Guide to Instituting Student Partnerships

This document is based on a review of current and past innovation, change and quality initiatives that have involved curriculum/student experience innovation/development (which may involve technology) together with student partnerships & engagement. It concludes that there are four key dimensions for instituting student partnerships: (1) Partnership set-up; (2) Partnership implementation; (3) Capabilities, development and accreditation and (4) Evaluation, impact & sustainability. A set of practice points has been developed for each of the four dimensions. For each practice point, “Top Tips” are given (based on reports and evidence from the initiatives and research) together with

guides to sector resources that are available.

This guide has been initiated and funded by Jisc.

Reference: document.docx

Version: 0-8

Date: 5 march 2014

Author: Peter Chatterton

Guide to Instituting Student Partnerships

Contents

1. Rationale for working in partnerships with students.............................................................................................................................................................3

2. Practice points for instituting student partnerships..............................................................................................................................................................4

3. Top Tips and guides to sector resources for each practice point...........................................................................................................................................5

3.1 Partnership set-up......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

3.2 Partnership implementation........................................................................................................................................................................................17

3.3 Capabilities, development and accreditation...............................................................................................................................................................31

3.4 Evaluation, impact and sustainability..........................................................................................................................................................................38

4. Innovation, change and quality initiatives in student partnerships.....................................................................................................................................48

5. Case studies of student partnership/engagement...............................................................................................................................................................60

6. Useful resources.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 68

Quotes; why is student engagement important?“Students as partners is not just a nice-to-have, I believe it has the potential to help bring about social and educational transformation, as long as we know what we are trying to do and we maintain a critical attitude about the ways the concept is adopted and used.”Rachel Wenstone, Vice President (Higher Education), NUS – A Manifesto for Partnership (November 2012)

‘Student engagement and learning is more effective, gratifying, and personally meaningful when all stakeholders (eg. instructors, students, course designers) are collaboratively involved in co-creating and developing a community of practice around a course’. These principles imply that students are not viewed simply as knowledge consumers who are passive recipients of information that is fed to them through lecture and textbooks but rather they are active co-creators of knowledge – apprentice researchers, authors, teachers, scholars and practitioners – who are learning to take full ownership of their own learning processes. "Increasing Student Engagement and Retention using online learning activities" Emerald Group: Bingley.

“…productive engagement is an important means by which students develop feelings about their peers, professors and institutions that give them a sense of connectedness, affiliation, and belonging, while simultaneously offering rich opportunities for learning and development.”Bensimon, E .M . (2009) Foreword . In: Harper, S .R . and Quaye, S .J . (eds .) Student Engagement in Higher Education . New York and London: Routledge, pp . xxi-xxvi .

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1. Rationale for working in partnerships with students

A number of institutions have pioneered projects to work in partnership with students to advance educational innovation, many sponsored by Jisc and the Higher Education Academy (HEA). Though it could be regarded as early days for such partnerships, there are clear benefits emerging:

Students Gain an experience of leadership. Gain experience in influencing change. Gain experience of using research to shape change. Students can gain recognition through awards such as leadership awards, extra-curricular awards and awards accredited

through external bodies. Enhances student experience. Increases confidence & skills (e.g. communication, team-working, management, research skills). Enhances networking with e.g. employers, community. Improved employability and job prospects.

Staff Closer working/learning engagement with students. Learning from students – and an important dimension to their CPD. Raising of individual profiles in their institutions and in the sector. Enhanced input into research and papers via student engagement.

Institutions Opportunity for students to gain skills to support employability, and greater involvement in the learning and teaching experience.

Aids retention. Develops enhanced working/learning/assessment engagement between students and tutors. Engages students with research-led change. Students inspire academics in technology-led educational innovation.

Employers & communities

Employers can benefit from students experienced in leading research led change. Stimulates students to engage with employers and communities. Students more likely to become leaders in their professions & communities. High levels of volunteering by Alumni.

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2. Practice points for instituting student partnerships

A review of current and past initiatives involving development of student partnerships focused on educational innovation, change and digital media concludes that there are four key dimensions for instituting such partnerships as follows:

Partnership set-up Partnership implementation Capabilities, development and accreditation Evaluation, impact & sustainability

Within each dimension of instituting student partnerships, the following practice points have been identified as being key for success (note: dimensions are not necessarily sequential):

1 Partnership set-up 2 Partnership implementation 3 Capabilities, development and accreditation

4 Evaluation, impact & sustainability

1.1. Carry out a baseline study to research current position.

1.2. Establish the case for student partnerships and align with strategies and policies.

1.3. Establish motivation, reward and recognition options for students and staff

1.4. Devise novel recruitment and induction approaches for students.

1.5. Identify a partnership model that encompasses options for different student roles together with a range of stakeholders.

1.6. Identify an outline project plan including resources and funding

1.7. Identify and learn from exemplars and case studies of student partnerships

2.1. Establish, implement and monitor a project plan (based on agile methodology)

2.2. Develop a set of principles of good practice to follow for student partnerships

2.3. Allocate significant time and resource for stakeholder engagement and communications

2.4. Develop/acquire guides, toolkits and resources

2.5. Clarify detailed student and staff roles, responsibilities and activities.

2.6. Identify risks and how to manage them

2.7. Establish/join external and internal communities of practice

3.1. Define core student capabilities, attributes and development frameworks for student innovation and change activities.

3.2. Develop/acquire courses and training/learning resources for students and staff

3.3. Implement student personal & professional development planning using reflective practice and e-portfolios

3.4. Develop academic and professional body recognition and accreditation opportunities for students

3.5. Provide student/staff support3.6. Provide relevant staff training and link

to CPD

4.1. Identify the rationale and need for evaluation.

4.2. Choose appropriate qualitative and quantitative evaluation approaches

4.3. Adopt a range of data collection techniques to support evaluation.

4.4. Identify impact on a range of stakeholders and the institution

4.5. Develop case studies for use with stakeholder communications and engagement.

4.6. Develop recommendations for sustaining student partnerships as part of evaluation

4.7. Explore options for institutionally embedding student partnerships.

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3. Top Tips and guides to sector resources for each practice point

For each of the practice points (in each of the four dimensions), guides and “top tips” are provided below:

3.1 Partnership set-up

1 Partnership set-up

Practice point Top tips Guide to sector resources

1.1 Carry out a baseline study to research current position.

Questions To what extent are there

already student engagement initiatives across the institution?

To what extent are students and staff “ready and motivated” to work & learn in partnership?

To what extent are institutional practices, policies and processes “ready” for student partnerships?

Areas to research include:opolicy and strategyo institutional processes and

systemso infrastructureosupport servicesoLT&A practice, expertiseostaff CPD (inc. digital literacy)oMIS and infrastructureocommunications, stakeholder

needs, views and expectationsoother institutional initiatives.ostudent employability skills,

graduate attributes and digital literacy

Use base-lining to inform planning at project and institutional levels.

Develop a set of impact indicators/measures of success to allow change and impact to be evaluated and measured.

Use both qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Use research/evaluation data from

The Jisc Design Studio contains the following resources relating to baselining and which have been developed as an output of a number of e-learning programmes e.g. Developing Digital Literacies, Assessment and Feedback programme and  Jisc Curriculum Design and Delivery programmes. Many of the links include example baseline reports as well as useful baselining tools and resources:

Baselining digital literacy The page collates resources for conducting a baseline review of digital literacy at an institutional level, as carried out by the 12 institutional projects and 10 professional associations of the Jisc Developing Digital Literacies (DDL) programme – see also examples of DL baseline reports.

DL baseline framework for projects This page outlines areas in which projects conducted baselining in the Developing Digital Literacies programme.

Baselining approaches and findings on the Assessment and Feedback programme Projects in Strand A of the Assessment and Feedback programme drew on qualitative and quantitative evidence from a range of stakeholders and information sources to provide a baseline review of assessment and feedback practice in their institutions – this page presents approaches and findings.

Tools and resources for DL baselining A list of tools and resources for baselining that were used on the Developing Digital Literacies programme.

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a range of sources e.g. student surveys, data from research projects.

As well as established research techniques (e.g. focus groups, surveys), use multi-media/technology-based approaches e.g. process maps, rich pictures, video interviews, social media.

1.2 Establish the case for student partnerships and align with strategies and policies.

Questions Is there a clearly identified

rationale and case for student partnerships?

Which institutional policies and initiatives will student partnerships benefit?

Will student partnerships support employability skills and graduate attributes?

Identify drivers and needs for students, staff, the institution and others stakeholders such as employers.

Identify potential benefits and impact for students, staff, employers and the institution.

Map the potential benefits and impact to institutional strategies & policies (e.g. relating to student experience, employability)

Don’t be afraid to “think big”, though ensure there is buy-in to a clear vision.

Engage stakeholders from across the institution in establishing the case for student partnerships.

Engage employers and professional/sector bodies in establishing the case for student partnerships.

Where possible, try to keep

The HEA commissioned a review of research on student engagement by Professor Paul Trowler and Vicki Trowler and this led to the development of:

an evidence summary (PDF, 784KB)

an international literature review (PDF, 472KB)

a Framework for Action for institutional decision-makers (PDF, 196KB)

a set of case studies (PDF, 1240KB)

The value of student engagement as an important factor in educational gain was also highlighted by an HEA publication authored by Graham Gibbs, Dimensions of Quality.

Key conclusions from the evidence summary::

Regarding student engagement in individual student learning:o student engagement improves outcomes;o specific features of engagement improve outcomes;o engagement improves specific desirable outcomes;o the value of engagement is no longer questioned;o responsibility for engagement is shared .

Regarding student engagement with structure and process:o student engagement in university governance benefits student representatives;

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partnership voluntary and focus on recognition and rewards (e.g. enhanced employability and potential accreditation).

Establish cross-institutional approaches to working collaboratively.

Ensure issues and opportunities identified in base-lining are considered.

o student representation on committees in the UK is generally felt to be effective;o high-performing institutions share several ‘best practice’ features regarding student

engagement in governance;o high-performing institutions share several ‘best practice’ features regarding student

leadership;o the most commonly reported form of ‘engagement’ of students in the UK is through

feedback questionnaires . Regarding student engagement with identity:

o prior characteristics do not determine whether students will engage;o engagement benefits all students – but some more than others;o engagement requires successful transition;o some students experience engagement negatively

It was also stressed “Virtually every report ….emphasized to varying degrees the important link between student engagement and desired outcomes of college”

Since the HEA research, there have been a number of innovation, change and quality enhancement initiatives in institutions across the UK that have further developed the concepts of student engagement and partnerships whereby there is much greater emphasis on student action and with the student as driver for innovation and change (these are listed in the section “Innovation, change and quality initiatives in student partnerships”.

Quote; why is student engagement important?‘Student engagement and learning is more effective, gratifying, and personally meaningful when all stakeholders (eg. instructors, students, course designers) are collaboratively involved in co-creating and developing a community of practice around a course’. These principles imply that students are not viewed simply as knowledge consumers who are passive recipients of information that is fed to them through lecture and textbooks but rather they are active co-creators of knowledge – apprentice researchers, authors, teachers, scholars and practitioners – who are learning to take full ownership of their own learning processes. "Increasing Student Engagement and Retention using online learning activities" Emerald Group: Bingley.

1.3 Establish motivation, Identify incentives for students, The Jisc Design Studio contains useful guidance in relation to motivation, reward and recognition for

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reward and recognition options for students and staff

Questions To what extent have the

pros and cons of different ways of motivating and rewarding students and staff been considered?

To what extent should recognition for student partnership work support students in gaining employment and in developing their employability skills?

To what extent should a student partnership initiative align with the work of other institutional departments which focus on e.g. employability, careers.

such as:o remunerationo improving job prospectsodeveloping personal, academic

and professional skillsoworking with employersoacademic & professional

accreditation and recognition. Consider the pros and cons of

alternative ways of engaging students e.g.:oPaid internsoCasual employees of the

institutionoUnpaid volunteersoParticipants on an accredited

module of study.oParticipants on a co-curricular

programme which contributes to e.g. a graduate award, e-portfolio or HEAR record of achievement.

oParticipants engaged in research projects as part of scholarly culture.

Work with partners to establish recognition pathways for students e.g. professional institutions, HE/FE sector bodies and aim to build on established accreditation frameworks.

Work with institutional

students and staff e.g.

Student digital pioneers Summary of issue within the Developing Digital Literacies programme.

The Oxford Brookes ePioneer approach offers students recognition pathways with partners such as the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), Association of Learning Technologists (ALT) and Evaluation of Learner Experiences of E-learning Special Interest Group (ELESIG).

The Graduate Recruitment Intelligence project The Graduate Recruitment Intelligence project has developed e-transcripts which allow graduates to showcase academic and other achievement data held in university corporate systems in ways that are attractive and meaningful to employers. The GRI project also relates to, and supports the implementation of, the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR).

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employability and careers departments to join-up approaches and initiatives.

Ensure there is mutual benefit for both staff and students.

Provide multiple opportunities to allow students to showcase their achievements, including with external audiences such as employers and professional bodies.

1.4 Devise novel recruitment and induction approaches for students (1)

Questions Have the skills and

attributes for students been defined?

