School of Education Academic Work Plan Policy

Revised: March2012

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1. General PrinciplesThere will be an equitable distribution of workloads amongst academic employees and flexibility in the proportion of time allocated to the wide range of academic work. The work plan process aims to positively promote quality educational experiences for students and the career aspirations of academic staff.

Individual Work Plans for Academic Staff will:a) ensure that workloads are reasonable and equitable;b) be consistent with the strategic plans and academic mission of the School of

Education;c) take into account the nature of work undertaken in previous Individual Work

Agreements;d) provide for an equitable contribution and balance between an academic’s goals

and aspirations as outlined in their Career Development Plan and the goals, needs and commitments of the School of Education;

e) take into account class sizes and the complexity of units;f) allow for Individual Work Agreements to be varied during the year, by agreement

between the academic and their supervisor and the Dean of School, where circumstances change;

g) provide a reasonable basis for determining comparison of workload taking into account factors which impact on the complexity, intensity and level of the workload element; and

h) be capable of being compared against each other, as well as against the previous Individual Work Agreement of the staff member concerned.

2. The School of Education Work Plan CommitteeWork plan negotiations within the School of Education will be conducted in an open, collegial manner. They will also provide the security of Individual Work Agreements co-signed by supervisors and staff. This aims to provide a balance between the professional autonomy of academic staff and the ability of the Dean of School to manage staff resources and operational needs.

To ensure equity, transparency and compliance the School Work Plan Committee will review the general work plan allocations. Approval of Individual Work Agreements rests with the Heads of School.

The School Work Plan Committee membership will be comprised of:(a) the Chair (nominally the Dean of School);(b) four members appointed by the Dean of School

i. the Deputy Dean of School; ii. one Director of Academic Program; iii. the Director, Research; and;iv. the School Workloads Coordinator; and

(c) Four members elected by the academic staff in the School of Education.

2.1 The role of the School of Education Work Plan CommitteeThe role of the School Work Plan Committee is to:

(a) develop and review the School’s Work Plan policy, methodology and procedure consistent with the University-wide Work Plan Policy Framework and Academic Staff Agreement 2009-2012;

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(b) resolve a range of Individual Work Agreement disputes which are not major enough to require resolution by a formal Individual Work Agreement Dispute Resolution process;

(c) review the application of the School of Education’s Work Plan Policy, methodology and procedures in the School at least annually; and

(d) report on implementation issues to the Executive Dean and the University Work Plan Committee at least annually.

2.2 Policy and MinutesThe School of Education’s Work Plan Policy and Minutes of the School of Educations Work Plan Committee will be made available to all full time and contract academic members of staff. The School will also create a website to provide staff with access to The Work Plan Policy, meeting agendas and minutes of the Work Plan Committee.

2.3 Access to Individual Work AgreementsIndividual Work Agreements are not confidential documents, and no information will be included in them which would preclude them being viewed by other staff members. An academic’s Individual Work Agreement will be documented and a copy kept by both the Academic and their supervisor. A copy of Individual Work Agreements will also be stored by the Head of the School of Education. Copies of Individual Work Plan Agreements will also be made available to academic staff within the School of Education through the School’s Work Plan website.

3. Individual Work AgreementsAll academic members of staff in the School of Education will have an annual written Individual Work Agreement. Individual Work Agreements will be negotiated between academic staff and their supervisors in accordance with the terms of the University-wide Work Plan Policy Framework, School Policy and the Academic Staff Agreement 2009-2012.

An employee engaged full time is required to work an average of 35 hours per week averaged over a one-year period, or pro rata for an employee engaged part time.

Individual Work Agreements will include an annual leave plan, and any approved long service leave and Professional Development Program PDP leave (where applicable).

Draft Individual Work Agreements will be submitted by 31st March each year.

4. Major Areas of Academic WorkIndividual Work Agreements may include the following aspects of the major areas of academic work:

(a) Teaching(b) Research and scholarly activity(c) Administration and governance

4.1 Teaching

4.1.1 Academic GroupsThe School of Education has four major academic teaching groups. These are;a) Early Childhood,b) Primary,c) Secondary, andd) Education Studies Major.

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While most academic staff will teach within these one of these groups it is recognised that academic staff may teach across these teaching groups.

