Teesside University
2 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Teesside University
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15 Goal: To educate our students in their chosen discipline to become confident, critical, creative, adaptable, articulate and aspiring.
Introduction The development of the new learning and teaching strategy, which underpins related work from the new Academic Strategy, builds from evaluation of and wide consultation on the previous Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy. Building from the previous successful strategy consideration has been given to students’ learning in its widest sense. In recognition of the learning that takes place beyond formal teaching, and with University ambitions to “produce highly employable graduates and post graduates”, the new strategy seeks to extend its remit to the broader student experience recognising where learning takes place outside the curriculum. The Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy (LTSES) is one of the main drivers for quality enhancement at Teesside University (see Appendix One). It incorporates the goal, principles, aims and targets that address the ambitions of the Institutional Plan and in particular the Academic Strategy 2012-‐15. The LTSES provides a framework for the School/Department annual implementation plans, where specific objectives to meet the aims necessary for achievement within the local context will be developed. An annual evaluation of the development work and achievements towards targets will be undertaken and reported on through the Committee structures. The goal driven nature of this work frames our quality enhancement for learning and teaching.
Context External The new strategy coincides with the first cohort of students paying higher fees. It is not yet clear what the expectations of these students may be, but whatever else, they should receive a high quality learning experience. They could also expect that the University accommodate different patterns of study that best suit their varied life circumstances and that the University operates with the technologies they themselves use every day. Many students will be concerned about their employment beyond their studies, or their opportunities for further study. International students will continue to expect a high quality experience and perhaps more opportunities to learn in more flexible ways at home and abroad. Institutional The 2012-‐15 Institutional Plan identifies the period covered as ‘one of the most challenging periods faced by the HE sector in recent years’. It outlines Teesside University’s Mission, Vision, Character, Principles and Values and identifies a number of key University aims. The Plan includes: the Academic Strategy; the Business Engagement Strategy; and the Research Strategy. There are targets for each Institutional aim, and a series of annual KPIs in each of the three primary strategies to enable monitoring of progress towards achieving the aims and objectives of the Institutional Plan.
3 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Teesside University The Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy (LTSES) is primarily a sub strategy of the Academic Strategy, however the LTSES also supports some aspects of the other two strategies, so for example in the Business Engagement Strategy, objectives include: ‘Encourage and inform learning and teaching to support innovation, employability and entrepreneurship’ and ‘Provide students with direct ‘real world’ business experience’ (Institutional Plan p.55); and the Research Strategy highlights the aim that ‘programmes of study’ be ‘appropriately underpinned by research, scholarship and evidence based contemporary professional practice ’ (p.74). The Academic Strategy states a primary aim “is to ensure that Teesside University is recognised for its commitment to the student experience by the provision of: • High quality, innovative teaching • Supportive learning environments • Opportunities for positive engagement with industry, communities, enterprise and research activities that will produce highly employable graduates and post graduates.” (Institutional Plan p.28) The following areas are identified as priorities in the Academic Strategy: • The changing size and shape of the student community; • The development of the academic portfolio -‐ on the main campus, at Darlington, through new academic UK partnerships, international developments and through open and distance learning development; • Student recruitment; • Retention, progression and achievement; • Enhancing our students’ experiences; • Student employability and employment. Connection with other strategies There are a number of other sub-‐strategies of the Academic, Research, and Business & Community Engagement Strategies and some of the LTSES aims require alignment and some new activities within these sub-‐strategies. The Learning and Student Experience Policy Committee will work with the owners of the relevant sub strategies towards securing necessary alignment of aims and activities.
4 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Teesside University
LTSES Goal For the LTSES to gain widespread understanding and ownership by both staff and students we have striven to create a single clear goal that can easily be remembered and continuously acted upon by all members of staff: To educate our students in their chosen discipline to become confident, critical, creative, adaptable, articulate and aspiring.
Rationale There is no single ‘student experience’ and increasingly there will be a wider range of identifiable groups learning together and singly, on and off our campuses, at work, abroad and in part and full time capacities. The University experience, whatever its guise is one in which learning happens in many ways outside the formal curricula. This new strategy therefore seeks to acknowledge that wider set of potential learning opportunities, create new learning opportunities and develop a culture in which all engagements become possible spaces in which learning can happen. We seek to develop a culture in which students engage fully with their own learning and development and all staff are concerned with the learning of each individual student in whatever capacity they interact. The clear goal of striving for all our students to become confident, critical, creative, adaptable, articulate and aspiring will be the key to finding ways of individually as well as collectively enhancing the students’ experiences.
