16 research outputs found
Learning Progression in the Humanities: Identifying tensions in articulating progression in Humanities in Wales.
The paper explores tensions in the articulation of progression in learning across
the Humanities disciplines. Informed by our review of research in the Humanities
disciplines, international curricula on progression in these areas, and reflections
from professional activity within the newly defined Humanities âArea of
Learning and Experienceâ (AoLE) in the new Welsh curriculum, this paper
describes how learning progression in Humanities has been conceptualised within
the new curriculum and then delineates and critically reviews four challenges that
emerged when identifying and describing progression in learning in the new
Humanities curriculum. Tensions include the relationship between disciplines;
the balance between knowledge, skills and values; the differences between
underlying models of progression in Humanities; and balancing the complexity of
learning with practical considerations for a national curriculum. Underpinned by
the Integrity Model of Change, this paper makes a contribution, through
providing new insights on broad aspects of learning progression in Humanities
and highlighting potential benefits and challenges of taking particular decisions
within each of these four tensions. Implications for curriculum planning and
future research are offered, including the fundamental role of professional
learning in curriculum development and enactment
Report of the Working Group on Curriculum Governance
At the outset of the Implementation Phase of the MD Undergraduate Curriculum Renewal process, it was felt that
the implementation of a renewed curriculum would be constrained without systematic reform, which included an
adaptable governance framework that could accommodate transformational change. To this effect, the
Implementation Task Force for Curriculum Renewal (ITFCR) established the Curriculum Governance Working
Group, and commissioned it to: review the current system of curriculum governance in the University of British
Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine (FoM) MD Undergraduate program (MDUP), identify its strengths and
weaknesses, and suggest changes for future implementation that were aligned with the LCME/CACMS
accreditation standards.
The ultimate goal of the group was to propose a renewed governance framework that would identify the policies,
procedures and organizational structures to guide and direct how people and committees should interact and
make decisions. The group undertook an extensive methodology, and found that, overall, there is no one model
that medical schools adopt to govern decisions within their curriculum, and that it is more important to adhere to
principles of good governance, rather than structure, to facilitate decision making. In keeping with the
benchmarks of excellence espoused by UBC and the FoM, the group adopted the United Nations framework of
good governance as a guideline for making recommendations. The United Nations defines good governance as a
framework that contains the following eight characteristics: participation, rule of law, transparency,
responsiveness, consensusâoriented, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, and accountability.(1)
Through its methodology, the group identified a number of strengths in the current governance of the MDUP.
These include: a participatory, consensusâoriented and inclusive system; a willingness of faculty and staff to
cooperate; an appreciation for an organizational structure that is reasonably wellâaligned with university policies
and accreditation standards. Weaknesses were also identified, which included: a lack of transparency around
some decisionâmaking processes; insufficient flexibility in decisionâmaking; a lack of communication about how
decisions are made; committees sizes as too large, which can hamper effectiveness and efficiency; a process of
program evaluation is not systematically followed by planning and improvement; and an overall sense that there is
a need for a more effective curriculum management system.
In light of its research and findings, the Curriculum Governance Working Group has proposed recommendations to
address weaknesses in the current MD Undergraduate governance structure and coupled them with a renewed
governance model.
The recommendations are, in summary form, as follows (please refer to Chapter 5 for further context and details): Recommendation 1: Principles and Values
That the Faculty of Medicine adopt the eight characteristics of good governance defined by the United
Nations (1) to guide the development of new policies and that existing structures and processes of
decisionâmaking (both formal and informal) be revisited to determine how well they align with these
characteristics.
Recommendation 2: Organizational Structure
That the MD Undergraduate Programâs governance structure undergoes reform to enable more effective
leadership, encourage transparency and clarity of roles and decisionâmaking processes, and
accountability. Five committees that should be the first to undergo modifications in order to improve the
effectiveness, efficacy and accountability of the governance system: Council of Undergraduate Associate
Deans, MD Undergraduate Program Committee, Curriculum Committee, Program Evaluation Committee
and the Student Assessment Committees.
2.1 Dissolve the Council of Undergraduate Associate Deans (CUAD) and replace it with a Regional
Executive for the MDUP (MDUâREX).
2.2 Change the Terms of Reference of the MD Undergraduate Program Committee (MDUPC) to
become a more focused education committee and rename it the MD Undergraduate Education
Committee (MDUEC).
2.3 Revise the Terms of Reference of the Program Evaluation Committee (PEC) to support an
iterative process of planning, evaluation, and program improvement, and rename it to âProgram
Evaluation, Planning and Improvement Committee.â This committee will report to the MDUâREX.
Create a subâcommittee to oversee the Undergraduate Curriculum quality improvement that will
report to the Program Evaluation and Planning Committee.
2.4 Redesign the Curriculum Committee (CC).
2.5 Create a Student Assessment committee as recommended by the Curriculum Renewal Working
Group on Student Assessment.
2.6 Revise the original organizational structure and function of the MD Undergraduate Program to
reflect the aforementioned recommendations.
Recommendation 3: Decisionâmaking Process
That the MDUEC develop a guide to curricular changes and a decisionâmaking tree to show where
responsibilities lie and who is accountable for what, and that these are communicated widely. Recommendation 4: Representation Model/Committee Size
That committees in the MD Undergraduate Program be downsized to a more manageable level. Overall,
the model would have individuals from both central and regional campuses at any given time.
Recommendation 5: Committee Terms of Reference (TOR) Format
That in order to ensure clarity of purpose, accountability, responsibilities and consistency of message, the
Terms of Reference (ToR) of all committees in the MDUP be revised to comply with a standardized
template.
Recommendation 6: Decisionâmaking Framework
That the Faculty of Medicine revisits the concept of where decision making takes place in the MDUP. The
Faculty should explore changes to the governance framework that will result in the most optimal
delegation and distribution of authority that will promote timely and effective decision making and will
help to preserve sustainability in a model that is growing in size and complexity.
Recommendation 7: Communications
That the MD Undergraduate Program develop and implement a communication strategy to ensure all the
stakeholders have easy and timely access to pertinent information on governance. This strategy must
recognize and ensure that communication flows in more than one direction.Medicine, Faculty ofPediatrics, Department ofUnreviewedFacult