Higher Education Research: A QUT Case Study

Professor Karen Nelson

Towards Research Excellence 9th - 10th December 2013 Melbourne

Higher Education Research Network

What is higher education research?

• Research that enhances our theoretical and/or our conceptual understanding of teaching and learning and is firmly situated within its relevant literature and makes a substantial contribution to that literature. – Scholarship – evidenced based critical reflection on

practice aimed at improving practice scholarly teaching (Prosser, 2008).

• Domains – Teaching & learning, course design, the student

experience, quality, system and policy, institutional management, academic work, knowledge (Tight, 2003)

Fields of Research Division 13 Education - 4 Groups 1301 Education Systems 130103 Higher Education 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy 1303 Specialist Studies in Education 1399 Other Education

1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy has fourteen fields: 130201 Creative Arts, Media and Communication Curriculum and Pedagogy 130202 Curriculum and Pedagogy Theory and Development 130203 Economics, Business and Management Curriculum and Pedagogy 130204 English and Literacy Curriculum and Pedagogy (excl. LOTE, ESL and TESOL) 130205 Humanities and Social Sciences Curriculum and Pedagogy (excl. Economics, Business and Management) 130206 Kohanga Reo (Maori Language Curriculum and Pedagogy) 130207 LOTE, ESL and TESOL Curriculum and Pedagogy (excl. Maori) 130208 Mathematics and Numeracy Curriculum and Pedagogy 130209 Medicine, Nursing and Health Curriculum and Pedagogy 130210 Physical Education and Development Curriculum and Pedagogy 130211 Religion Curriculum and Pedagogy 130212 Science, Technology and Engineering Curriculum and Pedagogy 130213 Vocational Education and Training Curriculum and Pedagogy

1302 Specialise Studies in Education has fourteen fields: 130301 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education 130302 Comparative and Cross-Cultural Education 130303 Education Assessment and Evaluation 130304 Educational Administration, Management and Leadership 130305 Educational Counselling 130306 Educational Technology and Computing 130307 Ethnic Education (excl. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Maori and Pacific Peoples) 130308 Gender, Sexuality and Education 130309 Learning Sciences 130310 Maori Education (excl. Early Childhood and Primary Education) 130311 Pacific Peoples Education 130312 Special Education and Disability 130313 Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators

Indicators of HE Research Activity

Five principles for action 1. Shape the strategic vision 2. Inspire and enable

excellence 3. Devolve leadership of

learning and teaching 4. Reward, recognise and

develop teaching 5. Involve students

http://www.latrobe.edu.au/teaching/higher-education-scholarship-and-research/journals-conferences

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/herga/

Increasing recognition of the need for HE Research …

“The Future of Higher Education: The need for research and training for the higher education enterprise.” …. to highlight the need for ‘thinking capacity’, data, policy analysis, and professional training for tertiary education worldwide. We are convinced that both institutions and systems, faced with a myriad of challenges and crises, require thoughtful leadership and data-based analysis. We can no longer rely on amateur management and ad hoc solutions to unprecedented problems. 33 directors of higher education centres and programs & policymakers Australia: Leo, Goedegebuure, LH Martin Institute, University of Melbourne http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20131114185952850 http://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/research_sites/cihe/pdf/Press%20Release-Shanghai%20roundtable_rev.pdf

Shanghai Statement ‘The Future of Higher Education’

2 & 3 November, 2013 Shanghai Jiao Tong University,

Meeting the societal challenges

• Living in a Changing Environment

• Promoting Population Health and Wellbeing

• Managing Our Food and Water Assets

• Securing Australia’s Place in a Changing World

• Lifting Productivity and Economic Growth

http://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/Item_5a-Setting-Strateigic-Research-Priorities.pdf

Will require optimising our education systems to foster informed communities, create knowledge workers a well educated nation …

Research-led Evidence Based

PRAXIS

Teaching – Research Nexus

Wicked problems are difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize.

Charles West Churchman Management Science (Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1967)

Student engagement?

Social inclusion Impact of prior knowledge on

student learning outcomes

Student motivation and self-efficacy

Theory and theorising HE research and practice

Quality and process improvement

Institutional leadership & change management

Education reform

Sustaining change in learning and teaching

Innovation / innovating in learning and teaching

Mobile and flexible learning – what works

and for whom?

