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Planning study to assess experiential learning
The University of the Sunshine Coast is leading an investigation into the quality of practical education being offered to Regional and Urban Planning students at Universities across Australia.
USC has partnered with La Trobe, Edith Cowan and Griffith Universities, the University of Tasmania and the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) to win a $176,000 Australian Learning and Teaching Council grant to undertake the two-year project.
USC’s Associate Professor of Regional and Urban Planning Johanna Rosier and Senior Lecturer in Planning Dr Claudia Baldwin are co-leaders of the project, while another USC academic Christine Slade has been appointed as the project officer.
Dr Rosier said the study would identify whether the learning techniques used in tertiary Planning degrees are adequately meeting the needs of the ever-changing profession.
“The project aims to develop a set of tools for learning by experience, and to evaluate the effectiveness of practical learning which will help in the long-term development of Planning courses,” she said.
“We need to ensure that Planning education remains relevant and meets the demand for new skills in the profession.
“The Planning school accreditation body, the Planning Institute of Australia, is included in the study to ensure all tertiary institutions use the same approach for evaluating and benchmarking practical learning in Planning courses.”
Dr Rosier said experiential learning was included in USC’s Bachelor of Regional and Urban Planning program but the University was committed to implementing the research outcomes to ensure the highest level of student learning.
“Experiential learning techniques are used throughout USC’s Planning degree to simulate various aspects of the workplace,” she said. “These include the use of design studios, role play exercises, field trips, or group projects on current issues advised by visiting industry professionals.”
Dr Rosier said a database of all accredited undergraduate and postgraduate Planning degrees in Australia is being compiled as part of the project. She said a survey of the type of practical learning offered by individual Planning courses, and how they are assessed, would be undertaken shortly.
— Michelle Widdicombe