4.1.2 Calculating teaching workloadTeaching includes:

new course and unit development, including development of materials and obtaining professional accreditations;

conducting lectures, laboratory classes, tutorials, seminars, workshops and field or practicum supervision, and alternative modes of unit/course delivery

supervision of postgraduate and honours students; marking; student consultation; and developing and/or conducting non-award short courses and programs including

Continuing Education.

The allocation of teaching among staff in specific teaching areas should include collegial discussion within teaching groups to ensure equitable and realistic workloads across the School. Teaching teams will particularly ensure equity in the distribution of lecturing and unit coordination responsibilities across the team.

The Dean of School, in consultation with the School of Education’s Work Plan Committee, will annually determine an Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL) target for the School of Education. It is expected that weekly teaching allocations will not exceed the global limits of 12 – 14 hours face to face per week averaged over the semester.

For 2011 teaching will be calculated using an EFTSL Target where 6.3 EFTSL equates to a 10% teaching load. One EFTSL is equivalent to academic engagement with 8 students in a tutorial/ workshop/studio class and associated lectures, marking and student consultation.

e.g. for a 10 credit point unit,25 students in tutorials is a 5% teaching load50 students in tutorials is a 10% teaching load

As a general rule tutorial classes will average 25 students. On the basis of these arrangements, an academic in the School who has a 50% teaching load would normally expect to plan, deliver and mark for 10 tutorial groups in a full year (5 tutorial groups @ 5 hours per week over each full semester, comprising approx 250 students over the full year or 31.5 EFTSL), in addition to undertaking an equitable share of lectures and unit coordination as determined by the academic team. Similarly, an academic on a 70% teaching load is responsible for the teaching of 14 tutorial groups per year, (7 tutorial groups @ 7 hours per week over each full semester, comprising approx 350 students over the full year or 44 EFTSL), in addition to undertaking an equitable share of lectures and unit coordination as determined by the academic team.

All full time academic staff within the School of Education will be expected to have a teaching allocation of at least 20% of a total workload. In unusual circumstances and with approval from the Dean of School, external funding may be used to ‘buy-out’ teaching but all academic staff will have a minimum of 20% teaching. Supervision of postgraduate and honours students will be included in the determination of the 20% load.

4.1.3 Research Higher Degree SupervisionWorkloads for Higher Research Degree (HRD) supervision will be based on the supervision register supplied by the UWS Office of Research Services (ORS). The EFTSL allocation for HRD students will be:

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Full time Ph.D Students 2 EFTSL Distributed across the panelFull time Ph.D International Students 2 EFTSL Distributed across the panel

Full time MEd Honours Students 1.5 EFTSL Distributed across the panelFull time Masters Research Students 2 EFTSL Distributed across the panelFull time Coursework Masters Students 1 EFTSLFull time Honours Students 1 EFTSL

4.1.4 Blended Learning Support.All academic staff in the School of Education will be allocated workload to support the use of blended learning within their teaching. This support is designed to enhance the quality of teaching and learning within the School of Education with a particular orientation to 21st century learning and the use of ICT’s.

In 2011 Academic staff within the School of Education will be allocated up to 10% (per annum) for Blended Learning initiatives if they convene one or more units and 5% (per annum) if they teach on/in but do not convene any units.

5. Administration and GovernanceAdministration and governance includes:

(a) course and unit co-ordination;(b) management or co-ordination of centres, units, academic organisational sub-

units or functions;(c) contributions to committees;(d) formal employee supervision;(e) management, co-ordination, development or promotion of University

enterprises, programs or commercial activities; and(f) general administration of policies and work of the School or College.(g) service to the community where relevance to the work of the University can

be demonstrated including:i. contributions to and involvement with professional associations,

business, unions and industry;ii. contributions to and involvement with relevant government and

community bodies and associations, relevant to the University’s engagement strategy; and

iii. promotion of the University in the community.

The academic leadership and governance of the School of Education is undertaken by the Head of the School of Education with the support of Associate Heads of School and by others in roles determined by the Head of the School.

