Collaborative And Structural Reform funded project

Innovative approaches to the provision of Languages other than English in Australian Higher Education

About the project

Project context

Since the formulation and the implementation of Australia's first comprehensive policy on languages - the National Policy on Languages (Lo Bianco 1987) Australia has made a firm commitment to the importance of the study of languages in education. This proposal builds upon this commitment with a specific attention to the higher education sector. It recognises the importance of maintaining and enhancing linguistic ability and linguistic diversity in Australia to cope with the challenges of globalisation. Australia is a small country in a strategically important part of the world. Language proficiency is essential for its international relations, trade, intelligence purposes and social harmony. There is a need for Australia to maintain a cadre of people who have linguistic and cultural competency in a majority of languages and universities are an integral part of meeting this need. The project will also help to achieve Australia's national research priorities including:

  • Understanding our region and the world,
  • Promoting an innovation culture and economy, and
  • Strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.
Steering committee

A Steering Committee comprising DASSH members and applied language and linguistics experts has been formed to guide the DASSH / CASR Project.

For 2008 the members are:

  • Professor Richard Baldauf - University of Queensland
  • Professor Richard Fotheringham - University of Queensland
  • Associate Professor Tony Liddicoat - University of South Australia
  • Mr Thomas Natera - DEST Officer
  • Professor Anne Pauwels [Chair] - University of Western Australia
  • Professor Adrian Vickers - University of Sydney
  • Dr Jo Winter [Project Director] - University of Western Australia
Project aims and outcomes

This project aims to advance our understanding of collaborative models of teaching suitable for languages and small enrolment disciplines. It will examine delivery models and strategies for languages in Higher Education though:

  • Studying the broader environment within which universities and other private providers operate, including factors that stimulate and inhibit collaboration between universities and other sectors.
  • Investigating existing collaborative activities between universities.
  • Identifying innovative and cost effective collaborative options for the provision of LOTEs.
  • The trialling and evaluation of alternative models for languages provision.

The Project outcomes are:

  1. To understand what constitutes the range of programs in languages that are offered within Higher Education.
  2. To describe current and past collaborations between universities and other providers of language education both in Australia and internationally.
  3. To provide quantitative and qualitative analysis of collaborative and innovative language activities based on existing administrative and survey data, as well as newly collected data.
  4. To compare the components of language programs against the costs for running them.
  5. To identify the ingredients for successful collaborative and innovative activities to define a set of standards applicable across universities.
  6. To describe and analyse incentives and impediments to collaborative activities.
  7. To identify the environment and areas in which universities and other private providers can potentially co-operate.
  8. To trial and evaluate innovative models for languages teaching in universities.
  9. To disseminate the information regarding alternative models for teaching and managing small enrolment disciplines to academic leaders.
Project timeline and milestones
2006
Formation of Project Steering Committee
Data Gathering Activities
Desktop Archival Review & Report
Online Survey (of Australian Universities) & Report
Investigation of Private Providers & Provision of Languages in Australian Higher Education & Report
In-Depth Interviews with Key Stakeholders in Australian Universities with experiences of Collaboration in the Provision of Languages
Collaborative Trials
Development of Collaborative Models
Selection of Projects to trial Collaborative Models
Reporting & Dissemination of Results
Submission of 1st Interim Report to DEST
Workshop at DASSH Annual Conference
2007
Collaborative Trials
Formation of Project Expert Teams [PETs] to guide the Collaborative Trials
Completion of contract arrangements and agreements on Milestones & Reporting Requirements for Collaborative Trials
Facilitated Workshop for PETs to develop evaluative mechanisms
Interim Report on 1st year activities and outcomes to Project Director
Reporting & Dissemination of Results
Submission of 2nd Interim Report to DEST
Presentation at DASSH Annual Conference
2008
Collaborative Trials
Completion of Year 2 of Trials
Submission of Final Report & Evaluation of Collaborative Models trialled
Assessment of transferability and Collaborative Models
Reporting & Dissemination of Results
Presentation of Academic Framework for Collaborative Models to DASSH
Submission of a Proposal for a Journal Issue on Collaboration & Innovation in Languages Provision
Preparation & Submission of Final Report & Recommendations to DEST