Dynamic Euler Diagram Drawing

In this paper we describe a method to lay out a graph enhanced Euler diagram so that it looks similar to a previously drawn graph enhanced Euler diagram. This task is non-trivial when the underlying structures of the diagrams differ. In particular, if a structural change is made to an existing drawn diagram, our work enables the presentation of the new diagram with minor disruption to the user's mental map. As the new diagram can be generated from an abstract representation, its initial embedding may be very different from that of the original. We have developed comparison measures for Euler diagrams, integrated into a multicriteria optimizer, and applied a force model for associated graphs that attempts to move nodes towards their positions in the original layout. To further enhance the usability of the system, the transition between diagrams can be animated

Operationalizing Co-Production in Public Services Delivery: The contribution of service blueprinting

We have argued for public services to move away from product-dominant logic towards a service approach. By taking a services orientation, the experience, inter-organizational, and systemic nature of public services delivery can be considered along with the role of the service user as a co-producer. In this article, we unpack how co-production can be operationalized through the application of service blueprinting. This article presents an example within higher education where the creation of a blueprint brought together staff and students to focus on the design of student enrolment, resulting in improved student experience and supporting co-production

Drawing Graphs in Euler Diagrams

We describe a method for drawing graph-enhanced Euler diagrams using a three stage method. The first stage is to lay out the underlying Euler diagram using a multicriteria optimizing system. The second stage is to find suitable locations for nodes in the zones of the Euler diagram using a force based method. The third stage is to minimize edge crossings and total edge length by swapping the location of nodes that are in the same zone with a multicriteria hill climbing method. We show a working version of the software that draws spider diagrams. Spider diagrams represent logical expressions by superimpos-ing graphs upon an Euler diagram. This application requires an extra step in the drawing process because the embedded graphs only convey information about the connectedness of nodes and so a spanning tree must be chosen for each maximally connected component. Similar notations to Euler diagrams enhanced with graphs are common in many applications and our method is generalizable to drawing Hypergraphs represented in the subset standard, or to drawing Hi-graphs where edges are restricted to connecting with only atomic nodes

Student Engagement Traffic Lighting Project Case Study

The University of Derby is a large and complex organisation with over 23,000 students and 2,600 staff. Being relatively successful with widening participation initiatives, Derby has a very diverse student body with fewer than 50% of students coming straight from school. The student population contains an above the average number of students who are ‘first in family’, those carrying caring responsibilities (hence we attract a lot of locally-based applicants), students who declare a disability, many of whom have support plans in place and also a significant number of mature students, who may be returning to learning after many years outside of the education sector. Factors such as these are known to predispose students to be more likely to have a depressed student performance and retention rate (Bowl 2003). Indicators of engagement can help staff recognise where students from non-traditional backgrounds are falling away from their studies, failing to settle into their life at university or not achieving their full potential. We applied service design and enhancement techniques to three aspects of the student lifecycle: induction, learning and teaching and pastoral care in order to improve retention, progression and completion through identification of early indicators of students ‘at risk’. Aspects of the student journey were mapped using service blueprinting, and student personas and storyboarding were employed to better understand how and when timely interactions and interventions could support and re-engage students

Student Engagement Traffic Lighting Project Project Plan

Project Plan for Student Engagement Traffic Lighting Projec

Cetis Analytics Series: Case Study, Engaging with Analytics

Jean Mutton, Student Experience Project Manager, University of Derby, shares with us some approaches she has been spearheading in terms of using data and analytics to help improve the student experience. Through their participation in Jisc development programmes, Jean and her team (including paid student interns) have taken a service design approach that focuses on the needs of end user first. This case study explores the wider issues around using data to inform decision making, and the strategies the University of Derby are developing to improve their student enhancement processes by addressing key questions such as: -What is actually happening to students, how can we find out? -What are the touch points with between students and the institution? -What are the institutional “digital footprints” of our students? -What really matters to our students

Service Design in Higher Education

Service design is an approach where the end-users, the students, are the main focus and the student experience is viewed holistically rather than concentrating on the individual processes which support service delivery. Service blueprinting is a graphical representation of the service process and shares similarities with other process modelling approaches - it is a visual representation of the key activities in the service process and the detailed sub-processes and sub-systems, which reflect the service delivery. The blueprint is a living document and should be used to continue to refine the systems and processes it describes. The identification of the key fail and wait points, drawn from the end-user feedback, enables the project team to drill down into these aspects of the service delivery and make recommendations to managers to focus resources to best effect

Service Design in Higher and Further Education

Summary: This guide is an introduction to service design and improvement methodology and its application in Higher and Further Education. It introduces a key technique service blueprinting – which has been used successfully at the University of Derby in the Development and Review of Business Interfaces (DERBI) project to improve the transition stage from applicant to registered student, with a specific focus on the university enrolment process. Together with a theoretical introduction to service design, the guide provides illustrative examples (coloured boxes) of how service blueprinting can be applied

Operationalizing Co-Production in Public Services Delivery: The contribution of service blueprinting

We have argued for public services to move away from product-dominant logic towards a service approach. By taking a services orientation, the experience, inter-organizational, and systemic nature of public services delivery can be considered along with the role of the service user as a co-producer. In this article, we unpack how co-production can be operationalized through the application of service blueprinting. This article presents an example within higher education where the creation of a blueprint brought together staff and students to focus on the design of student enrolment, resulting in improved student experience and supporting co-production. © 2013 © 2013 Taylor & Francis

Teacher Education in Times of Change

Why is teacher education policy significant - politically, sociologically and educationally? While the importance of practice in teacher education has long been recognised, the significance of policy has only been fully appreciated more recently. Teacher education in times of change offers a critical examination of teacher education policy in the UK and Ireland over the past three decades, since the first intervention of government in the curriculum. Written by a research group from five countries, it makes international comparisons, and covers broader developments in professional learning, to place these key issues and lessons in a wider context