Guiding principles The guiding principles indicate the way in which Teesside University expects to work to achieve the goal and aims of the LTSES: 1. 2. 3. 4.
staff will work in partnership with students and the wider community to achieve the LTSES goal. students will give full commitment to engage with their own learning and development. staff will give full commitment to each individual student’s learning and development. staff will underpin a high quality student learning experience with discipline specific pedagogic approaches that are informed by research, (subject and pedagogic). 5. staff will recognise individual student learning needs and support them through the transitions in the (various) student life cycles. 6. staff will ensure the quality enhancement of learning opportunities through engaging in continuing professional development.
Aims and Targets The LTSES aims and targets are derived from the Academic Strategy 2012-‐15. Schools and those Departments who support and enhance student learning opportunities will create an annual operational plan against these aims within their own context. Schools and Departments will develop objectives that take account of the principles, and reach the targets as identified by the Academic Strategy and the LTSES. LTSES Aims 1. To enhance practices and provide new opportunities
Academic Strategy Targets 2012-‐15 a. To meet School KPIs on retention, progression and
5 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Teesside University that improves the retention, progression and attainment of students.
attainment. b. All programmes will have reviewed the retention, progression and attainment of their students and (with appropriate support from the wider community), create, implemented and evaluated enhancement interventions.
2. To enhance opportunities for a. To meet Academic Strategy targets on employability and the personal development of employment (Institutional Plan p.51) each student, both within and outside the curriculum to b. To have a substantial programme of opportunities outside the curriculum to support individual student development and support their progression into employment, further study or their gaining employment, further study or promotion. to enhance their potential for c. All programmes to have considered and where appropriate career progression. developed enhancements to the curriculum and learning opportunities for international students in the UK and aboard. 3. To encourage and inform learning and teaching to support innovation, employability and entrepreneurship
a. To develop opportunities for creative and critical engagement by working in partnership with students in developing all new curricula.
4. To develop and enhance discipline appropriate pedagogic approaches for on-‐ line and distance learning.
a. To develop at least six on-‐line programmes/short courses.
5. To develop approaches and infrastructure that supports and enhances the part-‐time students’ learning and experience.
a. To develop at least six new part-‐time programmes/courses that can may run from Teesside, Darlington campus or within workplaces.
6. To improve learning spaces both physical and virtual to enhance the students’ learning experience.
a.
To have developed (where still necessary), and evaluated in all Schools and the University libraries appropriate spaces for individual and group study.
b.
To have developed a common, student centred, virtual space for all students to quickly access their virtual resources and sites, store their work and share in a wider learning community.
a.
To have 95% of academic staff with a recognised teaching qualification, mainly through staff gaining HEA Fellowship.
b.
To have institutional accreditation for its CPD framework up to Descriptor 4 (Principal Fellowship) UK Professional Standards Framework. (UK PSF).
7. To enhance the excellence of teaching through the engagement of staff in scholarship of L&T and continuing professional development.
b. To provide the majority of undergraduates with direct ‘real world’ business experience.
b.
Every programme to have at least one module that can be undertaken at a distance.
b. To have developed a Teesside virtual learning community.
6 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Teesside University
Culture Students will be encouraged to understand their own learning and goals and take responsibility for pursuing opportunities that enhance their knowledge, understanding and personal development/career progression. The University will seek to work in partnership with students and the wider community in pursuit of the LTSES goal and work with them to develop new learning opportunities and enhancements to their learning experiences. The LTSES goal will therefore need to become known, owned and engaged with by students and staff. All students who achieve this goal will be employable and or well prepared for further study. Students will also be encouraged to see themselves as part of a scholarly community in which we share common enterprise.