Are traditional recruitment processes suitable for identifying students with the appropriate skills and attributes?

To what extent have suitable guidance and induction resources been developed to help students decide whether they want to engage in partnership work?

Define the skills and attributes of students that are wanted e.g.oa diverse skill setoa high degree of intrinsic

motivationo the ability to work autonomously

and communicate with a broad range of stakeholders

oability to work as a dynamic member of a research team and across disciplines and academic years.

Set-up and facilitate an online social media forum to support student recruitment and networking.

Design recruitment processes to allow students to demonstrate their strengths, attributes and abilities e.g.oeffective working in diverse

groupsomotivation to work on a project

The University of Greenwich has developed a novel student recruitment process as part of their Digital Literacies in Transition project where an Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) was at the heart of the project, involving students from a range of campuses, academic years and disciplines.

Oxford Brookes ePioneer Recruitment and briefing pack.

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oability to research and present new ideas in a clear way using a variety of digital tools

oability to show initiative, creativity and working in a range of situations.

Develop contract and compliance documents covering e.g. data protection, H&S, privacy, ethics, copyright, IPR etc.

1.4 Devise novel recruitment and induction approaches for students (2)

Questions Have the skills and

attributes for students been defined?

Are traditional recruitment processes suitable for identifying students with the appropriate skills and attributes?

To what extent have suitable guidance and induction resources been developed to help students decide whether they want to engage in partnership work?

Develop clear briefing guides and resources to explicitly describe the why, what, how, when, where, who of the project covering e.g.oneeds and benefitso remunerationoactivitieso roles and boundariesowhat can be expected from

others such as staffo reward and recognitionomaking use of digital tools.

Develop and run briefing sessions for students, building on the briefing guides and resources.

Instead of traditional recruitment techniques consider techniques such asoasking students to prepare some

of artefact for a defined purpose (e.g. a video, web-resource)

oparticipate in workshops where

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they have to engage with teams to carry out a range of activities (using digital tools).

Consider branding student-led initiatives (e.g. the University of Greenwich Interdisciplinary Research Group - IRG).

1.5 Identify a partnership model that encompasses options for different student roles together with a range of stakeholders. (1)

Questions: Have a range of different

student roles been considered?

Have a broad range of opportunities for student partnerships been identified?

To what extent will student partnerships align with employability agendas and initiatives?

Identify at what level to set-up partnerships e.g. institutional, faculty, disciplinary, cross-disciplinary.

Identify who should be involved e.goacademicsoprofessional support staffostudentsoalumnioprospective studentsoemployers,o local communityoemployer/ sector/ professional

bodieso external expertsomentors and assessors

Review the various models of student partnerships that different institutions have adopted and develop an appropriate model for the institutional and/or local contexts – which may be phased.

Integrate with employability agendas and activities.

Develop an academic

There are a number of models for student partnerships e.g. the University of Exeter Integrate project framework with four key student roles (representing differences in how active/leading students are):

Student as evaluator of their HE experience (the student voice)Students offer feedback, views and opinions and are listened to on an institutional basis, in order to build an evidence-base as a basis for enhancement and change. Decisions for action tend to be taken at subject and/or institutional level.

Students as participants in decision-making processesStudents engage in institutional decision-making, in order to influence enhancement and change. Decisions tend to be taken collaboratively with staff and students but do not involve students in action.

Students as partners, co-creators and expertsStudents are collaborative partners in curriculum provision and professional development, in order to enhance staff and studentlearning. Decisions for action tend to be taken at subject and/or institutional level.

Students as agents for changeStudents are collaborative partners in pedagogic knowledge acquisition and professional development, with the purpose of bringing about change. Decisions for action tend to be promoted by students and engaged with at subject and/or institutional level.

Another model is from the Oxford Brookes InStePP project, where they have developed student partnerships that revolve around one or more roles depending upon the setting:

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lead/champion at each local level. Student as researcher

Students act as partners in research e.g.• Pedagogic knowledge development• Institutional research in e.g. digital literacy, TEL including students setting their own agendas• Evaluating institutional change e.g. in level and development of digital literacy, TEL• Evaluating use of technology by other students in peer-assisted learning role• Creating and managing digital outputs for undergraduate research conferences

Student as resource creatorStudents create usable and accessible resources e.g.• Resources and guides for curricula or commercial purposes• Scoping user requirements and develop resources• Developing employability resources

Student as mentorStudents act in the role of mentor e.g.• Providing support for staff and other students on a range of digital literacies, tools and TEL

Student as entrepreneur * /change agentStudents act in the role of entrepreneur / change agent e.g.• Providing expertise on special projects arising from within the University community• Providing consultancy/change agent services to the University, employers and other

stakeholders• Supporting curriculum innovation and quality enhancement

Student as trainerStudents act in the role of mentor e.g.• Reverse tutoring (to train staff on setting up courses in VLE and other digital environments,

tools etc.)• Peer assisted learning among students

*Note: Oxford Brookes instep project concluded that “the entrepreneur role be withdrawn as

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inappropriate for a voluntary scheme whose incentives and rewards are intended to be academic and employability-related.”

Student as Change agents: New Ways of engaging with learning and teaching in higher educationElisabeth Dunne and Roos Zandstra, University of Exeterhttp://dera.ioe.ac.uk/14767/1/8242.pdfThe University of Exeter has developed an innovative and exciting student-led action research initiative that brings students and staff together to improve experiences of higher education. Students from across the university have contributed to this initiative, carrying out a series of research projects on their learning and teaching environment, selecting concerns raised through student-staff liaison committees (SSLCs), and providing recommendations and solutions to improve their experience. A small amount of funding was made available from the University’s learning and teaching budget to support this initiative.

A FRAMEWORK FOR PROMOTING CHANGE IN TECHNOLOGY USE THROUGH ENGAGING STUDENTSThe framework is designed around two key dimensions: The extent to which any activity is led by students, or led by the institution The extent to which any activity is premised on active engagement by students in change, or is

based on more passive forms of representation The framework may allow a better understanding of formal engagement with students, the

different forms that this can take, and where responsibilities lie.

The University of Greenwich employed cross-university studentships to foster a community of student-led research as part of their Digital Literacies in Transition project (part of the Developing Digital Literacies programme). Termed the IRG (Interdisciplinary Research Group), this group of students, their mentors and members of staff from all aspects of the institution will engage in baselining activities as well as develop OERs that link attribute development to DL skills and opportunities.

The University of Winchester and Bath Spa University created the concept of Student Fellows to act as Change Agents in their FASTECH project focused on enhancing Assessment and feedback though the use of technology. Student Fellow responsibilities were to work with the FASTECH team, lecturers

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and students to develop technology for specific assessment problems, and to evaluate its use. Student fellows are co-constructors of the research and development on FASTECH, acting as insiders and change agents, developing an understanding of assessment principles, familiarity with technology, and research skills. See the Briefing paper on the Student Fellow scheme for further info.

1.5 Identify a partnership model that encompasses options for different student roles together with a range of stakeholders. (2)

Questions: Have a range of different

student roles been considered?

Have a broad range of opportunities for student partnerships been identified?

To what extent will student partnerships align with employability agendas and initiatives?

Identify a broad range of opportunities for student partnerships in educational innovation and change to focus on e.g.ocurriculum design & delivery.oassessment and feedback.odigital literacies.o library and information services.ostudent experience, support and

guidance.odigital resources.ostaff development.o learning resources.ostudent records, administration,

management and information systems.

o institutional processes e.g. QA, induction.

o institutional polices. Based on the defined partnership

model, develop options for different student roles e.g.ostudent as researcherostudent as resource creatorostudent as expertostudent as mentorostudent as change agent student

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as trainer (staff and peer trainer)ostudent as evaluatorostudent advisor.

1.6 Identify an outline project plan including resources and funding

Questions To what extent has the

development of a project plan been a collaborative exercise?

Have measures/indicators of impact been identified?

Are there appropriate governance measures in place?

Develop an outline project plan for setting up and implementing student partnerships.

Use the practice points from this guide as a check-list for the project plan.

Adopt an agile and flexible approach to project planning – in order to allow the project to adapt to problems, emerging opportunities and changing contexts.

Ensure that the project plan has clear overall aims and objectives as well as defining outputs and outcomes – particularly potential impact on institutions, sector and individuals.

Aim to develop indicators of impact, though this might need to wait post-baselining.

Ensure representatives of all key stakeholder groups help to develop the plan.

Place considerable focus on stakeholder communications and engagement – both formal and informal - and using social media to underpin this.

Jisc InfoNet guide to project management. JISC RSC Wales: Social media for student engagement

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Develop appropriate governance structures including the formation of a steering group that represents a broad cross-section of roles and interests (including external representatives).

1.7 Identify and learn from exemplars and case studies of student partnerships

To what extent have experiences and lessons learnt from other student partnership initiatives been researched and contextualised?

To what extent have these experiences and lessons learnt been shared with all stakeholders?

There has been a considerable number of student partnership and engagement projects undertaken by institutions and much can be learnt from their experiences, therefore it is worthwhile taking the time to learn from these to supplement this guide.

Identify likely issues and challenges and how other institutions and projects have addressed and managed them.

Look for partnerships in your own institution – these are not always actively promoted.

Use the lessons learnt to inform the development of your “principles of good practice” in student partnerships.

Ensure you share the lessons learnt from the exemplars/case studies with all those involved with setting up and implementing student partnerships – and facilitate dialogue on how such lessons can be adapted to you own needs and

Examples of student engagement/partnership projects:

“Student Engagement: Identify, motivation and community” – book by Claus Nygaard, Stuart Brand, Paul Bartholomew, Luke Millard, Libri Publishing ISBN 978 1 907471 65 0

Oxford Brookes InStePP project - Student partnerships offer a way to join up provision for digital literacies for staff and students across the institution by establishing, supporting and building recognition for the role of student ‘ePioneers’ within existing core academic and e-learning development activities.

Greenwich Digital Literacies in Transition project - cross-university studentships foster a community of student-led research to support and feed into all other aspects of the project. Termed the IRG (Interdisciplinary Research Group), this group of students, their mentors and members of staff from all aspects of the institution will engage in baselining activities as well as develop OERs that link attribute development to DL skills and opportunities.

Reading Digitally Ready project has worked with students as partners in digital projects with academics, students as researchers, students feeding in their stories to inform work on the project and students undertaking work directly for the project.

Student Fellows at Bath Spa and Winchester: The FASTECH project is focused on enhancing feedback and assessment processes through the use of technology. The project has recruited Student Fellows to participate in research activities, generate ideas, develop case studies, write blogs and attend and present at conferences. They are the interface between the project team and students and lecturers. Further guidance on the student fellows scheme is available here

University of Exeter - Students as Change Agents: Students have been given opportunities to work in partnership with university staff in order to address the challenges of using technology with large and diverse cohorts. They have undertaken research on student views and

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contexts. Maintain a shared online resource

of links to exemplars and case studies.

perceptions, provided recommendations and solutions for practice, and have supported staff in bringing about wide-scale changes in teaching. Much of this work evolved through the Integrate project . Resources are available on the project website. The work continues through projects such as the CascadeDigital Literacies project which involves postgraduate researchers. Podcast : Students as Agents of Change at Exeter

Birmingham City University – Student Academic Partners: The T-SPARC project engaged with students through the University’s Student Academic Partners (SAP) programme as part of a review of curriculum design practices and processes. SAP aims to integrate students into the teaching and pedagogic research community within BCU in order to develop collaboration between students and staff. The T-SPARC project also produced a wider stakeholder engagement model which could be used when considering the development of student engagement activities. This video collates student voices to influence curriculum design (format - wmv, mp4 )

What works? Student Retention and Success(HEA, HEFCE, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Action on Access)Building student engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a time of change: a summary of findings and recommendations from the What Works? Student Retention & Success programme.

3.2 Partnership implementation

2 Partnership implementation

Practice point Top tips Guide to sector resources

2.1 Establish, implement and monitor a project plan (based on agile methodology)

Develop a project plan and ensure that project participants buy-in to their roles and responsibilities.In early stages of student partnerships

HEA Students as Partners Change Programme ResourcesA useful collection of resources from the programme e.g. for dealing with change, embedding and sustaining.http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/change/SAP_resource_page#Startup

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Questions To what extent is your

project working in an uncertain environment?

What issues and challenges are your projects likely to encounter?

To what extent do the project team members work well together?

adopt light-touch management approaches – though this might need to change as such partnerships evolve.Adopt an agile and flexible approach that allows for responding to changing issues, contexts and policies.Where appropriate, work with other institutional departments/support services/initiatives to identify areas of mutual benefit e.g. helping them to meet their own goals.Engage the student union as a key partner.Ensure there is sufficient initiative funding particularly seed-funding.Encourage cross-faculty/department working to minimise “silos”.Adopt and encourage business-like and entrepreneurial approaches.Always be aware of the need to build capacity in both the student body and with staff.Encourage best-practice team-working through e.g. developing team skills and appropriate team-building exercises.Review the partnership on a regular basis.

