Contents

Contents

Introduction, aims and purpose

Participating institutions

Case studies

Co-creating the curriculum through student academic partnerships

Sharing views and making links: student perceptions of outstanding teaching and exceptional learning (SPOut)

Enhancing The Learning Experience Through Evidence-Informed Curriculum Design

Students Overseas: promoting learning opportunities abroad for UK students and engaging more effectively with incoming students

Understanding student experience in a changing world - rationalising and using the evidence

Data for risk assessment and enhancement

Developing VLE approaches for an enhanced student learning experience

Transition to and during the first year of study - an integrated institutional approach

Enhancing Impact of Evidence-Informed Changes to Assessment and Feedback

Assessment Strategies and student degree attainment

1

Introduction, aims and purpose

EQUIP is a change programme that aimed to help higher education providers take an evidence-informed approach to quality enhancement at departmental, faculty or institutional level. It enabled participating institutional teams to identify, understand and resolve key issues affecting the quality and effectiveness of the student learning experience.

Taking an evidence-informed approach to quality enhancement, the programme enabled institutional teams to examine the evidence available on the learning experiences of their students. This evidence might include data generated by the institution (such as external examiner reports, internal surveys) and comparative external data, including the National Student Survey (NSS) and QAA institutional audit.

EQUIP focused on using evidence to improve the quality of learning and teaching processes and offered participants the opportunity for participants to address areas for development such as:

  • curriculum design and development;
  • the creation of learning environments;
  • responding to issues raised in institutional audit and external examiner reports;
  • developing a quality enhancement strategy;
  • addressing issues raised through student surveys, e.g. the National Student Survey(NSS).

The programme consisted of the following key events:

  • Start-up meeting – 14 September 2010
  • Two-day residential – 7-8 December 2010
  • Final meeting – 23 March 2011

Participating institutions

The following institutions took part in the programme. The next section provides a summary of each team’s initiative and a link to a case study where available. The case studies can also be viewed as a collective in the final section of this publication. Click on an institution name to jump to a summary.

  • Birmingham City University
  • De Montfort University
  • Edge Hill University
  • Newcastle University
  • The Open University
  • University of Derby
  • University of Huddersfield
  • University of Stirling
  • University of Winchester
  • University of Worcester

Birmingham City University

Co-creating the curriculum through student academic partnerships

Birmingham City University is focused on generating a vibrant and integrated learning community that fully involves staff and students in its academic and research development. This focus, through specific activities, has the potential to significantly impact upon institutional culture and the quality of the student learning experience and is driven through a stimulating partnership between the University and Birmingham City Students’ Union.

A major part of this activity has seen the creation of a Student Academic Partners (SAP) scheme which strives to co-create curriculum innovations through this new partnership. The first iteration of the SAP scheme in 2010 resulted in over 60 project applications and 23 funded projects, involving 35 students. Engineering, Art, Business, Law, Media and Nursing students engaged in the scheme as employed partners not assistants and were empowered to be active leads of project teams.

A further iteration of the SAP scheme will be launched in the autumn of 2010 and the project team hope that participation in EQUIP will help it put in place measures that enable the project’s educational rigour and evidence base to be placed beyond question and to use this evidence to inform and guide growth of the scheme and facilitate institutional change.

Team leader – Luke Millard

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

De Montfort University

Sharing views and making links: student perception of outstanding teaching and exceptional learning (SPOut)

The SPOut project aims to build capacity within the institution by taking a holistic view of DMU's approach to quality improvement. DMU already has strong processes in place for putting into practice recommendations for improvements: we make significant use of the internal and external data and processes available to us and central departments work with the students' union to take forward learning and teaching projects.

The SPOut project will further enhance and embed these processes. It will also link with work which has investigated staff perceptions of what outstanding teaching and exceptional learning might look like across subject disciplines together with other research which looks at the ways subject staff define good practice in learning and teaching. Both pieces of research show that whilst there may be links and similarities across subject areas, these are often unexplored due to the predominance in higher education of the subject ethos. The SPOut project aims to focus on the students' views of outstanding teaching and exceptional learning to investigate whether there is an echo of the findings found amongst academic staff groups.

The identification of examples of outstanding teaching and exceptional learning and an evaluation of what characterises them will help stimulate institution-wide debate around learning and teaching, leading not to a slavish copying or unthinking transfer of practice from one context to another but a deeper critique of the practices within subjects which will promote the process of identifying similar examples of excellence within individual subject teams.

