FDTL Voices: Drawing from learning and teaching projects Christopher Stokes Senior University Teacher School of Clinical Dentistry University of Sheffield

Publication Philosophy Collaborative publication Draw on practical insights from FDTL projects Present innovations in learning & teaching Organic template for future learning & teaching projects Intended for all HE practitioners

Publication Aims Focus on what we as a learning and teaching community now know, understand, and can evidence about HE learning and teaching that we didnt know before Focus on what has been learnt and can be drawn on for the future; using the change initiated from the FDTL projects to influence future direction Maximise impact of the FDTL programme beyond the audience for each individual project by capturing the lessons learned that are of interest to as wide an audience as possible – those that are involved in projects in any way including practitioners and policy makers

Structure Four central themes: Sector / Organisational Change Change through collaboration Communities of Practice in FDTL Investigating long-term impact Conceptual Change Professional & Personal Development Partnership & Project Management

Contributing Projects Change through collaboration Health-related FDTL4 projects e.g. OLAAF, CaSTLe, STARS, SONIC, APPLET Communities of Practice in FDTL FDTL 5 BioLab Project Investigating long-term impact FDTL Phase 1 to 4 projects

Chapter One: Effecting educational change through collaboration Helen Bulpitt and Judy McKimm Draws from the findings of impact studies Highlights models of collaboration that have been effective Authors share experience of effecting change, capturing impact, raising awareness and embedding change

Chapter One Main points: Describes the concern by project leaders of having a long-term impact Suggestion that practice has been changed by FDTL, not just in HE but with other partners (e.g. NHS) Sharing of what had often been tacit knowledge and skills seen as long-lasting legacy – ripple effect

Chapter Two: Communities of Practice in FDTL Lesley Lawrence and Christopher Stokes Explores the impact a CoP can have at effecting change in an organisation Were CoPs evident in FDTL, how did they come about and did FDTL help them grow? Examples of CoPs, including an account of an online wiki-based CoP by the FDTL 5 BioLab project

Chapter Two Main points: Definite evidence of CoPs Suggestion that practice has been changed by FDTL, not just in HE but with other partners (e.g. NHS) Sharing of what had often been tacit knowledge and skills seen as long-lasting legacy – ripple effect Many groups within FDTL community still going, keeping the legacy of the projects going

Chapter Three: Long-term impact: learning from the legacy of FDTL Giuseppe Cannavina, Christopher Stokes, Mary Dickinson Investigated institutional change effected after formal project completion Used a process of data-mining and sleuthing to contact members or FDTL 1 to 4 projects Responses sorted by theme and given in the chapter

Chapter Three Main points: Clear that there is much affection and enthusiasm remaining for FDTL projects Over 7000 words in replies alone Evidence of impact long after funding ended e.g. APPLET Examples of best practice given that apply to any project aiming the effect change.

Conclusions Measuring impact takes tome: what to measure is not always known, and then there is too little time to measure it It is very difficult to establish a cause and effect relationship between a project and a perceived impact Change more likely to be sustainable when embedded, either in policy or practice Collaboration is very effective and promoting change Project websites very important to maintaining interest after the formal conclusion of a project Projects that publish in books of journals remain visible and influential, but at odds with a short project time-frame FDTL provided a test-bed for experimental teaching, and has led to much enthusiasm and innovation