5.1 General Administrative AllocationAll academic staff within the School of Education will be allocated a workload of 10% for the performance of general academic duties associated with being a member of the School. The general administrative allocation is designed to address:

Internal activities Reading and responding to general University, College and School email and other

communications; Attendance at School meetings, Program meetings School forums and committee

meetings; The completion of general administrative documentation/paperwork and record

keeping;

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Travel between campuses;External Activities

Attendance at; o graduation ceremonies o Open Dayo UWS Dayo Course Decision Dayo Post Graduate Information Evening

Community Engagement

The General Administrative Allocation includes all those activities not associated with the conduct of teaching and research or with other specified administrative or leadership roles. Generally, time for participation in University committee membership is embedded in any allocation given for governance roles within the School. Where this is not the case, an academic must have a prior agreement from the Dean of School to receive additional workload for UWS committee membership. Workload allocations for membership of such committees will be negotiated and approved by the Dean of School.

5.2 Unit co-ordination in the School of EducationAll full time academic staff in the School of Education are expected to participate collegially in unit co-ordination.

Unit co-ordination will involve a range of responsibilities that include: Communicating with students Maintaining vUWS sites (remembering that all School of Education staff have been

allocated a Blended Learning Allowance that will cover a significant portion of this) Co-ordinating assignment collection, marking, recording and the return of

assignments Organising casual staff where required and briefing them for tutorials and marking Organising lectures and tutorials

Unit co-ordination allowance;No unit co-ordination 0%Basic Unit 1%Complex Unit 3%

Complex units are those that have a large number of students (300+) and a number of casual academic staff (>4). The allocation of a complex unit allowance will be negotiated on a case by case basis upon application through the HOP to the Supervisor and then to be approved by the Work Plan Committee.

5.3 Leadership Allocations for the School of Education 2011

Position % Allocation

Dean of School 100%Deputy Dean 60%Research 20%Director Engagement & International 30%Other Strategic Roles

Work Plan Co-ordinator 20%

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School Promotion 10%

School Forum Chair 10%

HRD Management 10%

Honours Co-ordinator 10%

Education Studies Major (in transition)Education Alumni Chapter Co-ordinatorSchool Disabilities Co-ordinator (x2)Education Knowledge Network

20%10%5%20%

The academic leadership of a program is undertaken by the Head of Program.

The Head of the School of Education has allocated the following workloads for leadership and governance within the School. The Dean of School may also appoint a Course Advisor (CA) and a Course Professional Experience Co-ordinator (CPEC).

5.4 Leadership Allocations for Programs in the School of Education 2011

Position % AllocationEarly ChildhoodDirector of Program 20%Academic Course Advisor 10%Academic Course Advisor 10%CPEC 10%PrimaryDirector of Program 40%Academic Course Advisor 20%Academic Course Advisor 20%CPEC 20%SecondaryDirector of Program 40%Course Advisor (1st half) 20%Course Advisor (2nd half) 20%CPECDirector, Adult and Postgrad

20%10%

ACA M Special Education 10%ACA MEd (Social Ecology) 10%ACA MEd (Leadership) 10%

6. Research and scholarly activity All Academics will have a right to negotiate some research duties as part of their Individual Work Agreements. In general, research allocations will be based on data supplied by the Office of Research Services (ORS).

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6.1 Research ProfilesThe School of Education uses the following profiles:

6.1.1 Special Cases (0%, or less than 15%)Under Clause 19(36) of the Agreement and 3.2 of the UWS Framework, some academics may fall outside of the profiles below and may negotiate research workloads of 0%, if they do not wish to pursue a program of research or allied scholarship. They may also be awarded a research workload of less than 15%, subject to the negotiation of an approved research plan.

6.1.2 Scholarship or Developing Research Profile (15 – 20%)The University expects all academic staff to engage in scholarly work beyond teaching. It also recognises the diversity of ways in which staff can develop and disseminate their scholarship and research beyond the teaching relationship. Academic staff in this profile would have few, if any, recognised high-order publications over the previous three years. However, if they do not, they should be engaged in scholarship and the scholarly dissemination of ideas in other ways which can be negotiated with the School Work Plan Committee and the Dean of School.

