Section 6: Enhancement of Students Learning Opportunities

Section 6: Enhancement of Students’ Learning Opportunities

The College identifies with the QAA definition of Enhancement as “deliberate steps taken at provider level to improve the quality of student learning opportunities”.

Our aspirations for our students, along with our strategic aims are clearly stated in our “Inspiring Excellence and Achievement, Higher Education, Learning, Teaching and Assessment strategy” 24. Our aim is to develop critical thinkers, academic achievers, involved citizens, effective communicators and self-directed learners.

We recognise that we have a diverse group of students in respect of age, previous experience of study and confidence in their own ability to achieve. As previously stated in section 1.3 Vision, Mission, Values we aim to treat every student as an individual:

‘Counting in Ones’ is central to the ethos of the college and is our motto. Each student is an exception, an individual. We aim to meet each person’s needs and to help them realise their aspirations. High expectations of all are at the heart of our vision for the College.

6.1. Students as Individuals

We offer a range of support, advice and guidance which can be tailored to the individual student to enhance their learning experience from pre-entry through to graduation. These include:

6.1.1 At Interview the following materials are used to establish an individual’s baseline of academic skills;

 Short subject specific written exercise

 English and Maths assessments for those who do not have GCSE qualifications at grade C or above

 A study skills self-assessment form

 Declaration of health / academic issues

6.1.2 Pre-course

 Academic skills sessions are offered

 Provision of materials in the Generic Student handbook are provided at induction

6.1.3 on course

 Learning in relatively small groups which allows the development of academic potential and fosters relationships with members of staff enabling staff to get to know students as individuals

 Academic Study Support

2 4 Inspiring Excellence Achievement HE teaching, Learning & Assessment o Regular support for students who have learning difficulties for example dyslexia, for those identified needing additional support by tutors or for self-referrals

o One off sessions for any student wishing to improve the quality of their work and enhance their grades

o Provision of advice and guidance on a range of academic study skills via the study support section on Moodle

 Progress Reviews & Feedback on Moodle which enable personal tutors and students to reflect on feedback on marked work as well as progress and identify actions to improve learning and outcomes together. It will also enable the quality of feedback to be monitored and enable staff development to be targeted.

 Personal development planning

 Understanding the importance of academic integrity ( plagiarism)

6.2 Collection of information from stakeholders to inform strategic improvements in the quality of student’s learning experience

6.2.1 The importance of student and other stakeholder feedback lies at the heart of our work to enhance teaching and learning. The Annual Monitoring Reports (AMRs/PMRs) are the central documents where this information is collected. The Annual Monitoring Reports (AMRs/PMRs) facilitate the Programme Team’s reflection on delivery of the Programme, with reflection directly informed by students and the External Examiner, and resulting in identified actions for enhancement for the subsequent iteration of delivery in the next academic year.

6.2.2 The Student Engagement Chart (page 64) shows how and when information is routinely gathered from students and the diagram showing the Enhancement Process at PSC (page 61) maps how this information is used with other information from stakeholders to feed into enhancement of teaching and learning.

6.2.3 The Student Engagement Impact Analysis105 logs developments and changes made to learning and teaching after listening to the student body. The impact of these changes will be reviewed by the newly created Student Representative committee in July 2015 and their assessment triangulated where possible with the results from both the internal and external result of the NSS Surveys.

6.3 Development of staff

1 05 Student Engagement Impact Analysis 6.3.1 The College recognises that providing staff with opportunities to reflect on teaching and learning is essential in creating an environment of continuous improvement and enhancement. Along with tutor evaluation of modules, the recently developed holistic observation of teaching and learning (HOT)45 and the role of the Higher Education Internal Quality Assistant 44 seek to ensure that these opportunities are provided and outcomes integrated in a systematic way which enables enhancement, the diagram in the HE Staff Development document73 seeks to illustrate this.

The Enhancement Process at PSC

Introduction of cross HE initiatives such as HOT observation of teaching, Progress Review Wikis, Higher Education Quality Assistant, Staff development initiatives.

Staff development Identification of common themes

Hot Lesson Observation & HEQA Report

Academic Board HE Away Days HOT lesson observations & professional discussions

Overview of External Examiner Tutor module Annual Monitoring reports & Reports evaluations development plans

Team Planning Meetings External examiners reports and responses

Board of Study Meetings Feedback from tutors, mentors4 and5 Holistic Observation of Teaching work placements4 4 HEQA job Description providers, employers7 3 Higher Education Staff Development Plan

Student Feedback Formal feedback via Student Rep. processes SPOC Progress Review Module evaluations End of course evaluations Informal feedback from students via tutors 6.4 Enhancements Implemented since Initial Review See Student Engagement Chart (ref 155) In summary these are: Introduced during 2013/14

 An updated HE strategy along with a HE needs analysis based on information from our local Education Business Partnerships

 Improved student representative training, a student representative committee, a section for communication for student reps on Moodle.

 Improved careers information on Moodle

 Improved study support information on Moodle

 Student Generic handbook

 Staff Generic Handbook

 Employment of Moodle consultants to develop Moodle & provide support to staff and students as well as training on the use of Moodle

 Improved access to Moodle

 Improved access to online resources and an improved introduction to online resources including a refresher for year two students.

 Improved system for presentation of AMRs to Academic Board and inclusion of External HE expert and Governor in this process

 Internal review of programmes introduced

 Action plan following NSS student results.

 Introduction of HE team leaders meetings

 Increased involvement with HE networks

 Progress review questions redesigned and combined with student feedback on Wikis on Moodle

 Introduction of HEQA and revised HOT process.  HE staff dedicated site on Moodle

 Planned involvement of students in review of generic student handbook and other documents listed on student rep communication page.