Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy

Effective from 1 January 2025

Intent

Students are at the heart of our University. James Cook University (JCU; the University) is committed to offering a distinctive and relevant course portfolio, developing career-ready graduates, and widening participation through inclusive, engaging, interactive, and flexible approaches to learning, teaching, and assessment. At JCU, students and educators engage in a reciprocal partnership of learning, teaching, and assessment.

This Policy underpins the University’s values of excellence, integrity, authenticity, and respect by setting parameters for the quality of learning, teaching, and assessment so that students can have every opportunity to achieve academic success.

This Policy addresses Higher Education Standards Framework (HESF) Standards 1.3, 1.4, 2.1.3, 2.2.1, 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3.

Scope

This Policy applies to all JCU staff and stakeholders who supervise students in partnership with JCU and students enrolled in subjects within JCU’s coursework programs including shorter-form credentials and enabling programs across all JCU campuses.

This Policy does not apply to students admitted to Higher Degrees by Research or JCU students enrolled in subjects at other institutions.

Definitions

Terms mentioned in this document and not defined here are defined in the Policy Glossary.

Principles

The Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy is driven by the following core principles:

Core Principle 1 – Student learning and success is built on their whole-of-University experience. JCU is committed to student engagement and success by working in partnership with students and responding to their voice.

Core Principle 2 – Student learning is facilitated by a curriculum that is engaging and futures-orientated. Students are supported through an aligned curriculum with clear statements of intent and demonstrable learning outcomes that respond to professional and discipline requirements.

Core Principle 3 – Student learning is facilitated by assessment that is valid, fair, authentic, developmental, transparent, and varied across subjects and disciplines. Aligned and authentic assessment that upholds academic integrity enables students to demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills and application.

Core Principle 4 – Student learning is facilitated by teaching that is inspiring, motivating, technologically-enabled and enhanced, and research-informed. Teaching develops and draws on a repertoire of approaches and technologies that respond to students’ needs, changing contexts and settings.

Policy

1. Students

1.1 Learning, teaching and assessment practices build and develop students’ transferable generic skills, discipline-specific knowledge and technical skills, and career management skills.

1.2 Students’ success is prioritised through timely and appropriate academic, personal, and administrative support, communications, feedback, and the availability of quality, accessible, and inclusive learning resources. (See Support for Students Policy.)

1.3 Learning, teaching, and assessment practices recognise and value student diversity by acknowledging and addressing factors that impact student success.

1.4 Learning, teaching, and assessment is designed for multiple modes of engagement to provide students with choice of when, where, and how they learn.

1.5 Students’ voice is valued through participation in forums and committees, and through providing feedback on their experience.

2. Curriculum

2.1 Curriculum design must be:

• aligned to the JCU Model, evidence-based and research-informed;
• digitally enhanced through the integration of technology that promotes interactive learning and is appropriate to the related field of work;
• informed by principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL);
• structured to offer students flexibility while meeting learning outcomes, accreditation demands, and discipline standards.

2.2 Curriculum design includes the development of transferable generic skills, discipline-specific knowledge and technical skills, career management skills. authentic and experiential learning, and programmatic achievement of learning outcomes.

2.3 Course and subject learning outcomes must be specified, consistent with the level and field of education of the qualification awarded, and informed by national and international comparators.

2.4 Course and subject enhancement are led by a cyclical process of design and review and must be informed by, and responsive to, feedback.

2.5 Curriculum includes Open Educational Resources (OERs) as the preferred option for prescribed textbooks.

3. Assessment

3.1 Assessment must:

• be equitable;
• be consistent with the learning outcomes being assured;
• be capable of confirming that all specified learning outcomes (course and subject) are achieved;
• be developmental and programmatic to assure achievement of learning outcomes and identity verification,
• support JCU’s commitment to academic integrity in both design and process.

3.2 A variety of assessment methods are used to assess students’ knowledge utilisation, skills and application.

3.3 Alternative assessment (such as deferred, supplementary, special assessment) can be made available. (See LTA Procedure 3.3 and the Special Consideration Procedure.)

3.4 Assessment feedback to students must be timely, constructive, clear, and purposeful.

3.5 Moderation of assessment is undertaken to ensure fair and consistent marking.

3.6 Assessment grades and final subject results must be formally communicated to students using JCU subject results codes. (See LTA Procedure 3.6.3 and Student Results Policy.)

3.7 Students have the following rights with regard to grades and results:

• the right to review their examination responses and other assessment materials;
• the right to review and appeal academic decisions. (See Academic and Statutory Decisions Review and Appeal Procedure).

3.8 Examination responses and other assessment materials must be stored securely for two years.

4. Teaching

4.1 Teaching practices at JCU:

• enable students to achieve course and subject learning outcomes;
• are inclusive, scholarly, reflective, technology-enhanced, research-informed, and relevant to the discipline/field of study;
• prioritise interactive and experiential learning and incorporate a variety of learning and teaching activities for interaction and collaboration between students and between students and educators, and are appropriate to attendance modes;
• integrate local and global perspectives, connect to place and community, and are informed by cultural understanding; and
• align with the JCU Model.

4.2 Learning and teaching environments (physical and virtual) meet institutional requirements and disciplinary needs, and facilitate the use of interactive learning strategies.

4.3 Educators are accessible to students seeking individual assistance with their studies.

4.4 Educators participate in personal and professional reflective practice and continuing professional development activities to create and support student-centred learning and teaching environments, and the scholarly design and implementation of curriculum and assessment.

4.5 Excellence in teaching, including demonstrating a commitment to inclusion and equity, scholarship of learning and teaching, and integrating digital technologies to enhance student learning, is valued and recognised.

Related policy instruments

Academic and Statutory Decisions Review and Appeal Procedure

Academic Integrity Policy

Academic Progression Policy

Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy

Coursework Academic Integrity Policy

Coursework Approval, Accreditation and Review Policy

Defence Force, National Service and Elite Athlete Friendly University Procedure

EduTrust

English Language and Numeracy Policy

Graduate Attributes

LearnJCU Content Management Procedure

LearnJCU Data Management Procedure

MBBS Program Assessment Guidelines

Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement

SkillsFuture Singapore

Special Consideration Procedure

Student Academic Misconduct Procedure

Student Review and Appeals Policy

Student Complaints Policy

Student Digital Experience Policy

Student Evaluation of Subjects and Teaching Policy

Student Results Policy

Student Retention Policy

Subject Information Procedure

Support for Students Policy

Schedules/Appendices

Nil

Related documents and legislation

Student Charter

Australian Qualifications Framework, 2nd Edition, 2013 (see also Review of the Australian Qualifications Framework Final Report 2019)

Administration

NOTE: Printed copies of this policy are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

Approval Details

Revision History