Curriculum Collaboration: Combining strengths to develop student learning. Dr Amanda Tinker and Dr Pat Hill ALDinHE Conference University of Southampton 30 March - 1April 2015

Overview Issues Examples Exercise Round up Going forward and resources

Context Successful integration requires collaboration

Issues of collaboration Who initiates the collaboration? At what stage do discussions take place? Who is involved in the discussions? How are ideas communicated? What context is given? What degree of involvement? What level of integration is there? Who delivers?

InitiatorWhat stageWho is involved MediumContext given Degree involved IntegrationDelivery Course Team Programme stage LDFace to face arranged Assignment briefPreparationStand alone general solo Course Leader Curriculum design Subject staff Face to face casual VLE accessDeliveryStand alone Specific cohort observed Module leader Term Semester in advance Library Teaching on course AssessmentOutside curriculum Team taught LDWeeks in advance CareersTelephoneSubject staff issues EvaluationWithin curriculum Careers/ Library/IT Days in advance IT staffStudent issues StudentLast minuteStudentNo context

InitiatorWhat stage? Who is Involved? MediumContext given Degree involved IntegrationDelivery Course Team Programme stage LDFace to face arranged Assignment brief PreparationStand alone general solo Course Leader Curriculum design Subject staff Face to face casual VLE accessDeliveryStand alone Specific cohort observed Module leader Term Semester in advance Library Teaching on course AssessmentOutside curriculum Team taught LDWeeks in advance CareersTelephoneSubject staff issues EvaluationWithin curriculum Careers/ Library/IT Days in advance IT staffStudent issuesWithin curriculum planned StudentLast minuteStudentNo context

InitiatorWhat stageWho is involved MediumContext given Degree involved IntegrationDelivery Course Team Programme stage LDFace to face arranged Assignment briefPreparationStand alone general solo Course Leader Curriculum design Subject staff Face to face casual VLE accessDeliveryStand alone Specific cohort observed Module leader Term Semester in advance Library Teaching on course AssessmentOutside curriculum Team taught LDWeeks in advance CareersTelephoneSubject staff issues EvaluationWithin curriculum Careers/ Library/IT Days in advance IT staffStudent issues StudentLast minuteStudentNo context

InitiatorWhat stageWho is involved MediumContext given Degree involved IntegrationDelivery ManagerProgramme stage LDFace to face arranged Assignment briefPreparationStand alone general solo Course Leader Curriculum design Subject staff Face to face casual VLE accessDeliveryStand alone Specific cohort observed Module leader Term Semester in advance Library Teaching on course AssessmentOutside curriculum Team taught LDWeeks in advance CareersTelephoneSubject staff issues EvaluationWithin curriculum Careers/ Library/IT Days in advance IT staffStudent issues StudentLast minuteStudentNo context

Exercise Individually, use template to map one or two scenarios using RAG In groups discuss: what works well (G) what could be improved (A) what constitutes a barrier to learning (R)

Good to be involved quite early on Being assertive and turning down last minute requests has worked, as now being consulted for next year Now being involved in curriculum design using blended learning – aim to embed through entire institution Resources tested and piloted to ensure they can be customised Collaborative resources and activities shared through Adobe Connect. Ambitious T&L change programme – working with curriculum teams to embed. ‘Top down’ approach can provide useful leverage as LD can be seen as the ‘good cop’ helping to fulfil unrealistic management expectations of subject staff Seen as facilitators and collaborators rather than stand alone Key issues that came from discussion: Lack of bodies e.g. 1.4 LD staff for 22,000 students Administrative staff organise sessions based on previous timing, not on pedagogic requirements There is a lack of joined up thinking It is hard to build our identity – people have fixed ideas about who we are and what we do We build up individual relationships but if that person goes we have to start again.

Some ways forward? Be assertive Network with other Uni’s Make connections Evaluate impact Promote your successes Cultivate a champion in the SLT Engage student help Collaborate Build up knowledge/qualifications Write/publish

ALDinHE Embedding Web Resource Current Research Generic principles Embedding Skills? Progressive Learning Development Challenges and Solutions Embedding Journeys Case studies, videos, templates and workshop materials embeddingskills.hud.ac.uk embeddingskills.hud.ac.uk