Change agents and processes The strategy will be achieved through: • Development of LTSES Implementation Plan (See Appendix Two), working in conjunction with individual School and Department annual implementation planning. • The use of School and Department Annual Learning and Teaching implementation plans to meet the strategy goal and LTSES School/Department objectives, working within the principles of the LTSES. • Leadership at every level with clarity of responsibilities for implementing the goal and aims of the LTSES. • The monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the quality enhancements being achieved through annual monitoring processes within the School/Department and reported through the Learning and Student Experience Policy Committee. • Ownership of the LTSES goal at individual staff level for daily action/interactions with students. • Ownership of the LTSES goal and implementation plans at Subject/Section and Module leader levels. • The creation of new opportunities for working in partnerships with students. • The implementation of Significant Interest Groups (SIGs), led by a University Teaching Fellow/National Teaching Fellow or L&T Coordinator to bring together expertise for sharing good practice and addressing challenges. • Workshops, master class series and seminars led by experts from within and outside Teesside University learning community. • The leadership of key agendas by University Teaching Fellows. • The use of the Teaching Innovation Fund to pilot new practices. • The sharing of good practice at the Annual Learning and Teaching and Three Rivers Conferences. • Schools and Departments working together to provide the infrastructures necessary for change and quality enhancements to the students’ learning experiences. • The development of staff capacity through their continued engagement in professional development.
7 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Teesside University Securing Schools’ and Departments’ implementation and accountability Teesside University Depts.: L&IS, DfLD, DAE, SS, Estates, ICT, collaborating with students Project teams and Significant Interest Groups School Learning and School Programme Policy Student Learning Leader and Committee/ Experience and Section/Subject School Policy Teaching Head Academic Committee Committee Standards Committee/ Senior Leadership Team
Academic Board
School Reps and SU Module Course Reps L&T leaders a nd L&T School and SU University Leaders tutors Leaders There will be inter dependencies between Schools and Departmental operations to enable change to be achieved.
Evaluation A crucial aspect of any development is the evaluation of the impact and agreement about measures of success. An evaluation strategy will be developed following agreement of the Strategy and run from the Department for Learning Development in collaboration with the Schools and Departments. Measures of success will be developed as part of this strategy and methods for evaluation will be embedded within the development processes.
Monitoring The development and implementation of the institutional, departmental and School plans will be monitored through regular reporting to the Learning and Student Experience Policy Committee. (See Appendix Three) Learning and Student Experience Policy Committee July 2012 8 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Appendix One
Quality enhancement drivers
Institutional Learning and Teaching Quality Enhancement Drivers Working in partnership with students
School/Department Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Implementation Plan
School/Department Annual Development Plan
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy
Institutional Goals/Values/Mission
Learning and Teaching Innovation Projects
Academic Strategy
Policies and Threshold Quality Standards Subject/Programme Approval and Review
Annual Learning and Teaching Conference
Annual quality monitoring
University Teaching Fellowship Projects
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Continuing professional development
Working with external partners and agencies
Drivers are inter-‐related in complex ways and at points intersect together through quality enhancement loops: Quality Assurance processes Right hand/ blue QE loop: Quality assurance drives enhancement through monitoring, programme development, delivery and review processes, from Schools and Departments up to University Committees’ level; Goals from Institutional Plan with its associated strategies Centre /Green QE loop: University mission and goals drives the Institutional Plan, Strategies and its sub-‐strategies, which flow into planning and quality enhancement developments; L&T enhancement interventions Left hand/Red QE loop: Specific quality enhancement interventions such as L&T Innovation projects, the Annual L&T Conference, University Teaching Fellow projects etc. all drive quality enhancements. 9
Appendix Two
LTSES Implementation Plan GOAL To educate our students in their chosen discipline to become confident, critical, creative, adaptable, articulate and aspiring.
Guiding principles The guiding principles indicate the way in which Teesside University expects to work to achieve the goal and aims of the LTSES: 1. 2. 3. 4.
staff will work in partnership with students and the wider community to achieve the LTSES goal. students will give full commitment to engage with their own learning and development. staff will give full commitment to each individual student’s learning and development. staff will underpin a high quality student learning experience with discipline specific pedagogic approaches that are informed by research, (subject and pedagogic). 5. staff will recognise individual student learning needs and support them through the transitions in the (various) student life cycles. 6. staff will ensure the quality enhancement of learning opportunities through engaging in continuing professional development.
Activity Strands and University aims and targets. Enhancing practices and providing new opportunities to improve the retention, progression and attainment of students.
