SLICCs Student-Led, Individually-Created Courses DR SIMON RILEY SLICCS ACADEMIC LEAD DR GAVIN McCABE EMPLOYABILITY CONSULTANCY, SLICCS CO-LEAD © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh Outline Drivers, challenges and success factors What is a SLICC? The SLICCs process The student experience The tutor experience Structure and support package Current and future developments www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

Drivers, challenges and success factors www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh Delivering student-led experiential learning at scale Key drivers Learning models (portfolio learning, interdisciplinary teams); student agency (learning design and personal development); shifting from accrual of knowledge learning; ‘every student a researcher’ Challenges Scalability, limited resource, yet meaningful experience for all involved Critical for success Design for the long-term aim from the outset Students at the heart of experiential learning Supporting reflection and surfacing growth, including learning from mistakes www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh What is a SLICC? www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh What is a SLICC? An empty course We define: The process to receive academic credit The Learning Outcomes (LOs) The assessment criteria www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh What is a SLICC? An empty course We define: The process to receive academic credit The Learning Outcomes (LOs) The assessment criteria Students define: The content (their learning experience) How the LOs relate to their content How they will evidence completion of their LOs www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh The SLICCs Process www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

Experiencing Reflecting Capturing Reporting Acting Students PLAN their learning experience and submit their proposal Students UNDERTAKE their learning experience, REFLECTING and CREATING throughout Experiencing REFLECTIVE BLOG (in PebblePad) undertaken at least weekly Reflecting WEBFOLIO (in PebblePad) – contains evidence of learning e.g. documents, reports, photos, video, audio Capturing Student DEFINES own Learning Outcomes FORMATIVE Tutor APPROVES Proposal to progress Midway Report FORMATIVE Final Report SUMMATIVE Reporting Student ACTS on tutor feedback Student ACTS on tutor feedback Student & tutor DISCUSS SLICC outcomes Acting www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh The SLICCs Learning Outcomes LO1 ‘analysis’: I am able to demonstrate how I have actively developed my understanding of the context/setting of my SLICC. LO2 ‘application’: I am able to draw on and apply relevant skills and attributes (academic, professional and/or personal) in order to engage effectively with my SLICC, identifying where I need to improve these and/or develop new ones. www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh The SLICCs Learning Outcomes LO3 ‘skills’: I am able to demonstrate how I have used experiences during my SLICC to actively develop my skills in the focussed area of [select one of]… …research and enquiry …personal and intellectual autonomy …personal effectiveness …communication LO4 ‘mindsets’: I am able to demonstrate how I have used experiences during my SLICC to actively explore my mindset towards [select one of]… …enquiry and lifelong learning …aspiration and personal development …outlook and engagement www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh The SLICCs Learning Outcomes LO5 ‘evaluation’: I am able to evaluate and critically reflect upon my approach, my learning and my development throughout my SLICC. www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh The Student Voice: Tobias Open video: https://media.ed.ac.uk/media/Tobias/1_nmpxsl0a www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

The Student Experience www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh Students’ reported gains Enhanced skills Ability in reflection and increased self-awareness Connecting past and present learning experiences Developing a "mindset for learning" Assessment literacy Deeper and more diverse learning from their experience Can make mistakes, but in learning from them can still get a good grade! www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh The Tutor Experience www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh The SLICCs Tutor experience Staff particularly valued: Cross-disciplinary working Meaningful and personal engagement with the student’s experiential learning Enabling Widening Participation students to build capital Students strengthening assessment literacy Academic rigour Staff and External Examiner see high level of academic rigour Time demands For most, staff comment favourably on the time required as a tutor www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

Structure and support package www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh Structure and support package Current set-up: Webfolio resource pack that contains all guidance and instructions for students (http://edin.ac/sliccs-resource-pack) and an equivalent one for tutors Workbooks that capture all of students’ work: proposal, reflective blog, evidence collection, Interim and Final Reflective Reports Assignments fully managed through ATLAS, including tutor allocations In future will be exploring: Hidden self-assessments by students revealed only once staff have completed their marking Team-based SLICCs managed within Pebble+ and ATLAS http://edin.ac/sliccs-resource-pack www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

Current and future developments www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

Summer SLICCs, enables students to be co-creators of their own curriculum, and gain academic credit for co- and extra-curricular work …..what we are as interested in is embedding this reflective framework in existing programmes, and exploring its use for interdisciplinary learning

© University of Edinburgh For academic credit in an existing degree programme Learning Outcomes that are generic and directly aligned with University of Edinburgh ‘Graduate Attributes’ Reflective e-portfolio, study information and resources, assessment rubric All levels: Foundation, pre-Honours, Honours, Masters Stand alone course or a reflective element of assessment in an existing course Assessment will also be the final reflective report drawing on the evidence in their portfolio www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh Current developments Students can create their own elective – pre-honours Business School Medicine group projects (year 2, 200+) – open opportunity to do something inter-disciplinary – architecture, art school, education, engineering, music Community outreach – teaching languages in schools – School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures Short international experiences – Edinburgh Global Honours project – reflection on learning gains and future – Medical School Online Masters in vocational fields (eg Masters in Public Health, Surgery etc) students can apply their learning in their own professional role www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh Future directions Online and On Campus – using a portfolio – does a reflective e-portfolio surrounding some experiential learning offer a solution? E.g. ‘disciplinary toolkit’, vocational training, ‘old-school art school’ Project experiential learning – as part of the Honours or other project, fieldwork, etc Skill acquisition – for instance teamwork, a valuable experience and an essential skill Group projects – even students in different years working to same framework - efficient for tutoring and assessment Inter-disciplinary – staff see using same framework enables this Out-of-Class activities – credit for community engagement and volunteering Going abroad for short period or a year – surfacing depth and breadth of learning www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh

© University of Edinburgh DR SIMON RILEY SLICCS ACADEMIC LEAD Simon.C.Riley@ed.ac.uk DR GAVIN McCABE EMPLOYABILITY CONSULTANCY, SLICCS CO-LEAD Gavin.McCabe@ed.ac.uk www.SLICC.ed.ac.uk © University of Edinburgh