Aberystwyth University
Module
PDM0120
Leading in Universities
Programme Handbook
Contents
Section 1: Introducing the Programme
1.1Programme Aims
1.2Structure
1.3Programme Team
1.4Mentors
1.5Registration
1.6Bilingual Provision
1.7Further Information
Section 2: Programme Content
2.1Programme Outcomes
2.2Programme Elements
2.2.1.Introductory Session
2.2.2.Leadership Development Workshops
2.2.3.Peer-Mentoring Meetings
2.2.4.Programme-Mentor Meetings
2.2.5.Personal Reflection on workshops
2.2.6.PersonalReflective Journal and ‘Patchwork Text’
2.2.7.Action-Research Leadership Project Presentation
2.2.8.Action Learning Sets (ALS)
Section 3: Assessment
3.1Module Assessment Overview
3.2Assessed Elements
3.2.1Leadership Development Portfolio
3.2.2Action-Research Leadership Project Presentation
3.3Preparing for Assessment
3.4Assessment Panel
3.5Referrals and Fails
3.6Board of Studies
Section 4: Mentoring
4.1Mentors
4.2Mentor Meetings
Appendices
1.Mentor Meeting Record
2.Skills Development
3.Module Assessment Criteria
4.Bilingual Provision
5.Assessment Forms
Section 1: Introducing the Programme
1.1 Programme Aims
The University sector is a complex and rapidly changing work environment. Organisational structure and, therefore, the lines of responsibility, authority and communication, are often shifting and less clear than in other, similar-sized organisations. Leading and managing people, in this environment, can be demanding and requires skill in negotiation and persuasion with people that have a wide range of different strengths, weaknesses and values. The flexible and adaptive nature of the setting often means that staff can be thrown into positions of temporary or long-term leadership at short notice and with little opportunity to prepare for the role.
Leadership development courses, offered once people are in role, are often too little and too late to truly impact on practice.
Thismodule is a development of the highly successful undergraduate module: Effective Leadership (XC13230/XN24130), designed, primarily, for early-career staff at Aberystwyth University, in any role, who already manage staff or may do so in the future.
While the undergraduate version of the module is still a useful starting point for any role, we are offering the Leading in Universities module as an opportunity to explore various aspects of leadership a little more deeply. The module is aimed primarily at academic staff, but is suitable for anyone who can engage with a course at Masters level.
The module is also the first of a number of planned Masters-level modules intended to extend the PGTHE towards a broader qualification in academic practice.
The core design, based around social learning and reflective practice, has already proven successful in the undergraduate version of this module. This module will place a stronger emphasis on a ‘patchwork text’ design (see 2.2.6), providing both a formative and summative assessment framework.
The programme is an accredited CQFW level 7, 20 credit module developed, delivered and administeredby the Centre for the Development of Staff and Academic Practice (CDSAP) and accredited through the School of Education and Lifelong Learning (SELL).
The module is designed to be work-based and flexible enough to be completed within 10 months. The submission date of the portfolio will be in November of each year.
NOTE: Participant will only have provisional markings beforeJune of each year, as the external examiner only verifies the marks once a year, the marks will then be confirmed by the appropriate Board of Studies.
1.2. Structure
The module includes taught, work-based elements and independent study. The taught element, consisting of a linked series of 8 leadership development workshops, introducing a number of techniques that can be used in a leadership context and encourages participants to use previous and current work as a basis for reviewing their practice as well as their knowledge and understanding of key concepts of leadership.
In addition, participants will be asked to familiarise themselves with selected relevant literature, meet with a peer-mentor and programme mentor and reflect on leadership issues raised in the module and in the work-place, through a personal reflective journal.As well as working on an action-research based leadership project in the workplace.
Key principles include:
- work-based practice;
- a critical awareness of the research that underpins current thinking on effective leadership;
- role play as an opportunity to work with complex situation and make sound judgments in the absence of complete data;
- develop self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems;
- develop autonomous learning and responsibility for own learning.
The module includes:
- an introductory session;
- 8 x workshops (7 half-day, 1 full-day);
- 4 x peer-mentoring sessions;
- 2 x programme mentor sessions;
- 3 x Action-Learning Sets;
- A negotiated action-research Leadership Project;
- presentation of action-research Leadership Project;
Assessment is through a portfolio, built in stages throughout the module. The portfolio will demonstrate evidence of the development of professional skills and knowledge of leadership in both personal and wider (departmental and University) contexts. This evidence is drawn from normal work activities as well as professional development activities undertaken in the module.
Complete details of the module assessment criteria may be found in Appendix 3.
1.3Programme Team
The module has beendeveloped by Graham Lewis, Co-ordinator ofthe Centre for Development of Staff and Academic Practice (CDSAP), who has developed leadership and related skills with staff in HE institutions across the UK, and by Annette Edwards, who has a breadth of knowledge and experience in supporting leadership and learning and teaching atAberystwyth. The workshops and participant support are provided by a range of University and external leadership experts.
