Sessional Staff Induction

James Cook University sessional staff who are new to teaching or returning after more than three years are required to attend induction as part of their ongoing appointment. The program is presented as a 4-hour workshop and is available for new teaching staff at the beginning of each semester. Visit the Sessional Staff induction page for session information and instructions on how to register.

6 March: Townsville Multifaith Blessing of the Academic Year

You are invited to come together to celebrate our common humanity, our faith, our culture, and "Our Journey Together" at the 2019 Multifaith Blessing of the Year.

Morning tea will be shared after the blessing, so please RSVP by 4 March to the JCU Chaplain, Crystal Greive, on either 4781 5447 or crystal.greive@jcu.edu.au.

20 March: Cairns Multifaith Blessing of the Academic Year

You are invited to come together to celebrate our common humanity, our faith, our culture, and "Our Journey Together" at the 2019 Multifaith Blessing of the Year.

Morning tea will be shared after the blessing, so please RSVP by 13 March to the JCU Chaplain, Crystal Greive, on either 4781 5447 or crystal.greive@jcu.edu.au.

27 March: Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Community of Practice (CoP)

The WIL CoP meets three times a year to share and disseminate practice. If you wish to be added to the mailing list, please email deanltse@jcu.edu.au.

This session will feature Mr Ross Shaw, Project Officer, Office of the Provost, who attended the IRUA WIL Change Academy in February. Ross will update us on the IRUA WIL strategies from the contributing institutions.

Bring your own lunch!

3 April: Inclusive Learning Design - Quality and Accessible Learning

The Inclusive Learning Design workshop focuses on the quality and accessibility of learning for JCU students.  

This workshop explicitly integrates:

• quality learning design (knowing your students, learning outcomes, learning activities and assessment)
• accessible design informed by AccessAbility staff at JCU, and UDL and WCAG2.0
• embedded learning analytics to view and analyse learner engagement
• ALLY, a new tool in BB Ultra that provides opportunity for file conversions for staff and students (e.g. word doc. to mp3).

This is intended to be an informative and hands-on workshop, so please bring your own device to the workshop.

To register, please click here, and select "3 April: Inclusive Learning Design - Quality and Accessible Learning" from the drop-down box.

16 April: Mental Health First Aid for Suicidal Persons

*Due to unforeseen events, the April offering of Mental Health First Aid for Suicidal Persons will not go ahead. We hope to reschedule the course in in the near future*

For further information, please contact Larissa Siliezar, Manager Student Equity and Wellbeing on Larissa.Siliezar@jcu.edu.au

1 May: Course Coordinator: Essentials Workshop

The Course Coordinator Essentials Forum aims to enable Course Coordinators to fulfill their responsibilities as per the Charter of Academic Responsibilities for Academic Quality and Governance. The forum comprises five essential topic areas led by various JCU presenters.

Topic 1: Higher Education Legislative and JCU Policy Environment: An update will be provided on the current national and institutional policy and regulatory imperatives.

Topic 2: Learning and Teaching Standards: An introduction will be given to JCU’s Academic Performance and Development Framework (Learning and Teaching) and the Indicators for Learning and Teaching.

Topic 3: Assessment, feedback and moderation: Advice will be provided on enacting a whole course team approach to assessment, moderation and feedback.

Topic 4: Student Support and Student Data: An outline will be provided on the learning and teaching data available to course coordinators and the ways in which this can be utilised to enhance learning and teaching.

Topic 5: Course Leadership and Management: Discussion will be facilitated on forming and leading a course team and establishing procedures for administration and management.

Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop or other mobile device to this forum. Materials will be provided electronically, or by hard copy on request.

Registrations are now open through My HR Online. Please follow the procedure outlined below, and select the Learning, Teaching & Student Engagement option for your campus.

For catering purposes please register to attend this event. Please also advise your line manager that you have registered as they will need to approve your attendance.

31 May: Subject Coordinator: Advanced Workshop

Details to come soon!

3 June: Introduction to IELTS and EAL Pedagogy

This workshop will introduce the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (Academic). The IELTS (Academic) test is the English language test which governs entry into Australian Tertiary institutions for students from non-English speaking countries. Many students who study at JCU have a first language or dialect other than English. These students often have different learning needs to native English speakers.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own curriculum documents for a discussion on how best to use English as an Additional Language (EAL) pedagogy to support EAL students at JCU.

To register, please click here and select "3 June: Introduction to IELTS and EAL Pedagogy" from the drop-down box.

4 June: Exit Standards for English Language and Numeracy Proficiency

This capstone experience workshop will focus on exit standards for English language and numeracy proficiency at conferral.  The session will look at national standards, JCU policies, and practical advice about the development and assessment of final year competency levels in those areas.

To register, please click here, and select "4 June: Exit Standards for English Language and Numeracy Proficiency" from the drop-down box.

24 - 25 June: Mental Health First Aid

The Standard Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) course is based on the international MHFA Guidelines. Curriculum content is evidence-based, and has been created with the input of mental health professionals, researchers, and consumer advocates. This 12-hour course teaches adults how to provide mental health first aid.  Mental health first aid is the help provided to a person who is developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem, or who is in a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until the appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves.

Course Content

The SMHFA course teaches adults how to provide initial support to adults who are developing any of the following mental health problems, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem, or mental health crises:

• Developing mental health problems
• Depression
• Anxiety problems
• Psychosis
• Substance use problems.
• Mental health crises
• Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
• Non-suicidal self-injury
• Panic attacks
• Traumatic events
• Severe psychotic states
• Severe effects from alcohol or other drug use
• Aggressive behaviours

Cost: Standard Mental Health First Aid costs $50 for the 2 days, including materials and delivery (self-catered).

The course will run from 9:00 am - 5.00 pm on both days (location TBA), and is capped at 25 participants.

For information and bookings, contact Larissa Siliezar, Manager Student Equity and Wellbeing on Larissa.Siliezar@jcu.edu.au

27 - 28 June: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Writing Retreat 1 - Framing Your Paper

LTSE is convening a 2-day writing retreat for staff interested in framing a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) paper for publication.

Writing Retreat #1 will ask staff to present a project that investigates a learning and teaching question in practice, hence creating a nexus of teaching and research.  During these two days participants will create an abstract, commence a literature review, construct a writing and ethics plan, and participate in cross-discipline sharing.

Writing Retreat #2 will be held in November to polish your paper, and undertake peer review.

To register, please click here, and select "27 - 28  June: SoTL Writing Retreat 1" from the drop-down box.

These online modules address the core responsibilities of the Subject Coordinator, as outlined in the Charter of Responsibilities for Academic Quality and Governance and can be completed at your own pace.

Registration for the modules opens on 22 January, 2019 and closes on 31 May, 2019. 

To register, please click here and select "TP1 Subject Coordinator: Essentials Online (closes 31 May)" from the drop-down box.