Staff Highlights

COFA staff develop resources to aid educators teach online

Article released: Monday, 23 March, 2009

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COFA academics Simon McIntyre and Rick Bennett have, over the last decade, developed award-winning concepts in online teaching and training, including a series of face-to-face training programs and workshops. To date, these have allowed 45 educators from UNSW and other Sydney universities to develop their own online programs and teaching practices, resulting in the production of 82 online courses/subjects.
The Australian Learning and Teaching Councils (ALTC) has granted Rick Bennet and Simon McIntyre’s new project, entitled Learning to Teach Online: Developing high-quality video and text resources to help educators teach online, $219,000 for a period of 2 years.
This project proposes to use mainstream and broad-reaching online channels to communicate well designed, practical, easy to apply and teaching-focused digital training resources adapted from resources previously only available through the face-to-face programs and workshops. As a result, those wishing to experience and learn about online teaching for the first time, as well as those aiming to improve their existing online teaching practice, will be able to access a full range of new digital resources addressing key areas of curriculum development; assessment; teaching practice; and evaluation. The project will ultimately offer unlimited numbers of academics, teachers and tutors worldwide the opportunity to experience the programs and workshops through increased access, flexibility, choice and self-direction.
The Australian Learning and Teaching Councils (ALTC) mission is to enhance learning and teaching in Australian higher education.

The people involved in the grant are: Simon McIntyre (Project Leader), Rick Bennett (Joint Project Leader), Karin Watson, Ian McArthur and Søren Larsen
For more information on online COFA courses please visit: http://www.cofa.unsw.edu.au/schoolsunits/schools/cofaonline/