ULTSEC Innovation Fund2013: list of funded projects

Each year ULTSEC makes Innovation Fund awards to teams and/or individuals for projects designed to support the student learning experience. This document gives details of the seventeen Innovation Fund 2013 projects funded in February 2013 by a panel chaired by Suzanne Cholerton, PVC for Learning and Teaching. Congratulations to all the successful project teams.

Seven projects were funded under the priority theme of Assessment and feedback. In alphabetical order by Faculty/Academic Unit these projects are:

Project leads / Project summary / Theme / Target students
FMS Biomedical Sciences – Lindsey Ferrie / The ‘Feedback Foghorn’. Starting from an awareness that both students and staff are disengaged with HE feedback, and suggesting that ‘simpler’ is better than ‘more’ feedback processes. Establishing staff and student perceptions and expectations of feedback , then developing an integrating a feedback ePortfolio directly linked to early stage assessments. The feedback ePortfolio should help students engage with their feedback as part of a reflective process and also show staff whether students have read their feedback and used it in writing reflective summaries. / Assessment and feedback / All (c.370) Stage 1 students in Biomedical Sciences; 1 student intern
FMS Dental Sciences - James Field / A project to better understand how clinical teachers can effectively provide personalised, feedback-laden teaching interactions with students in clinics. Using Verbal Interaction Analysis (behavioural analysis observational template) and student satisfaction questionnaire and interviews to gather data. / Assessment and feedback / Dental Sciences students in teaching clinics
FMS Graduate School – Lynne Rawles, Alison Clapp. FMS MSED - Laura Delgatty / Investigating the use of ReCap personal capture recording software and dropbox for distance learning students and tutors to use in online viewing of and feedback on assessments. Employing students to investigate and test using the software in this way, and to write and test a student user guide. / Assessment and feedback / Videos to be used as part of induction for Stage 1 and 2 students; 1 student intern
HaSS Architecture Planning and Landscape – Simon Hacker (and all APL staff) / Demystifying the architectural design assessment process by producing a series of video clips explaining the assessment process to students. / Assessment and feedback
HaSS School of Modern Languages – Jean-Christophe (JC) Penet / Supporting final-year students to act as learning facilitators and peer advisors to enhance first-year students’ linguistic progress and career awareness. Using ePortfolio to deliver peer feedback. / Assessment and feedback / FRE1071 French language module, c. 125 students
SAgE Electrical and Electronic Engineering – Jon Goss. SAgE Marine Science and Technology – Sara Marsham. SAgE Biology – Alison Graham. SAgE Faculty/QuILT – Christie Harner / Trialling electronic marking and feedback using GradeMark on a selection of coursework submissions. Developing clearer marking criteria and libraries of comments for use in electronic marking. / Assessment and feedback / BIO3020/BIO8010, MST2017, EEE Stage 1 and Stage 2 labs
SAgE Mathematics and Statistics – Lee Fawcett / Investigating the use of case-based teaching in statistics service courses as a way to improve student participation and motivation, and to promote a deeper learning of course material rather than a surface learning of how to pass assessments. Focussing on how to assess the deeper learning this case-based teaching promotes, including self- and peer-assessment forms and self- and group-reflection video recordings. / Assessment and feedback / ACC1012 (170 students) and potential for more

Three projects were funded under the priority theme of Retention through student engagement. In alphabetical order by Faculty/Academic Unit these projects are:

Project leads / Project summary / Theme / Target students
HaSS Education Communication and Language Sciences – Rene Koglbauer (staff) and Paul Miller (EdD student) / Piloting a project in which students (typically international PG students) work together to better understand both the UK educational system and to compare and understand national education systems in each other’s home countries. Organising visits for PG students to local primary and secondary schools both so they learn more about UK schools and to link with local schools’ priorities on developing intercultural understanding. / Retention through student engagement / ECLS full time PGT students (MA, MEd and MARes), numbers not specified; 1 PG student as intern; 5 PGCE students for half a day each
HaSS Law – Kathryn Hollingsworth / Supporting Law students to undertake part-time pro bono placements with LegaCare, a local charity that provides legal advice and representation to people in the North East diagnosed with major illness. / Retention through student engagement / 20 UG Law students
Student Wellbeing – Kate Aitchison / Developing a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy app to support students experiencing depression and/or anxiety. / Retention through student engagement / Potentially all new NU students, particularly International students; 2 interns

Two projects were funded outside this year’s priority themes. In alphabetical order by Faculty/Academic Unit these projects are:

Project leads / Project summary / Theme / Target students
FMS Institute for Ageing and Health – Laura Greaves and Ellen Tullo / Investigating what students know, and need to know, about ageing. Designing and piloting a cross-Faculty module about ageing for all UG students to support the Societal Challenge Theme of Ageing and Health. / Societal Challenge Theme / 3 student interns; potentially all UG students
HaSS History Classics and Archaeology (Archaeology) – Jan Harding / Supporting student to plan, deliver and disseminate a field investigation, using ePortfolio to help them recognise the skills they are using and developing. / Skills development / Team of Stage 2, Stage 3 and PG Archaeology student volunteers, 25 to 30 students in tota

This list will be updated as further project decisions are confirmed. Innovation Fund information is online:

Lydia Wysocki, QuILT (Innovation Fund administrator), 13th February 2013