Pre-Visit Review of Local Implementation of University QA Policy

Internal Subject Review Pre-Visit Review of local implementation of University QA policy Checklist for completion by ISR Secretary

1. CURRICULUM Comments Evidence Programme specifications: Programme specifications Are they up to date and complete and do they match the Programme regulations programme regulations? Do they match the versions FHEQ published on the web? Subject benchmarks Do aims and intended learning outcomes map to the FHEQ level descriptors and outcomes for a specific award? How do they compare with the subject benchmarks?

Module outline forms: Module Outline Forms Review a sample: do these appear complete and up to MOFS database date?; What is the state of mapping to the Graduate Assessment Tariff Skills Framework?; Do assessment loads conform with the University Assessment Tariff (unless exemptions apply)? Qualifications and Credit Framework: Qualifications and Credit Framework Check programme regulations: do programmes conform Programme regulations with University’s credit arrangements (unless they have approved exemptions)?

External examiners’ reports: External examiners’ reports Check reports for confirmation from examiners that the Board of Studies responses quality and standards of the programmes are Board of Studies minutes appropriate Staff-Student Committee minutes Are reports reviewed at Board of Studies with students present? Is there evidence of actions recommended by EE being considered and actions identified at BoS?

1 2. TEACHING AND LEARNING Comments Evidence Peer observation School Peer Observation policy Check there is a policy; ask to see a list of staff who have University Peer Observation Policy been observed in the past 12 months. How does the Board of Studies minutes school take an overview of this? The school should have School executive committee minutes an annual report on this which is seen by the School executive committee and Board of Studies. Does the scheme seem effective?

3. ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK ON ASSESSMENT Comments Evidence Assessment procedures: University policies and guidance on Ask to see evidence of school assessment procedures examinations and assessment and any additional materials issued to external examiners. Does this reflect institutional guidance on assessment principles, late submission of work, and scaling & moderation? Feedback Board of Studies minutes Check how the school monitors return of feedback on Staff-Student Committee minutes assessed work within the ‘20 day’ policy and how Commentary often this has not been met. Submission of work University Late Submission of Work Policy Check the school’s procedure for the submission and Personal Extenuating Circumstances Procedure consideration of extension requests (may be part of an overall assessment policy) for consistency with University policy. Board of Examiners minutes and those of Module University Regulations Moderation Board (where applicable): Guidance for Boards of Examiners Do the minutes demonstrate compliance with Board of Examiners minutes University Regulations and Guidance for Boards of Module Moderation Board minutes Examiners? Check attendance levels. Assessment criteria (marking criteria): Degree programme handbooks How does the school make students aware of Module guides

2 assessment criteria? Are criteria clear and applied Commentary consistently?

4. SPECIAL PROVISION Comments Evidence Joint Honours and Combined Studies programmes: Board of Studies minutes Check programmes are being reviewed at BoS and in Annual Monitoring and Review reports AMR, that external examiners’ comments and student feedback are being followed through. Collaborative provision (where applicable): QuILT to provide relevant MoA Check Memorandum of Agreement for any collaborative Board of Studies minutes programmes. Annual Monitoring and Review reports Check programmes are being reviewed at BoS, and in AMR, and that external examiners’ comments and student feedback are followed through. Have any visits to partners taken place?

Credit Accumulation and Transfer (where applicable): University Regulations Are quality management procedures compliant with University Regulations governing CATS?

Work-based and Placement Learning (where applicable): University Work-based and Placement Learning Review placement or year abroad handbooks and check Policy compliance with relevant section of the Quality and Standards Handbook Flexible and Distributed Learning / Distance Learning University Flexible and Distributed Learning (where applicable): Policy Check compliance with relevant section of the Quality and Standards Handbook

LEARNING RESOURCES Comments Evidence Blackboard (or other VLE): QuILT will arrange for access to Blackboard. Sample some module and community sites to check on Access to other VLE to be arranged by the level and variability in provision. Key issues:1) are the school. module guidelines and intended learning outcomes clearly stated? 2) Is the course/module clearly structured and easy to navigate e.g. not more than 3 folders deep? 3) Is staff contact information visible and are contact hours displayed? Does the School have a policy / minimum standard governing the use of Blackboard?

Staffing: School Workload Model Ask to see a worked example of the academic unit’s Follow up during review visit workload model. How are teaching and learning duties being taken into account?

RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND ACHIEVEMENT Comments Evidence Accreditation of Prior Learning: University Policy on the Accreditation of Prior Check School’s statement on APL. Does it comply with Learning University policy? Ask to see some sample cases of where School APL statement APL has been granted to check what evidence the decision was based upon.

Management information (use of Annual Degree Programme statistics provided by the School Programme Statistics and Cohort Analysis): Are student progression, completion statistics and distribution of degree classifications over time being monitored by the Board of Studies?

STUDENT SUPPORT Comments Evidence Degree programme handbooks: Degree Programme Handbooks Check contents against the University guidelines focusing on important areas e.g. assessment criteria; feedback; contact hours; scaling and moderation; good academic practice; information on module choice and programme structure; personal tutoring; induction; plagiarism

Module guides: Module guides Review a sample to check what is provided; look at Blackboard/VLE consistency across modules and whether school is managing this / following any faculty guidelines. Check coverage of key issues such as assessment criteria and feedback.

Personal tutoring: Commentary Check on the School’s progress in implementing the Board of Studies minutes University framework for personal tutoring Annual Monitoring and Review report Ethical approval: School Policy and examples All schools should have a policy on the ethical approval Faculty-specific guidelines of undergraduate and taught postgraduate research. Ask for some examples of paperwork used.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT Comments Evidence Module/stage evaluation questionnaires: Sample of questionnaires and summaries of Check adherence to student opinion policy core results provided by the School requirements: are modules being evaluated every time Board of Studies minutes they are delivered? Is the Board of Studies ensuring that Staff-Student Committee minutes this occurs? Are summary results of the quantitative questions from surveys and action plans discussed at Board of Studies and Staff-Student Committee? Are results of module evaluation analysed in a way that does not identify individual staff or students?

Student feedback: Board of Studies minutes Check BoS minutes: how are the views of students (and Staff-Student Committee minutes graduates) being considered and action taken in response? A particular focus is needed on any joint honours/combined, collaborative or distance learning programmes. Board of Studies schedule: Board of Studies minutes Check how many BoS there are in the school. For each Annual Monitoring and Review reports one, check BoS minutes and AMR reports for compliance Staff-Student Committee minutes with the schedule review. Key issues are: programme Accreditation reports data; Staff-Student Committee minutes; contact hours; PSRB/employer/industry liaison; annual module review; extensions; check BoS attendance levels Staff-Student Committee: Board of Studies minutes Check frequency of meetings and feed through and Annual Monitoring and Review reports feedback from Board of Studies. Is School complying with Staff-Student Committee minutes University student representation policy? Check attendance levels of student representatives at BoS and SSC. Clarify School’s committee structure if not apparent Commentary from the commentary

For further information about ISR please contact: 6 Simon Meacher Quality in Learning and Teaching [email protected], ext. 3969