Workload Advisory Council update
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 126 No 4, 28 May 2021, page no.9
The Workload Advisory Council has set its priorities for 2021, as its efforts to reduce workload continue.
The list of priorities contains:
- SATE
- IT/ICT requirements
- administration/reports/paperwork
- HR
- student behaviour.
Members’ submissions to the WAC have provided a large quantity of rich qualitative data about their work, workload pressures and proposed solutions, which will inform the priorities of the WAC for the remainder of 2021.
The first priority of the WAC was to consider the workload arising from the new senior assessment and tertiary entrance (SATE) system. Members sent in more than 800 submissions on this to the WAC, and the QTU has categorised them into a range of identifiable workload pressure areas, together with the potential solutions proposed by Executive, WAC members and the broader QTU membership.
For example, one of the areas of workload pressure identified by members was the lack of support materials, such as a bank of teaching, learning and assessment plans (TLAPs) and a bank of internal assessment items. When the QTU raised this issue with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) in the past, it was advised that schools need to give the QCAA permission to share the resources that have been created. Both the QTU and the department have sought permission to share these resources to alleviate the workload of teachers.
The QTU also asked the QCAA to examine the summary of issues articulated and synthesised from the submissions and provide a written response in relation to each of the recommendations, which was due to be considered at State Council on 15 May. Members have also been encouraged to participate in the QCAA’s post-cycle review.
The QTU and the department have agreed to work off-line in regular WAC working group meetings, which will focus on identifying the actionable items that will arise from the five identified areas. Delegates at May State Council were due to receive a report on the progress of these actionable items and members will be advised in due course.