Centre for academic development services
Quality Assurance (QA)
Medunsa Policy on Curriculum Development &
Review
Preamble:
The mission of the Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA)
is to empower the educationally disadvantaged community of
Southern Africa by providing excellent community orientated tertiary
education, training and research in the health and related sciences
and to promote services at all levels of health care in our community.
This mission statement constitutes the fundamental point of departure
for curriculum development and review. Inherent in this mission
statement of the University are important goals of MEDUNSA, viz.
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Providing access and opportunities for students from historically
educationally disadvantaged communities who possess the potential
and are committed to contributing to the social and economic
development of Southern Africa
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Acknowledging the importance of communities, which in terms
of the location of MEDUNSA, are often rural and peri-urban,
and adjoined to satellite campuses in neighbouring provinces.
Communities are important sites for teaching, training, research
and development
These factors guide processes of curriculum development and review.
The term ‘curriculum’ refers to all factors that
influence the learner. It includes formal processes such as the
selection of subject content, the organization of training experiences,
the teaching method and the assessment of student learning. It
also includes unplanned influences such as the philosophical outlook
of the lecturer and the students’ experiences of the learning
process.
This MEDUNSA Policy on Curriculum Development and Review serves
as a guide for faculties and departments by establishing a broad
common framework for processes of curriculum development and review,
and outlines applicable principles and processes to be applied.
Principles
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Learning outcomes in line with SAQA and
NQF requirements, which include the knowledge, attitudes and
skills that the learner needs to acquire, forms the pivot
around which the whole course or programme is developed and
reviewed
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Alignment of curriculum development with
the mission and vision of MEDUNSA and the wider national policy
goal of human resource development for Southern Africa
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Relevance of curriculum to both national
and regional contexts while maintaining international competitiveness.
Learning experiences and learning outcomes designed should
demonstrate sensitivity to the diverse personal backgrounds
and life experiences of learners, and the characteristics
of potential professional environments
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Consultation with stakeholders is an integral
component of curriculum development. This forms part of the
internal quality assurance process where stakeholders such
as the alumni, employees, Department of Health and current
students provide input on the needs of society and learners
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Review of the curriculum is part of the
process of curriculum development aimed at ensuring relevance
and quality
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Integration of generic outcomes such as
computer skills, research methodology skills, academic study
skills, written and verbal communication skills are integrated
into the core curriculum. All parts of the curriculum should
form a coherent whole
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Equity and redress need to be addressed
in the curriculum development plan as a large proportion of
our students require additional academic support to enhance
academic success. This includes the specific academic support
required by mature and re-entry learners
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Specific outcomes need to be identified and explicitly stated
when developing a curriculum. These planned outcomes need
to be communicated to learners and clearly stated in the faculty
calendar
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A curriculum should be learner – centred and should
outline as outcomes, the knowledge, skills and attitudes that
the learner should acquire through engagement in a particular
course or programme
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Curricula should be reviewed as part of a three-year cycle
with the aim of ensuring relevance and quality in a rapidly
changing society
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Scrutiny of developed curricula and review reports submitted
to a Curriculum Development Committee of Faculty or Senate
should be guided by the listed outcomes and the principles
of curriculum development
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In planning curricula, inter-disciplinary programmes and
collaboration with other institutions of higher education
may be considered
-
Consultation with stakeholders should inform curricula development
and curriculum review
POLICY: EVALUATION OF TEACHING
PREAMBLE
Evaluation of teaching is an integral part of the personal, professional
development of academics and for improvement of educational delivery.
It forms the basis of the quality assurance systems in institutions
required by national quality assurance bodies, such as the Higher
Education Quality Committee (HEQC) and the Health Professions
Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
This policy outlines the fundamental principles underpinning
the system for evaluating of teaching at MEDUNSA. It further offers
guidelines for the planning and implementing of systematic evaluation
of teaching and teaching improvement.
PRINCIPLES
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Evaluation of teaching is the responsibility of the individual
who has the right to decide on the methods of the evaluation,
the analysis of the results and the plan for support and improvement
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The purposes of any evaluation of teaching is primarily for
personal professional development and growth, and to improve
the quality of teaching and learning in all courses and programmes
at MEDUNSA
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Evaluation of teaching should include a triangulation of
methods, such as learner, peer and self perspectives to enhance
the validity of the results
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The results of any analysis conducted by the Staff Development
unit of CADS are confidential. The results are divulged only
to the individual concerned who has the choice to share the
results with a peer or to include them in a teaching portfolio
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The individual has the responsibility to offer proof, on
request, of the nature and frequency of the evaluations conducted
POLICY
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Every individual engaged in the function of teaching has
the responsibility for evaluation and improvement of the quality
of her/his teaching on a regular basis. Decisions concerning
frequency of evaluations should be informed by departmental
and faculty guidelines
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The evaluation process should be scientific, based on sound
research principles and documented
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A triangulation of methods, such as evaluations by learners,
peers and self, aimed at improving the validity of the evaluation
results should be employed
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Academic staff are encouraged to include reports of evaluation
procedures in a teaching portfolio. A teaching portfolio is
useful in supplying evidence of professional development and
growth to support applications for positions and promotion
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Individuals are encouraged to use the evaluation and support
services offered by the Staff Development Unit in CADS. The
involvement of an impartial party in the process of evaluation
increases its credibility
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