Learning outcomes and Curriculum Development in Psychology in Australia

Presented by Peter Wilson on behalf of the team

Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Development in Psychology

Funded in 2004 by The Australian Universities Teaching Committee (AUTC)

Funding continued in 2005/06 by the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching

Ottmar Lipp, Project Leader

Steve Provost, Project Officer

Team Members

Ottmar Lipp, Deborah Terry

Steve Provost, Peter Wilson

Frances Martin, Greg Hannan, Gerry Farrell

Debra Bath

Denise Chalmers

Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Development in Psychology

Universities involved in team:Southern Cross UniversityUniversity of QueenslandUniversity of TasmaniaGriffith University[some team members have since moved]

Australian University System

•38 universities –funded by Federal Government •All have psychology departments/schools •Independent sources of income (fees etc.)•2 private universities•Different “types” of universities •Group of 8 (Go8), regional, other metropolitan

Psychology Education in Australia

Standard model is a 4-year undergraduate degree which includes a final Honours year (or equivalent) Pass + Hons = 3+1•Undergraduate degrees provide coverage of all main topic areas in psychology•Honours year involves a supervised research project + advanced coursework

Postgraduate Psychology Education in Australia

•Professional programs: clinical and others •2-year Masters degree is typical•Professional Doctorates are increasing •PhD degree is a “pure” research degree

Some features of Australian Psychology

•Different Faculty locations:•Science, Arts, Health Science, Behavioural Sciences; Social Sciences •Psychology is a science and a profession•Service provider for other areas •Strong accreditation framework – U/G and P/G•Quality assurance / consistency across Australia

Accreditation of Psychology in Australia

•Australian Psychological Society •Registration Boards in each State•Aust Psych Accreditation Committee Council (APAC)•Strong standards requirement – consistency •Curriculum, staffing levels, facilities, names of degrees•Special off-shore and distance-education requirements•5-year cycle of reviews – linked to Registration

Carrick Institute Grant

Goal: to identify strategic directions for Psychology in order to enhance learning and teaching

Results presented in a Report and other forms of dissemination

Aims of the Project

•Review models and methods of teaching, curriculum development and learning outcomes•Identify innovative practice in teaching•Dissemination of material•Develop platform for future scholarly discussion on teaching of psychology

Network Meetings

•Almost all departments nominated a representative to participate in the project•Interviews with nominated academic•A series of Network Meetings were held•Focus on issues such as: models of education and training; graduate attributes•Cross-cultural; indigenous; international

Scientist-Practitioner Model

•Basis for accreditation of departments•Applies to the overall model of education and training – not just postgraduate•Different interpretations / views of science•Separation between U/G and Professional •The model has served Australia well but there is lively debate about value and consequences

Factors affecting content of curriculum

Based on interviews – factors with high influence:•Accreditation requirements•Collective academic value of staff•Individual staff interests and skills•Personal academic values of individual staff•School teaching and learning committee[Individuals within schools were also seen as the main driver of innovation]

Factors affecting content of curriculum

Interview results – suggested low influence:•University Teaching and Learning Committee•Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee•Pressure from undergraduate students•Feedback from professionals

Factors affecting content of curriculum

•Middle ranked influences: •Head of Department and Feedback from students•Student feedback was also seen as affecting method of delivery

Innovative Practices - 1

•On-line teaching support for on-campus teaching•Textbook + Resources being more widely used•Problem-based learning•Education around Plagiarism •Focus on the First-year experience –tutor training / peer mentoring•Live video-conferencing across campuses

Innovative Practices - 2

•Cross-cultural and indigenous issues•Research methods -integration•Topical issues – e.g., environment•Overall curriculum – more psychology included and new topic areas•Note: not much focus on internationalisation

Indigenous Issues

•Need to increase participation rate•Differences of views in regard to curriculum•Inclusion of more material – but where and how?•Some very good examples from some universities •Use of Indigenous Learning/Support Centres•Professional programs are stronger - but not all adequate•Project highlighted needs in this area

Internationalisation Issues

•Incoming international students

•International experience for Australian students

•Curriculum issues – cross-cultural focus

•Bologna Process

Graduate Attributes

•University and Departmental Attributes•Sometimes poor link with curriculum and

assessment•Some excellent examples •Portfolio system - UNSW•Impact on accreditation standards

Graduate Attributes

•Knowledge and understanding of psychology•Research methods in psychology•Critical thinking in psychology •Values in psychology•Communication skills•Learning and the application of psychology

