‘Designing in’ academic, personal and professional development

This session Hear about the work done to evaluate the Professional Scholarship Programme Shape the future of the Professional Scholarship Programme by offering feedback and further ideas. Consider the student feedback: What it means now and in the new curriculum

What is PSP? Level 4 Academic Development Personal Development Introductory Research Methods Level 5 Research Methods PlacementLevel 6 Group module HRP

Review process Student centred o 18 students in focus groups (across years and courses) o 28 student representatives at the student academic group Staff discussions plus feedback incorporated in to responses on the framework Scoping practice elsewhere

Student findings (headlines) – Year 1 AD and PD universally valued IRM -valuable but sometimes detached from the course Career maps are not followed up AD appears to be ‘harsh’

Interviews, transition, use of word processing, career planning, critical reading, writing. Less front loading Consistency Contextualised Connection (to other modules) Committed expert staff

Student findings (headlines) – Year 2 Challenges with transition Research methods detached from other provision Some find some research methods useful before placement (for experiments etc) Material is forgotten ahead of the HRP Placement preparation unlike PD

Student findings (headlines) – Year 3 Placement return to study (useful but not a module) Need to refresh research methods

Harper staff perspective Don’t want to spend valuable credits on generic content Want to improve academic development and retain placement preparation Recognised as an investment PSP should largely be embedded Should be taught by experts Some suggest: Should be taught outside the curriculum

Elsewhere Largely embedded – but not a matrix approach to curriculum Always contextualised Key to ‘making knowledge work’ (e.g. Bradford University) Tied to graduate attributes (e.g. Central Lancashire)

Examples of teaching through research, not just about research Low stakes and formative Using technology for on-going reflection and documentation (Bolton, Ulster, Buckinghamshire, Kent)

Aspects that were inspiring! Liverpool John Moores – making students independent through an ongoing programme (focus on learning states) Newman University – writing in the disciplines Ulster – designing in transition support The Salford Student Life Award

The proposal and rationale

20 credit year one course specific module “Becoming a food professional” Or “Becoming an engineering professional” Containing: Generic skills development, taught in context (including AD, PD and IRM style content with writing in the discipline; transitions; digital literacy); introduction to critical reading, self assessment of missing knowledge Can be timed and tied in to first year journey through a portfolio of progress and reflection e.g. on feedback use, on troublesome area Building portfolio can provide a discussion prompt for Senior Tutors Additional course specific content e.g. rural skills or other practical skills If there is room – additional topics e.g. practice case studies Assessed on a low stakes basis (pass fail plus attendance) Evident through other modules

A second year ‘learning through research’ module One designated module which is taught through research to enable insight in to specific applications of research while also developing content knowledge. This is about a change in pedagogy and not a loss of content. “I can google the terminology, I want to be using research and understanding how it works in my field”

A second year module which has 50% assessment by team work Takes away from 100% team work issues Some needed for graduate attributes and employment preparation Second year is lower stakes than currently (reflecting student concerns) Could be tied in to research methods module (the two are not mutually exclusive)

Second year reflective log To be continued as part of the placement application process and continuing development process Highlighting careers advise and services Encouraging engagement with feedback Placement preparation Tied in to placement credits (but only participation) Opportunity to update career plan To be discussed at Senior Tutor meeting (trigger)

Returners event Placement returners event for two days scheduled before term starts Allows sharing of placement learning plus a study refresher course Enables a career review (pause for thought)

Final year HRP 30 credit project + 10 credit project specific research methods delivered through the course team (or this can be traded to a ration of 15/25 depending on feedback)

A risk …

Questions: What are the strengths of the proposal? What challenges does this raise? What questions does this raise? What suggestions can you offer for further development or alternative designs?

Student feedback Have a look a the student feedback How well do we currently address the issues raised in present courses? What can we do within the current curriculum? (blue) What can we do with future designs? (pink)

Where next?

Useful links For case studies ad ideas of PDP schemes: education/pdp-academy.html Liverpool John Moores scheme