Centre for Development & Enhancement of Professional Practice CDEPP Key Work Areas 2011 – 12 Organisational & Staff Development Continuing Professional Development Learning, Teaching & Assessment, including Technology-enhanced Learning Development & Enhancement Projects

Organisational & Staff Development Leadership & Management Framework Will be re-launched this year Our workshops suitable for aspiring leaders as well as those already in a leadership role We offer mentoring, coaching and individual support as well as workshop sessions for teams

Continuing Professional Development CDEPP Accredited Courses PgC Academic Practice This newly designed programme is intended to support your work with higher education students, in a lecturer, work-based (practice) teacher or learning support role. It aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of the practice of teaching and the support of student learning in higher education, and to advance your professional skills within your own working context. PgD and MA in Academic Practice This new programme builds on your knowledge, understanding and skills gained in the PgC Academic Practice (or equivalent) – it aims to extend your capability as an academic practitioner in both disciplinary scholarship and research, and leadership skills within a constantly changing and challenging learning environment.

Continuing Professional Development Gaining HE Academy Professional Recognition The University of Cumbria is committed to all staff meeting the Professional Standards for teaching in Higher Education (UKPSF). Our CPD Scheme (accredited by the HE Academy) is designed to support you in compiling a portfolio of evidence to show how you are meeting these standards. Please see over for information on each of the Standards. Staff who have already successfully completed this scheme frequently comment that the organised writing days have helped them start the process of compiling their portfolio and therefore we are pleased to announce a new series of intensive writing days to support you this year. A similar process is under development for Professional Services staff, offering AUA accreditation.

Dates of the next series of Intensive Writing Days for are: Writing Workshops for Standards 1& 2 LancasterCarlisle 6th October rd October th November th November th January th January th March th March th April th April th June th June 5th July rd July 2012 All Standard 1& 2 workshops are 9.30 – 4pm Writing Workshops for Standard 3 LancasterCarlisle 5th October 2011 (10-1) 30 th September 2011 (10-1) 8th November 2011 (10-1) 11th November 2011 (10-1) 25th January 2012 (1-4) 23rd January 2012 (1-4) 22nd March 2012 (10-1) 30th April 2012 (10-1) 27th June 2012 (1-4) 29th June 2012 (10-1)

Learning, Teaching & Assessment This year CDEPP, in consultation with colleagues, will develop the University of Cumbria’s new LTA Strategy. We will co-ordinate several key LTA projects and continue to support enhancements in: Course & curriculum development, design & delivery (including validation support) Flexible & Distributed Learning Assessment & feedback to students (including assessment for learning) Retention and progression Evaluation of modules and programmes to improve the learning experience

Technology-enhanced Learning CDEPP supports development of digital literacies for all staff - providing workshops & bespoke training for individuals & teams We lead on the University’s Flexible and Distributed Learning agenda, supporting FDL for Learning, Teaching & Assessment We are consulting widely to gain a shared view of what TEL means to our community and to ensure we recognise these meanings in our strategy developments Our intensive curriculum development workshops provide course teams with flexible and effective ways of using TEL for curriculum design, delivery & enhancement (for new & existing modules & programmes)

Technology-enhanced Learning Forthcoming CDEPP Technology Enhanced Learning workshops CDEPP will be running some introduction workshops during October

Importance of employability in the curriculum The working group developing our employability strategy has considered what this means for University of Cumbria. In close consultation with the SU, they offer this definition- ‘Your learning experience at the University of Cumbria will give you demonstrable skills, attitudes and personal attributes that will enable you to gain employment, set up your own business, or undertake voluntary opportunities successfully, to the benefit of yourself, the workforce, the community and the wider economy’ The timescale for the development of the strategy is that a first draft will go to the next LTQEC with the intention that a final version will be agreed by the following LTQEC and signed off at the December Academic Board. A CDEPP conference to launch the strategy will take place on Tuesday 10th January, showcasing current good practice, and with a speaker from the HEA Employability team.

