A Model for Academic Engagement Cross Team Working to Enhance the Student Learning Experience

1. A Model for Academic Engagement Cross Team Working to Enhance the Student Learning Experience Jason Boulter LJMU

2. Working With Academics

3. Who Do You Work With?

4. Why Do We Want To? • AEU: Key Objectives & KPIs 2012 - 13 • To support the implementation of the University’s Strategic Plan, and the related Learning Teaching and Assessment Strategy, focussing on identified priorities for the academic year and to monitor and report on progress • Academic and relevant professional services staff are committed to initial and continual professional development related to LTA • Implement Programme Managers Development Programme • 3 Schools/Centres involved

5. Example One – Where They Were • A group of Programme Managers but specifically with no management responsibility • Disparate individuals in terms of experience, skills, motivation • Sense that senior management wanted us to tell them what to do – “Fix” the problem for them • Individual DNA’s completed to determine focus of programme • Focus on the Programme Managers working as a team and taking control of their roles

6. Example One – What We Did

7. Example One – What’s Happened • Built up confidence of the team • Encouraged them to focus on what they can do, not what they can’t • Took control of the role and look after each other • Created Programme Managers forum • One to one support ongoing • Some have changed roles

8. Example Two – Where They Were

9. Example Two – Where They Were • Wanted to build up student identity • Wanted to improve student experience • Wanted to address NSS results • Lots of good things done already but needing focus • All issues tied into design of the programmes

10. Example Two – What We Did • Stage One – Programme Leader focus group • Stage Two – Peer focus group • Stage Three – Student focus groups

11. Example Two – What We Did • Stage One – Programme Leaders focus group • Ideas • Requirements • Ambitions • Motivation • Commitment

12. Example Two – What We Did • Stage Two: Peer group

13. Example Two – What We Did • Stage Three: Student focus groups • Likes / dislikes • Want more / less of • Delivery options • Faculty based Skills Support Officers

14. Example Two – What’s Happened • Student focus groups currently taking place • Findings from all three stages to be presented to the wider programme teams, • Commence the rewriting of programmes • Continued involvement and coordination

15. Next Up – Example Three • Additional Faculty wanting combination of both approaches

16. What We’ve Gained • Brought together our own team • Encouraged the view of ourselves as ‘there to help’ • Focused more on facilitating & developing

17. Cautionary Tales