QAA Enhancement Themes

Developing and Supporting the Curriculum at the University of Strathclyde

Andrew McLarenIrene Bell

• To develop a Learning Community through a Learning Enhancement Framework (LEF):

• Curriculum Enhancement• Learning Support• Academic Professional Development

• To identify and incorporate different perspectives on `Flexibility` into the curriculum, through Faculty Projects.

Overarching Approach:

• Curriculum Development e.g. 20 credit review, cross-disciplinary working: Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP)…

• Student Internship Programme a) Curriculum Enhancement (16):

The Flexible CurriculumPersonal Development Planning (PDP) Assessment and FeedbackAlumni Club

b) UG Research Interns (73)c) Interns on Campus, working with Professional Services (27)d) STEM outreach in schools (8)

Enabled Through…

1. Flexible curriculum interns

• 4 student interns, 12 weeks over summer• 1 from each Faculty

• Business• Engineering• Humanities & Social Sciences• Science

• Staff team drawn from the four faculties• Full student presentation in multimedia file

Examples of Student Intern Outputs

• Curriculum development – credit structures and elective choices

• Promotion and implementation of a dispersed learning enhancement network of practitioners

• Expansion of cross-disciplinary approaches• Increased support for learning• Increased support for teaching• The enhancement of international elements of the

curriculum• Enhanced student engagement• Revised academic policy and practice

Overall DSC Outcomes:

2. Assessment and Feedback policy and practice

• 4 student interns, 12 weeks over summer• 1 from each Faculty

• Business• Engineering• Humanities & Social Sciences• Science

Examples of Student Intern Work

2. Assessment and Feedback policy and practice

• 4 student interns, 12 weeks over summer• 1 from each Faculty

• Business• Engineering• Humanities & Social Sciences• Science

• Led to staff/student working group on policy and procedures around assessment and feedback

Examples of Student Intern Work

• Aligning `willingness` and `enthusiasm` with institutional infrastructure– Focus and clarity – Commitment, enthusiasm and support

• The importance of an `enhancement` culture and ethos– Impact of the student learning experience

• Dialogue with internal and external stakeholders– Students as partners, co-creators

• Effective models of Student Engagement/ As Change Agents, (Trowler (2010), Dunne and Zandstra (2011) and Healey (2011).

• Sustainability– Taking forward the work in a sustainable manner

Lessons Learned:

• Student internships experience– Powerful driver for activity– Challenges for implementation going forward– Sustainable integration of intern activity

• Moving to the new Enhancement Theme– Student Transitions– Summer interns to scope theme activity– Focussed report for dissemination and action– Student involvement in all stages of the new Theme.

Conclusions & Next Steps