Key contacts are:
- Graham Lewis, Coordinator of CDSAP () ext. 1802
- Annette Edwards, CDSAP () ext. 2386
- CDSAP Office ext. 2117
1.4Mentors
Mentoring and coaching approaches provide a solid foundation for modern approaches to leadership and you are strongly advised to take full advantage of this aspect of the programme. There will be two forms of mentoring practice on the programme: Programme-Mentoring and Peer-Mentoring.
Programme-Mentoring
Each participant will be assigned a Programme Mentor, by the programme team. The Programme Mentor will have experience of leadership development andact as both a point of contact and a source of advice. You will meet with your programme mentor, at least twice during the programme and these meetings will also inform your action-research Leadership Project and portfolio production.
Peer-Mentoring
The Peer-Mentors are fellow participants on the programme, who will act to support you by sharing experience and ideas and acting as a “critical friend”. The Peer-Mentoring meetings offer the chance to practice your own mentoring and coaching skills.
The Action-Learning Sets provide another form of peer-mentoring (see 2.2.8).
1.5Registration
The module is open to applications from all staff at any level, both full time and part time. Individuals will be interviewed before being asked to formally register on the module.There is no charge for staff or departments but admission is on a competitive basis and requires a commitment to take a full part in all aspects of the programme. The programme forms a coherent whole and failure to take part in all events and aspects will diminish the experience for others as well as yourself. It is compulsory that individuals attend each workshop. Informal enquiries and applications can be made to CDSAP at any time during the academic year. Final decisions, on who will be admitted, will be taken at the beginning of December each year.
Please note: Before being asked to formally register for the module, you will be asked to meet with a member of the course team for a needs analysis interview. This is to assess the appropriateness of the module for your needs, identify any additional support you may require and to explore initial ideas for the negotiated Leadership Project. The needs analysis form will act as a living document throughout the programme.
Formal registration for the programme takes place during December each year. Please contact the Centre for the Development of Staff and Academic Practice ( 01970 622117).
1.6 Bilingual Provision
The taught element of the programme will be delivered through the medium of English. In common with all Aberystwyth University courses, assessed work may be submitted in English, Welsh or bilingually. Please see Appendix 4, for further information. Where requested and where possible, Welsh-speaking Programme- and Peer-Mentors will be assigned.
1.7 Further Information
Further details of dates, additional information and resources can be found on the Centre for the Development of Staff and Academic Practice (CDSAP) website:
or, for registered participants, on the Leading in Universities Blackboard site:
You will be asked to log in, using the same username and password that you use to access your email.
Section 2: Programme Content.
2.1 Programme Outcomes
Clearly, the programme can only set participants on the road of a much longer development process. However, on completion of this module, participants should be able to:
- showa systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current leadership practices;
- critically evaluate current research and scholarship in leadership, mentoring, team-building and reflective practice;
- have a practical understanding of how established leadership techniques operate in a work environment;
- demonstrateself-direction and originality in tacking the analysis of leadership in universities as well as autonomy in planning and implementing these in complex pieces of writing.
- evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of leading in universities and to propose new hypotheses.
2.2 Programme Elements
The courseprogramme consists of the following elements. Dates, times and locations can be found on the CDSAP website at: and, for registered participants, on the Blackboard site at:
2.2.1Workshop 0: Introductory Session (2 hours)
This session presents an overview of the programme, offers the opportunity to meet fellow participants and registers participants onto the module.
2.2.2Leadership Development Workshops
Each participant will attend all 8leadership developmentworkshops. Each workshop will includesome preparatory work and post-workshop readings or activities.
Workshop 1: Models of Leadership (3 hours)
Develop definitions of leadership, explore and analyse leadership styles, together with self-awareness of own leadership style.
Workshop 2: Effective Mentoring (7 hours)
Explore and analyse mentoringskills in a leadership context, together with the mechanisms and challenges of the role
Workshop 3: Working in Teams (3 hours)
Understand how teams develop and develop an appreciation of how individuals with diverse behaviours can work effectively as a team.
Workshop 4: The Reflective Leader (3 hours)
Explore the theoretical background to reflective practice as well as learn about the different mechanisms for reflection and reflective writing.
Workshop 5: Dealing with Difficult Conversations (3 hours)
Explore and develop tools to deal with difficult conversations in a leadership role.
Workshop 6: Leading Teams (3 hours)
Explore the different learning and communicationstyles of team members can be facilitated in group settings, such as meetings.
Workshop 7: The Expert Leader (3 hours)
Experienced leaders from outside the University giving their own thoughts and ideas of the definition of a leader (Presenters will change from year to year and this may be opened to participants from other leadership courses).
Workshop 8: Solving Problems in Groups (3 hours)
Assessed group work incorporating all concepts from the module.
2.2.3Peer-MentorMeetings Four mentoring sessions,between participants, two where you act as mentor and two as mentee.
2.2.4Programme-Mentor Meetings Two individual mentoring sessions with an experienced member of the module team.
2.2.5Personal Reflection on workshopsThis is a short, written reflective piece capturing your thoughts and ideas following each of the workshops and may include supportive elements drawn from your own practice and readings. You will choose 3 of these pieces as ‘patches’, to include in your final edited version of the Personal Reflective Journal.
