Learning outcomes and curriculum development
in psychology: A Carrick/AUTC project

The project Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Development in Psychology is a two year (04/05) project funded initially by the Australian Universities Teaching Committee (AUTC) and now by the Carrick Institute with the aim to improve the quality of teaching and learning in psychology. This project was awarded to a consortium from The University of Queensland, University of Tasmania, and Southern Cross University.

The project brief was to "produce an evaluative overview of courses and with a focus on the specification and assessment of learning outcomes and identify strategic directions for universities to enhance teaching and learning". The starting point for this project was an analysis of the scientist-practitioner model and its role in curriculum design, a review of current challenges at a conceptual level, and consideration of the implications of recent changes to universities relating to such things as internationalisation of programs and technological advances. The teaching of psychology is being considered both in Schools of Psychology and in schools where there is a significant component of psychology taught such as Education, Nursing and Business.

The project has brought together stakeholders and teachers of psychology from around the country in order to survey the widest possible range of perspectives on the project brief requirements and to establish a network of teachers of psychology in higher education.

This paper will provide an overview of the project, overview of the literature, summary of interviews and surveys undertaken as well as the outcomes of the first network meeting held in November, 2004.