Team leader – Nick Allsopp

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

Edge Hill University

Enhancing The Learning Experience Through Evidence-Informed Curriculum Design

An Undergraduate Framework (UGF) is already in situ at Edge Hill and contains a series of 'design lenses' congifured as a set of enabling, yet constraining questions which must be responded to by proposing teams at programme approval. Linked to these is a Directory of Good Practice (DoGP) which collates exemplars from the University's quality management processes with the aim of brokering contacts between practitioners and spreading good practice.

This project will aim to:

  • Secure and strengthen appreciation of the UGF architecture as it rolls out through programme approval across the three Faculties;
  • Review, within the EQUIP framework, the fitness-for-purpose of the UGF design lenses against emerging research literature;
  • Explore ways of harvesting and disseminating components of the Directory of Good Practice more effectively to encourage better interaction between practitioners, including the development of an online interactive resource bank containing practical 'real world' exemplars;
  • Better engage students in curriculum design and delivery as advisors and co-producers of case studies using an 'appreciative enquiry' approach;
  • Embed the input thus obtained from students in teaching and learning development for academic staff;
  • Extend, where appropriate, the approach adopted to the UGF to the emerging parallel Postgraduate Taught Framework within Edge Hill.

A key outcome of the project will be to create a reportable case study for change and development. This should be of key interest to other institutions which share our objective of enhancing the student experience, retention, satisfaction and, crucially, academic success.

Team leader – Tony Turjansky

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

Newcastle University

Students Overseas: Promoting learning opportunities abroad for UK students and engaging more effectively with incoming students

This project has twin aims, to:

  • Increase the likelihood of UK-originating Newcastle University students undertaking a period of study overseas and the range and depth of learning from such experiences; and
  • Enhance the experience of international students at Newcastle University, specifically in promoting links with UK-originating students.

The core team comprises members from an academic faculty (Team Leader), central service units and Newcastle University Union Society. A larger group, including the other faculties, will support this team to enable them to embed the outcomes of their work within wider policies and practices.

The project combines: (a) evidence from UK undergraduate students at Newcastle University about perceived barriers to participation in learning opportunities abroad; and (b) evidence from UK and international students, as well as staff, about how they have reduced or overcome such barriers. Based on this evidence, the project will lead to:

  • Policies, marketing approaches and practices leading to increased uptake of opportunities for learning abroad;
  • Enhanced integration of international and UK students at Newcastle University; and
  • A ‘toolbox’ of guides, examples and staff development provision that will help with creating and maintaining international partnerships.

Team leader – Gerard Corsane

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

The Open University

Understanding student experience in a changing world - rationalising and using the evidence

The Open University routinely analyses student retention and progress data, and collects extensive quantitative and qualitative information from students about their experience of our modules and qualifications. These data are the focal point for formal module, faculty and institutional review processes that inform quality assurance and enhancement processes. This project will evaluate the different sources of evidence available and how such data can be used:

1to better understand the student learning experience, and

2to explore how it can drive student-focused personalised quality services/enhancement.

The expected deliverables would be:

1the identification of a coherent information set and methodology that can be used consistently and efficiently to support regular reflection on the experience of our students and to support decision making about enhancement of our teaching and learning practices. Critical to the success of both is clear evidence that reliably points to successful and less successful practice from the perspective of the student.

2more specifically, an evidence base from the data to be used to inform decisions on personalisation of services as an enhancement to the student experience.

The project aims to create a framework which might be of use to other HEIs in evaluating the student experience in their own institution.

Team leader – Josie Taylor

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

University of Derby

Data for risk assessment and enhancement

This project will assist the University in (a) devolving the responsibility for (and understanding of) the assessment of risk to a wider range of staff within the Faculties, and (b) extending the range of data for risk assessment purposes. The data will include statistics generated through OASIS (an on-line facility linked to the student record system), NSS outcomes, the reports of external examiners and, crucially, the evidence of student satisfaction obtained from programme and module questionnaires.

The project will:

1 Identify the information needed by programme teams, Faculties and Academic Board for quality assurance and enhancement purposes;

2Identify student priorities for enhancement and the associated data requirements;

3Ensure student access to data and support student representatives in the effective use of such data;

4Agree minimum datasets to be made available to programme teams and to Faculty staff with risk assessment responsibilities;

5Review the form and content of programme and module questionnaires;

6Assist staff and students in developing their skills and confidence in the analysis and interpretation of data (both qualitative and quantitative) for risk assessment purposes;

7Enable the University to further develop its risk assessment methodology as the integrating hub of its quality assurance, enhancement, resource allocation and planning processes.

