About the Opportunity
The Master of Cancer Sciences is a fully online two-year part time course offered jointly by the VCCC Alliance and the University of Melbourne. The philosophy behind the Master of Cancer Sciences is to provide a contemporary, evidence-based program to health professionals to improve the outcomes and quality of life for patients with cancer and ultimately to improve cancer treatment outcomes.
We require a Subject Coordinator in the Supportive Care and Palliative Care subject to support a tutorial group of up to 25 online graduate students and the supervision of the Teaching Assistant (if required by student enrolments). This will involve familiarisation around content, announcements, online invigilation of the student discussion fora, consultation and monitoring of student engagement, delivery of webinars, assessment grading and evaluation and quality improvement activities.
This will be a casual position, on an as required basis, during the Term 4 teaching period (14 October – 8 December), with an estimated workload of 5-7 hours per week for:
- 2 weeks prior to teaching period
- 8 weeks of teaching
- 3 weeks post teaching period
The individual will need to be available for all four tutorials scheduled during the term. The subject will be delivered annually in Term 4, so there is an opportunity for the individual to teach into the forthcoming years. This position is responsible for the Teaching Assistant, Supportive Care and Palliative Care (if required by student enrolments).
Key Responsibilities
TEACHING AND LEARNING
- Coordinate online teaching of the Supportive Care and Palliative Care subject within the Master of Cancer Sciences.
- Create a positive and inclusive learning environment through engagement activities such as announcements, online invigilation, and student support.
- Encourage critical thinking and ensure that the students’ knowledge is challenged and probed.
- Familiarise yourself with the goals, content, and assessment requirements of the subject.
- Prepare, set up and deliver webinars delivered as part of the subject.
- Assist students with the development of study skills necessary for academic success and refer students to appropriate sources of support as needed.
- Follow appropriate assessment policies such as utilising plagiarism software and rubrics to mark student assessment tasks and log all data into the online platform.
- Demonstrate a proactive reflexive teaching practice through seeking guidance from senior teaching staff and student feedback.
- Apply contemporary pedagogical insights to teaching practice, recognising the evolving process of group development and the different roles that a facilitator plays at different stages.
- Contribute to quality improvement processes and provide academic mentoring of students based on student feedback and faculty experience surveys.
- Undertake course and teaching evaluations and peer review activities and make appropriate changes to improve teaching and learning.
- Participate in professional development activities focused on teaching and learning.
- Other contributions as required.
SERVICE, LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT
- Supervise and support the Training Assistant, Supportive Care and Palliative Care (if required by enrolment numbers).
- Be involved in academic and cancer professional communities and identify and develop strategies to influence the direction of cancer education.
- Participate in community and professional activities related to the relevant disciplinary area
- Effective demonstration and promotion of University values including diversity and inclusion and high standards of ethics and integrity
- Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) and Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) responsibilities
- Attend and actively participate in departmental and school seminars, meetings and/or committees.
- Engage in learning and career development of self and others.
- Engage with other teaching staff and with research staff in the Department of Clinical Pathology.
STAFF SUPERVISION
- Supervise and manage casual staff as required, including ensuring that they participate in relevant induction programs.
AN APPLICANT APPOINTED AT LEVEL B WILL BE EXPECTED TO
- Contribute to the development of new methodologies in teaching and learning.
- Provide significant input into curriculum review, development, and assessment.
- Contribute to the promotion of (if required by enrolment numbers). projects to students.
- Engage and liaise with cancer biologists to involve them in the review, coordination, and teaching of specialised areas of Supportive Care and Palliative Care as required.
Key Selection Criteria
ESSENTIAL
- Either a PhD, substantial progress towards PhD or a Master’s degree in a cancer related discipline or clinical specialisation.
- Demonstrated skills and experience in supporting online learning communities.
- Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective teaching collaboration and engagement.
- Proven rapport with university students and a commitment to pastoral matters.
- Proven capacity to work in a team environment.
- Willingness to work collaboratively and collegially with practising cancer scientists and clinicians to develop content.
- Enthusiasm, initiative, reliability and willingness to undertake new challenges.
- Ability to work constructively both independently and as a member of a team.
- Demonstrable excellence in organisational skills and an ability to manage administrative tasks, set priorities, meet deadlines, and achieve goals in a complex working environment.
- High level interpersonal communication skills.
- High level computer literacy.
- Potential to build an academic career in teaching and to take on leadership responsibilities in teaching with the department and school.
- Working with Children Check
DESIRABLE
- Demonstrated potential to supervise or co-supervise and mentor undergraduate, honours and postgraduate students where appropriate.
- Demonstrated experience administering student cohorts on learning management systems.
Equity and Inclusion
The University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, bullying, vilification, and victimisation. The University makes decisions on employment, promotion, and reward on the basis of merit.
The University is committed to all aspects of equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and to providing all staff, students, contractors, honorary appointees, volunteers and visitors with a safe, respectful and rewarding environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, vilification and victimisation. This commitment is set out in the University’s People Strategy 2015-2020 and policies that address diversity and inclusion, equal employment opportunity, discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying and appropriate workplace behaviour. All staff are required to comply with all University policies.
The University values diversity because we recognise that the differences in our people’s age, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, physical ability, and background bring richness to our work environment. Consequently, the People Strategy sets out the strategic aim to drive diversity and inclusion across the University to create an environment where the compounding benefits of a diverse workforce are recognised as vital in our continuous desire to strive for excellence and reach the targets of Growing Esteem.
Contact for Enquiries
For further information, please download Position Description.
For enquiries only, email A/Prof Bhaumik Shah, Acting Course Convenor at [email protected]
To Apply
Please send your application to Grace Chan at [email protected] by 5.00pm, Friday 10 May, addressing all essential selection criteria, appending your CV and cover letter.
