Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas Project title ENHANCEMENT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM THOUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ACADEMIC LEADERS TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR Curriculum development: lessons learnt and lessons to be learnt Prof.dr. Vaiva Zuzevičiūtė London Metropolitan University, UK, 31 January, 2013 Department of Education

Curriculum development: a process that needs solid grounding TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR

Lessons learnt: Based on written reflections (qualitative approach; (colleagues from Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarquand and Kharsi shared ideas) from teams involved in the process) The following questions were sent out with a kind request to answer them either in English or Russian languages: What were the reasons to start THIS particular local project and not some other? What do you think your organisation and community will benefit from the project when it is completed? What do you think organisation is benefitting during the process of developing a project? What were the unexpected things that you learnt from the process of developing your project? What were the most difficult aspects while developing a project? What will you do differently next time? Why? What will be your advice to other colleagues who start similar process? TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR

Lessons learnt: TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR Curriculum development, starts with definition of competencies (what is that a student should be able to do (demonstrate) at the end of a specific course)... However, really – whose competencies? Curriculum development process provides an excellent opportunity for self-reflection for teachers involved and planning of one’s own professional development.

Lessons learnt: Curriculum development provides opportunities to communicate more with colleagues, because the routine of the higher education organisation sometimes prevents teachers from discussions and mutual intellectual support Curriculum development provides excellent opportunities to turn to management of higher education organisations and to foster, therefore, a culture of development more widely than immediate colleagues in an immediate group (department/school) TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR

Lessons learnt: Professional competenciesGeneric competencies Competence for market/need research: questionnaire, procedure of needs research (alumni, employers, students), data processing (SPSS and other software); interviews. Competence for systemic thinking (eg., to conceptualise specific course within the context of competencies of study programme,situation in HEI, community, region, the state and globally). Competence of various e-learning modes and characteristics, also the opportunities they provide for studies. Competences: time management, negotiation. Competence or organising independent work: “let them (students) go”. Competences: foreign languages, intercultural education. TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR Curriculum development provided opportunities to identify some of the most needed professional and generic competencies for the teachers involved in the process, and where the support form HEI management would be most appreciated :

Lessons learnt: Curriculum development process revealed that students have to be supported and encouraged (contrary to steryotype we have about young people) to use provisions for e- learning for a more effective study process in higher education TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR

Lessons learnt: Curriculum development process revealed that even if there are so many basic principles in approaches to curriculum in higher education, there are however, some differences in approaches. One of them is the calculation of the amount of work spent on specific course based on student’s work (in hours) rather then on teachers’ work. Experiences of students in higher education with an emphasis on their authentic independant work are of utmost importance, however, it was learnt that to foster and organise independent work is a challenge in itself. TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR

Lessons still to be learnt: Curriculum development is a time consuming and challenging work. Therefore, the lesson still to be learnt is to apply the basic bechmarks for quality and stop, when it is rational to stop, and to enjoy the stability of the achieved at least for some time, during some moments. Curriculum development is really a team work. The lesson to be learnt is - how to show appreciation to everyone involved: employers, students, managers, colleagues, because, after reflection (this particular written reflection was meant - note by VZ) it is evident how much has been done only because of the input of other people not only of those directly involved in the project (surely, participants appreciate the help of LondonMet colleagues in particular, a lot). TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR

Curriculum development is also a process with perspective TEMPUS TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-SMGR

Thank you for attention