EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Current Developments in Engineering Education:
A View from LTSN Engineering
John Dickens and Sarah WilliamsonLTSN Engineering
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Overview
National Context Examples of LTSN activity What next ?
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
What is the LTSN?
The Learning and Teaching Support Network Established January 2000 24 subject centres + Generic Centre ~£8M/annum over an initial 5 year period
Networking
Promotion and sharing of good practices L&T
Knowledge brokerage
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Student Diversity
Changes in school curriculum Maths Skills Falling applications mean we recruit from a
more diverse pool Widening Participation Implications of SENDA
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Recruitment
1993 1999 % ch. 2001 2002 % ch H1 General Engineering 3462 1928 -44 1955 1996 -42H2 Civil 3157 1682 -47 1625 1690 -46H3 Mechanical 3829 3297 -14 2985 3028 -21H4 Aeronautical 896 1140 27 1327 1326 48H6 Electrical/Electronic 4507 2517 -44 2629 5110 13H7 Production/Man 1314 1155 -12 1372 1355 3H8 Chemical 1156 843 -27 660 681 -41
Source Engineering Council/UCAS
Home Acceptances
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Changing Structure in HEIs
LTSN Engineering contacts database – changes 2000 – 2002 ~ 275 departments 2000 ~ 250 departments 2002
Downsizing of departments Departments merging to become Schools, etc Pulling out of engineering in particular
disciplines and, in some cases, completely
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Funding for L&T Projects
Teaching and Learning Technology Programme (TLTP)
Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning (FDTL)
HE Innovations Fund Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund (TQEF)
What impact has this had on thestudent learning experience?
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Current Activity
Widening Participation
Disability Flexible Delivery Curriculum
Development Assessment Problem-based
Learning
Project-based Learning Learning Technologies Student Retention and
Motivation Personal Development
Planning (PDP) Maths
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Widening Participation
50 % of 18-30 year olds into HE by 2010
Foundation Degrees Encouraging women into engineering:
Balance project – www.balance.ac.uk
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Disability
SENDA legislation now in effect
LTSN Engineering Disability Guide Disability projects
Assessment Engineering Sign Language Glossary Web Based Audit Tool
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Flexible Delivery
Increasing student diversity
Student-centred Learning:
SLICE project – www.plymouth.ac.uk/SLICE Open and Distance Learning
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Curriculum Development
Learning outcomes and abilities of graduates
LTSN Engineering Guide to using the benchmark statements
EPC Output Standards QAA Benchmark Statements due for revision
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Assessment
Key issue
Increased use of CAA e3an project – www.e3an.ac.uk
Emphasis on formative feedback Changes to SARTOR – input output standards
Assessment of Output Standards
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Project-based Learning
Core component of engineering programmes
PBLE and Project Squared
www.pble.ac.uk and www.projectsquared.org
LTSN Engineering Guide to ‘Assessment of Individuals in Teams’
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Learning Technologies
Meeting the changing expectations of students
Access to learning and teaching resources
SearchLT engineering – www.searchlt.engineering.ac.uk
Evaluation of computer based material:
EASEIT-Eng – www.easeit-eng.ac.uk
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Student Retention
Fines for not meeting retention rates
Government priority area Motivating students through interactive lectures, etc PROGRESS and SPAT projects
www.hull.ac.uk/engprogress and www.spat.ac.uk LTSN Eng Guide to ‘Retention’ in development
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Personal Development Planning
To be available to all students by 2005
Recording achievement and reflective learners
Rapid – http://rapid.lboro.ac.uk LTSN Engineering PDP resource in development
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Maths
Continues to be a major issue
LTSN MathsTEAM project Diagnostic Testing, Student Support, Teaching Maths in Context
www.ltsn.ac.uk/mathsteam mathcentre –
the UK Maths Learning Support Centre
www.mathcentre.ac.uk
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
The White Paper
Widening Participation (50%) reaffirmed with more funding, more emphasis on retention (fines?), but NOT new money?
Declared intention to reward excellent teaching. Centres of Teaching Excellence, 70 centres @ £500k p.a. for 5 yrs + £2M capital. NEW Money
National Teaching Academy
(LTSN + ILT(HE) + HESDA) Teaching qualification by 2006 for new staff
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Centres of Teaching Excellence
No criteria for award or expected outcomes have been defined
Subject-based? Themed-based? What do they deliver and when? What happens when the money stops?
EPC Congress, University of Surrey, 15 April 2003
Impact
Raising awareness of issues Resources Networks Influencing policy and practice Reactive Proactive