Brief Description of University led initiatives (To be reviewed annually)
Responsibility
Time
Schools and Departments will each have an annual implementation plan in addition to this work to address local needs. Learning and student experience •
Academic Strategy Targets 2012-‐15 To meet School KPIs on retention, progression and attainment. •
Project to develop interventions in support of students’ higher AD L&Ts, L&T Coordinators, attainment to stretch TU best students. Students, and DfLD, L&IS Teaching Fellow
2012-‐14 2012-‐13
TF project on progression to level 5 transition point and 10
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Teesside University All programmes will have reviewed the retention, progression and attainment of their students and (with appropriate support from the wider community), create, implemented and evaluated enhancement interventions.
student support beyond week one. Teaching •
AD L&Ts, L&T Coordinators, L&IS, Students, and DfLD
2012-‐14
2012-‐14
Collaborative project to target programmes for enhancement where progression and completion is below average.
AD L&Ts, L&T Coordinators, Students, and DfLD, L&IS
Teaching Fellow
Collaborative project on development of possible interventions in effective teaching in support of higher attainment to increase Upper second and first class degrees
•
•
Collaborative project on development of possible interventions through assessment for learning in support of higher attainment to increase Upper second and first class degrees
•
TF led Significant Interest Group: Electronic Feedback/on-‐line marking
11 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
2012-‐13
TF led Significant Interest Group: Student retention and the under-‐ achievement of males.
Assessment •
AD L&Ts, L&T Coordinators, L&IS, Students, and DfLD
2012-‐14
Teaching Fellow
2012-‐13
Teesside University Enhancing opportunities for the personal development of each student, both within and outside the curriculum to support their progression into employment, further study or to enhance their potential for career progression. Academic Strategy Targets 2012-‐15 To meet Academic Strategy targets on employability and employment (Institutional Plan p.51) To have a substantial programme of opportunities outside the curriculum to support individual student development and their gaining employment, further study or promotion.
Learning and student experience •
•
See Employability Plan
Student Services
2012-‐14
DAE, SS, L&IS and DfLD
TF Project on understanding international learning culture and enhancing their learning opportunities.
Teaching Fellow
2012-‐13
AD L&Ts, L&T Coordinators, 2012-‐15 L&IS, Students, DAE, Student Services and DfLD
Enhance and run Graduate Interns’ Programme
Teaching •
•
Project in support of embedding employability within curricula. (See employability Plan)
All programmes to have considered and where appropriate developed enhancements to the curriculum and learning opportunities for international students in the UK and aboard.
Assessment
To encourage and inform learning and teaching to support innovation, employability and entrepreneurship
Learning and student experience
•
Academic Strategy Targets 2012-‐15
DAE, Students, Schools and DfLD.
2013-‐15
SS
2012-‐13
Further development of the student numbers and engagement of students on entrepreneurs@tees programme
DAE
2012-‐14
Project on enhancement and sharing good practice in work based learning assessments.
See employability Plan
•
•
12 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
2012-‐13
Teesside University To develop opportunities for creative and critical engagement by working in partnership with students in developing all new curricula. To provide the majority of undergraduates with direct ‘real world’ business experience.
To develop and enhance discipline appropriate pedagogic approaches for on-‐ line and distance learning.
Teaching
DfLD
2012-‐13
Assessment
Learning and student experience
DVC (Learning and Student Experience) ICT, Students, L&IS, Schools, DfLD
2012-‐14
Teaching Fellow
2012-‐13
•
•
Academic Strategy Targets 2012-‐15 To develop at least six on-‐line programmes/short courses. Every programme to have at least one module that can be undertaken at a distance.
•
Use of Teaching Innovation Fund to support curriculum enhancement projects in support of employability and entrepreneurship
Collaborative project to develop the technology enhanced learning, (infrastructure and pedagogies) to support a high quality student experience.
TF led Significant Interest Group: On-‐line distance and flexible learning
Teaching •
Development of new courses through the use of technologies to reach new markets.
•
Library led project on the development of digital literacies: staff and students
13 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Schools, MSR and 2012-‐15 DfLD, L&IS L&IS, Schools, Students, and DfLD
2012-‐13
Teesside University Assessment •
To develop approaches and infrastructure that supports and enhances the part-‐time students’ learning and experience.
TF led Project on developing and sharing good practice for formative and summative assessments for distance on-‐line learning.
Learning and student experience •
Development of infrastructure to enable high quality part-‐time undergraduate provision to be developed.
