Programme Design at the University of Northampton Academic Staff Induction

Welcome Dr Rachel Maxwell Head of Learning and Teaching Development Julie Usher Learning Designer, Library and Learning Services

Conceptions of Programme Design How are academic programmes designed? In teams, use the Lego packs to create a representation of academic programme design for the 21st century. Think about who is involved and how they interact

Who’s Who? Module, Programme and Subject Leaders Quality Unit: qualitysupport@ Curriculum: curriculum@ Learning Designers: LD@ Learning Development: learningdevelopment@ Academic Librarians: librarians@ Employability: changemakerhub@ Placements and WBL: placements@ Students Professional bodies

Education with Others Map updated Sept 2016

Principles of programme design

Stages of Programme Design Planning Quality Assurance Delivery Quality Enhancement Annual Review Action Plans (ARAPs) Periodic Subject Review (PSR) Validation Change of Approval

Constructive Alignment Learning Outcomes Constructive Alignment Teaching and Learning Activities Assessment Find out more at: http://bit.ly/constructive_alignment

Active blended learning: the new normal The programme is taught through student-centred activities that support the development of subject knowledge and understanding, independent learning and digital fluency. Our face-to-face teaching is facilitated in a practical and collaborative manner, clearly linked to learning activity outside the classroom. Opportunities are provided for students to develop autonomy, Changemaker attributes and employability skills. Active Blended Learning is accompanied by a clear definition: The programme is taught through student-centred activities - focus on learning, not teaching … that support the development of subject knowledge and understanding - which is students primary reason for being here … independent learning and digital fluency - work is underway to embed the development of graduate employability skills across all our modules and programmes

Active blended learning: the new normal The programme is taught through student-centred activities that support the development of subject knowledge and understanding, independent learning and digital fluency. Our face-to-face teaching is facilitated in a practical and collaborative manner, clearly linked to learning activity outside the classroom. Opportunities are provided for students to develop autonomy, Changemaker attributes and employability skills.  ~ Click ~ Face-to-face: Regular and mandatory - not an online University, not DL - £330m on new campus! Our students value F2F and so do we. Moving to ABL is about shifting our practice, and therefore the students’ experience, to more personalised, higher quality contact with their tutors practical, collaborative and linked to learning activity outside the classroom Online: Significant component of flexible yet structured, tutor-facilitated online activities designed and integrated. Sense-making is integral here - role of tutor. Without the tutor it is independent study. Work individually and in groups, specific objectives, specified timescale Synchronous (real-time, timetabled) and asynchronous online interactions with: Tutors - Peers - Content Integrated with F2F and moderated within VLE

Active blended learning: the new normal The programme is taught through student-centred activities that support the development of subject knowledge and understanding, independent learning and digital fluency. Our face-to-face teaching is facilitated in a practical and collaborative manner, clearly linked to learning activity outside the classroom.  Opportunities are provided for students to develop autonomy, Changemaker attributes and employability skills. Strong (graduate) employability agenda - aligned to our co and extra-curricula offerings all of which comes together in the individual student.

Active blended learning: the new normal The programme is taught through student-centred activities that support the development of subject knowledge and understanding, independent learning and digital fluency. Our face-to-face teaching is facilitated in a practical and collaborative manner, clearly linked to learning activity outside the classroom.  Opportunities are provided for students to develop autonomy, Changemaker attributes and employability skills. ABL is NOT: Based on 1-way delivery Content is king NILE is a content dump / content management system Online components are ADDED-ON to the F2F provision ‘Read this and watch that’ F2F isn’t always best Designed by an individual in isolation Students ‘receive’ information Students turn up poorly prepared or completely unprepared Passive - ‘tell me what to do’ Prompted discussions around ‘contact time’ and ‘quality contact time’ in particular … as we will see shortly … Reality check: It isn’t ready if it … Requires more physical space, more specialist space Requires more human resource Not complete and piloted for 2018

Active blended learning: the new normal ONLINE & F2F ONLINE & F2F Digital resources Tasks for sense-making Analysis, discussion, reflection & goal setting Consolidation & action planning The new model is known as Active Blended Learning. This is our agreed approach to learning and teaching across the board. New phrase, but is more of a concept, than a prescribed approach. This is not a one-size fits all approach, but in order to explain how ABL works, we produced this visual: A sequence of face-to-face learning events – each learning event is preceded by on-line activities where students engage with tasks for sense making – and followed by on-line activities for consolidation and action planning often linked to assessment. Repeats However, the order can be varied, allowing staff to tailor for student personalisation and need, preference and the needs of their subject discipline. May start with F2F, then students complete tasks in the online environment - with tutor present - and then join together again etc. In short: ABL is not something we do in addition to our regular teaching: it is our standard approach to learning and teaching at Northampton. FACE TO FACE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOwbqaoJUoc

