Enhancement Themes

1. Enhancement Themes Professor David Lines The Robert Gordon University

2. The Themes 2003-4 • Responding to Student Needs • Assessment 2004-5 • Flexible Delivery • Employability • www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk

3. Responding to Student Needs • Induction • Personal Tutor System • Models for First Year Learning • Improving Communication • Student Evaluation and Feedback

4. 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.)

5. 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

6. Prior to entry • Closer school/university links; • University marketing done ‘carefully and thoughtfully’; • ‘Summer’ schools • Recognise a variety of entry points.

7. The curriculum - setting the tone • ‘Core modules’ • Emphasis on formative assessment; • Integrated personal tutor support; • Emphasis on ‘employability’;

8. Setting the tone • Personal Development Planning; • Transition from supported to independent learning; • E-enabled learning; • Commitment to Equal opportunities legislation and implementation.

9. 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

10. And crucially • Adequate resources and the • Promotion of ‘excellent’ teaching.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. Formative versus summative • Need to change attitudes (of both staff and students) • Progressive weighting of assignments • Use CAA • PDP • Self- and peer-assessment

15. Effective feedback • Provide feedback without the mark! • Again self- and peer-assessment and QAA • Use of PRSs • Student collaboration and sharing to be encouraged

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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