Graduate Attributes at Southern Cross University - 1

•Scientific report writing•Poster preparation•Psychological survey construction/evaluation•Quantitative data analytic skills•Competence in statistical software

Graduate Attributes at Southern Cross University -2

•Ethics and integrity

•Communication skills Awareness of global, cultural and social responsibilities

•Recognition and respect for diversity

•Intercultural competence

The Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ)

• Collected after course completion (~ 6 months)• 5 Scales, 24 items• 3 scales are mandatory (public info):

– Good Teaching (6 items)– Generic Skills (6 items)– Overall Satisfaction (single item)

• Items scored on a 5-point Likert scale, then rescaled on -100 to +100 point system

• psychology data at the project website <www.psy.uq.edu.au/carrick>

Some questions…

• Does the CEQ matter?– Yes to Universities, Deans and Heads of Dept.

– Often our only real source of quantitative information about our students

– Can have funding implications

• Problems– Results are released too late – sometimes changes

often already made for other reasons

– Self-nominated Fields of Study

Analysis of the CEQ

• With whom do you compare Psychology?– There are 328 separate Pass Bachelors Fields of

Study listed, and 263 Honours Fields

– Professional programs such as nursing?

– Social sciences such as sociology?

– Natural sciences such as biology?

• The core 4-year degree in Psychology with Honours is unique

3-year Pass level 2005

CEQ SubscaleAust

Mean

SD Psych

Mean

Good Teaching 17.7 17.2 14.8

Generic Skills 35.7 13.8 40.6

Overall Satisfaction 38.1 19.3 39.0

At the level of fields of study, Correlation between GTS & GSS r = .54Correlation between GTS & OSI r = .68Correlation between GSS & OSI r = .60

Honours level 2005

CEQ SubscaleAust

Mean

SE Psych

Mean

Good Teaching Scale (GTS) 28.7 25.0 23.2

Generic Skills Scale (GSS) 45.6 20.4 48.1

Overall Satisfaction Item (OSI) 47.0 26.5 44.5

At the level of fields of study, Correlation between GTS & GSS r = .72Correlation between GTS & OSI r = .77Correlation between GSS & OSI r = .72

10 largest Pass degrees in ascending order (Psychology n=2,043 out of N=59,824 or 3.5%

ASCED Field of Study GTS GSS OSI

History 40.8 42.6 57.5Law 10.8 40.7 40.7Business Management 15.5 39.2 38.2Computer Sciences 8.7 29.2 28.7Banking and Finance 5.7 26.8 31.2Marketing 15.4 40.4 42.1Psychology 14.8 40.6 39.0Teacher Education: Primary 14.1 31.5 33.1General Nursing 10.2 33.6 29.1Accounting 7.0 27.1 33.8

10 largest Hons degrees in ascending order (Psychology n=599 out of N=7,658 or 8.0%

ASCED Field of Study GTS GSS OSIGeneral Medicine 15.7 44.7 48.0Computer Engineering 0.2 36.2 30.5Economics 21.5 35.6 38.4

Computer Sciences 20.1 41.2 38.7Biochemistry and Cell Biology 29.5 49.5 50.3Mechanical Engineering 7.6 45.4 35.5Political Science 37.7 45.0 52.2History 52.1 52.6 66.1Law 15.1 43.9 42.4Psychology 23.2 48.1 44.5

Pass Bachelor

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Year

Mean

sco

re

GTSmeanGSSmeanOSImean

Honours Bachelor

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Year

Mean

sco

re

GTSmeanGSSmeanOSImean

Summary• As a discipline psychology performs well on the CEQ. • Overall improvements have occurred over time• 3-year Pass students provide less positive feedback

than Honours students. There are about 4,000 3-year Pass graduates each year, and we need to find ways to obtain better results.

• More detailed results are available for types of universities – can be seen on website

• We still don’t know what drives CEQ performance – research is needed on this subject.

Further Outcomes from Project• Increased focus on teaching of psychology within

departments/schools• This focus is very notable in some universities• Network of educators has been established which

should have a permanent role• Indigenous, international and graduate attributes

are issues now receiving more attention• Accreditation standards changed to reflect

graduate attributes

Acknowledgements

• The rest of the Psychology Project Team• Profs Nigel Bond and John O’Gorman• Professor Ian Johnston and the rest of the

contributors to the Steering Committee• The AUTC and Carrick Institute• But most of all to all of the wonderful people

who came and contributed to the Network Group Meetings