Research support

Framework for Teaching Opportunities

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Who is this for?

This framework aims to encourage and facilitate schools to connect with some of the large numbers of Research Focused (RF) staff who are at UQ.

There are a number of ways RF staff can contribute to teaching at UQ including these four categories:

  1. Joint appointments between Schools and Institutes;
  2. UQ Amplify Scheme (for eligible ARC, NHMRC and MRFF externally-funded fellows);
  3. RF staff where 1 or 2 is not relevant and who contribute in a substantial and sustained way to teaching (employed by a School, Centre or Institute);
  4. RF staff who contribute in a smaller or more ad hoc manner to teaching as an entry and/or career development opportunity.

This framework is designed to support the contributions of those staff described by categories 2 and 3 above to:

  • enhance teaching capacity and capability and help manage teaching workload in Schools; 
  • provide an opportunity for interested RF staff to expand their portfolio; and
  • further strengthen the relationship between research and teaching to improve the student learning experience.

The Principles

Mutuality: Teaching activities must be mutually beneficial to the university; school; students and staff member. 

Educational excellence: All contributions to teaching need to be of high quality and of dependable input.

Contextualised yet consistent: A ‘one size fits all’ approach will not be applicable, however some consistency in the mechanism to match discipline expertise and interest from RF staff with teaching need in Schools is required.

Accountability: Expectations need to be clear and transparent; for the individual, those who support their academic performance assessment, and those responsible for the teaching program. For clarity and accountability, these include expectations of responsibility, quality, time commitment and participating in development and feedback processes including the Academic Annual Performance and Development (APD) process.

It should be noted that this framework does not allocate funding.

 

Framework Overview

Eligibility and merit do not guarantee a teaching opportunity – research focused staff will be matched based on their suitability for available teaching opportunities.

  • ARC, NHMRC, MRFF Fellowship holders wishing to be eligible for UQ Amplify post-Fellowship appointments; OR UQ Amplify post-Fellowship appointees; OR Research Focused (RF) appointment with a minimum 2 years* remaining on contract (would usually be at Level B or C); 
  • Some teaching permitted under research grant / fellowship contractual conditions.
  • Able to accommodate a commitment ramping up to 20% of FTE allocation to Teaching/Teaching related duties (including required professional development activities);
  • Completed, or commitment to undertake, Teaching@UQ; and
  • Excellent communication skills; with
  • Prior teaching experience (preferable but not expected).

*Staff with less than 2 years remaining on their current contract may also be considered in some circumstances.

The success of this program is dependent on appropriate consultation, planning and agreement with the following stakeholders:

  • Research Focused Academic; Supervisor; Head of School/Centre Director/Institute Director; Deputy Director Research (DDR); Associate Dean Research (ADR).
  • Course Coordinator; Program Convenor; School Director Teaching and Learning (T&L); Head of School; Associate Dean Academic (ADA). 

See a full list of Key Contacts for Institutes & Schools

All stakeholders must agree to commit the appropriate time and resources to maximise the likelihood of successful outcomes which include ensuring quality teaching and learning experiences and career development opportunities, while maintaining pre-existing research obligations. It is recognised that this balance will require careful planning, preparation and support within the School where the teaching is conducted and also within the School/Centre/Institute where the staff member is situated. It will also require careful consideration by the RF staff member and their supervisor. Prior to committing to teaching, the RF staff member must ensure that the proposed teaching commitment is feasible considering their research obligations.

Teaching activities follow a detailed semester timetable which includes centrally determined deadlines for many responsibilities, such as preparation of exams and the upload of grades. This means that once a RF academic commits to teaching involvement, teaching obligations must take priority. 

Allocated teaching activities cannot be delegated to another staff member or student.

Teaching opportunities will be dependent upon the teaching required in a School at that time. It is important to note that guest lectures, while often useful, fall below the minimum threshold of teaching relevant to this program and UQ Amplify requirements. RF staff with a willingness to contribute to subject areas broader than their own specific research area are more likely to be matched with teaching opportunities including introductory or foundational level courses often in the first year of degree programs.

In most cases, the curriculum within a course and the programs in which the course is embedded, are already established so teaching contributions must align with the course learning objectives and program outcomes. Being willing and able to adapt to the established curriculum within a specific discipline is a critical skill for a teaching academic.

