Australian Universities Teaching Committee Project on Sessional Teaching (2003)

Teaching and Educational Development Institute (TEDI), The University of Queensland

This Project site contains all of the project information, including case studies, guidelines, checklists and resources for supervisors and sessional teachers.

University websites for sessional teachers

Queensland University of Technology

This site is part of an online Human Resources toolkit that QUT provide for all academic staff. It covers issues related to Pay and Contract, Fire, Emergency and Security, and QUT Information and Services.

University of New South Wales

This site is located in the Learning and Teaching section of UNSWs website. The site provides a link to the University’s Strategic Action Plan for Sessional Teachers and links to all the relevant University and Faculty contacts for the professional development aspects of the Strategic Plan.

Macquarie University

This site is located under Staff @Macquarie. The site provides useful links for sessional staff at Macquarie University. Links are grouped into the 3 areas of: Administrative and workplace support; Teaching and Professional Development support; Personal support

University of New England

This site is located in Learning and Teaching and contains two key resources: the Handbook for Casual and Sessional Teaching Staff and Guidelines for Employing Casual and Sessional Teaching Staff. Both are available in html or pdf format.

Griffith University

This site is located in the Human Resources Management section of the University website. It has a series of links under the headings: Discovering Griffith, Getting Paid, For Supervisors, Learning and Teaching, and Working @ Griffith.

The University of Queensland

This site gathers together important administrative and teaching and learning information for tutors. It includes links and information on the following: Becoming a tutor; getting started; Working as a Tutor; Learning Environments; policies and guidelines; School information; Enhancing practice.

Faculty/Divisional websites for sessional teachers

Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, Teaching, Learning and International, University of South Australia

This is an excellent example of a Division taking responsibility for centralising information for sessional teachers. This page includes links and information for the following topics: Induction, Employment Arrangements, Administrative Resources, University Policies, Academic policies and procedures, Teaching and Learning Resources, Staff Development, Online teaching and learning, Student Services, International Students and Offshore Teaching, Evaluation, Research Resources, Research Supervision Resources.

Department of Computing, Macquarie University

This is a very good example of a Department Manager taking responsibility for centralising information for sessional teachers. This page includes links and information for the following topics: MU webpage for sessional staff; Induction booklet; Timesheets; Staff by unit; Tutor Consultation Hours Meetings with Unit Convenors; Need Help; Recruitment; Teaching Supplement Scheme; Training and Development.

Business School, University of Western Australia

This site includes a Welcome, and links to teaching and learning highlights, the T & L Committee, tutor training resources, the T & L grants scheme, operational priorities, faculty teaching awards, sponsored programs and teaching and learning resources for all staff.

Handbooks and resources

University of New England

The purpose of this handbook is to provide support for employees of the UNE whose principal role is teaching on a casual or part-time basis. The handbook provides guidance in the areas of: employment expectations of casual and part time teaching staff at UNE; effective teaching and learning at UNE; UNE services available to support teaching. Contents Section 1: About the University of New England; Section 2: Employment Expectations; Section 3: Effective Teaching; Section 4: Support Services and Professional Development

University of South Australia

The online Quick Guide includes many questions that have been brought forward by the people across the divisions that are regularly asked by sessional staff:  About the University; About your appointment; About your academic role; About services, resources and facilities; About further work within the University. It also provides an overview of the University structure, links to University policies, and a list of useful phone numbers.

University of New South Wales

This handbook is available online and includes information on the following: Getting Started; The UNSW Academic Community; Learning and Teaching Support; Professional Development Opportunities; Evaluating your teaching; Gaining recognition for your teaching; Information for those managing sessional staff.

Department of Computing, Macquarie University

Contents include links to the MU webpage for sessional staff,  Casual Academic Staff Induction Booklet, Timesheets, Staff by unit, Tutor Consultation Hours, Meetings with Unit Convenors Need Help, Recruitment, Teaching Supplement Scheme, Training and Development

University of New South Wales

This Survival Guide provides tutors and demonstrators with information on the following topics: Know Your Role as a Tutor / Demonstrator; Before the First Day; Your First Class; Tips for Tutor and Demonstrator; Tips Especially for Demonstrators; Engaging your Students; Group Facilitation; Reflective Practice; Marking and Assessment; Providing Feedback;  Plagiarism and Copyright: Promoting Academic Integrity; Trouble Shooting; Managing Disruptive Behaviour in the Classroom;
Other Resources and References; UNSW Student Support Services; UNSW Teaching Staff Support Services.

Griffith University, School of Applied Psychology

This Manual is used with sessional staff during training.

Policy

The University of Queensland

This policy covers recruitment, remuneration, resources and facilities, induction and staff development.

University of New South Wales

Incorporates policy and checklists to promote the inclusion of sessional teachers into UNSWs communities of practice. It covers recruitment, employment, integration and communication, opportunities for development in learning and teaching, and evaluation and recognition.

Griffith University

‘This policy outlines the arrangements established to implement Academic Committee's 7/2002 resolution that it be a requirement of employment that all casual academic staff new to Griffith University and new to University teaching undertake the Teaching and Learning program prior to commencing teaching at Griffith University.’ (p.1)

University of Wollongong

This Code sets out the responsibilities of the University, the Faculty and the casual academic teacher.

Employment guidelines

The University of Queensland

This policy covers recruitment, remuneration, resources and facilities, induction and staff development.

University of New England

These Guidelines cover recruitment, terms of employment, induction, ongoing administration/ employment issues, teaching and career issues, ongoing support, web links, supporting casual and sessional teaching staff and an induction checklist.

University of South Australia

These HR Guidelines articulate procedure and practice for the recruitment, induction, employment conditions. They also provide the relevant information about the Casual Academic Staff (CAS) system.

University of South Australia

Casual Academic Staff (CAS) system – see above Guidelines for detail.

Teaching and learning orientation

Griffith University

This website is organised into the following sections: resources for you as an academic staff member of the university; resources specific to your courses and School or Faculty; resources for you as a teacher in higher education;  other useful sites and resources.

University of South Australia

This site is located in the Academic Development Services section of the UNISA website, and brings together into one site a range of links to inform and support sessional staff about the possibilities regarding the their professional development: for example, it links to Tutoring @ UniSA, a downloadable booklet called A quick guide for sessional academic staff, Division of Education Arts and Social Sciences sessional staff resources and AUTC Sessional Teaching Website.

University of Technology, Sydney

This site covers the following:
What is a casual academic? Appointments; contracts; getting paid; superannuation; leave entitlements.
At work: health and safety; staff identification.
Teaching at UTS: Help for new teachers; helping students; teaching responsibilities; UTS rules and policies; privacy.
UTS: campus facilities; after hours.

University of New South Wales

This site includes: Faculty and School contacts; Rights and responsibilities; Contract and payment processes; Accessing resources; Faculty specific support; Professional development opportunities; Awards; and Information for those managing sessional staff.

This site provides the link to the Learning and Teaching Induction Resource for New Academic Staff and other relevant resources.

University of New South Wales

This Report from the Faculty of Science EdSquad on Small Group Teaching and Learning (Tutors and Laboratory Demonstrators) provides comprehensive information about the context, the training program, the outcomes, the evaluation data,  the funding arrangements and issues highlighted during the Program.

James Cook University

This document provides an overview of the Teaching and Learning orientation provided for sessional staff by the central teaching and learning unit.

Other

University of New South Wales

This Compendium consists of case-studies, formal reflections and suggestions on developments at UNSW in the area of sessional teaching.

Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, University of South Australia

This document provides comprehensive guidelines for sessional staff who are considering applying for a Teaching Award within the Division.