Image from mel-melica.blogspot.com CC-BY 2.0 Benefits and challenges With your neighbour, discuss and share what you think are the Benefits and Challenges of ABL for staff and for students Image from mel-melica.blogspot.com CC-BY 2.0

Benefits Staff Students Do more of what you love Ownership Lightbulb moments Sharing resources Move content transmission online Time to trial  Personalised & tailored Flexible – where, when and how Revision and consolidation of learning Application of content to practice Better prepared Increased ownership of learning

Challenges Staff Students Time! More student led Heavy workload upfront Learning how to design and deliver online Non-engagement / preparation Independent learning and autonomy Time management Distractions O/L not timetabled

The student view What are the factors that encourage and inhibit student engagement in online activities? Elizabeth Palmer, Sylvie Lomer & Ivelina Bashliyska F2F and online elements must be integrated Expectations must be clear and managed - engagement, purpose, alignment Clearly and purposefully designed Myths and rumours Engagement dichotomy They need support to learn in this way Tech - issues, attitudes and preferences 1. Connection between F2F and online: Clear that where BL isn’t working is where the two aren’t linked. More examples of where there are no links than where there are. Where it is linked, the engagement problems virtually disappear. 2. Manage expectations: Surface the pedagogy - explain why you are doing what you are doing. When this isn’t clear, it doesn’t work. Staff development (they need to understand what they are doing and why) - make it clear to students - engagement follows Communication - be clear about expectations etc, explain what is meant and why it is being done this way Over-communication is a problem Perceptions of BL - what is the value of this? 3. Clear and purposeful design: VLE design - Also - obvious effort in the development of the resources and the thought process - students respond to this, time management (i.e. time to complete it), lack of support / clear instructions, value placed on this by the tutor and the tutor is clearly supporting the students and their needs. Relationship. So the relationship translates to online and can reinforce this if it is done well. When they get it, they really get it! 4. Myths and Rumours - their own ones - some are different to the staff ones, some are the same! Learning styles - can’t engage as it’s the wrong learning style - need to challenge, deconstruct and reposition understanding of learning and how learning works - misconception Preferred learning environment. Not being able to control the learning environment in which they engage in the same way that they can control the class. This is my learning time (in class) but harder to control this online. Additional learning needs and impact online. Perception that this is bad, when it doesn’t need to be Innate preferential treatment towards physical, tactile learning and assessment - social and interactive. Supports Gilly’s 5-steps - this is foundational. We are relational and this needs to be replicated online 5. Engagement Dichotomy Dichotomy in student populace between choice of approach to OL (how respond, have to respond etc) v those who want it to be compulsory 6. Support to learn Self-motivation or lack of it … how much they struggle with it. Recognition that OL requires self-organisation. Indications that if prog design is wrong, stress levels increase exponentially. Time management Ability to deal with distractions Preparedness to work alone - struggle with independent learning. Want small groups or pairs work online. Not understanding purpose of independent study Role of Learning Development - Study Skills for Academic Success, Flying Start, new tutors, Faculty alignment, Skills Hub, co-teaching Embedding of skills OERs Links to industry 7. Tech Digital literacy … or lack of it - experience and attitudes to tech. Tech preferences - apple or android/pc etc Linking of identity to the tech? how they want to use it and work with it Tech issues - including staff user error

CAIeRO Validation Periodic Subject Review Student Voice Reactive Representation & SSLCs Module evaluation Programme evaluation Student-led teaching awards Proactive CAIeRO Validation Periodic Subject Review 

Regulations and procedures: A short quiz!

Question 1 The UMF is the shorthand for the regulations that govern programme design at the University of Northampton. What does UMF stand for? University Modular Framework

Question 2 The UMF can be found in the Staff Handbook. True or False?

Question 3 The UMF only applies to Undergraduate programmes? True or False False - it is a continuous framework governing levels 4-8. It ensures that students have an equitable educational experience irrespective of their programme of studies.

Question 4 The principal purpose of the UMF is to provide a framework for: design structure assessment regulations all of the above

Question 5 Which of the following is not governed by the UMF? module size credit structure % online v face-to-face teaching assessment structures and volumes approach to learning outcomes and key skills

Question 6 There are 3 categories of Learning Outcomes currently in use at Northampton. One is Knowledge and Understanding, another is Key Skills. Which one is missing? Subject-specific skills

Question 7 What are optional modules called at the University of Northampton? Optional Designated Subsidiary Elective

Reviewing the UMF Rolling review Current focus on assessment – e.g. assessment volume, structure and equivalency ChANGE Project – looking at enhancing key skills provision to embed: - Changemaker - Digital Capability - Employability Opportunities to contribute – keep your eyes open!

Support FOR PROGRAMME DESIGN

ILT Guidance https://www.northampton.ac.uk/ilt/ Academic Development C@N-DO workshops CAIeRO SHED Current projects Active Blended Learning: definitions and examples