Orientation programs for new academics

Your colleagues from your Faculty, School or Department will be important sources of information for all those day to day things you need to know as a new academic. Apart from this, there are two types of centrally organised orientation programs. They have different focuses so you should plan to come to both.

The UTS Human Resource Unit offers an orientation to UTS for all new UTS staff members four times each year. It includes information about the university and a morning tea where you can meet senior staff members. For further information please contact Staff Services staffservices@uts.edu.au or phone 9514-1060.

IML 3-day orientation for new academic staff

IML offers a 3-day orientation for all new academic staff. You can participate in the 3-day orientations in either February or July i.e. just before the start of either of the main UTS semesters. The timetable of most recent 3-day event is below.

All sessions are held in IML rooms 27.15 or 27.13, Level 27, Tower Building, City Campus. Please contact Enza Mirabella to RSVP for these sessions (for handout and catering purposes), or to ask about the next available sessions: Enza.Mirabella@uts.edu.au or phone 9514 1669. 

Orientation session descriptions

Orientation session 1: Being an academic at UTS

This session is part of the development program for academics who are new to UTS. In it we'll be discussing how you can make the most of the program to survive being a new staff member and develop and advance your academic career. We will try to help you to make connections between the development program, your own goals and work plans and the processes of tenure, probation and promotion. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to discuss issues and ask questions.

Orientation session 2: 'Market session' and lunch

Make connections with people who can provide support for staff and students Successful new academics tend to seek out and get to know useful contact people across the university. This 'market session' is your opportunity to meet and ask individual questions of people who provide help for your academic work and/or for your students. These include representatives from the following UTS units, centres, schools and service groups:

• Research & Innovation Office
• University Graduate School
• ELSSA Centre
• Maths Study Centre
• UTS Library
• Student Services Unit
• Planning & Quality Unit
• Equity & Diversity Unit
• Information Technology Division

...as well as other relevant groups will be present to chat with you, answer individual questions and provide information about their services for staff and/or students.

Orientation session 3: Learning and teaching in tutorials and lectures

In this workshop we will explore ways of starting off well with your students and encouraging effective learning and teaching from the beginning of semester in lectures and tutorials. The session will include a balance of responses to your questions, interactive discussion, and input from research on good teaching and learning at university. This session is open to new and ongoing academics and casuals.

Orientation session 4: Designing, assessing and co-ordinating subjects

This workshop is for academics who are co-ordinating a subject at UTS for the first time and for others interested in discussing and refreshing their understandings of subject and assessment design in the context of UTS policies and procedures. We will discuss ways of designing subjects and assessment to encourage student learning and resources available for subject outlines, assessment, groupwork and learning support.

Orientation session 5: A brief introduction to UTSOnline and its use at UTS

UTSOnline is the university's online course management system. UTSOnline is now being utilised in the large majority of subjects being taught across the university to support students in their learning. In this short session the most significant uses and features of UTSOnline will be introduced within the context of a discussion about effective and practical uses, and what you'll need to know to start using it.

Orientation session 6: UTS Learning and Teaching Technology Showcase

A range of technology is available to support learning and teaching at UTS. This showcase provides a series of 20 minute sessions in which you can get a closer look at which technologies you might use in your teaching. You get to choose from a series of demonstrations which will run at the same time. The information in each session will be presented by people experienced in using technology at UTS and there will be opportunities to ask questions on which technology is appropriate to your learning and teaching context. Demonstrations include:

• Campus Pack ePortfolio
• Chalk & Wire ePortfolio
• Creating Quick and Easy Animations for Youtube
• Creating Youtube Videos on your Phone
• Digital Assignment Submission & Management
• Facebook
• GradeMark
• Powerpoint for lectures
• ReView
• Self & Peer Assessment Resource Kit (SPARK)
  
• Turnitin Assignments
• Twitter

Orientation session 7: GradCertHEd introduction & developing your reflective teaching portfolio

The Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning is offered by the Institute for Interactive Media and Learning to help academic staff reflect critically on their teaching and its influence on student learning. This workshop introduces future participants to the main themes of the course and how these help them understand their own experiences and those of their students and colleagues, as well as the research on learning and teaching in higher education. Participants discuss what they expect to achieve in the course and see examples of reflective teaching portfolios that meet the course requirements.