Enhancement Themes

Professor David LinesThe Robert Gordon University

The Themes

2003-4• Responding to Student Needs• Assessment2004-5• Flexible Delivery• Employability

• www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk

Responding to Student Needs

• Induction

• Personal Tutor System

• Models for First Year Learning

• Improving Communication

• Student Evaluation and Feedback

A Strategic approach 

• Planned from ‘first contact’ to start of second year;

• Involves academic & support staff, managers and students in planning and executing – champions!;

• Involves all these plus other stakeholders in making it effective (e.g. funding agencies, parents, partners etc.)

A Strategic approach

• Likely to involve an explicit ‘mission statement’ as part of a clearly defined Teaching and Learning Strategy

• Will seek to develop a ‘sense of belonging’ (learning communities) through e.g. web sites ‘drip-feeding’ information; ‘buddy schemes’ and/or SI; first year seminars

Prior to entry

• Closer school/university links;

• University marketing done ‘carefully and thoughtfully’;

• ‘Summer’ schools

• Recognise a variety of entry points.

The curriculum - setting the tone

• ‘Core modules’

• Emphasis on formative assessment;

• Integrated personal tutor support;

• Emphasis on ‘employability’;

Setting the tone

• Personal Development Planning;

• Transition from supported to independent learning;

• E-enabled learning;

• Commitment to Equal opportunities legislation and implementation.

Bottom-up

• Many individuals / departments / schools / faculties have introduced radical change

• Some examples: progressive phasing in of extended writing; gradual lengthening of lectures; using different formats within the lecture process e.g. PRS. Group work etc.

• Extended use of formative assessment

And crucially

• Adequate resources and the

• Promotion of ‘excellent’ teaching.

Enhancing Assessment

The issues that emerged relating to enhancing assessment practice were as follows.

The need to:

• avoid over-assessment and find ways to reduce the assessment load.

• redress the balance between formative and summative tasks with the former to be increased at the expense of the latter.

Enhancing Assessment

The need to:

• provide effective student feedback and develop methods for improving its quality.

• ensure that there is a better match between teaching, assessment and learning outcomes.

• develop and implement innovative assessment techniques

Over assessment

• Use alternative testing methods e.g. self-and peer-assessment

• Ensure learning outcomes are only tested once

• Substitute summative for formative tests

• Structural changes e.g. ‘long thin modules’

• Use ‘synoptic’ end-of-year tests

Formative versus summative

• Need to change attitudes (of both staff and students)

• Progressive weighting of assignments

• Use CAA

• PDP

• Self- and peer-assessment

Effective feedback

• Provide feedback without the mark!

• Again self- and peer-assessment and QAA

• Use of PRSs

• Student collaboration and sharing to be encouraged

Better alignment

• Use a variety of testing methods and types

• Ensure ‘soft skills’ are tested through different methods

• Engage students in the design and application of testing methods.

Developing innovative techniques

• No unique boundaries – they can be used to cover each of the other four e.g. QuestionMark Perception in RGUs School of Computing

The Future

• Systemic ‘Theme’

To run throughout the 5-year period

• Formative assessment

• The Nature of the First Year

• Developing the Effective Learner

• Progression and Success

• The Inclusive Curriculum