Changing the game: The ACDS centre for teaching and learning

Abstract

Faculties teaching science and mathematics need to shift their expectations and support of renewal to achieve broadscale improvement in teaching practice. The sector is developing a rich network of groups and individuals collaborating to develop improved teaching practice including discipline and leadership networks, national projects and national leaders in learning and teaching. Recently, the Australian Council of Deans of Science (ACDS) has begun work towards a National Centre for Teaching and Learning for science and mathematics. The new Centre will be a focal point for effective models for organizational change and curriculum development. It will focus the energies of learning & teaching leaders into change at Faculty level by constructing good practice guides providing distilled advice for teaching and learning. The Centre will draw on the experience of learning & teaching leaders, science faculties and associated discipline groups to offer authoritative advice to Universities and external bodies. The ACDS Centre will be available to the sector through its website which will also link together the existing groups, projects and leaders. The Centre website will house good practice guides to be commissioned by the Centre and a practice exchange which encourages dissemination of good ideas between disciplines. The ACDS Centre will also provide timely advice for the ACDS on teaching and learning. In this session, attendees will be invited to contribute their ideas and views to to make the new ACDS Centre as relevant as possible.