Casual academics thrown into frontline without proper training
Erica Cervini, The Australian
Researchers want universities to get serious about the professional development of casual academics, who now undertake the bulk of undergraduate teaching.
Researchers from the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University argue that because casual academics are the face of teaching, they need quality support so they can have a positive impact on their students’ learning.
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Natasha Abrahams, president of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, said a common concern among her members, many of whom work as casual academics, was that they felt on the periphery of their faculties and departments.
“Sessional staff often don’t feel like they’re very much a part of their workplace,” she said.
Feeling a part of the academic community was heavily dependent on casual staff having quality paid induction programs.
