1. Programme Design at the University of Northampton
Academic Staff Induction

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

3. 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

4. Who’s Who? Module, Programme and Subject Leaders
Quality Unit:
Curriculum:
Learning Designers:
Learning Development:
Academic Librarians:
Employability:
Placements and WBL:
Students
Professional bodies

5. Education with Others
Map updated Sept 2016

6. Principles of programme design

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

8. Constructive Alignment
Learning Outcomes
Constructive Alignment
Teaching and
Learning Activities
Assessment
Find out more at:

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. Regulations and procedures: A short quiz!

20. 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

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

22. 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.

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

24. 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

25. 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

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

27. 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!

28. Support FOR PROGRAMME DESIGN

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