The criminology subject group recently revalidated its courses.  The priorities for the course design were : discipinary pedagogy, course identity, student satisfaction, academic skills, employability, research informed teaching

Austen, Liz

Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive

Designing in student engagement via course designAUSTEN, LizAvailable from Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive (SHURA) at:http://shura.shu.ac.uk/10569/This document is the author deposited version.  You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it.Published versionAUSTEN, Liz (2015). Designing in student engagement via course design. In: LTA Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, 25th June 2015. Repository use policyCopyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. Users may download and/or print one copy of any article(s) in SHURA to facilitate their private study or for non-commercial research. You may not engage in further distribution of the material or use it for any profit-making activities or any commercial gain.Sheffield Hallam University Research Archivehttp://shura.shu.ac.ukIntroductionKey drivers for revalidation of criminology:• Departmental strategic plan• University Strategy 2020• Student feedback• Revised criminology subjectbenchmarks (QAA).• Critical reflection via periodicreviewCourse Design Processes1. Content mapping of new QAA benchmarksby Module Leaders1. Small working groups to tackle specificissues highlighted e.g. internationalisation1. Away daysarranged todiscuss learningoutcomes, deliverystyles, assessmentdesign etc.4. Blackboard repository for working groupmeetings, draft module descriptors etc.4. Blackboard Wikifor discussions toenable scaffoldingand progression ofknowledge, skillsand values6. Course Planning Team of senior staff /courseleaders; fortnightly meetings6. Revalidation implementation plan: 12 monthoversight of the roll out of the new programmeDesigning In.......... 	Course teams should consider 'mindfulness' and'willingness' as principles of course design in HE(Toohey, 1999); for example, previous iterationsof design, governing agendas and processes. Acollaborative approach and good workingrelationships also has a huge impact overall.Challenges remain:• time and space for the design of new teachingmaterials• successful marketing and recruitment to thenew courses for Sept 2015• measuring student engagement and overallsatisfaction• balancing improved student experience withstaff experiencesThe QAA Quality Code for HE suggests thatcourse design should be based on certainprinciples. Staff (n=18) responses wereencouraging:But work still needs  to be done:"I think the course has a much more joined up and focused coredelivery but the options fit into themes which are not myspecialism and thus options provide less opportunity for mecurrently"Further informationA three year evaluation of these courses willbegin in January 2015. Please contactl.austen@shu.ac.uk for more details.Dr Liz Austen: Principal Lecturer/Programme Leader in CriminologyHeart of the Campus, Collegiate Campus, Sheffield Hallam UniversityLiterature citedAusten, L  (2015 forthcoming) Integrating research and teaching: building research innovation into curriculum development, for submission to International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher EducationShulman, L. S. (2005) Signature pedagogies in the professions, Daedalus, 134: 3, pp 52-59Cleaver, E (2014) Going back to our roots: disciplinary approaches to pedagogy and pedagogic research, Developing Disciplinary Communities, Higher Education Academy, https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Liz%20Cleaver%20Keynote%20Presentation_2.pdf Gurung, R. et al (eds) (2009) Exploring Signature Pedagogies, Virginia: StylusHeeley, M. & Jenkins, A.  (2005) Institutional strategies to link teaching and research. York: The Higher Education AcademyToohey, S.  (1999) Designing Courses for Higher Education, Buckingham: Open University PressQAA (2006) Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education Section 7: Programme design, approval, monitoring and review, http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/programmedesign.pdf Photos taken from www.shu.ac.uk//dlcDesigning In Student Engagement Via Course Design			~~ 			Disciplinary Pedagogy: 'bottom up' strategy involvingwhole subject group setting programme learning outcomesand focussing on three principles for course design'knowledge, skills and values', (see Shulman, 2005 andGurung 2009, Cleaver2014).This then aligned withnew benchmarks and thevision for the department.Course Identity: aimed at improving student experience;led to 'bespoke' modules jointly designed, taught andtailored by staff teaching on both disciplines of joint degree.Student Satisfaction: addressing issues of contact timeand teaching provision. This led to semester long modules;increased weekly contact; renewed focus of learning andteaching; and a dedicated 'research cluster' to supportpedagogic research of student experience.Academic Skills: retained modules at level 4 whichdevelop academic skills and PDP (Graduate AcademicDevelopment: GRAD); consistent Academic Advisorsthroughout the course; research methods teaching now acore academic skill, alongside, for example, literaturesearching, referencing, and reflection on practice.Employability: building on current core andelectives to include; whole semester modules,placements, simulations, the Venture Matrix,international exchange and embedded global contentat each levelof study. Winner of 2014 HEA awardResearch-Teaching Links: research identities of thesubject group inform content, supported by a newresearch strategy and 'research clusters' tasked todesign, deliver and teach, specifically electivemodules.Research clusters promote and developa blended approach to research-informed teaching  research-led teaching as initial goal research-based teaching as longer termgoal (Austen, forthcoming). 		!!!!  	 "#$ %"$&			&	 ""$ %#$ ~~& %''$ '$		  ()$ #($		 	 *)$ ($		&	 %''$ '$(Heeley &  Jenkins 2005)

Designing in student engagement via course design

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