HEA: Student as Partners: The challenge of student engagementProfessor Stuart Brand, Director of Learning Experience; Luke Millard, Head of Learning Partnershipshttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/change/SAP/TL1_SBLM_BCU_SAP.ppt

Based on the HEA’s experience, effective change initiatives are characterised by: A shared vision A sound evidence base A strategic approach Senior management buy-in Strategies for managing resistance Student engagement An evaluation strategy Flexibility and agility Good project management Effective team working

Useful tips about managing student partnership projects can be found in the following:

Oxford Brookes Jisc-funded InStePP project (e-Pioneers) final report and evaluation.

Student perspective: Newcastle University: The Creation of an Independent Study Module

Student perspective: University of Manchester: Feedback, Evaluation and Development of an

Enquiry Based Learning Module

Student perspective: University of Exeter: Students as Change Agents

University of Glasgow: Students and staff co_creating the curriculum

University of Glasgow: Enhanced student engagement through collaborative evaluation

Leeds Trinity University College: Rewriting the French Revolution

The LFHE Student engagement toolkit for leaders provides some useful pointers for practices that leaders found effective in enhancing Student engagement in Higher Education:

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Bringing student representatives onto all kinds of university structures, including those concerned with changes to systems, structures or processes (such as building project boards) in material ways – such as equal numbers of staff and students on programme committees.

GOAT (go out and talk) & GOAL (go out and listen) - speaking informally, and often, to leaders and representatives of other sectors (students, senior managers, staff leaders, etc), to gauge their feelings and views, and developing strong personal relationships based on mutual respect

Actively involving the university in students’ union activities Ensuring that the student representative system is truly representative of all constituencies

within the student body, including “invisible” groups such as part-time students, student parents or students from elsewhere

Active student involvement in the selection of senior managers with a high level of personal commitment to student engagement – and then holding them accountable to this commitment

Reviewing procedures to ensure that these don’t themselves give rise to problems or complaints, and lightening the bureaucratic load

“Closing the feedback loop” – ensuring that everybody sees the results and can celebrate the “wins” of engagement

For managers and staff, wanting to see things from students’ perspectives, and being genuinely committed to ensuring students have a positive experience at university

Shifting the official rhetoric to reflect a genuine prioritisation of partnership and community, and the prioritisation of student engagement, and ensuring consistent messages from senior management

Not being A Manager – working against a “managerial” image to connect in a way that is meaningful to students / staff

Replacing a culture of compliance with a culture of permission, tolerating “mess” and uncertainty Dogged persistence until the mindset and the culture change, so that collaborative approaches

become automatic and can be self-sustaining “Finding the right people”

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Involving Students in Change – planning document and guidance

Student engagement is also a strong theme in the Changing the Learning Landscape programme, and the NUS have produced a useful planning document and guidance notes for anyone wishing to think through how students will be engaged in any new initiative: Involving Students in Change.

2.2 Develop a set of principles of good practice to follow for student partnerships

Questions To what extent will a set of

good practice principles help guide your project?

How could such principles be communicated to stakeholders?

Could such principles be used to inform institutional policies and curriculum design?

Develop your own set of principles of good practice to follow for instituting student partnerships and aim for about 7 key principles.

Ensure principles are short, focus on headline argument, action oriented e.g. using action verbs, point to aspirations and use accessible language.

For each principle, identify why it is important and any evidence to justify it.

Use the principles as a core component of your stakeholder communications and engagement plan.

Develop specific resources to help communicate the principles e.g. printed cards.

Use every opportunity to re-enforce the principles in communications and in documents, resources and publications that are created.

Collaboratively develop a set of

The HEA emphasise that partnerships is a process and a way of doing things. It has developed a set of principles around student engagement and effective partnership working:

Authenticity: where there is a clear rationale for students – and others – to work in partnership, each partner has a stake in the agenda and in taking the work forward

Inclusivity: the absence of barriers that prevent engagement in partnership work Speaking ‘with’, not ‘for’ or ‘about’ students Being open to radical transformation, not just slotting partnership work into existing structures

and processes A need for partnership work to be acknowledged and assented to by all parties involved Development of shared purpose, values and principles Taking time to understand our perceptions of one another and how that affects partnership

relationships Joint decision making and accountability arrangements Equality of value whist recognising difference and the unique contribution each partner makes Acknowledgement of power relationships: being clear about where ownership for issues and

agendas lies and how outcomes of work will be used. Being prepared to challenge structures and practices that re-affirm existing inequalities.

Taking time to build trust Creating an environment that encourages risk taking Identifying resources to support partnership working Embracing a shared commitment to evaluation and learning Celebrating successful outcomes of and approaches to partnership working

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“practice points” for each principle that can help give students and staff ideas of how to put the principles into practice.

As student partnerships mature, consider embedding principles in strategies, policies and processes.

Use principles to inform and guide curriculum design.

2.3 Allocate significant time and resource for stakeholder engagement and communications

Questions To what extent will there

likely be resistance to student partnership initiatives?

To what extent has the project evaluated different stakeholder’s interests and motivations with student partnerships?

To what extent has the project evaluated how best to engage different stakeholders?

Develop and implement a stakeholder communications and engagement plan using sector toolkits.

In developing such a plan, take time to better understand how students as partners can help different stakeholders to meet their goals and interests.

Celebrate successes and ensure external recognition is a key element of such a plan.

Continually re-enforce the notion of students as equal partners (not assistants) and partnership working as the norm.

Set high, but achievable expectations and continually ensure these are fully understood by all stakeholders.

Seek support and drive from senior management and ensure they understand how students as

The University of Exeter has published its own Good Practice Guide on Engaging Stakeholders and includes a 10-minute tool designed to help other institutions consider how these strategies may work in their own context.

The following HEA documents are useful for addressing resistance to change:

53 Interesting Ways in which Colleagues Resist Change and53 ways of managing resistance to changeSteve Outram, Senior Adviser Higher Education Academyhttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/resources/database/id554_complex_change_in_heis_paper6.dochttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/resources/database/id555_complex_change_in_heis_paper7.doc

The Birmingham City University T-SPARC project produced a stakeholder engagement model which could be used when considering the development of student engagement activities.

There are a range of Jisc resources and toolkits that support stakeholder communications and engagement:

Jisc Infokit Communication and Collaboration Collaborative Online Tools Change management

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partners can help them fulfil their strategic and personal goals.

Ensure communications and engagement with the wider student and staff bodies (i.e. not just those involved directly with partnership initiatives or the “educational elite”).

Sustaining and embedding innovations good practice guide

The Jisc good practice guide includes the following guidance for planning stakeholder communications and engagement:

Better understand the needs and concerns of different stakeholders.Different stakeholders will have different needs and concerns – for instance, practitioners are more likely to want to know why they should adopt and prioritise your project (as opposed to other innovations), if there is good evidence to support its pedagogical value, how it will benefit them/their students and the degree of support that they can expect, whilst heads of faculties/schools/departments maybe more likely to be concerned with resourcing, budgets and how to integrate innovations into their policies/plans.

Develop a shared understanding of what they want to achieve by communicating and engaging with each stakeholder group.Too often, projects are concerned with purely producing the project outputs that they specified in the project plan. However, these outputs will be meaningless unless they are adopted by stakeholders – in the short, medium and long term. It is therefore worthwhile identifying what they want to achieve for each stakeholder group and ensuring these outputs are usable. For example, defining how many academics/teaching staff will make an informed choice as to whether they wish to adopt the innovation or establishing whether or not the innovation has been integrated into institutional or faculty/school/departmental strategies, processes, services and systems. It must, however, be recognised that projects may have to carefully balance the articulated needs from different stakeholder groups.

Collaboratively develop a common set of key messages to communicate to different stakeholders as well as a plan to use both traditional and new media communications techniques.It is not uncommon to find different project team members giving out totally different key messages

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about the project. A collaborative exercise to develop key common messages about the innovations project will help to provide a more coherent approach to engaging with different stakeholders. Having stated that the development of “shared messages” is important, the emphasis on communications must be on interaction, dialogue and engagement – bearing in mind that the word “dissemination” has a rather one-way feeling about it!

Communications plans should aim to convey simple messages based on the WHY – WHAT – WHEN – WHO – HOW principles e.g.

WHY: Why should academic/teaching staff change their teaching and learning practices? WHAT: What should academic/teaching staff change in their teaching and learning

practices? WHEN: When best to make changes e.g. at curriculum review time? WHO: Who needs to be involved in the change? HOW: How to make the changes e.g. is it a DIY approach and what support is available?

An excellent example that demonstrates effective communications is how the TESEP project based at Edinburgh Napier University helped to transform teaching and learning by providing simple messages e.g. based on:

Why do we need to change learning and teaching practice? Planning to transform. Rethinking your practices. Transformation stories.

The NUS/QAA report 'Understanding the barriers to student engagement', is designed to contribute to the knowledge of the higher education sector on the barriers to engaging students in their learning experience.

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2.4 Develop/acquire guides, toolkits and resources

Questions

To what extent has “best practice” in student partnerships been established?

To what extent have the needs of different stakeholders for guides, toolkits and resources been established?

To what extent has the project researched the availability of third-party guides, toolkits and resources e.g. from other institutions and educational agencies?

Engage with different stakeholders to identify their needs for guides, toolkits and resources.

Adopt the “Top Tips” and, if appropriate, customise these to institutional needs and contexts.

Use the “Viewpoints for student engagement” toolkit as part of initiative planning and team-building exercises.

Recognise that best practice is continually evolving and join the Change Agent Network to keep up-to-date with new approaches, toolkits and resources.

Capture detailed case studies and share via the community of practice.

Develop resources and toolkits that clearly and simply describe partnership models, role cards for staff and students (defining e.g. activities, responsibilities and logistical info), contract templates, briefing/induction resources etc.

Regularly revisit the web-sites of the key educational agencies/bodies which have major initiatives in the field of students as partners and change agents e.g. HEA, Jisc, HEFCE, HEFCW, SFC, NUS, sparqs and QAA

Arrange access by students and staff to appropriate technology resources

The Change Agent Network is a network of staff and students developed and funded by Jisc to support curriculum enhancement and innovation. It offers peer-support for students working as change agents and staff working with students in this capacity. Also available is institutional guidance, support and consultancy. Through the network there are possibilities for project promotion and dissemination as well as guidance on routes for recognition. The network is also able to run workshops and events.

LFHE Student engagement toolkit for leadersThis LFHE toolkit has been designed for use by leaders in Higher Education wishing to enhance and promote student engagement in, and beyond, their institutions. It can be used alongside the NUS / HEA Student Engagement Toolkit, which focuses on improving three specific areas of student engagement, namely representation, module feedback, and curriculum design. In this toolkit you will find:

Conceptual Overview of Student Engagement Leading for Engagement in Higher Education Powerpoint presentations on Student Engagement Workshop Resources References and Resources

Oxford Brookes e_pioneers – support and resources

NUS: Student Engagement ToolkitThe Student Engagement Toolkit has useful info in Enhancing Engagement Practices e.g.

Student engagement card-sort exerciseThe purpose of this activity is to enable pairs or small groups to discuss their beliefs and views about the role of students in institutional change, to support participants in clarifying their thinking in this area and to understand where there may be differences of opinion. The activity can be used with staff, students, or mixed groups.

Enhancing engagement practices self-reflection task

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to support engagement, efficient partnership working, knowledge sharing and reflective practice.

Using the four-stage picture of engagement as a reflective tool, this exercise challenges students’ representatives and institution managers and academics to evaluate their current student engagement practices. The focus of this task is to think about the outcomes of engagement activities and the impact that policies and practices have on students.

Self-reflection task record matrixThis matrix can be used to record the results of the self-reflection task.

Representation systems benchmarking toolThis tool, developed by NUS in partnership with the Association for Managers in Students’ Unions (AMSU), is designed to support students’ unions and institutions in evaluating their student representative structures. It can be used in isolation or to support the evidence-gathering process in the self-reflection task.

The HEA’s Student Retention and Success programme has published the following: Building student engagement and belonging in higher Education at a time of change: Final

report from the What Works? Student Retention & Success programme. An Executive summary: Summary of findings and recommendations from the What Works?

Student Retention & Success programme.

2.5 Clarify detailed student and staff roles, responsibilities and activities.

Questions

To what extent has the project evaluated options for different student roles?

To what extent has the project specified what these roles entail in terms of activities, time

Define options for student roles together with associated key activities, how the roles will develop students, what students will bring to the roles and logistical information such as time commitments, training and support.

Student change projects/activities should involve students in planning, developing and delivering change in conjunction with staff support.

Consider two key staff roles: partnership lead and development

The Oxford Brookes: InStePP Student e-Pioneer partnerships provides useful guidance on defining student and staff roles, responsibilities and activities e.g.

3-way contract Preferred partnerships Development wheel Roles and schedule Role cards Managing commissions

The Jisc Design Studio outlines different student change agent roles e.g.

Student Fellows at Bath Spa and Winchester

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commitments, skills required etc.

To what extent has the project defined commercial, contractual and compliance requirements?

lead role. Consider employing student

intern(s) to support and facilitate projects.

Partnership lead should logistically support students with e.g. workplace induction, review progress against role descriptions.

