15-30 Curriculum Change - Project Evaluation

Focus Group discussionMarian Redding Head of Modular Programmes

Derrik FerneyAssociate Dean, Academic Development

ALSS

Welcome• Four key themes for discussion

The impact of curriculum and assessment changesLearning, teaching and assessmentFaculties and Central Service Support UnitsCommunications, Links and Liaison

• Aim of today• Background• Main findings

Aim of today

To have an interactive discussion on communications, links and liaison issues across the project to gain some further information and insight into practical issues that we can improve upon.

Background• In November 2004, the Senate established a

project to review the modular scheme. • The 15-30 Project aimed to:

– Reduce complexity within the modular scheme– Produce fewer and larger credit modules– Standardise areas of curriculum– Enable academic staff to teach fewer modules

Ongoing work• Calendar

– Ensuring adequate marking time– Best practice for students

• Module numbers– Balancing lower enrolments with high– Balancing total credit offered with choice for

students

• Curriculum website

15-30 early project evaluation

Phase One – Online questionnaires

The response rates to the questionnaires were:16.2% for the all staff questionnaire 21.2% for the senior managers questionnaire

Phase Two – focus groups

Q.2 How involved were you in the development of the 15/30 Project?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1 = limited involvement 15 2 6 11 1 1

2 6 2 2 4 0 0

3 13 1 4 1 1 1

4 28 0 0 6 0 2

5 = very involved 32 2 0 9 11 1

An academic at Anglia Ruskin University

An academic member of a partner college

A member of Faculty administrative staff

A member of a central unit

A Programme Leader Other

Q.3 Indicate the three most useful sources of information

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

The 15/30 website on ANET 40 0 8 22 8 3

Bulletin articles 16 1 4 15 0 2

Reports to Senate/Learning & Teaching Committee/StudentExperience

6 0 0 2 0 1

Direct to the Head of Modular P rogrammes 9 0 0 4 2 1

Direct to the P roject Steering Committee 0 0 0 1 2 0

Staff development sessions on curriculum change 38 4 6 11 8 3

Staff development sessions on Academic Regulations 21 3 9 12 7 3

Department or Faculty sources 48 6 4 6 4 1

AQSO 8 0 1 12 2 1

Faculty Quality Assurance Officer 11 0 1 5 5 1

An academic at Anglia Ruskin

University

An academic member of a partner

college

A member of Faculty

administrative staff

A member of a central unit

A P rogramme Leader

Other

Q.4 Attendance of staff development sessions

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Faculty brief ings 62 4 7 4 9 4

Central brief ings - curriculum design 35 2 0 18 12 3

Central brief ings - regulations 34 2 8 19 12 3

Central brief ings - Chairs of Approval Panels 6 1 0 7 1 0

None 17 2 0 5 0 0

An academic at Anglia Ruskin

University

An academic member of a

partner college

A member of Faculty

administrative

A member of a central unit

A Programme Leader

Other

Q.13 What were your biggest challenges throughout the project?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Developing new modules and pathw ays 42 2 2 2 3 0

Communication 32 4 6 24 6 3

Resourcing 27 0 2 5 4 1

Funding 7 0 1 1 1 0

Accessing information/help 18 2 6 10 4 2

Impact on other w ork/w orkload balance 71 4 9 18 11 3

Timescales 68 5 8 22 9 5

Using the new MDFs and PSFs 19 1 2 4 2 2

Liaison w ith curriculum partners/partner colleges 19 4 4 5 6 0

An academic at Anglia Ruskin

University

An academic member of a

partner college

A member of Faculty

administrative

A member of a central unit

A Programme Leader

Other

Free text responses (the bad)…

‘ANET needs to be more user friendly if you type in academic regs you get hundreds of committee minutes etc’

‘I felt uncertain as to which were the most up-to-date and accurate sources as there were so many’

‘Links to information sources further upfront on ANET rather than within a series of sub-sections in Departmental areas’

Free text responses (the good)…

‘Central briefings on regulations was fantastic. I expected to be bored but the first time I looked at my watch was after 1.5 hrs. Well done that's quite an achievement.’

‘Generally information provided was clear and allowed proper development of pathways and modules.’

Small group exercise

Considering the findings in the Interim Report, what do you wish to see happen from now to ensure the best possible outcomes for staff and students?

What happens next?

• This is the last focus group

• Continuation of calendar, etc projects

• Report to Senate

• Website information to all staff