There are a number of other responsibilities that accompany teaching into a course that must be undertaken by the RF staff who accept a teaching opportunity. These may include:

  • using learning management systems, such as Blackboard effectively;
  • providing students with information or resources in a timely manner to allow them to prepare for their scheduled learning activity;
  • responding to students’ queries in a timely manner, either via email or, for some courses, through a discussion board; 
  • being available to meet with students face-to-face at designated times;
  • liaising with the course coordinator, other academics teaching in the course(s), and professional staff in Student and Academic Administration teams to ensure effective management of teaching and quality learning outcomes for students, including
  • the design of assessment and ensuring marking is completed in a timely manner during and after semester (including deferred/supplementary examinations). The deadlines for exam questions and marking, amongst other teaching related deadlines are HARD deadlines and must be honoured. Exam preparation and marking cannot be delayed.

UQ’s Academic Calendar is published years in advance and shows key dates for each semester to inform RF staff decisions prior to applying for and accepting a teaching role.

The success of this program is dependent on appropriate consultation, planning and agreement with the following stakeholders:

Discipline expertise is not sufficient to be an effective teacher. RF staff wishing to teach are required to undertake at least foundational teaching preparation through completion of the Teaching@UQ program, regardless of prior teaching experience (some exceptions may apply for those with recent UQ teaching experience).

The Teaching@UQ program assists staff in creatively connecting curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment to foster active student participation and learning. It is run by UQ’s Institute of Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI). The program has been developed in the context of UQ’s policies and the Academic Annual Performance Development (APD) process.

The program is offered 3 times per year. It includes a series of modules on foundational topics (e.g., how learning happens, interactive pedagogies, assessment and course design align to UQ policies, using technologies effectively). Each module involves two hours of online activities and participation in a 2-hour workshop. The estimated time commitment to complete this program is approximately 25 hours in total (this includes the program’s sessions as well as self-directed learning). Successful completion of the program involves active participation in online activities, undertaking workshops (with peer feedback) and passing a final assessment task. Upon completing the program, participants receive a certificate and their Workday course details are updated.

Teaching@UQ has two streams to accommodate UQ’s diverse academic community. Both streams begin together in the first two workshops, then split into separate sessions before coming together for final workshops. All participants enrol in the same program, and then sign-up to streams in the first workshops. The ‘Teaching as Researchers’ stream is for RF academics seeking teaching opportunities. The ‘Extended’ stream is for Teaching and Research, Teaching Focused, Clinical Academics and Teaching Associates with course coordination or substantial teaching roles in courses. Some RF staff may also choose this stream depending on their level of teaching responsibility.

Effective teaching in UQ Schools requires an understanding of local practice. The School is responsible for ensuring that the RF academic is well supported in undertaking their teaching responsibilities by providing an appropriate mentor or similar support. While Teaching@UQ provides the fundamentals in teaching practice, it is important that the RF academic has ready access to an appropriate experienced academic in the School who can guide and mentor them in their teaching efforts providing local context and connection. 

Mentors from UQ’s Teaching Focused (TF) Network will also be available. Most Schools have TF staff members. In addition, TF in cognate disciplines or Schools, or with specialist knowledge (e.g., blended learning, assessment integrity) are also an option as mentors.

A RF Teaching Champions Network will be coordinated by ITaLI, reporting to both the Teaching, Learning and Student Experience and Research and Innovation Committees annually. The Network will bring together RF staff involved in teaching to share practices, offer peer support, and propose approaches to better engage RF staff in teaching activities. The Network will be led by a small ‘Leadership Group’ of academics who will run three events annually, including a Teaching and Learning Week event, and will engage with RF staff enrolled in the Teaching@UQ program.

Planning for teaching for the year ahead is generally undertaken between July and October. The Teaching Opportunities spreadsheet and EOIs should ideally be available in time to allocate teaching for S1, S2 and SS in the following year and incorporated into the staff member’s APD submission. 

Schools are responsible for reviewing the EOIs received for their courses, determining suitability of applicants for allocation to the identified teaching opportunities and undertaking follow up with the applicant if further information is required. As the matching process occurs at the local level, timings will also be locally determined. 

It is acknowledged that teaching opportunities may arise at other times and where possible these will be managed out of cycle.