Provide sufficient and a broad range of student opportunities to work on innovation/change projects.

Develop a three-way contract between students, development lead and partnership lead, incorporating role descriptions, responsibilities, activities and compliance with institutional procedures and requirements.

Ensure the contracts incorporate engagement with induction, dissemination, support, record keeping, team-building and progress review and evaluation.

Development lead should provide students with learning and support opportunities, reflective activities and feedback as well as exploring options for accreditation.

The development lead role focuses more on student learning and development and the partnership lead focuses on making the partnership succeed.

The FASTECH project is focused on enhancing feedback and assessment processes through the use of technology. The project has recruited Student Fellows to participate in research activities, generate ideas, develop case studies, write blogs and attend and present at conferences. They are the interface between the project team and students and lecturers. Further guidance on the student fellows scheme is available hereThe FASTECH project also produced Student Fellows Briefing Paper about the Winchester BSU model

Report of the ‘Leading academic engagement with students and students’ union’ project (LFHE and University of Winchester)

Over the last decade there has been a steady and considerable increase in focus on student engagement. Rather than rehearse the well versed arguments about whether student engagement is important or not – it clearly is – this project has sought to examine 4 leading models of student engagement to capture their strengths and benefits for the students involved.

Greenwich Digital Literacies in Transition projectThe University of Greenwich employed cross-university studentships to foster a community of student-led research to support and feed into all other aspects of the work of a project Greenwich Digital Literacies in Transition project. Termed the IRG (Interdisciplinary Research Group), this group included students, their mentors and members of staff from all aspects of the institution. Also see the 4Rmodel of student change agent engagement.

University of Exeter - Students as Change AgentsStudents have been given opportunities to work in partnership with university staff in order to address the challenges of using technology with large and diverse cohorts. They have undertaken research on student views and perceptions, provided recommendations and solutions for practice, and have supported staff in bringing about wide-scale changes in teaching. Much of this work evolved through the Integrate project . Resources are available on the project website. The work continues through projects such as the Cascade Digital Literacies project which involves postgraduate researchers. Podcast : Students as Agents of Change at Exeter

Birmingham City University – Student Academic PartnersThe T-SPARC project engaged with students through the University’s Student Academic Partners

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(SAP) programme as part of a review of curriculum design practices and processes. SAP aims to integrate students into the teaching and pedagogic research community within BCU in order to develop collaboration between students and staff. The T-SPARC project also produced a wider stakeholder engagement model which could be used when considering the development of student engagement activities, and collaborated on a student engagement brochure with case studies from around the university.

Reading Digitally Ready project has worked with students as partners in digital projects with academics, students as researchers, students feeding in their stories to inform work on the project and students undertaking work directly for the project.

Synthesis of findings on leadership and student engagement

Involving Students in Change – planning document and guidanceStudent engagement is also a strong theme in the Changing the Learning Landscape programme, and the NUS have produced a useful planning document and guidance notes for anyone wishing to think through how students will be engaged in any new initiative: Involving Students in Change.

2.6 Identify risks and how to manage them

Questions

To what extent has the projects identified and evaluated potential risk?

In particular, to what extent could some stakeholders react adversely to students as change agents?

To what extent has the projects identified creative

Develop a risk management plan and review and update this regularly.

Continually be aware of other institutional initiatives and how these impact on stakeholder workloads and priorities with a view to e.g. piggy-backing on and working with such projects to mutual benefit.

Be continually aware of “mission creep” – high expectations need to be balanced with realistic goals.

Be aware of the dangers of a funding culture which can restrict

JISC infoNet (infoKits) provide the following:

Risk management A 5 step risk management model

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ways to address and manage such risks?

sustainability. Identify likely points of resistance by

different stakeholders – drawing on the experiences of previous sector innovation and change programmes – and develop appropriate approaches to counteract such resistance.

Be aware that student change agents could possibly undermine institutional professional support staff – and develop win-win approaches to counteract this.

Be aware of changing institutional policies and goals and adapt appropriately.

2.7 Establish/join external and internal communities of practice

Questions

To what extent could the project influence students to drive and facilitate a community of practice?

To what extent could the project learn from and influence external communities of practice?

Encourage students to develop a strategy and plan for an internal community of practice.

Encourage students to lead the community of practice in support of partnership working between students and staff.

Recognise the need for active facilitation by students and ensure that this is recognised as a key part of change agent activities (& possibly incorporated into an accreditation scheme).

Encourage students to join relevant professional body communities of practice.

The Greenwich Digital Literacies in Transition project featured cross-university studentships foster a community of student-led research to support and feed into all other aspects of the project.

The Change Agent Network is a network of staff and students developed and funded by Jisc to support curriculum enhancement and innovation. It offers peer-support for students working as change agents and staff working with students in this capacity. Also available is institutional guidance, support and consultancy. Through the network there are possibilities for project promotion and dissemination as well as guidance on routes for recognition. The network is also able to run workshops and events.

The Jisc Sustaining and embedding innovations good practice guide provides guidance in respect of developing communities of practice e.g.http://raise-network.ning.com/RAISE is a network of academics, practitioners, advisors and student representatives drawn from the Higher Education Sector who are working and/or interested in researching and promoting student engagement.

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Monitor the emergence of new external communities of practice in the area of student partnerships and encourage links with these.

Specifically, encourage students and staff to join and engage with the Change Agent Network.

Develop processes to encourage students and staff to draw out key lessons learnt from their activities and make these available to other institutional staff and students.

Encourage students and staff to read and contribute to the Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change.

The network creates opportunities to come together for beneficial scholarly discussion and creating collaborative projects, sharing good practice and lobbying for investment and better policies locally, sectorally and across our international community.

http://studentlandtnetwork.ning.com/The SLTN promotes active student engagement in learning and teaching communities. We provide a student led space for people in further and higher education with a passion for learning and teaching to meet, share experiences and empower others.

http://www.sparqs.ac.ukSparqs is an agency which puts students at the heart of decisions being made about the quality and governance of the learning experience. We are funded by the Scottish Funding Council, hosted and managed on their behalf by NUS Scotland, and directed by a Steering Committee with sector-wide membership.

There are a number of critical success factors associated with successful Communities of Practice, as follows:

Ownershipo Ownership primarily needs to lie with practitioners, not HE agencies.o A core steering group should drive forward the CoP/SIG aims and objectives.

Communicationso CoPs/SIGs should develop a  communications and stakeholder engagement strategy

and plan.o Communications with stakeholders should be regular, high quality and profiled to

different stakeholder needs.o Appropriate technologies should be adopted.o Communications need to be co-ordinated and facilitated – though this does require

significant effort to achieve (some CoP/SIGs rotate responsibilities for this in order to lessen the “load” on one individual).

Activities

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o Steering Group members should commit to agreed “sweat labour” in respect of CoP/SIG activities.

Resources/outputso The CoP should aim to produce useful outputs, resources and toolkits (as appropriate)

for use by its membership. Sustainability

o Sustainability of CoPs/SIGs must be a core focus for the steering group and this must take account of what contributions the steering group and membership can make.

o It must be recognised that the community membership and steering group will have limitations on how much time they can contribute without being funded or rewarded in some way. It is not good practice to adopt a total-funding approach, however, the steering group should consider potential reward mechanisms e.g. sector recognition of member’s work, publication of shared articles, journal and conference papers and aligning the CoP/SIG goals/activities with development/innovation projects and programmes.

Financialo CoPs/SIGs should aim to seek funding – this could be in the form of e.g.

Agency funding to cover basic operational costs (typically low-amount funds from agencies such as the Higher Education Academy, JISC, QAA).

Project funding to fund specific collaborative projects which have defined outputs.

Advertising/sponsorship. In-kind contributions e.g. institutions hosting meetings, travel funding.

o If operational funding is available, it should be prioritised towards effective communications and stakeholder engagement.

o CoPs/SIGs should not become “funding junkies” – they should primarily be driven by “sweat labour” from its membership and using micro-funding to cover operational essentials such as travel/meeting budgets.

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3.1 Define core student capabilities, attributes and development frameworks for student innovation and change activities (1).

Questions

To what extent have core student capabilities and attributes for working on partnership/change projects been identified?

What teaching, learning and assessment approaches will be adopted to develop student personal, academic and professional skills?

Development frameworks focused on student innovation and change should consider addressing the following student capabilities and attributes:o Becoming a change agento Working with stakeholders and

institutional processes.o Analysing situations and

environments (e.g. departmental, institutional, sector, world)

o Planning, running and evaluating a project.

o Effective communication, negotiation, persuasion and team-building.

o Identifying and describing change.

o Planning, leading and delivering change.

o Sustaining and embedding change.

o Risk/conflict management and dealing with uncertainties.

o Evaluating change, particularly in relation to impact of change.

o Effective use of technologies in change projects.

o Ethical practices in change

Oxford Brookes Institutional Student ePioneer Partnerships (InStePP Project) “Towards Accreditation”One of the InStePP project goals is to offer student ePioneers recognition pathways with Project partners . They looked specifically at endorsed recognition from two professional bodies : theInstitute of Leadership and Management (ILM) and the Association for Learning Technologists (ALT).Brookes Careers and Employability Centre already run an ILM-endorsed course - theFuture Leaders Certificate(.mov). The InStePP project has provided an opportunity to create a new endorsed certificate (Future Consultants) specifically for the InStePP student ePioneers and includes an adaptation of the ALT eportfolio framework (CMALT)and an adapted ILM learning skills framework.See Future Consultants update, Course outline, and suggested learning pathways / evidence (excel file) and the workshop on moving towards accreditation held with the cluster group on 27 March 2012.

The Oxford Brookes Development Wheel indicates the range of learning and development the ePioneers undergo and the support that is provided while in Partnership.

Jisc Digital Literacies resources e.g.

Digital Literacies conceptual frameworks Digital Literacies professional frameworks

Jisc InfoNet provides some useful guidance on student engagement analytics.

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projects. The development framework should

specify learning outcomes, outline curriculum design, support and assessment, which should all be aligned to relevant benchmarks and best practice with e.g. external accreditation bodies, QAA and HEA.

3.1 Define core student capabilities, attributes and development frameworks for student innovation and change activities (2).

Questions

To what extent have core student capabilities and attributes for working on partnership/change projects been identified?

What teaching, learning and assessment approaches will be adopted to develop student personal, academic and professional skills?

Development frameworks should also focus on core student learning and development, capabilities and attributes e.g.o How people learno Online learningo Creativityo Entrepreneurialismo Self-awarenesso Reflection, personal and

professional development.o Digital literacies.o Communications skills.

Student development should be aligned with career planning.

Development frameworks should include taught (preferably online) courses combined with a reflective portfolio that centres on a student change project/activities.

Student capabilities should be “stretched”.

3.2 Develop/acquire courses Ensure courses and training/ Jisc Open Educational Resources infoKit:

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and training/learning resources for students and staff

Questions

To what extent do courses and training/learning resources already exist e.g. as open educational resources?

What is the potential for undertaking collaborative developments with other institutions?

To what extent should technology-enhanced approaches be adopted?

learning resources map to the student development framework.

Adopt open source approaches to course development including the use of OERs (open educational resources) – which could include whole modules or reusable learning objects.

Consider working collaboratively with other institutions to share their courses and/or share development of new courses.

Engage students in course design, review and development.

Adopt technology-enhanced approaches to aid efficiencies, flexibility and scalability.

Assessments should aim to exploit computer-based techniques and adopt e-portfolios to underpin the student reflective portfolio.

Finding OERsA number of search engines exist to search Open Educational Resources. These include: DiscoverEd - "Discover the Universe of Open Educational Resources" Jorum - "free learning and teaching resources, created and contributed by teaching staff from UK

Further and Higher Education Institutions" OCWFinder - "search, recommend, collaborate, remix" OER Commons - "Find Free-to-Use Teaching and Learning Content from around the World.

Organize K-12 Lessons, College Courses, and more." Temoa - "a knowledge hub that eases a public and multilingual catalog of Open Educational

Resources (OER) which aims to support the education community to find those resources and materials that meet their needs for teaching and learning through a specialized and collaborative search system and social tools."

University Learning = OCW+OER = Free custom search engine - a meta-search engine incorporating many different OER repositories (uses Google Custom Search)

XPERT - "a JISC funded rapid innovation project (summer 2009) to explore the potential of delivering and supporting a distributed repository of e-learning resources created and seamlessly published through the open source e-learning development tool called Xerte Online Toolkits. The aim of XPERT is to progress the vision of a distributed architecture of e-learning resources for sharing and re-use."

OER Dynamic Search Engine - a wiki page of OER sites with accompanied search engine (powered by Google Custom Search)

The UNESCO OER Toolkit links to further useful, annotated resources and repositories. JISC Digital Media maintain guidance on finding video, audio and images online, including those

licensed as Creative Commons. OER Glue - tool aiming to facilitate course building by 'stitching' together OERs from a range of

sources.

Jisc PADDLE project – Developing Digital LiteracyThis JISC funded project brings together represenatives from Coleg Llandrillo, Deeside College ,Coleg Harlech, Yale College and Coleg Menai who will be working collaboratively to develop staff and learner engagement through establishing online Communities of Practice.

