The Important and Emerging Role of ‘The Facilitator’
As part of the return to campus in T1, 2024 - facilitators will be engaged, at both Melbourne and Adelaide campuses, to deliver the tutorial elements of both postgraduate and undergraduate subjects.
What does the return to campus in T1, 2024 actually look like? - https://www.ubss.edu.au/article/what-does-the-return-to-campus-in-t1-2024-actually-look-like/
The role and responsibilities of the facilitator, then, require clarification and it is important to remember that not all subjects actually require facilitators. These are specifically those subjects that are delivered in an online mode and/or are small in size – enough to run, but not large enough for cross-campus offerings as such.
Having said that the majority of subjects will utilise facilitators.
The Responsibilities of the Facilitator
The Facilitator will be present throughout the lecture period and after the initial two-hour block will commence a one-hour tutorial with the students - in both Melbourne and Adelaide. The third-hour tutorial in Sydney remains the responsibility of the Lecturer.
Responsibilities of the Facilitator
The Facilitator will –
Be responsible for participating in the two-hour lecture delivery – supporting students as required and perhaps having specific issues clarified and/or expanded on during the session;
Conduct the tutorial (in the third hour of the class) with the smaller groups located in both Melbourne and Adelaide;
Invigilate in-class assessments for the subject with the registered student cohort - enhancing academic integrity - https://www.ubss.edu.au/article/taking-academic-integrity-seriously/
Mark all assessments related to the cohort for that specific campus.
The Challenges to Be Faced
The move back to face-to-face will provide a set of challenges that need to be addressed and overcome - https://www.ubss.edu.au/article/changes-to-the-mode-of-delivery-the-challenges-ahead/
This, including the introduction of on-location facilitators, will require both adaptability and agility.
Student support will be critical at both academic and non-academic levels - https://www.ubss.edu.au/article/student-support-academic-and-non-academic/ - and will need to work in harmony with lecturers and facilitators.
Essentially communication will be critical moving forward. We remain confident that staff at UBSS will ‘rise to the occasion’.
Associate Professor Wayne Smithson is the Program Director of undergraduate Studies.
Emeritus Professor Greg Whateley is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (UBSS) and Chief Executive Officer (GCA).
