Research lead curriculum : Early lessons from the field

Research conducted in the Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Sydney (Adamson, Lincoln and Cant, 2000) identified eight managerial skill areas that Australian health care managers (n=503) perceived to be necessary in order to function effectively and efficiently in the current and future health care environment. Further analysis demonstrated that generic areas of competency expected of all managers irrespective of industry and cultural context underpinned these skill areas. The pedagogical dilemma was how to foster these generic competencies in a curriculum initially designed for Australian students which also immediately included international students in Australia, off-shore international students and distance students both in Australia and off-shore. This paper presents an analysis of the educational design and its outcomes for a specific postgraduate unit of study delivered in this complex teaching and learning environment. The use of case studies formed the basis for learning activities and assessment. The intention of this approach was to provide choice for students and in the recognition that different solutions to the same case study problem would occur, depending on the student's national and cultural context. This paper discusses the development of these instructional strategies, and presents lessons from the field in catering to this diverse student population.