TAFE Workload Instructions - Excessive Class Sizes
Members are to use these instructions to help regulate their workload and to ensure current entitlements, as prescribed by the Western Australian TAFE Lecturers’ General Agreement 2019, are respected and implemented.
Excessive Class Sizes
Issue: Members are reporting that there are too many students in their classes to:
Ensure safe work practices and duty of care
Deal with student needs
Guarantee quality learning outcomes for all students
Further, large class sizes are leading to excessive marking loads.
The union is concerned that some lecturers are being told that the situation will be resolved when students drop out because they are dissatisfied with or disadvantaged by their learning environment.
A class must be split if:
The class is too large for a lecturer to exercise duty of care or ensure safe work practices
The class exceeds the number for which the laboratory, workshop or teaching area was designed
The class cannot be practically supervised or accommodated in the teaching area or learning environment provided or for which equipment is considered unsuitable, inadequate or unsafe
The class exceeds any ratio specified in any legislation, industry standard or guideline.
The students have disabilities or special needs, including literacy and language concerns, and will not get adequate support
Adequate lecturer time for effective participation and personal feedback and instruction cannot be guaranteed
There are specific behaviour management issues that can only be addressed in a smaller class
If you consider a class size too large, approach your line manager (Director) to have the class split. We urge you to work with your other team members and colleagues and to seek support from your campus union representative if necessary. Your intervention needs to occur as soon as possible after you have identified the problems to ensure a fair outcome for you and your students.