Jisc Digital Literacies resources e.g.

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Digital Literacies staff development materials Digital Literacies conceptual frameworks Digital Literacies professional frameworks

3.3 Implement student personal & professional development planning using reflective practice and e-portfolios

Questions

To what extent should student development be based on personalised development planning and reflective practice approaches?

To what extent can such reflective practice and partnership working be supported using e-portfolios?

Student personal and development planning using e-portfolios should align with the development framework and defined learning outcomes within the context of their change projects/activities.

Students should be provided with diagnostics/self-review tools to aid them in developing their self-awareness and in processes of reflection, personal and professional development.

Students should be provided with access to their own e-portfolio, where they can choose who to share this with (encouraging “ownership” by the student).

E-portfolios can be used for planning and setting goals, reflecting, feedback, capturing and storing evidence, collaborating (e.g. with mentors, peers and tutors) and presenting to audiences (e.g. for celebrating learning or sharing with

Jisc Moving e-portfolios into the mainstream: new resources demonstrate how e-portfolios can transform the student journeyThree resources to help universities and colleges to implement e-portfolios effectively at scale created from successful practice from the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The materials explore the ways in which you can help to boost learner achievement, enhance employability and even support the development of new courses. Key messages from from these resources have been synthesised in to a short guide, ‘Crossing the Threshold’ , which summarises the issues and benefits experienced by pioneer institutions and provides signposts to key aspects of the resources.

Jisc Studies of e-portfolio implementation (videos and toolkit)

Portfolio Special Interest Group (SIG) JISC CETISCentre for Recording Achievement (CRA)Reports from the Australian Flexible Learning Framework in 2010 , including: E-portfolios and Privacy Concept Guides; VET E-portfolios Privacy Draft Guidelines; VET E-portfolios Privacy Impact Assessment Research Report; Verifying VET Learner Attainment Data - 2010 Positioning PaperCrossing the threshold: Moving e-portfolios into the mainstreame-Portfolio Implementation Toolkit - an online resource providing rich stories of e-portfolio implementation, and resulting models and guidance for managers and practitionersEffective Practice with e-Portfoliose-Portfolios infoKitAustralian ePortfolio Toolkit - a series of six guides designed to inform stakeholders in higher education about the issues and opportunities associated with e-portfolio based learning. Includes guides aimed at learners, managers, teachers and employers.

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potential employers). It should be stressed to students

and staff that e-portfolios should underpin a high degree of collaboration between students, peers, mentors, tutors (& potentially other stakeholders) at all stages of student projects/activities.

Multimedia data (e.g. captured from smartphones, tablets) can be collected as evidence e.g. audio/video interviews with stakeholders in change projects.

Students should be made aware of the possible benefits of sharing their e-portfolios (including multimedia evidence) with potential employers.

Students should be made aware of the potential to use/re-use/share e-portfolio content for different purposes and different audiences.

e-Assessment: Guide to Effective Practice Guidance on the use of e-portfolios for assessment produced by the qualifications regulators for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

3.4 Develop academic and professional body recognition and accreditation opportunities for students

Questions

To what extent will student’s work need to be formally recognised and

Survey students in terms of their preferences for recognition and accreditation.

Consider assigning institutional academic credit to “change” courses e.g. as an academic module.

Work with academic and professional bodies to develop accreditation for students via e.g. aligning student development

Jisc Digital Literacies Associations (sector bodies and professional associations Jisc worked with in their Digital Literacies programme):

ALDinHE DL - Association for Learning Development in Higher Education ALT DL - Association for Learning Technology AUA DL - Association of University Administrators HEDG DL - Heads of Educational Development Group ODHE DL - Organisational Development in Higher Education SCAP DL - Standing Conference on Academic Practice

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3 Capabilities, development and accreditation

Practice point Top tips Guide to sector resources

accredited? Who needs to be

consulted in determining such recognition and accreditation?

frameworks with their development & accreditation frameworks.

Work in collaboration with staff responsible for student employability and careers to explore such accreditation possibilities.

Align student development frameworks to graduate attributes and employability.

SCONUL DL - Society of College, National and University Libraries SDF DL - Staff Development Forum SEDA DL - Staff and Educational Development Association Vitae DL

CMALT (Certified Membership of the Association for Learning Technologies) is the qualification available through theAssociation for Learning Technologies which is actively reviewed on a regular basis and is being used by a number of projects to enhance staff skills.The Digital Department has pioneered a new CMALT accreditation scheme for teaching administrators and other staff not typically identified as 'e-learning' professionals. Associated resources include: mapping, professional development plan andaccreditation plan, CMALT certification, timeline and guidance.

SEDA and other professional associations involved in the programme have developed a Guide to Implementing the UKPSF in the Digital University, based on the UK Professional Standards Framework for HE. SEDA also manages a Professional Development Framework for teaching staff which includes named awards in Embedding Learning Technologies and Supporting Learning with Technologies.

Digital competence frameworks for FE were defined by the PADDLE project: managers, tutors, learning resource staff, FE learners and ILS learners (learners with learning difficulties and disabilities

SCONUL has produced a Digital Literacy Lens on the Seven Pillars of Information Literacy. It has also used the 8-folddefinition of digital literacies to audit current staff skills: although no mapping is proposed there is a good fit with the currentChartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals (CILIP) Body of Professional Knowledge.

3.5 Provide student/staff support

Questions

To what extent do

A range of online resources should be developed to support students and staff such as:o Guides to setting up and

implementing staff/student roles/partnership models

Oxford Brookes ePioneers project details of support and resources for students and staff within their overall set of Resources.

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students and staff require support?

What are the most appropriate and cost-effective types of support?

To what extent should technology-based approaches to support be adopted?

o General guidance and good practice materials

o Induction materialso Relevant forms and templates

e.g. contract templates, consent forms, IPR forms

o Diagnostics/self-review toolkitso Evaluation resources e.g.

guides to undertaking evaluation and measuring impact

o Guides on sustaining and embedding projects.

o Compliance and etiquette guides in relation to e.g. IPR, data protection, privacy, slander/libel, H&S, ethical working, e-communications.

o Guides to technology-enhanced working, communicating and learning.

Each student should be assigned a member of staff “development lead” to support them.

Consider providing mentoring for students from external stakeholders e.g. employers.

Support students in exporting e-portfolio content for future use e.g. in other systems and when moving into employment/further study.

3.6 Provide relevant staff Consideration should be given to Leicester digital literacies framework and self-assessment tool for teaching staff in schools

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training and link to CPD

Questions

To what extent does staff require training.

How should such training align with existing staff professional development approaches, recognition and accreditation?

adopting the “student change leader” development frameworks and courses and customising them for staff.

Link the staff development framework in leading change to the HEA professional standards framework.

Engage with HR/staff development teams to design the staff development frameworks in leading change.

Consider approaches such as “buddying” where experienced staff help to train and support their peers.

Develop a community of practice for staff and encourage experienced staff to record good practice techniques for sharing with peers.

BCS Career Framework for IT professionals, relevant mainly to those working in the IT industry but with some reference to IT professionals in other contexts e.g. HEInstitute for Learning Professional Formation statement, relevant to those teaching in CollegesEmbed-IT framework, a meta-framework developed by the Work-with-IT project to support the embedding of IT related capabilities into a range of professional roles in HE.

The HEA UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF)Changing the Learning Landscape: Online ActivitiesA series of online events run by the partnership supports the CLL Professional Development Programme. This list will be updated as new webinars are confirmed. Click on the link for further information.

3.4 Evaluation, impact and sustainability

4 Evaluation, impact & sustainability

Practice point Top tips Guide to sector resources

4.1 Identify the rationale and need for evaluation.

Questions

Evaluation can sometimes be undertaken without fully appreciating the rationale – student partnership projects should

Learning Technology Dissemination Initiative (Heriot Watt University)This article seeks to cover the principles for conducting an evaluation whether it is a small or a large project. An understanding of the theory and background to evaluation is beneficial in order to better plan, design and conduct an evaluation programme. Above all there is no substitute for having a clear

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What is the purpose of evaluation and how will it practically benefit the project?

How can evaluation be used to support sustainability and embedding of projects?

How can evaluation support stakeholder engagement?

therefore spend time questioning the reasons for undertaking evaluation, how it will be used and for what potential benefits.

Evaluation should be used for identifying impact rather than just whether a project has met specific deliverables.

As a formative “action research” process throughout a project, evaluation can support teams in reflecting on and evaluating their own progress, and support agile acting on lessons learned and responding to changing contexts.

Evaluation can play an important accountability role.

Evaluation can drive the sustainability and embedding agenda though e.g. identifying long-term goals, and providing evidence to align with (& influence) institutional policies.

Evaluation can play an important role in building capacity and wider stakeholder engagement, through e.g. providing valuable evidence and resources to promote dialogue around what is possible, effective and what works.

Evaluation can underpin celebrating student success and gaining external recognition.

purpose for an evaluation, defining the right question is a prerequisite.

Jisc Six Steps to Effective Evaluation

Oxford Brookes InStePP Final Evaluation Report Greg Benfield & Metaxia Pavlakou

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Evaluation can support benchmarking/collaborative self-review with other institutions/student partnership projects.

4.2 Choose appropriate qualitative and quantitative evaluation approaches.

Questions

How “ready” is the institution, students and staff to undertake student partnerships?

How will the student partnership project define or indicate success and impact?

Carry out baseline activities to evaluate the current situation, seek stakeholder engagement and to inform project planning and evaluation plans.

Develop an evaluation framework that focuses on measure/indicators of success – both for the project and for longer-term meeting of institutional goals (i.e. supporting the sustaining/embedding agenda).

Consider adoption of formative/action research approaches based on e.g. implement, pilot, feedback, reflect, modify and implement.

Consider appreciative enquiry approaches e.g. inquire, imagine, innovate and implement.

Consider a “balanced scorecard” approach that uses a strategic management tool to help focus on different stakeholder’s perspectives, processes, staff development and finance.

Consider use of external/internal evaluators and/or critical friends

Jisc: Learning the lessons through evaluation and research,Synthesis of evaluation approaches from the Transforming Curriculum Delivery through Technology Programme (Inspire Research – Rachel Harris)

Jisc Methods for evaluating the learner experience of e-Learning

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though ensure that their brief encompasses project sustainability and embedding.

4.3 Adopt a range of data collection techniques to support evaluation.

Questions

How can students be used to undertake evaluation?

What are the best techniques to use to evaluate student partnership projects?

When base-lining, take advantage of existing data e.g. student surveys.

Students should be tasked to research and evaluate projects as a key component of their roles as e.g. changes agents/researchers.

Evidence that students collect as part of their e-portfolios can potentially be used for student partnership project evaluation, though appropriate permissions must be sought and agreed.

Consider use of cognitive mapping techniques to aid triangulation of responses from surveys.

Consider the use of focus groups and informal discussions to explore complex behaviour, clarify results from surveys and add human dimensions to impersonal data.

Consider use of visual data to help convey complex concepts and seek feedback on these.

Interviews enable in-depth investigation of issues and minimise individual interviewees being influenced by others.

Questionnaires enable large samplers to be collected at relative

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low cost and in a standardised way though there are many disadvantages including survey fatigue and dangers of being incorrectly completed.

Statistics are useful for evaluating usage patterns and tracking trends and changes, though are generally not useful for in-depth analysis.

4.4 Identify impact on a range of stakeholders and the institution

Questions

What areas should the project focus on to identify impact on specific stakeholders such as students, staff and employers?

What areas should the project focus on to identify impact on the institution?

Student partnership projects should seek to evaluate impact on students as follows:o Student personal and

professional development using e.g. the development framework and graduate attributes / employability frameworks.

o Student satisfaction.o Student success in seeking and

gaining employment.o Student academic development

(e.g. scholarship, research, learning).

Impact on staff should be evaluated:o Staff satisfaction.o Staff development e.g. though

CPD frameworks.o Staff culture.

Impact on employers should also be

Jisc evaluation resources (Design Studio)

Jisc Different Routes to evidencing value (Rachel Harris)

Synthesis of evaluation approaches from the Transforming Curriculum Design through Technology Programme (Rachel Harris)

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evaluated:o Employer satisfaction.o Employer networking,

engagement and partnerships.o Alumni collaboration.

The impact on institutions should be evaluated as follows:o Contribution towards

institutional goals and policies.o Recruitment and retention.o Student project impact e.g. on

educational innovations, LT&A enhancements, efficiencies.

o Contribution to institutional processes and effectiveness.

4.5 Develop case studies for use with stakeholder communications and engagement.

Questions

How can case studies best be used to aid stakeholder communications and engagement?

How can case studies be used to sustain and embed student partnership projects?

What should case studies

The purpose of case study production should be clearly identified together with plans for how they will be used as part of stakeholder engagement and project sustaining and embedding.

Case studies can review an overall student partnership project as well as individual elements e.g. specific student projects, faculty implementation, staff development.