Evaluation of Learning, Teaching & Assessment We will continue to do: Module level evaluation – module leader’s responsibility; done every other cohort; questionnaire can be tailored with 2 additional questions of your own; feeds into programme evaluations; module leader writes summary but ensure raw data available if programme leader wants to view (not supposed to do analysis) How? Same process as before - evaluation form available for use in Blackboard; we’re providing clearer links to the questionnaire as a form in document format (in response to feedback) All on CDEPP Staffnet site – all available from 30 th September 2011

Evaluation of Learning, Teaching & Assessment Programme level evaluation – programme leader’s responsibility; uses NSS questionnaire, with extra questions if necessary (e.g. professional); attempts to get overview of student experience; deployed at every level of programme EXCEPT when do NSS (external) AND (this year’s change) when they do the ‘Second Year Survey’ (UoC project). How? Same process as before, using NSS questionnaire imported into Blackboard or in document format (again, clearer link is being provided) BUT no need to include 2 nd /penultimate year students

This year’s change: Introduction of Second Year Survey Project Survey tool provided centrally, but will need assistance from faculties If not a 3-year programme to be done the penultimate year Happens at same time as external NSS & uses NSS questions Will be analysed at programme, faculty and university level A briefing pack is in preparation and will be circulated in good time to those involved (programme leaders, QG leads) Key point: replaces programme level survey for year 2/penultimate year students

Improving our evaluation of LTA Programme leader responsibility for ensuring module evaluation occurs regularly, allowing every other cohort to comment and not overburdening any one group – i.e. effective schedule Using informal evaluation effectively to add to the picture (new CDEPP guide to be launched at workshop day on this topic on 1 st March 2012) AQS/CDEPP are developing new means of recording wider module evaluation (including progression stats, questionnaires, informal evaluation) that can give consistent reports for AERs Remember that online evaluation helps provide data for Key Information Sets we will have to provide.

Key Development Projects CDEPP is co-ordinating and working with Faculty & Professional Service partners on 3 university-wide projects: Second Year Survey Anonymous Marking Improving Student Feedback

Second Year Survey Targets for completion by end of academic year Plan & schedule second year survey for relevant programmes Create survey tool using University of Cumbria NSS questions 2012 Arrange access to survey for all students in penultimate year of programme Publicise survey to students and staff Provide advice pack to programme leaders with all required information Prepare student target groups for participation Administer survey to target groups View and analyse results at programme, QG/Faculty & University levels Review, analyse and circulate overall University results Review outcomes and identify actions at all levels

Anonymous Marking By the end of this academic year we will have: Continued existing arrangements for anonymous marking (e.g. for examinations), and additionally piloted anonymous marking for another 20% of modules in each of our three Faculties Worked with the SU to provide guidelines for students on anonymous marking, including information about the submission process and guidance on accessibility for students with disabilities Worked with the SU, Faculties and University Services to review outcomes of the pilot activity by: collecting statistical data on assessment outcomes; collating information about participants’ experiences; analysing data and identifying key outcomes Drawn up a plan for future action on anonymous marking, to be implemented the following academic year ( )

Improving Student Feedback By the end of this academic year we will have: Monitored compliance with 25-day turnaround time across all modules and faculties Assessed percentage of work submitted online, providing staff support & assistance and monitoring progress Set targets to increase online assessment Reviewed assessment forms’ fitness for purpose, providing re-design samples for users and forum for consultation Used preferred design to pilot process for eradicating hand-written feedback – applied to Semester 2 formal summative feedback in all faculties Reviewed and revised policy and practice/process guidelines as needed Implemented agreed changes for Academic Year 2012 – 13

Upcoming events & workshops 27 th September, 2011: Course Development Day 7th December, 2011: Feedback to students – ‘’Making feedback count’ 8 th January, 2012: Employability Conference 1st March, 2012: Improving Learning, Teaching & Assessment by gaining and using different forms of evaluative feedback, building 360 degree evaluation 29th May, 2012: Sharing good practice, including: evidencing and sharing good practice; challenges of teaching in subject areas; how to run and benefit from teaching exchange workshops.

Contact us to book into events, get advice, organise bespoke sessions & get a tailored response to all your development needs Main contact number for Fusehill Street Campus : Main contact number for Lancaster Campus : Main address : Thank you and don’t hesitate to get in touch. Hope to see you on 27 th September.