - 12.00 noon
Venue: USQ Toowoomba Media Studio Y103
Online: Livestream go to https://www.usq.edu.au/learning-teaching/USQSalon/2017/nelson
Twitter: #USQSalon

Student success and retention are outcomes of student engagement. Simply put, engagement promotes successful learning and success in that learning leads to completion and retention.

However, ‘engagement’ is a complex and multifaceted construct. We know engagement is critical to first year success and that a ‘good’ experience in first year is critical for engagement.

Engagement is also understood to contribute to improved learning outcomes in key areas such as problem solving and interpersonal skills, and critical thinking. Critically engagement is also believed to have a compensatory effect for students for whom the transition to university is more challenging.

But is there evidence to support these claims?

This presentation will explore the concept of student engagement and examine the various factors believed to contribute to students’ engagement in learning. It will present the findings from a recent national study and conclude by providing some examples of the individual and institutional influences that promote student engagement.

Karen Nelson's research and practice focus on student learning engagement and the first year experience in higher education. At USC she is responsible for student success and retention and to this end sponsors and leads of a range of curricular and co-curricular initiatives.

She has led a series of large national projects to develop sector resources including a maturity model for student engagement retention and success http://studentengagementmaturitymodel.net/); and a social justice framework for higher education (https://safeguardingstudentlearning.net/). Karen has also been a team member in other projects e.g. Teaching and Support of Students from Low SES Backgrounds (http:// http://lowses.edu.au/); and Student retention and learning analytics: a snapshot of Australian practices.

During 2016, Karen led an eight-institution national project ‘Shaping the 21st century student experience in regional universities’ (http://shapingtheregionalstudentexperience.com.au/). She is a recipient of three Australian Awards for University Teaching (two Citations and an Award for a Programs that Enhance Learning). Karen is the Editor in Chief of the Student Success Journal and Co-Chair of the annual STARS Conference.

In December, 2016 she was awarded the status of Principal Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy for her ongoing commitment and contributions to student learning and as a strategic leader in teaching.

Further information https://www.usq.edu.au/learning-teaching/USQSalon/2017/nelson

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Academic Mentoring Guide

The Second Edition of the Spectrum Academic Mentoring (SAM) guide is now available on our website. SAM is an evidenced-based approach that empowers mentees to choose their mentors and the type of mentoring relationship, whether it is one-on-one or group. Working in partnership or as a group, mentees and mentors set the goals, timeframes and parameters for how the relationship will work. Our guide outlines our approach and identifies key skills for mentees and mentors as well as providing an easy step-by-step process for both mentees and mentors, including checklists and reflection exercises. To view the website and download a copy of the guide please visit: http://spectrummentoring.com.au/

Further information Please contact the SAM team via our website

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Higher Education in the Headlines

Psychology ‘too broad’ for ERA | JOHN ROSS | Australian Higher Education | 22 February, 2017
An analysis of ERA has scoffed at suggestions that gaming by unis led to submissions being ruled invalid.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/era-reviews-cant-cope-w...

Fear and Loathing in the Campaign’s Wake | Steve Kolowich | Chronicle of Higher Education | 17 February, 2017
How a polarizing election, a free-speech fight, and a real-life internet troll made the University of Washington turn on itself.
http://www.chronicle.com/article/FearLoathing-in-the/239142

HE bill: why universities are not supermarkets | Martin Wolf | Times Higher Education | 16 February, 2017
Commentator Martin Wolf examines the economic flaws and false assumptions of the Higher Education and Research Bill
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/he-bill-why-universities-a...

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