Core “template” questions should be addressed such as:oWhat were the background,

context, need and rationale?oWhat were the aims and

Jisc: The Guide to Researching Audiences: Case Studies

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contain? objectives?oWhat was undertaken?oWhat was the impact and

benefits?oWhat were the issues and

challenges?oWhat lessons were learned?oWhat were the unexpected

outcomes?oWhat are the key points for

effective practice?oConclusions and

recommendations. Case studies could also aim to

capture detailed “how to” information to aid other practitioners in planning similar activities in different contexts e.g. costs, resources required, impact on staff/student workloads, cost-benefits, IPR issues, ethics issues, compliance requirements.

Multimedia techniques (e.g. using smartphones, tablets, digital still/video cameras, digital audio recorders) can be used to capture e.g. audio/video interviews and testimonials all of which can be used for both evaluation and in wider stakeholder communications.

Case study data should be thought of as “reusable data objects” i.e.

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case studies should be presented in different ways for different audiences and contexts.

Collecting data for case studies should commence early on in projects (e.g. when base-lining commences) and continue throughout a project and align with evaluation activities.

4.6 Develop recommendations for sustaining student partnerships as part of evaluation.

Questions

How can evaluation processes be used to support the sustaining of student partnership projects?

How can evaluation best be used to influence and gain support from senior managers?

The evaluation processes should aim to produce a clear set of options for sustaining the project, outlining the pros and cons of each option and how they align with institutional policies.

Each option should explore how they can be implemented together with challenges and risks as well as time and resource commitments required from staff.

Explore with senior management how student partnerships can support, influence and shape institutional policies and responding to changing drivers and needs as well as how best to organisationally take forward student partnerships.

Collaboration opportunities should be explored with external stakeholders e.g. employers, professional/sector bodies, alumni, private sector companies, schools &

Jisc Sustaining and Embedding Good Practice Guide

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colleges, including exploring open approaches.

Sustain and further develop communities of practice, driven by students.

Students generally remain in an institution for relatively short terms, therefore knowledge transfer between student cohorts should have a key focus.

4.7 Explore options for institutionally embedding student partnerships.

Questions

How can evaluation be used to support embedding of student partnership projects?

What does embedding mean?

What are the key approaches to institutionally embedding student partnership projects?

The evaluation processes should aim to produce a clear set of options for embedding the project, outlining the pros and cons of each option and how they align with institutional policies.

Consideration should be given to embedding student partnerships in a wide range of institutional activities reflecting different student role models e.g. change agent, researcher, mentor, co-creator/designer.

Institutional policies, processes and systems should be reviewed to enable them to be more responsive towards and benefit from student partnerships e.g. QA processes, ethics policies, compliance policies, student payments, professional support services.

Develop useful guides, resources

Jisc Sustaining and Embedding Good Practice Guide

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and toolkits to support other staff and students in setting up partnerships.

Allocate resources for staff and students who have engaged with student partnerships to train, induct and support other staff.

An overall sustainability and embedding plan should be developed and aligned with the stakeholder communications and engagement plan.

Research and evaluation should be sustained as an on-going activity, particularly in relation to evaluating impact on staff, students, the institution and other stakeholders.

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4. Innovation, change and quality initiatives in student partnerships

This section summarises the various innovation, change and quality initiatives within the following bodies:

Higher Education Academy (HEA) Jisc Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) Leadership Foundation for Higher Education (LFHE) National Union of Students (NUS) Wales specific activities (e.g. Higher Education Funding Council for Wales – HEFCW, HEA - Wales and Jisc Regional Support Centre (RSC) for Wales).

Organisation Initiative

HEA Students as Partners is a key theme of the HEA and is structured around three dimensions:

the individual student experience of engaged learning and research students as change agents in learning and teaching enhancement at institutional and national levels student participation in the HEA's own strategic direction and programmes of work.

Principles for student engagementThe HEA have developed some principles relating to the process of partnership with students.

Student Advisory ForumThe HEA has formed a Student Advisory Forum to influence the work of the HEA where the national student advisers come from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds and institutions and include undergraduate and postgraduate students, those studying part and full time, and international and home students.

Research into student engagementFollowing a review of research in student engagement in 2010, the HEA published the following:

an evidence summary (PDF, 784KB) an international literature review (PDF, 472KB)

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a Framework for Action for institutional decision-makers (PDF, 196KB) a set of case studies (PDF, 1240KB)

The value of student engagement as an important factor in educational gain was also highlighted by an HEA publication authored by Graham Gibbs, Dimensions of Quality.

Student Retention and Success programmeThe HEA’s Student Retention and Success programme has published the following: Building student engagement and belonging in higher Education at a time of change: Final report from the What Works? Student

Retention & Success programme. An Executive summary: Summary of findings and recommendations from the What Works? Student Retention & Success programme. The Compendium of effective practice in higher education derives from seven institutional projects focused on improving the student

experience and include reports, tools and resources. Compendium of effective practice in higher education: Volume 2

The second volume of the compendium includes a wide range of contributions each focusing on enhancing student engagement and belonging within higher education.

Students as Partners Change programmeIn 2012-2013, the HEA developed a Students as Partners change programme in partnership with Birmingham City University. The programme aims to help HEIs to develop capacity to involve students in institutional change in areas such as: curriculum design; quality assurance and enhancement; student participation in institutional decision making; student transition, progression and achievement.

Phase 2 of the programme will run in 2012-2015.

Student engagement resourcesThe HEA has also published a set of student engagement resources: Student Engagement Final Reports A Student Engagement Project Report Research and evidence base for student engagement SLTN Student Reps Video

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Student Engagement Case Studies Student Engagement Frameworks for Action Supporting students’ unions and institutions to engage students in shaping their learning experience Dimensions of Student Engagement Report on the Meaningful Student Engagement project

What works? Student Retention and Success report(HEA, HEFCE, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Action on Access)Building student engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a time of change: a summary of findings and recommendations from the What Works? Student Retention & Success programme.

Students as Partners – in Wales.The Students as Partners work strand group consists of representatives from all institutions and students’ unions in Wales, as well as key sector agencies. The group is exploring different perspectives of students as partners, sharing best practice, and discussing models of innovation for future development.

In 2011/12, the Students as Partners group gathered a wide range of case studies from across Wales to share current best practice. The publication is available in both English and Welsh:

Students as Partners (PDF, 986KB); Myfyrwyr fel Partneriaid (PDF, 1.05MB).

In 2012/13, the Students as Partners group drove forward with activity across Wales, below is an evaluative document that draws together lessons learnt and knowledge gained from the work strand. The publication is available in both English and Welsh. Students as Partners: Lessons Learnt (PDF, 302KB) Myfyrwyr fel Partneriaid: Gwersi a ddysgir (PDF, 432KB)

Jisc National Student Change Agent NetworkJisc is supporting and funding the National Student Change Agent Network, with the University of Greenwich Educational Development Unit taking a leading role in its set-up and running. HEI-Flyers is a network of staff and students aiming to support curriculum enhancement and innovation. It offers peer-support for students working as change agents and staff working with students in this capacity. Also available is institutional guidance, support and consultancy.

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Summer of Student InnovationThroughout the summer of 2013, Jisc has been running the Summer of Student Innovation, giving students the chance to create real technology solutions and have the technology they create adopted by universities, colleges and learning providers. Student teams are offered £5,000 to develop new technology that could improve education, research and their studying life. The teams were selected through an open call for ideas and the successful teams have been given opportunities to join workshops to allow them to network with fellow students and experts to further their ideas.

Educational innovation projectsJisc has supported a number of educational innovation projects involving various forms of student engagement e.g.

Students as Digital PioneersThe Digital Literacies projects are engaging students in a number of ways to drive change in the development of digital literacies in a range of contexts. Examples include:

Oxford Brookes InStePP project - Student partnerships offer a way to join up provision for digital literacies for staff and students across the institution by establishing, supporting and building recognition for the role of student ‘ePioneers’ within existing core academic and e-learning development activities.

Greenwich Digital Literacies in Transition project - cross-university studentships foster a community of student-led research to support and feed into all other aspects of the project. Termed the IRG (Interdisciplinary Research Group), this group of students, their mentors and members of staff from all aspects of the institution will engage in baselining activities as well as develop OERs that link attribute development to DL skills and opportunities.

Reading Digitally Ready project has worked with students as partners in digital projects with academics, students as researchers, students feeding in their stories to inform work on the project and students undertaking work directly for the project.

Student Fellows at Bath Spa and WinchesterThe FASTECH project is focused on enhancing feedback and assessment processes through the use of technology. The project has recruited Student Fellows to participate in research activities, generate ideas, develop case studies, write blogs and attend and present at conferences. They are the interface between the project team and students and lecturers. Further guidance on the student fellows scheme is available here

University of Exeter - Students as Change AgentsStudents have been given opportunities to work in partnership with university staff in order to address the challenges of using technology with

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large and diverse cohorts. They have undertaken research on student views and perceptions, provided recommendations and solutions for practice, and have supported staff in bringing about wide-scale changes in teaching. Much of this work evolved through the Integrate project . Resources are available on the project website. The work continues through projects such as the CascadeDigital Literacies project which involves postgraduate researchers. Podcast : Students as Agents of Change at Exeter

Birmingham City University – Student Academic PartnersThe T-SPARC project engaged with students through the University’s Student Academic Partners (SAP) programme as part of a review of curriculum design practices and processes. SAP aims to integrate students into the teaching and pedagogic research community within BCU in order to develop collaboration between students and staff. The T-SPARC project also produced a wider stakeholder engagement model which could be used when considering the development of student engagement activities. This video collates student voices to influence curriculum design (format - wmv, mp4 )

Student engagement analyticsJisc InfoNet provides some useful guidance on student engagement analytics.

QAA http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/informationandguidance/pages/quality-code-B5.aspxQuality Code - Chapter B5: Student engagementThe Quality Code is the definitive reference point for all those involved in delivering higher education which leads to an award from or is validated by a UK higher education provider. It makes clear what institutions are required to do, what they can expect of each other, and what the general public can expect of all higher education providers. These Expectations express key matters of principle that the higher education community has identified as important for the assurance of quality and academic standards.This Chapter covers student engagement at undergraduate and postgraduate level, irrespective of location, mode of study, teaching delivery, or discipline. The Chapter focuses on the provision of an inclusive environment for student engagement.A report which summarises the feedback you gave in the consultation for Chapter B5 has been published. A summary of the consultation events for Chapter B5 is also available.

Student experience researchAs part of a 12-month project with the National Union of Students (NUS), QAA commissioned research into the student experience of UK higher education in the 21st century.

For this report, the first of four, NUS surveyed over 5,000 UK higher education students on their experience of teaching and learning.

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Student-Experience-Research-12-Part-1.aspx

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Rethinking the values of higher education - students as change agents?In this paper, by Professor Janice Kay (Senior DVC, Education), Elisabeth Dunne (Head of Project Development, Education Enhancement) and James Hutchinson (CEO, Students' Guild), all at the University of Exeter, write about their innovative 'Students as Agents for Change in Learning and Teaching' project, which is encouraging students across the University to engage in active research into ways of improving their learning and teaching experience.

HEFCE https://www.hefce.ac.uk/about/howweoperate/si/studentengagement/

Student engagementWe are working with various partner organisations to develop student-engagement policies and inform institutional practice. We are currently working with the Quality Assurance Agency, the Higher Education Academy, the National Union of Students (NUS), Universities UK and Guild HE.

Student engagement and partnership unitA new higher education student engagement partnership unit, hosted by NUS, will work to involve students more fully as partners in their own higher education.

HEFCE, NUS, the Association of Colleges and GuildHE jointly fund the unit. It will:

work to support a vision of students and their representative bodies as partners in the educational experience support students’ active involvement as partners in the development, management and governance of their institution, its academic

programmes and their enhancement, and in their own learning provide a unique partnership between students, NUS, students’ unions, universities and colleges, sector bodies and higher education

funders.

The unit is expected to launch in autumn 2013.HEFCE will contribute up to £770,000 in core funding over the next three years.

Announcement of the unit Announcement of the Director of the unit and the Chair of the unit steering group

Student perspectives on technology – demand, perceptions and training needs

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In June 2009, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) established the Online Learning Task Force. Chaired by Dame Lynne Brindley, Chief Executive of the British Library and independent of the Funding Council, the Task Force examined how to maintain and develop the position of UK higher education (HE) as a world leader in online learning. The four key initial areas of investigation included an examination into the level of demand from students – new and potential – for online learning provision in UK higher education institutions (HEIs) and student perceptions of online learning in UK HE. The Task Force commissioned the National Union of Students (NUS) to undertake a small research project to investigate this dimension in more detail.

Student perspectives on technology – demand, perceptions and training needs – Report to HEFCE by NUS (2010)

Report to HEFCE on student engagementThe Open University’s Centre for Higher Education Research and Information was commissioned by HEFCE to undertake a study on student engagement. The study is concerned with institutional and student union processes and practices – such as those relating to student representation and student feedback – which seek to inform and enhance the collective student learning experience, as distinct from specific teaching, learning and assessment activities that are designed to enhance individual students’ engagement with their own learning.

Institutions view student engagement as central to enhancing the student experience, but more emphasis seems to be placed on viewing students as consumers and rather less on viewing students as partners in a learning community. For students' unions, the emphasis tends to be on the latter aspect. Notions of students as ‘partners in a learning community’ seem to be stronger in certain subject areas than others. The study goes on to make a number of recommendations to lead the sector towards working more closely together when developing student representation practices.

