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Appendix 10(d) - Unit Outline Proforma

A Unit Outline is for the information of students and other stakeholders and appears on QUT Virtual. It should be a student-focussed document written in student-friendly language.

Secondly, the Unit Outline is approved by appropriate faculty or University committees as part of the process of assuring the quality of courses and units. The Unit Outline as approved must be incorporated in full in information provided to students in the first week or two of the teaching period semester.

Finally, this Unit Outline proforma specifies the elements required in all units, and does so in an order that relates directly to the curriculum design process. The Unit Outline proforma is thus a template that guides the curriculum design process.

UNIT CODE: ................................................. UNIT TITLE:

DISCIPLINE CODE:

Credit Points:

Semester(s) of Offer:

Year(s) of offer:

Prerequisite(s):

Corequisite(s):

Coordinator:

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

1 Rationale

The Rationale is a short paragraph describing why the learning that students will do will be important to them, why the unit is included in the course, and why the unit occurs at this particular point in the course structure.

2 Aims

The Aims are a broad but concise description of what the teacher expects the unit to achieve. Links between the aims of the unit and the overall aims of the course may be indicated.

3 Objectives

The unit objectives should be written in terms of student learning outcomes. They should be a statement of the knowledge, values, skills, attitudes, competencies and generic capabilities (see MOPP C/1.4) that students will gain through successful completion of the unit. (Note that some faculties prefer generic capabilities to be specified separately from other aspects of the unit. However, in many cases, generic capabilities can be included in the learning objectives for the unit. This is a matter of discretion for faculties.)

The aims and objectives are the foundation of a unit outline. The teaching and learning approaches, the content, the methods of assessment, and the resources should all derive from the aims and objectives.

Unit objectives should all relate to course objectives.

4 Content

This is a brief statement of the major topics to be covered, the specific skills to be acquired, and the generic capabilities being developed.

5 Teaching and Learning Approaches

Strategies to be adopted in teaching the unit and creating student learning experiences should be outlined. This includes means by which the generic capabilities identified for the unit will be developed.

Although assessment strategies are listed separately under the next heading, it is important to consider the assessment strategy an integral part of the approach to teaching and learning.

6 Assessment

Assessment for any unit should include both summative and formative components, and both of these should be described. Summative assessment is about grading students. Its purpose is therefore classification and prediction. It focuses on outcome, standard and comparison with benchmarks. Students need the feedback associated with formative assessment to find out how they are progressing, and how their work can be improved. Formative assessment is diagnostic in nature since it focuses on why an outcome was obtained, rather than the standard of outcome.

An assessment item may be formative or summative, or both.

Thus, in this section of the unit outline

• the methods and weightings of summative assessment should be described
• the methods of formative assessment, and how students will be provided with timely and constructive feedback on their performance should be described.

In addition

• each item of assessment should be linked with the objectives for the unit
• the approximate timing (eg mid-semester, end of semester) of assessment tasks should be provided.

7 Resource materials

Resource materials include both printed and electronic resources of all types. Those items for which students require their own copy should be clearly indicated.

8 Risk Management

This section should deal with any particular risks associated with the unit. Examples are those associated with construction tasks (including art work), science laboratories, any unit involving hazardous materials or tools (chemical, biological, electrical, mechanical, etc), units involving field trips or industrial visits. This list of examples is not meant to be exhaustive. On the other hand, many units will be conducted entirely in traditional lecture or seminar room settings, and no risks beyond the ordinary need to be considered. If this is the case, an appropriate statement to this effect should be incorporated.

Note also that the Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes stipulates that where students are involved in the use of animals as part of their professional training, curricula in the academic discipline involved should include materials on ethical, social and scientific issues. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that the students receive instruction in their 'ethical and legal responsibilities' as well as appropriate training in animal handling and use. Also QUT requires that all units which involve the use of animals are subject to ethical clearance from the University Animal Ethics Committee. Further information on this matter may be obtained in the first instance from the relevant Faculty Research Ethics Adviser and also from the Research Ethics Officer.

Guidelines

Some further guidelines, incorporating an example unit outline, may be found at http://www.appu.qut.edu.au/coursedev/units/.

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