Assurance of Learning (AoL) Wish List for Public Health courses

Under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011, universities and other higher education providers are responsible for self-regulation of their courses. Public Health courses are not exempt.

Assurance of Learning (AoL) can be simply described as the process by which student learning outcomes are measured against specific course goals. The importance of AoL processes are reinforced in the renewed Higher Education Standards Framework. Evaluation of higher education courses must be focussed on meaningful student learning.

AoL requires a “teaching team” approach to course design to ensure student knowledge and skills are scaffolded (developed over time or built upon) and, importantly, that educators and their students are aware of where this scaffolding takes place.

AoL can include: establishing course learning outcomes, curriculum mapping, collecting evidence, external benchmarking and closing the loop.

Workshop Aims

1. Define the role and value of AoL.

2. Analyse collection of participant’s case studies in terms of AoL practice.

3. List of recommended topics for inclusion in AoL professional development.

This workshop explores how to assure student learning. Participants from diverse disciplines and roles will enrich professional development outcomes through a range of activities including sharing personal wish lists and case studies. Participant discussion will focus on barriers, enablers, ideas and understandings around AoL for the range of individual contexts. The workshop is intended to facilitate candid and collegial exploration of the implications for practice and barriers to AoL. The workshop will conclude with the participants agreeing to a final wish list for AoL professional development.