LFHE http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/research-resources/commissioned-research/leading-the-student-experience/index.cfm

The following research projects and stimulus papers have been commissioned:

Leading and Managing Assessment and Feedback, Strategic Challenges Leading the Student Experience: Academics and Professional Services in Partnership Delivering Employability through Higher Education: Philosophical and Practical Challenges for University Leaders Making the road while walking: leadership lessons for sustained co-creation and curriculum innovation Changing Student Union Leadership

Student engagement toolkit for leadersThis toolkit has been designed for use by leaders in Higher Education wishing to enhance and promote student engagement in, and beyond,

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their institutions. It can be used alongside the NUS / HEA Student Engagement Toolkit, which focuses on improving three specific areas of student engagement, namely representation, module feedback, and curriculum design. In this toolkit you will find:

Conceptual Overview of Student Engagement Leading for Engagement in Higher Education Powerpoint presentations on Student Engagement Workshop Resources References and Resources

Report of the ‘Leading academic engagement with students and students’ union’ project (LFHE and University of Winchester)

Over the last decade there has been a steady and considerable increase in focus on student engagement. Rather than rehearse the well versed arguments about whether student engagement is important or not – it clearly is – this project has sought to examine 4 leading models of student engagement to capture their strengths and benefits for the students involved.

Synthesis of findings on leadership and student engagement

Involving Students in Change – planning document and guidanceStudent engagement is also a strong theme in the Changing the Learning Landscape programme, and the NUS have produced a useful planning document and guidance notes for anyone wishing to think through how students will be engaged in any new initiative: Involving Students in Change.

NUS http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/campaigns/highereducation/student-engagement/NUS Connect “Student Engagement”.

Rachel Wenstone (Vice President (Higher Education) launches a Manifesto for Partnership.

Student Engagement ToolkitThe toolkit is divided in to the following sections:Enhancing Engagement PracticesThis section contains information supporting the processes of enhancing student engagement. There is also additional information on three key strands of engagement:Feedback from students

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Representation Curriculum design ResourcesThis section contains tools and resources to support institutions and students' unions in debating, analysing and enhancing student engagement practices.The benefits of student engagementThis section contains perspectives on the benefits of student engagement for various stakeholders, including students and students' unions.

NUS/QAA collaborative projectsDuring the academic year 2011/12, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) funded NUS to deliver three strands of work on student engagement and the student experience.These collaborative projects resulted in:The development of the Quality Matters website, which includes a suite of online training modules for course reps.Bespoke support delivered to 15 students' unions on improving student engagement in quality assurance and enhancement.The 'Understanding the barriers to student engagement' report, which is designed to contribute to the knowledge of the higher education sector on the barriers to engaging students in their learning experience.Teaching and Learning Research , which included four mini reports on Teaching and Learning, Contact Hours and Independent Learning, Subject Differences and The 1st Year Student Experience, as well as a full report published in June 2012.In 2012 NUS and QAA embarked on two new collaborative projects. These projects, delivered by NUS and funded by QAA, will span two academic years and come to an end in September 2014.

Student Engagement AmbassadorsThe Student Engagement Ambassadors work in their local region across the UK to develop effective campaigns using the data from the NSS, as well as supporting the development of the student voice on campus. Their primary role is to support unions to access their NSS results, promote the completion of the survey to final year students and support students' unions to review and enhance how students engage in the quality agenda. They are students, officers or students' union staff members who work for NUS on a part-time basis.

Student engagement championsAs part of the NUS/HEA student engagement project we are hiring a network of student engagement champions to conduct qualitative research within students’ unions and to be a regional contact for issues around student engagement.

Wales specific Future Directions

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activities Future Directions is the HE learning and teaching enhancement programme managed by HEA Wales for HEFCW. Jisc RSC Wales sits on the

Steering Group and contributes where possible to programme activities.o Since the meeting two proposals have been submitted with Peter Chatterton and Sarah Knight for the 2014 Future Directions

conference (Wales’ national HE learning and teaching conference) relating to Jisc students as change agents work. Future Directions has had three enhancement workstrands to 2013-2014, one of which has been Students as Partners (SaP). Full details

here. SaP workstrand outputs have included the following:o Case studies available as a pdf here. Several are based on Jisc-funded projects (Building Capacity p.29, PEDL p.33, Palet p.44 and

PADDLE p.45). Others (eg p.19, p.27) have a digital dimension in terms of social networking. I suspect that there could well be interesting digital aspects to other students-as-partners activities, but these are not necessarily brought to the fore. In any event, where work is continuing (eg on student involvement in curriculum design) there could be scope for further awareness raising of digital possibilities.

o An ongoing project Student Stories (I am on the advisory group for this) led by the OU in Wales, which seeks to capture student voices on the theme of students working in partnership, primarily through production of digital video clips. Projects such as this offer an opportunity to highlight Jisc funded services to support digital student partnership activity (e.g. Jisc Digital Media and Jisc Legal).

o There has been discussion about the creation of a Students as Partners Wales-wide network and I am in the process of finding out what the timescale might be for progressing this discussion, and a suitable contact.

o SaP as a distinct workstrand continues up to April 2014, but its work will increasingly blend into other workstrands. In Autumn 2013, in the light of the HE Policy Statement (June 2013), a new Future Directions enhancement theme has been introduced:

Global graduates: enabling flexible learning. Full details here. Points to note with regard to students as change agents in a digital environment:

o Students as Partners is explicitly acknowledged a key dimension across all new workstrands. In particular Learner Journeys (which Jisc RSC Wales is currently active in) has strong student focus and involvement.

o Digital (digital literacies, digital enablement etc etc) on the other hand, whilst discussed early on as a potential cross-cutting dimension for Flexible Learning has not so far been explicitly articulated in programme documents and web pages. There are signs that ‘digital’ may start to surface more as workstrands ‘bed in’, but it is not certain. I have started raising awareness of the “National Students as Change Agents Network” at relevant meetings. There is, I think, scope for Jisc to articulate more explicit connections between digital innovation, flexible learning and the role of students

Wise Wales http://www.wisewales.com/Wise Wales is the new name for WISE: the Wales Initiative for Student Engagement.

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Case studies are here (including one college HE provider). Jisc RSC Wales is not currently a partner organisation in Wise Wales. However in 2012-2013 Jisc RSC Wales worked with Wise

Wales to develop a guide to social media for student engagement, see http://www.jiscrsc.ac.uk/wales/news/2013/october/new-guide-on-social-media-for-student-engagement.aspx

HEFCW

HEFCW and student involvement (including good practice re governance)http://www.hefcw.ac.uk/policy_areas/learning_and_teaching/students.aspx

Welsh Government remit letter to HEFCW 2013-2014Note for example the distinctive focus on Welsh-medium (para 13-14), also emphasis on student engagement (para 16) and graduate employability (para 31).

HEFCW Enhancing Learning and Teaching through Technology Strategy (2007/2008-2016/17)This strategy is undergoing review by a task and finish group in Spring 2014, including representation from Jisc RSC Wales and Andy Coulthard (Jisc Board). This may provide opportunity to raise awareness of opportunities and issues which have come to the fore since the last review in 2011.

Welsh Government

Welsh Government Online Digital Learning Working Group This group reported in September 2013. Whilst its focus is not particularly on students as change agents/partners, it may potentially influence policy and activity in the sector regarding flexible learning, online delivery, open practice etc. The report is currently with the minister Huw Lewis and we await news of its publication. Jisc staff contributed significantly to the work of this group

With respect to FE in Wales, the current Welsh Government requirements around “learner involvement” are here (under review).

The recently announced review of HE funding and student fees will be key up to and beyond the next Welsh Assembly elections (2016).

Higher Education Wales

Professor Colin Riordan discusses launch of partnership statement (Dec 2013)

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http://www.hew.ac.uk/professor-colin-riordan-discusses-launch-of-partnership-statement/

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5. Case studies of student partnership/engagement

This section summarises innovation/change projects that have a strong focus on student partnerships/engagement:

Northumbria University HEA Student retention & success programme

Aston University HEA Student retention & success programme

Anglia Ruskin University HEA Student retention & success programme

Nottingham Trent University HEA Student retention & success programme

University of Sunderland HEA Student retention & success programme

University of Leicester HEA Student retention & success programme

University of Reading/ Oxford Brookes University HEA Student retention & success programme

Kingston University HEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013

University of Ulster HEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013

Birmingham City University HEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013

University of Oxford HEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013

Liverpool John Moores University HEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013

Manchester Metropolitan University HEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013

Sheffield Hallam University HEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013

Newman University, Birmingham HEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013

Oxford Brookes University Jisc Developing Digital Literacies programme

University of Greenwich Jisc Developing Digital Literacies programme

University of Reading Jisc Developing Digital Literacies programme

Bath Spa University Jisc Assessment and Feedback programme

University of Exeter Jisc Transforming Curriculum Delivery through Technology programme

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Birmingham City University Jisc Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design programme

University of Hertfordshire Reverse Mentoring for Blended Learning

University of Wolverhampton Student E-champions

University of Surrey Co-lab Consultants

Institution / sponsor Details

Northumbria UniversityHEA Student retention & success programme]

Dispositions to stay: the support and evaluation of retention strategies using the Effective Lifelong Learning InventoryThis program evaluated effective strategies and interventions to ensure high continuation and completion rates in twenty two higher education institutions (HEIs).This document includes reports that enhance practice and provides toolkits and resources to assist other institutions in improving student retention and success. Particular focus is given to staff perspectives on motivation, student expectations and development, relationships between staff and students and peer relationships.

Related documents/links:

My Learning Power: Using ELLI in Higher Education (pdf 178kb)

A good practice guide to learning relationships in higher education (pdf 204kb)

A manifesto for change in higher education in the UK (pdf 68kb)

Aston UniversityHEA Student retention & success programme]

Peer Mentoring Works! How Peer Mentoring Enhances Student Success in Higher EducationThis report details the value of peer mentoring in promoting student success in higher education.This document discusses how public policy has both negatively and positively impacted higher education over the previous three decades. Increasing student numbers and fees in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are affecting student retention. Peer monitoring offers support to students and is suggested as a mechanism to overcome this.

Related documents/links:

Tackling Transition Seminar Briefing Paper (Doc. 396kb)

Peer Mentoring Evaluation Toolkit (.pdf 1,076kb)

Peer Mentoring Institutional Manual (.pdf 760kb)

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Peer Mentoring Works Executive Summary (Doc. 533kb)

Peer Mentoring Works Discussion Points (Doc. 32kb)

Peer Mentoring Works Study Findings (ppt. 1,540kb)

Peer Mentoring Works: In the Students' Own Words (ppt. 1,307kb)

Mapping Peer Mentoring across the UK Higher Education Sector (ppt. 737kb)

"Transition+" Model of Peer Mentoring (ppt. 737kb)

Anglia Ruskin UniversityHEA Student retention & success programme]

A comparative evaluation of the roles of student adviser and personal tutor in relation to undergraduate student retentionThis report investigated the impact of the roles of non-academic student advisers and “traditional‟ academic personal tutors in relation to undergraduate retention.One of the main aims of this project was to identify the students’ perspective on what help they required when experiencing difficulties, who they required it from and when it was required. It looked at the factors that caused students to consider leaving university as well as the sources and types of support within and outside the university which influenced their decision to stay. The key finding from this study was that the advice from personal tutors was as important as advice from student advisers and that help may also be sought from non-professionals.

Nottingham Trent UniversityHEA Student retention & success programme]

HERE! Higher education retention & engagementThe final report from the HERE Project, one of seven initiatives undertaken as part of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the 'What Works? Student Retention and Success programme' funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.The HERE Project was jointly delivered by Nottingham Trent University, Bournemouth University and the University of Bradford. Research for the project was conducted with first year students and investigated two themes associated with student retention and success: the impact that doubting has on retention and the impact that individual programme teams can have on retention.

Related documents/links:

HERE project final report appendices (pdf1.70mb)

HERE project toolkit

University of SunderlandHEA Student retention & success programme]

Good practice in student retention: an examination of the effects of student integration on non-completionThis report studies how student retention is affected by learners' sense of social and academic integration.This research focused on mature, first year, part-time, and local students. Four key messages arose from this investigation: integration of the social and academic elements of university life is key to the integration of students into the school and wider

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university community; early imposition of structures upon students by staff appears effective in giving a sense of continuity and purpose; teams and groups working collaboratively on academic tasks enhance their social opportunities and integrating social and academic elements of university life encourage students to build relations with staff and each other as well as engaging with the curriculum.The research findings showed that students found activities that combined social opportunities with an academic context as important in helping them to continue with their degree programmes. It also showed that students valued the integration focused activities evaluated in this research.