Curriculum & pedagogy?

STEM Education

Before HERN

• Discipline based staff seeking new knowledge to inform discipline teaching.

• Discipline based staff investigating effectiveness of innovative practices aimed at improving students’ learning.

• Scholarly investigations producing new knowledge about how students learn

• A need for knowledge about how HEIs should be organised to promote learning …

http://mjayliebs.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dots.png

Other drivers …

• Long history of small, large and very large L&T grants SoLT, L&T and HE Research

• Success in ALTC and OLT awards, grants and fellowship programs

• Need to harness the critical mass of staff engaging in SoLT, L&T & HE Research

• Building capability to research and capacity of staff to produce high quality research

a climate of ‘readiness’

What is HERN?

‘Formalisation’ of the network of higher education researchers across QUT

• Higher – research into practice and theory about teaching and learning programs and practices in universities

• Education – disciplines & institutional aspects

• Research – scholarship & research

• Network – academic & professional staff

Establishing HERN

• Convenor – Prof Christine Bruce

• Deputy Convenor – Ms Georgia Smeal

• Sponsored by DVC Learning & Teaching

• Executive – QUT OLT Fellows and leading HE scholars and Researcher leaders with representation of: Exec Deans, ECARDS, DVC Research

• Official Launch 13 March 2013 by Prof Suzi Vaughan DVC (Learning & Teaching), Prof Arun Sharma DVC (Research), Prof Christine Bruce (HERN Convenor) and Siobhan Lenihan (Director, OLT)

http://www.intranet.qut.edu.au/teaching/hern

Purpose, goals & strategic alignment • HERN aims to champion and embed high quality higher education

research at QUT.

• HERN’s goals are to:

– Establish a higher education research agenda at QUT.

– Develop a university-wide higher education research community.

– Provide access to, and leverage from, QUT’s commitment to the scholarship of learning and teaching to produce high quality higher education research.

– Enhance the career opportunities of staff engaged in higher education research.

• Alignment with TEQSA imperatives: – 2.4 The higher education provider demonstrates the commitment of teachers,

researchers, course designers and assessors to the systematic advancement and dissemination of knowledge.

– 2.5 The higher education provider demonstrates sustained scholarship that informs teaching and learning in all fields in which courses of study are offered.

– 2.6 The higher education provider identifies and implements good practices in student teaching and learning, including those that have the potential for wider dissemination nationally.

HERN Sponsor

and Executive

Staff with international

& national profiles

National and international

award winners

Staff in formal

leadership roles

Alumni

Research fellows, RAs,

& project officers

Supervisors of HE HDR students

Discipline staff with interest in

L&T scholarship

Distributed Leadership

Higher Education Liaison Librarian Higher Education Subject Guide

Ms Denise Frost

HERN Snapshot

• 11 National OLT Fellows

• 700+ papers tagged in QUT ePrints

• 230 Members = largest research group at QUT

• Discipline HERN Groups in Law, Health and CIF

• $3,820,000 competitive grants funding in 2013

• 60+ grant applications in 2013

• National Indigenous Research and Knowledges Network, Director – Prof Aileen Moreton-Robinson (member of Executive)

HERN Snapshot

HERN Symposium

• 150 staff

• 3 DVCs

• Dean of Research and Development

• Best publication awards – professional staff, ECARD, overall

Why is HE research important to QUT?

• Attracts category 1 funding

• Is published in high impact journals – HE and Discipline

• Is presented at high impact conferences – Engineering, Info SYS …

• Identifies and sponsors senior scholars

• Provides roles models and mentoring ..

• Nearly ‘everyone’ is already involved in teaching…

An investment in R&D in our industry

• Situated research

• SEO Code Division 93 – Education and Training

9301 Learner and Learning

9302 Teaching and Instruction

9303 Curriculum

9304 School/Institution

9305 Education and Training Systems

9399 Other Education and Training

We can determine impact through evaluation of research outcomes:

• Current literature (& potential for case studies) demonstrating … Changes to programs and practice

Improved levels of student attainment

Improved progress rates

Improved student retention

New curriculum and pedagogies

Improved course quality

Harnessing prototypes and trials for larger scale implementation

Higher Education Research Network

Thank you for listening.

Questions and Discussion