The project links to both the University’s Learning, Teaching and Assessment and Student Experience strategies as well as the Enhancement Policy. The provision of relevant and valid data, accessed efficiently, is the foundation for improving the effectiveness of decision-making and ensuring efforts are focused where the greatest impact will be felt.

Team leader – Colin Fryer

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

University of Huddersfield

Developing VLE approaches for an enhanced student learning experience

The nature of the project is to focus on the institutional and School-based use of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs: both our proprietary VLE Blackboard and other non-proprietary VLEs eg Web2.0 tools) in enhancing the student learning experience.

This project underpins institutional change to the use and integration of VLEs and assists with developing agile responses to a changing HE environment. It builds upon evidence provided by a recent Thematic Review of our proprietary VLE, Blackboard, incorporating other VLEs such as Web2.0 tools, and develops consistent, integrative and interactive use of VLEs in teaching and learning approaches

This builds on the University's Teaching and Learning Strategy and enables further development of pedagogic approaches with the use of technology and a clearer focus for the quality enhancement of the student learning experience.

The project also aims to develop procedures whereby the consistency and appropriateness of a better integrated use of VLEs can be more effectively and rigorously explored with course teams at key events in quality assurance and enhancement procedures, for example, at programme validation and annual evaluation of programme provision.

Team leader – WilmaTeviotdale

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

University of Stirling

Transition to and during the first year of study - an integrated institutional approach

The University of Stirling, through its Induction Working Group, aims to develop a collaborative, evidence-based Institutional strategic plan which ensures that induction/transition activities are integrated across the University.

Through the EQUIP project we aim to bring about strategic change which will impact on our approaches to induction/transition and benefit the student learning experience.

We aim to:

  • Enhance the University’s approach to induction/transition by developing a strategy which will have cross-institutional impact;
  • Implement a coherent and co-ordinated approach to induction/transition with an emphasis on induction/transition as a student focussed, core activity;
  • Ensure the strategy and associated activities are evidence-led and embed a quality enhancement approach;
  • Create an audit tool to benchmark induction/transition activities across the University and provide a framework for enhancing induction/transition processes and practices.

These aims are aligned with the University’s current ‘Learning and Teaching Quality Enhancement Strategy’ in which transition is clearly identified as a priority area, with a specific aim to develop and enhance the induction process for all students. The intention is that the final induction/transition strategy will be integral to the mainstream learning and teaching activities of the institution and will be adopted as a key component of the University’s approach to the enhancement of the student learning experience. To meet the project objectives, a cross-university team (service areas, academics and the Students Union) will work together and draw upon both external and internal documents as well as qualitative and quantitative data from students and staff.

Team leader –Mark Wilkinson

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

University of Winchester

Enhancing Impact of Evidence-Informed Changes to Assessment and Feedback

The University of Winchester have always been passionate about assessment and feedback and the subsequent impact on the student learning experience. Following a trend of poor assessment scores on the NSS, a series of small internal and external projects funded by the institution were conducted. From this platform, the Academy awarded Winchester an NTFS project - TESTA (Transforming the Experience of Students Through Assessment, funded over 3 years.

Participation within the EQUIP programme would allow the dissemination of a tried and tested methodological approach to enhancing the programme-level assessment and feedback experience of students. Since Phase 1 of TESTA, which included the collection of data from seven programmes across four institutions, more than eight additional programmes from partner institutions have expressed interest in being TESTA'd. Participation in the EQUIP programme would facilitate a greater impact of the TESTA research through wider engagement, dialogue, and strategic discourse around the change processes. The successful embedding of the methodology within validation and re-approval processes would add a bigger impact from the evidence and statements of programme teams currently involved (than the initial project predicted). The culmination of these developments will encourage the project leaders and EQUIP programme team to draw together some of the key conceptualisations in reflection on the programmatic/institutional change process.

Team leader – Yaz El-Hakim

A case study of this initiative is available below – click here to jump to it

University of Worcester

Assessment strategies and student degree attainment

The proportion of good (1 and 2:1) degrees awarded varies significantly between institutions, subject groupings, and has been shown to be related to student characteristics. This project seeks to make use of a range of evidence to ascertain the reasons for relatively low performance in assessment outcomes in two subject areas and to inform the development of improvement strategies.

The key stages of the project are:

1analysis of student attainment data, external examiner reports, student feedback data for specific courses and modules, including benchmarking with other HEI data