Most of the staff in this profile should be thought of in developmental terms. A large number may be early career academics, or staff attempting to develop their research profile, as well as those who are returning to more active research. Their supervisors and academic-group colleagues should assist their research development by encouraging synergies between their teaching and research, and by allocating their teaching in such a way as to aid this. Under this category the following developmental criteria are included:

HRD Enrolment 15%Early Career Researcher (ECR) 20% (per annum for 3

years from completion of PhD)

6.1.3 Substantial Research (20-40%)

Academic staff in this profile have a substantial research profile and, depending on the character and methods of their research, would generally aspire to achieve national and/or international publication as well as external funding, particularly through competitive research grants such as ARC grants. The School of Education defines ‘substantial’ to mean a level of research activity where a combination of publications and grants attracts a research load greater than 20% and up to 40%, based on the calculation of publications and grants as outlined in 6.2 and 6.3 below.

6.1.4 Research Leaders and Mentors (Advanced) (40% - 60%)Academic staff in this profile will have an advanced research output usually including significant external competitive grant income and a well above the average publication output. Also, they are expected to play a research leadership and mentoring role for staff in the School of Education and to positively influence and develop the research culture of the School. The School of Education defines ‘advanced’ to mean a level of research activity where a combination of publications and grants attract a research load greater than 40% and up to 60%, %, based on the calculation of publications and grants as outlined in 6.2 and 6.3 below.

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6.2 Calculating research workload: Publications

Workload allocations for publications (excluding refereed conference proceedings) will be based on data supplied by the Office of Research Services (ORS) for the most recently verified triennium. Research workload earned through publications will generally be capped at 30%. Each A* and A level publication will attract an additional 2% premium (divided amongst the authors). This premium for ‘A’ publications may attract up to an additional 10% workload per researcher per annum, enabling research workloads gained through publications to reach a maximum 40%, at which point it is capped.1 DEST Point = 5% workload.

A* & A publications 5% + 2% (divided amongst authors)B publications 5% (divided amongst authors)C publications 5% (divided amongst authors)Allowable Book chapters 5% (divided amongst authors)Allowable Books Generally 10% but negotiable in relation

to the quality of the publication

6.3 Calculating research workload: Grants

Workload allocations for grants will be based on data supplied by the Office of Research Services (ORS) and will be based on the average for the most recent triennium as reported by ORS, divided down into an annual average over that triennium. Research workload earned through grants will be capped at 40%.

ARC grant (or equivalent)The value of the amount of the grant allocated to the individual academic divided by $25 000.

Non- ARC grant The value of the amount of the grant allocated to the individual academic divided by $50 000.

For example: an academic has earned ORS verified ARC research income in each year of the most recent triennium, as follows: Year 1 = 20,000; Year 2 = $40,000; Year 3 = $15,000. Their total research income for the triennium = $75,000. Their allowable (average annual) research income for the current year = $75,000 triennial income divided by 3 (years in the triennium), = $25,000. This equates to 1 point, or 5% research workload based on grants.

7. Approved Variations to Work Plans

The Dean of School may, from time to time, allocate workload to support specific projects of initiatives that align with the School of Education’s Strategic Plan or for other reasons that may arise from time to time. These will be included in Individual Work Plan Agreements.

8. Constructing Work Plans

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In order to construct Individual Work Plans should: Calculate teaching loads (20% core + 10% blended learning + other teaching) Determine research load (ORS data, HRD, ECR, approved research plan) Include General Administration Allowance (10%) Include governance and leadership roles.

9. Individual Work Agreement Dispute Resolution

If an agreement cannot be reached between an academic and their supervisor the matter/s in dispute will be referred to the School Work Plan Committee for consideration. Should the matter/s in dispute not be resolved to the satisfaction of the individual academic the matter in dispute will be referred to the Executive Dean to determine in accordance with the terms of the University-wide Work Plan Policy Framework and this Clause. The Executive Dean will make their determination within ten (10) working days of the date of referral.

If the Executive Dean’s determination does not resolve the dispute, the matter in dispute will be immediately referred to a dispute resolution panel.The dispute resolution panel will consist of:

nominee of the College; an academic employee nominated by the NTEU; and an independent Chair from another College.

The employee may make a submission to the dispute resolution panel and will be provided with a copy of the decision of the panel.The panel will make a decision within four weeks of the dispute being referred to it.

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