2.2.6 Personal Reflective Journal and ‘Patchwork Text’
The Personal Reflective Journal begins a diary of your progression through the module and an edited version of the journal is submitted as part of the final portfolio.
In this course, we use the concept of 'patchwork text', in that you create elements of the final journal as patches along the way. The patches are then 'stitched' together, to produce the final edited version for submission as part of the assessed portfolio.
Patches will consist of:
- edited extracts from the personal journal that you keep during the course, capturing your thoughts on leadership
- edited versions of your reflections on the workshops
- reflection on your readings and any other sources of inspiration about developing your leadership - what can you / have you / will you use in your practice?;
- reflections on the peer-mentoring meetings;
- reflections on the programme mentoring meetings;
- reflections on the action-learning sets.
You should be able to ‘stitch’ these patches into a coherent narrative about your experience in consciously developing as a leader.
2.2.7Action-Research Leadership Project PresentationYou are expected to present a 20 minute presentation on your project which will be assessed by the programme team.
2.2.8 Action Learning Sets (ALS)
The action learning sets will be an opportunity to discuss, with others on the module, your action-research Leadership Project, in more details and to gain feedback on your ideas from these colleagues. The module team will allocate participants to a number of action-learning sets, but it is the responsibility of the sets to organise and run their own meetings. It is recommended that at least three action-learning set meetings take place during the module. Depending on availability, the CDSAP training room (S7, Cledwyn) may be available for these meetings.
Section 3: Assessment
3.1 Module Assessment Overview
Module Content Overview1 / Needs analysis and initial action-research Leadership Project ideas.
2 / Induction to module
3 / Reflective Patch-work text on each workshop (8 x 400 words each)
4 / Attendance at three action-learning set meetings
5 / A total of six coaching sessions; 4 peer mentoring, 2 programme mentoring,to provide mentoring practice and further develop needs.
6 / Presentation on an action-research Leadership Project
Needs analysis
A member of the module team will meet, individually with all participants, to carry out a needs analysis and discuss ideas for the action-research Leadership Project. The meeting will take place as soon as possible after application to join the module.
Induction
The induction (Workshop 0) will provide a detailed account of the module requirements and will be a networking opportunity for individuals to meet for the first time. Group work will take place at the induction, together with an overview of the concepts behind the course, the requirement of Masters-level written work and level of engagement with the literature.
Action-Learning Sets(ALS)
Your normal leadership working practices should provide the context for the project for the assessment for the module. Depending on availability, the CDSAP training room (S7, Cledwyn)may be available for these meetings.
Module Descriptor
The module involves both taught, work-based elements and independent study. The taught element, consisting of a linked series of 8 leadership development workshops, introducing a number of techniques that can be used in a leadership context and encourages them to use previous and current work as a basis for reviewing their practice as well as their knowledge and understanding of key concepts of leadership.
In addition, participants will be asked to familiarise themselves with selected relevant literature, meet with a peer-mentor and programme mentor and reflect on leadership issues raised in the module and in the work-place, through a personal reflective journal.
Key principles include the following:
- work based practice
- a critical awareness of the research that underpins current thinking on effective leadership
- role plays to support to offer an opportunity to worth with complex situation and mark sound judgments in the absence of complete data
- develop self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, autonomous learning, responsibility for own learning
The module includes:
- an introductory session
- 8 x workshops
- 4 x peer-mentoring sessions
- 2 programme mentor sessions
- action Learning Sets
- an action-Research Leadership Project
- presentation of Action-Research Leadership Project
In addition, participants will be expected to keep a journal of their thoughts and ideas. Elements of this will be included in the final submitted Reflective Journal and drawn upon in writing other elements of the portfolio.
Assessment is through a portfolio, built in stages throughout the module. The portfolio will demonstrate evidence of the development of professional skills and knowledge of leadership in both personal and wider (departmental and University) contexts. This evidence is drawn from normal work activities as well as professional development activities undertaken as part of the module.
The module assessment criteria are listed in Appendix 3. The module is assessed against the learning outcomes.
3.2 Assessed Elements
The assessed elements of the module are:
3.2.1Leadership Development Portfolio – 90%
NB: Due to the confidential nature of the module, no reference should be made to either staff or student by name, department, as confidentiality is core to creating a successenvironment for developing leadership.
The required content for the leadership development portfolio is:
Reflective Journal – 45%
1.)Reflective journal kept throughout the year to include reflections on the workshops attended (include patches from the 3 workshops that were of most interest to you), action-learning sets, self-analysis of own reflection and engagement with the literature on leadership
(2,500 words)
Action-Research Leadership Project – 45%
2.)One action-research Leadership Project based on an aspect of work-based leadership (2,500 words).
The word count for the entire portfolio should be 5000 words +/- 10%.
Information on reflective writing is available on the Blackboard site, as are sample reflections
3.2.2 Action-Research Leadership Project Presentation (20 minutes) – 10%