Review of learning and teaching (L&T), widening access (WA) and reaching wider partnership (RW) strategies 2011/12-13/14 in Wales
HEFCW's circular W10/41HE Learning and Teaching and Widening Access Initial Guidance noted that:
[HEFCW] will wish to be assured, as funders, that institutions' planning and delivery in this strategy period is based on coherent and robust strategies which are being effectively implemented, monitored and reviewed. We [HEFCW] will therefore ask the HE Academy to analyse the strategies and advise on whether there are particular actions needed across Wales.'
HEFCW has invited us to undertake the L&T and separately the WA and RW evaluations.
The WA and RW evaluation will be led by Professor Liz Thomas (HEA, Action on Access and Edge Hill University). Sue Hatt, formerly of the University of the West and England, Aimhigher and Action on Access, and Michael Hill (Kingston University), will be working with Liz.
The L&T evaluation will be led by Dr Helena Lim (HEA). Professor Howard Colley (HE consultant and formerly of the HEA) and Professor Mick Healey (HE Consultant, Emeritus Professor at the University of Gloucestershire and Visiting Professor of Higher Education at University of Wales, Newport) will be working with Helena.
Summaries of the Learning and Teaching, and WA and RW evaluation frameworks against which we will be evaluating the strategies are available here.
We would welcome your views on the evaluation frameworks. Please contact Liz.Thomas@heacademy.ac.uk directly if you would like to discuss the WA and/or RW frameworks or other related aspects of the evaluation process, or Helena.lim@heacademy.ac.uk if you would like to discuss the Learning and Teaching framework or related issues before 22 December 2011.
The draft L&T, WA and RW evaluations will be considered by HEFCW's Student Experience, Teaching and Quality Committee (SETQC) at its February 2012 meeting and its comments fed back to us with a view to finalising the evaluations in March 2012. The evaluators for L&T and WA and RW will liaise during the evaluation process to ensure alignment between these policy areas.
Assessing the impact of learning and teaching strategies in Wales - A guide for institutions
Learning and teaching strategies are a key mechanism by which higher education institutions (HEIs) strategically co-ordinate learning and teaching within their institutions. This guide is designed to support HE colleagues responsible for the development, management and reporting of progress on institutional learning and teaching strategies. It will assist HEIs to:
- identify and collect the evidence needed to assess the effectiveness and impact of their learning and teaching strategy;
- reflect on the impact of their current learning and teaching strategy to inform future enhancement plans;
- maximise how the evidence and experience from outside the institution can support the development of the learning and teaching strategy;
- develop future enhancement initiatives that will make an effective and sustainable impact on the institution's learning and teaching.
please view these documents below
Future Directions: Graduates for our future
The HEA is currently leading work to coordinate activity in Wales to enhance specific areas of teaching and learning in Higher Education at the request of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW).
This joint approach will lead to greater benefits for students as a result of both universities and sector organisations working together to enhance students' learning experiences.
A new enhancement theme - Graduates for our future - has been identified for higher education institutions and sector organisations in Wales to focus their learning and teaching activities. Three work-strands will sit under this theme:
- Students as partners;
- Learning in employment;
- Learning for employment.
Further information about the Future Directions series.
The Future Directions Steering Group membership can be viewed here. Future Directions Steering Group Membership (PDF 121KB)
Joint Learning for Employment and Learning in Employment meeting, October 2011
Two of the Future Directions work strands, Learning for Employment and Learning in Employment met on 14 October 2011, and heard presentations from Dr Vicky Gunn and Peter Chatterton.
Vicky's presentation looked at Research-Teaching-Employability integration in Scotland's Universities.
Peter's presentation look at the Work-based Learning Maturity Toolkit. Additional notes on the Toolkit are also available.