Teaching Fellow
2012-‐13
DVC (Learning and Student Experience) ICT, Schools, L&IS, Students, DfLD
2012-‐15
Academic Strategy Targets 2012-‐15
To develop at least six new part-‐time programmes/courses that can may run from Teesside, Darlington campus or within workplaces.
To have developed a Teesside virtual learning community.
DfLd, L&IS, Students, Learning Coordinators, ICT
DVC (Learning and Student experience) ADs, Students, DfLD, L&IS, Schools
2012-‐14
•
Working with the principles and recommendations of the Senior Leadership Part time Students Project (2011-‐12) to develop a project to enhance discipline appropriate pedagogic approaches and infrastructure for on-‐line and distance learning.
14 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
2012-‐13
Working with Schools and Directors ICT and LIS develop a road map for infrastructure technical developments to support ambitions for technology enhanced learning – supporting on-‐line and distance programme goals. (JA)
Teaching •
Teesside University Assessment •
To improve learning spaces both physical and virtual to enhance the students’ learning experience.
•
Teaching Fellow
2012-‐13
2012-‐15
DVC (Learning and Student experience) ADs, DfLD, Students, Estates, Schools
Schools, DfLD
2012-‐13
Work with Schools to ensure all text based assignments are submitted electronically by end 2013.
ICT, Schools, Students, L&IS, Registry, MSR, DfLD
E-‐Learning Coordinator and DfLD
2012-‐14
Teaching Fellow
2013-‐14
DfLD and Schools
2012-‐13
TF led Project on developing and sharing good practice for formative and summative assessments for flexible and distance on-‐ line learning students.
Support the development of social learning spaces in all teaching buildings including the new Library spaces.
Academic Strategy Targets 2012-‐15
To have developed a common, student centred, virtual space for all students to quickly access their virtual resources and sites, store their work and share in a wider learning community.
Learning and student experience
To have developed (where still necessary), and evaluated in all Schools and the University libraries appropriate spaces for individual and group study.
•
•
Develop a virtual ‘presentation layer’ to enhance student experience and ensure student ease of access to all their information.
Teaching Significant Interest Group in the use of mobile technologies
•
Assessment • To enhance the excellence of teaching through the engagement of staff in scholarship of L&T and continuing
•
Project on enhancement of on-‐line assessments Develop current Initial and HEA CPD framework and map provision to new UKPSF achieving new institutional accredited status including Descriptor Level 4 15
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
2012-‐14
Teesside University professional development.
•
Support staff towards entering the University Teaching Fellowship Scheme, the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme and explore possibility of extending this recognition route to professorial level.
DfLD
2012-‐13
•
2013 L&T Annual Conference (Working in Partnership with Students)
Teaching Fellows
2012-‐13
Use the 2012-‐13 L&T innovation fund to drive changes and innovations detailed in Academic Strategy.
DfLD
2012-‐13
Project Re-‐launch of peer review of teaching with initial evaluation at end of 2012-‐13.
DfLD and L&T Coordinators
2012-‐13
•
Develop and deliver an Academic Leadership Master class Programme to link the development of leadership skills and behaviour for programme and subject group leaders through the Academic Leadership Programme to support for leadership of key University agendas
DfLD
2012-‐13
•
TF Project working with Schools to develop/enhance programme leaders
Teaching Fellow
2012-‐13
•
Work with PGCert LTHE Team to explore the development of an on-‐ line version of programme.
DfLD and SSSL
2012-‐13
•
Run workshops and sessions to reach target of 95% of academic staff with teaching qualification.
DfLD and Schools
2012-‐14
Academic Strategy Targets 2012-‐15 To have 95% of academic staff with a recognised teaching qualification, mainly through staff gaining HEA Fellowship.
To have institutional accreditation for its CPD • framework up to Descriptor 4 (Principal Fellowship) UK Professional Standards Framework. (UK PSF). •
16 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
Teesside University Appendix Three
Academic Board
(Review / update) Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy LTSES Review by LSEPC for any updating of targets
School and Department Annual LTSES Plan developed and presented for approval to LSEPC by September each year.
Academic Strategy
Annual LTSES School / Department Review to LSEPC
School and Department evaluation work on impact of changes.
LTSES Institutional oversight 17 Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy 2012-‐15
First review and update to include any additional actions (possibly from NSS), by December each year for report to LSEPC.