Related documents/links:

Workshop for Degree Programme Directors - report appendix 10.3.1 (ppt 762kb)

University of LeicesterHEA Student retention & success programme]

‘Belonging' & 'intimacy' factors in the retention of students - an investigation into student perceptions of effective practice and how that practice can be replicatedThis project focuses on six key themes that play a major role in students establishing confidence and a sense of belonging throughout their course.The University of Leicester is a member of the 1994 group of universities engaging in high quality research and teaching. It has a high retention rate and has repeatedly scored very highly in the National Student Survey (NSS) for overall student satisfaction. Data from the NSS and previous surveys of first year undergraduates from all disciplines has indicated that a sense of ‘belonging and intimacy’ at the University plays a significant role in this. The overall aim of this project was to investigate what makes this happen and how it could be better improved. Questionnaires, individual interviews and analysis of video diaries from first and second year students were used to investigate these questions.

University of Reading/ Oxford Brookes UniversityHEA Student retention & success programme]

Comparing and evaluating the impacts on student retention of different approaches to supporting students through study advice and personal developmentThis report examines two distinct approaches to supporting students at two different higher education institutions.This document details the experience of first year undergraduate students within the contexts of an academic school and across an entire institution. The study looks at the Personal and Academic Support System (PASS) at Oxford Brookes University and at a holistic model of student support and development at the University of Reading. The findings from this report indicate that structured support, fostering engagement, managing expectations and enabling a sense of belonging provided by the institution plays a key role in ensuring students progress and facilitates student retention.

Related documents/links:

Appendices to final report (pdf 3,453kb)

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Supplementary report on PASS from Oxford Brookes University (pdf 653kb)

Video Resources from the What Works Project

Kingston UniversityHEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013]

The Student Academic Development Associate Research Scheme

This scheme aims to encourage staff and students to undertake educational and pedagogic research with the purpose of improving the academic experience of students at the university. This work will encourage collaboration between staff and students, enabling students to both provide a perspective on how the student experience might be improved but also to undertake paid research in an academic environment. Students as Partners Change Programme

Case Study

University of UlsterHEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013]

Student Engagement: a catalyst for transformative change

The initial aim of the project was to develop a staged model of student engagement; the first stage involving students in the curriculum i.e. in their learning, with the focus targeted at first year engagement and then secondly, the engagement of students in shaping the design and delivery of the curriculum. It was posited that in doing this students will then be in a better position to become true partners and be better able to become constructively involved in curriculum design and co-creators of their learning experiences.

Case Study

Birmingham City UniversityHEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013]

New Student Conversations: From QA to QE

The idea behind this initiative is to expand the opportunities for the student voice beyond traditional higher education quality systems, with the aim of offering greater representation of student opinion. By broadening the mechanisms for capturing the student voice we wish to build upon the existing ‘Partners for Success’ agenda at Birmingham City University (BCU).

Case Study

University of OxfordHEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013]

Developing practical skills training for Global Health masters students

The mission of the University of Oxford is to achieve and sustain excellence in every area of its teaching and research, enriching communities through the fruits of its research, the skills of its alumni, and the publishing of academic and educational materials. Our initiative was closely aligned with the University’s mission: to develop an innovative and high quality programme in teaching and learning by drawing on the skills of alumni to enhance the educational experience of current Master of Science (MSc) students.

Case Study

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Liverpool John Moores UniversityHEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013]

Student Engagement Initiative

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) has an existing track record of engaging students in shaping their academic and wider University experience; however, this is not necessarily consistent across all Faculties and disciplines. The Initiative allowed us the opportunity to embed awareness and involvement in student engagement throughout the Institution.

Case Study

Manchester Metropolitan UniversityHEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013]

Design your own course? A new role for students in programme development and curriculum design

The initiative sought to develop the concept of partnership in curriculum development. It was hoped that this would encourage students to become more engaged with the ways in which they were taught and to give them useful transferable skills in communication, negotiation and problem-solving, as well as enhancing the courses for future students.

Case Study

Sheffield Hallam UniversityHEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013]

Students at the heart of curriculum design

Course Design Consultancy is a change initiative in Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) where students have been recruited to be Course Design Consultants (CDCs). The significance of the Course Design Consultancy within the institution is that there is a model and a structure in place for students to engage 'early on' in the course and design approval process which has never existed before. The role of students as CDCs is to work alongside course leaders and course planning teams in the (re)design of their courses for approval. More importantly, the role of the CDCs includes working alongside students on a respective course, specifically engaging them in what we have termed a 'solutions-based' workshop where students conjure ideas and recommendations for improving their course.

Case Study

Newman University, BirminghamHEA Students as partners change programme 2012-2013]

Extending Student Engagement through Curriculum Enhancement

This initiative aimed to involve students as partners within a community of practice (Wenger et al, 2002). Students involved with creating learning resources potentially enhanced their subject understanding, gained transferable skills, and gained ownership of their learning experience, and had the opportunity to enhance the students learning experience of their peers. The initiative aimed to break down (hierarchical) barriers between academic staff and students, developing a two-way learning and teaching dialogue between staff and students in relation to curriculum development and enhancement.

Case Study

Oxford Brookes UniversityJisc Developing Digital

Oxford Brookes InStePP projectStudent partnerships offer a way to join up provision for digital literacies for staff and students across the institution by

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Literacies programme establishing, supporting and building recognition for the role of student ‘ePioneers’ within existing core academic and e-learning development activities.

University of GreenwichJisc Developing Digital Literacies programme

Greenwich Digital Literacies in Transition projectCross-university studentships foster a community of student-led research to support and feed into all other aspects of the project. Termed the IRG (Interdisciplinary Research Group), this group of students, their mentors and members of staff from all aspects of the institution will engage in baselining activities as well as develop OERs that link attribute development to DL skills and opportunities.

University of ReadingJisc Developing Digital Literacies programme

Digitally Ready projectDigitally Ready project has worked with students as partners in digital projects with academics, students as researchers, students feeding in their stories to inform work on the project and students undertaking work directly for the project.

Bath Spa UniversityJisc Assessment and Feedback programme

Student Fellows at Bath Spa and WinchesterThe FASTECH project is focused on enhancing feedback and assessment processes through the use of technology. The project has recruited Student Fellows to participate in research activities, generate ideas, develop case studies, write blogs and attend and present at conferences. They are the interface between the project team and students and lecturers. Further guidance on the student fellows scheme is available here.

University of ExeterJisc Transforming Curriculum Delivery through Technology programme

Students as Change AgentsStudents have been given opportunities to work in partnership with university staff in order to address the challenges of using technology with large and diverse cohorts. They have undertaken research on student views and perceptions, provided recommendations and solutions for practice, and have supported staff in bringing about wide-scale changes in teaching. Much of this work evolved through the Integrate project . Resources are available on the project website. The work continues through projects such as the CascadeDigital Literacies project which involves postgraduate researchers. Podcast : Students as Agents of Change at Exeter. Project website and blog. Developing Digital Scholars.

University of Exeter Championing the library: involving students in development, advocacy and stock selectionThe library piloted a student “library champion” scheme.http://www.sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/12_11.pdf

Birmingham City UniversityJisc Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design programme

Student Academic PartnersThe T-SPARC project engaged with students through the University’s Student Academic Partners (SAP) programme as part of a review of curriculum design practices and processes. SAP aims to integrate students into the teaching and pedagogic research community within BCU in order to develop collaboration between students and staff. The T-SPARC project also produced a

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wider stakeholder engagement model which could be used when considering the development of student engagement activities. This video collates student voices to influence curriculum design (format - wmv, mp4 )

University of HertfordshireReverse Mentoring for Blended Learning

Peer mentoring has been used by some institutions in order to help those who are less able at something to improve, by pairing them with a mentor of a similar background. Mentoring has been used in academic milieus, where one student will help another, and in more professional milieus where one colleague is paired to help another colleague. Mentoringof both types is already widely used at the University of Hertfordshire (UH) in the UK. However, the current project has a twist to it. What if we were to take the former part of the student mentoring example and the latter part of the colleague mentor example – reverse mentoring? In this paper, we share the results of this question, what happens when you mix it up and a student becomes a lecturer’s mentor?

University of WolverhamptonStudent E-champions

In this paper we argue for university pedagogies to be in tune with the ways in which many of the present generation of students interact with technologies. We propose that the technical expertise and the novel modes of being which are characteristic of this generation offer radical pedagogic possibilities for growing learner engagement. In making this proposal, we suggest a reconfiguration of curriculum design in order to foreground students’ expertise with technology, particularly Web 2.0. We propose that these capabilities be deployed in partnership with academics. The paper maps out the conceptual terrain and reports on the first cycle of action research projects which have been designed to trial the reconfiguration we suggest. Early findings indicate seven particular and differential ways in which students have profited from this reconfiguration, most notably through the use of peer-led Facebook groups as a hub and a means of peer support.

University of SurreyCo-lab Consultants

CoLab is a student-led enterprise that provides a range of services for students, staff, the University, the local community and external institutions. Its origin lies in the mission of a university that places high value on learning to be a professional through real-world work placement experiences. The idea of CoLab was developed and implemented by SCEPTrE , the University’s Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, in partnership with the Learning and Technology team in the Centre for Educational and Academic Development.

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6. Useful resources

Resource Details

Change Agent Network http://www.changeagentsnetwork.co.ukThe Change Agent Network is a network of staff and students developed and funded by Jisc to support curriculum enhancement and innovation. It offers peer-support for students working as change agents and staff working with students in this capacity. Also available is institutional guidance, support and consultancy. Through the network there are possibilities for project promotion and dissemination as well as guidance on routes for recognition. The network is also able to run workshops and events.

Student Learning and Teaching Network

http://studentlandtnetwork.ning.com/The SLTN promotes active student engagement in learning and teaching communities. We provide a student led space for people in further and higher education with a passion for learning and teaching to meet, share experiences and empower others.

RAISE: Researching, Advancing and Inspiring Student Engagement

http://raise-network.ning.com/RAISE is a network of academics, practitioners, advisors and student representatives drawn from the Higher Education Sector who are working and/or interested in researching and promoting student engagement.The network creates opportunities to come together for beneficial scholarly discussion and creating collaborative projects, sharing good practice and lobbying for investment and better policies locally, sectorally and across our international community.

sparqs (Student Participation in Quality Scotland)

http://www.sparqs.ac.ukSparqs is an agency which puts students at the heart of decisions being made about the quality and governance of the learning experience. We are funded by the Scottish Funding Council, hosted and managed on their behalf by NUS Scotland, and directed by a Steering Committee with sector-wide membership.It’s work is set out in its Strategic Plan for 2013-18.

Our vision is of:Students making a positive and rewarding difference to their own and others’ educational experience, helping shape the nature of learning and contributing to the overall success of Scotland’s universities and colleges.

To make this vision a reality, our mission is to:Ensure that students are able to engage as partners at all levels of quality assurance and enhancement activities, including: Commenting on, improving and shaping their own learning experience. Taking an active part in formal student engagement mechanisms, including quality assurance and enhancement processes and

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strategic decision making. Shaping the development of the student experience at a national level.

Student as Change agents: New Ways of engaging with learning and teaching in higher educationElisabeth Dunne and Roos Zandstra, University of Exeter

http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/14767/1/8242.pdfThe University of Exeter has developed an innovative and exciting student-led action research initiative that brings students and staff together to improve experiences of higher education. Students from across the university have contributed to this initiative, carrying out a series of research projects on their learning and teaching environment, selecting concerns raised through student-staff liaison committees (SSLCs), and providing recommendations and solutions to improve their experience. A small amount of funding was made available from the University’s learning and teaching budget to support this initiative.

Integrate framework for students as change agentsUniversity of Exeter

A FRAMEWORK FOR PROMOTING CHANGE IN TECHNOLOGY USE THROUGH ENGAGING STUDENTSThe framework is designed around two key dimensions: The extent to which any activity is led by students, or led by the institution The extent to which any activity is premised on active engagement by students in change, or is based on more passive forms of

representationThe framework may allow a better understanding of formal engagement with students, the different forms that this can take, and where responsibilities lie.

Towards Student AccreditationOxford Brookes University

Towards AccreditationOne of the InStePP project goals is to offer student ePioneers recognition pathways with our Project partners .

ePioneer Recruitment and Briefing

Interdisciplinary Research GroupUniversity of Greenwich

Interdisciplinary Research GroupAt the heart of this project is a student-led Interdisciplinary research group (IRG). The IRG comprises students (up to ten) from all campuses of the university and also across academic years. These students are funded by studentships worth £1,500 per academic year and supported by a student intern, who draws from his own experience and currency as a recent graduate. For this group to be successful it needed to comprise enterprising, dynamic and enthusiastic students. Therefore a novel recruitment process was created and deployed. The aim of this section is to describe the recruitment process and provide access to the resources used to recruit to the group.

Hearing the student voiceEdinburgh Napier University

http://www2.napier.ac.uk/studentvoices/Welcome to the website of the first Hearing the Student Voice project which focused on using the student voice to enhance professional development in learning, teaching and assessment within higher education. Further details are provided in

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the Project outline. he team developed in-depth case studies of innovative practice which were shared with the sector. Case studies lists and provides brief summaries of each of the case studies developed, includes the full case studies (comprising the developer's commentary and student and staff evaluations) and provides guidance for staff in how to develop their own case study. The case studies were written up using a common template developed for the project and this – together with the student and staff evaluation forms and the student permission form – are available for downloading.

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