The Research Skill Development (RSD) conference will bring together those with a passion for developing students’ research, problem solving, critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. The conference will draw on the development and use of the skills that are articulated in the MELT (Models of Engaged Learning and Teaching) family of frameworks, such as the RSD framework, The Work Skill Development Framework (WSD), the Clinical Reasoning Skill (CRS) framework and the Optimising Problem Solving (OPS) pentagon.
The RSD MELT conference will be held at the Adelaide Wine Centre, 4 to 6 December 2017.
A call for abstracts will be made in October 2016, and the abstracts will be due in May 2017, with notifications about success in June. Abstracts will need to draw on the RSD framework or, especially adaptations of it. An abstract may focus on:
- The use of the RSD and evaluation of outcomes for students
- Adaptation of the RSD for specific purposes.
- Critiques of the RSD, whether theoretical or practical.
- Use and evaluation of the WSD, OPS or CRS with students and teaching staff.
Monday 4 December will comprise 3 hour workshops, each introduced by a speedy presentation (a Pecha Kucha) to help your informed choice.
Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th December will have keynotes and 3ominute presentations.
Subsequent to the conference, we hope some presenters may develop their ideas into a full paper for a special issue of a yet-to-be named journal.
We will have keynote speakers who are not the usual suspects, including:
Associate Professor Jito Vanualailai, Director of the Research Office at the University of the South Pacific. Jito will give us a whole-institution look at the use of the Research Skill Development framework across degree programs, that was driven by the needs of the pacific island peoples. The initiative to use the RSD commenced with core general skill courses in 2012, progressively rolled out through discipline-specific courses in the First, Second and Third Years of all undergraduate programs, and is currently being developed at Masters level.
Associate Professor Sylvia Tiala, School of Education, University of Wiconsin Stout. Sylvia will inform us about the RSD community of Practice that she leads with other colleagues at the university. Based on a handbook developed by the University of the South pacific, Sylvia and the team adapted this for the Wisconsin context.
If you live on the equator, USA or Europe, come and visit Australia’s biggest wine growing region in early summer ; you may MELT, but you wont be too hot.
John
for the Organising Committee
Said Al-Sarawi- STEM
Nayana Parange- Health Sciences
Lyn Torres-Library and Student support
John Willison- Arts, Professions and Education
MELTeducation 