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Academic Year Review

Academic Year Review. Presentation to SMG 7 June 2011 Michele Shoebridge and Jonathan Barry. Principal aims and considerations of the review. Foster a study ethos and greater sense of academic rigour particularly in the First Year. Add value and content to the Summer Term

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Academic Year Review

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  1. Academic Year Review Presentation to SMG 7 June 2011 Michele Shoebridge and Jonathan Barry

  2. Principal aims and considerations of the review • Foster a study ethos and greater sense of academic rigour particularly in the First Year. • Add value and content to the Summer Term • Create opportunities to embed employability opportunities in the curriculum of all students across the year • Improve the student experience on all campuses • Consider the impact on academic research time • Ensure that we take advantage of the capital investment in our campuses

  3. Proposals • Extend the AY from 30 weeks (11 + 12 + 7) to 31 weeks (12 + 12 + 7), starting one week earlier and ending at the same time as under the current structure. • Move from a two semester module to three terms. For the first year…. • Bring forward the assessment week to the last week before the Christmas break (week 12) and add a feedback week straight after the break. • The week immediately before assessment week (week 11) will be given over to consolidation (i.e. there will be ‘no new learning’ in that week), which will provide an opportunity for some structured revision before assessment.

  4. Proposals • Week 12 before Christmas to become a revision week for second and third years. • Shorten the exam period in the summer from 5 weeks to 4 weeks but retain the current revision week at the beginning of the summer term. • Introduce a new high profile, inspirational, mandatory academic and employability skills programme in the last two weeks of the summer term (while marking, moderation and exam boards are taking place) for all first and second year students. • The length of teaching periods will remain unchanged.

  5. Student Feedback The Guild’s has recently conducted a student questionnaire base on the key proposals. The response level was much higher than expected with approximately 2,500 students, across disciplines, years, Colleges and campuses taking part. Support for the key proposals was encouragingly positive. However, the final question on support for the changes to the calendar needed in order to implement the proposals showed a clear split in views. Negative comments were focused largely on • the length of the first term • the lack of a revision week before the summer exams. The revised proposals take both of these concerns on board and have been welcomed by the Vice President Academic Affairs.

  6. Summer Academic Programme • Reflects the new fees environment • Highlights our distinctiveness • Builds on our strengths • Compelling and inspirational • Good value for money • Learning through Research events that relate to a bigger strategy around research led teaching • Employability offerings • Personal and professional development courses • Language courses • Taster courses • Arts, Culture and Sporting festivals

  7. Summer Academic Programme • A Working Group has been established to work with Colleges to pull together options into a significant and co-ordinated programme. • A Programme Manager will be appointed to take the initiative forward but it will require support from Colleges. • The programme will be mandatory. • A pilot will be run in the summer of 2012.

  8. Outstanding issues • An additional week added to the academic year reduces time for research activities and the Summer Academic Programme will require input from academic staff • December exams for the first year will require collation and checking of exam papers by the end of October, and feedback at the beginning of January will require marking to be completed over the Christmas break. Added pressure for both academic and Professional Services staff • We have not managed to synchronise all term dates with UCF • We will still have to think about how assessment periods work for JYA and other international exchanges

  9. Current status • A summary of the proposals and the revised academic year chart have been posted on the T & F Group Dual Assurance web page. • Academic staff have been invited to submit comments via College ADEs. • Michele Shoebridge and Jonathan Barry are meeting with the ASA Executive.

  10. Timetable for consultation and approval 28 February ADEs 21 March VCEG ( initial) 22 March PSMG 31 March Student focus groups 26 April – 13 May Online student survey 6 May Student Experience CAT 26 May T & F Group meeting: presentation of final report 31 May VCEG (final) 1 & 2 June Faculty Boards June ASA Executive/On line staff consultation 3 June University Student Exchange 7 June ADEs 7 June SMG 1 July Senate [deadline for 1st circulation: 17 June] 14 July Council [deadline for 1st circulation: 1 July]

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