Minutes of Teaching Management Committee Meeting 20 March 2007

1. Arrangement of agenda

2. Review of the role of Teaching Management Committee
   Item not addressed

3. HESA Compliance - confirming 07s2 course offerings for BINF, COMP, SENG and ENGG1811, ENGG1000.
   By the time the postponed meeting was held, the deadline for this had passed.

4. Should we run COMP4910/COMP4911 and friends in summer session?
   Answered in the affirmative. Availability of topics is subject to the freely-given agreement of supervisors. All Thesis A/B courses managed by the School are covered. JAS

5. Maths runs Maths 1B in second session and summer session, but not first session. We run Computing 2 (COMP1921) all three sessions. Should we drop COMP1921 in session 1? Argument against: makes it harder for UGs starting mid-year. Argument for: saves resources.
   This is not necessary at present, but the meeting noted that it might become necessary as one of many possible cost-cutting measures if the School budget deteriorates.

6. Follow-up of CATEI summaries and other potential indicators of problems with courses, including failure rates, drop-out rates, CEQ scores, progression rates.
   The Student Office is asked to investigate whether it is possible to have automatic CATEI-online surveying of all courses, every semester, and to implement this, if so. Cassandra Nock/Colin Taylor
   The meeting recommended that the Head of School should release the distribution of CATEI mean-student ratings (not identified by course code) each session. Paul Compton
   The meeting agreed to the implementation, by Andrew Taylor, of a survey of students' reasons for dropping out of courses, including a retrospective survey of 07x1 in this regard. AndrewT
   The meeting discussed whether the "CEQ" survey was now necessary, if automatic CATEI-online surveying can be implemented. No firm conclusion was reached, with some favouring retiring the "CEQ" survey to reduce survey-load the students, and others favouring its retention because its results are widely available and it thus provides transparency within the School on course quality (as perceived by students).

7. Course outline compliance
   The meeting recommended that a template for course outlines be devised and distributed to lecturers for use in 07s2. BillW, JAS

8. Review of plagiarism process (including School plagiarism log)
   Two recommendations:
   • the plagiarism process should be publicised again, and a link should be added to the TC home page to the plagiarism report form BillW to add link and ask Manuel
   • give should be modified so as to require students to affirm that their submission is original BillW to request Mei-Cheng to do this as a high priority

9. Transitional arrangements for students who did COMP1011 etc., but missed out on Java and OO in COMP2011.
   
   • The TMC affirmed Richard Buckland's solution (Java bridging course) noting that this is provided voluntarily by Richard and that another solution would have to be found if Richard is at some stage unable or unwilling to do the bridging course.
   • An alternative solution, to be implemented by UG program directors in cases where they think that, on balance, it is in the student's best interest, is to urge the student to take COMP2911 as an extra course (CS) or allow/require the student to substitute COMP2911 for a professional elective (BE degrees). Cassandra Nock and undergrad to be aware of this possibility
   • A revised list of courses that actually require or would benefit from students knowing Java was requested. BillW
     Bill notes: so far we have: COMP9321, COMP9322, COMP9323, COMP9324, COMP3311, COMP9314 (advanced-level Java), COMP9318, COMP9031, COMP9333 (students would benefit), COMP3111/9008 (any OO language OK), COMP3131/9102 (absolute requirement), SENG2020, COMP3331/9331 (not mandatory, but common choice for assignments), COMP9417 (students would benefit).

10. Impact of new UNSW timetable in 2008.
    
    • The TMC noted that it would not be possible to comply with UNSW's plan to introduce the new session plan for 08x1, as students will not have obtained their results by the time 08x1 is supposed to start. Thus it will be necessary for our 08x1 courses to start later than this. Cassandra Nock and undergrad to be aware of this
      Postscript: It appears that the Academic Board has now addressed this, and the introduction of the new session plans has been deferred to 08s1. Problem averted.
    • COMP1911/1921/2911 need to be re-visited with the aim of developing a core set of material that everyone who teaches it covers. COMP1911/1921/2911 LiCs 06s1-07s2

11. Role of the TMC continued from previous meeting. Here are JAS's suggestions on this:
    • scheduling which courses to run each semester (well in advance)
      too late to act on this for 07s2
    • teaching allocation
      confirmed that COMP9031 is running in 07s2, not COMP9324
    • generating planning numbers (ie. expected course enrolments)
      Not addressed in meeting :-(
    • overseeing timetabling data collection
      Not addressed in meeting :-(
    • organising tutor application/allocation
      Helen Paik has this in hand.
    • organising academic advising day (end Jan/start Feb)
      Not well attended in Jan/Feb 07. Possibility of using a phone-in service was discussed. Another possibility is for advisers (normally program directors) to sit in their office at the appropriate time, and ask the Student Office redirect enquirers to the adviser for the appropriate program. We will, of course, still need to meet Faculty requirements in terms of presence of academics. (Note that HSC Info day is a quite different case, and requires multiple academics at the venue.) Brad Hall and Cassandra Nock to note
    • attending O-week welcome activities (Thu O-week)
      Brad Hall has this in hand. Content may need to be augmented when the new session plan comes in next year, e.g. by giving them readings to do prior to week 1 tutorials, and instructions on where to find the week 1 tutorial questions. BradH, BillW, Paul Compton
    • organising on-line evaluation of courses
      Covered elsewhere in these minutes
    • reviewing course evaluations
      Covered elsewhere in these minutes
    • organising review of course outlines, exam papers, etc.
      Course outlines covered elsewhere in these minutes. Exam papers to be reviewed more thoroughly than in the past - after submission if not before submission. Examiners should be asked to specify, for each question, what the intent of the question is, e.g. what learning outcome it addresses. Cassandra Nock, Colin Taylor. Copies of exam papers to be passed to BillW for distribution to post-submission assessors.

12. Replacement of Andrew Taylor as Director of First Year Studies. Andrew's role has gone well beyond First Year, and perhaps the replacement should bear the title of "Director of Studies" or "Teaching Director".
    HoS is working on this.
    Under this item, I (Bill) would also like to propose a vote of thanks to Andrew for all he has done in his Director role over the years.
    The TMC passed by acclamation this vote of thanks to Andrew.

13. There are currently 3 MIT students enrolled in COMP9041=COMP2041 (out of 23). Should this be prevented in future? Current prerequisite is COMP9021, or enrolment in MIT program 8684 or GradCert program 7344.
    Prerequisite to be changed so that 8684 and 7344 students are excluded from enrolling in COMP9041, and COMP9041 moved to group A. The PG coursework program director has the discretion to vary this in special cases. Cassandra Nock

14. Any other business
    • Course quality assurance.
      Ken Report reported on his experience last year of attempting to remediate a course that had previously had bad reviews.
    • Class of Honours in Computer Science.
      Tim Lambert to implement new class of honours algorithm for CS, as described in the HoSAC minutes for 2 March 2007 Tim Lambert

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