Category: Teaching Excellence

Vignette of Practice – Universal Design for Learning (UDL): The Benefits of Implementation

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL): The Benefits of Implementation By Lisa Porter, Senior Lecturer and Admissions Tutor – FdSc; School of Allied Health and Community     This case study demonstrates innovative and excellent practice: UDL was applied to a module, resulting in significantly increased student satisfaction, achievement and engagement. UDL is a framework which reduces barriers to learning, recognises the diversity of individual learning styles and provides equality of opportunity for all learners (Capp, 2017). It provides a ‘buffet’ of learning rather than a single ‘fixed menu’ approach and contains three core principles: ‘Flexible methods of learning’; ‘Flexible resources to support learning’; ‘Flexible assessments’ (DeMontfort University, 2019). I applied the ‘UDL Self-Assessment and Development Tool’ (DeMontfort University, 2019) to review how ‘universal’ my module… Read moreVignette of Practice – Universal Design for Learning (UDL): The Benefits of Implementation

Vignette of Practice: Building Confidence to Present

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Building Confidence to Present: Innovative Assessment Preparation for an Inspiring Poster Conference within the Foundation Degree Programme. By Lisa Mauro-Bracken, Dawn Goodall, Lisa Porter and Rebecca Weston, School of Allied Health and Community     This case study focuses upon innovative and inspiring practice within the Level 5 Work-based Learning (WBL) module that consolidates learning across both years. It engages students through the planning, implementation and evaluation of a setting- based project (K1-3) assessed at a poster conference. Using the framework of an academic conference, this assessment fostered peer engagement and appreciation of a diverse range of projects. Poster sessions, keynote speakers and networking lunch formed the structure of the day with all students leaving with provisional grades and feedback as “being able to get… Read moreVignette of Practice: Building Confidence to Present

Vignette of Practice: Cultivating Change for Inclusive Practice – Creating a Community of Learners

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Cultivating Change for Inclusive Practice: Creating a Community of Learners By Lisa Mauro-Bracken, Head of Department Health and Well-being; School of Allied Health and Community   This case study illustrates an innovative, department-wide approach to learning and professional development of staff. Higher Education encounters increasing numbers of students from diverse linguistic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds requiring personalised learning (V1; V2). To cultivate a ‘new’ inclusive culture within the Department of Health and Well-being, I organised a workshop introducing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as part of a team away day (K5). UDL is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn (CAST, 2019). The UDL framework supports inclusive practice and relies on multiple… Read moreVignette of Practice: Cultivating Change for Inclusive Practice – Creating a Community of Learners

Vignette of Practice: ‘How to get an A Grade’

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  How to get an A Grade By Dawn Goodall, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health and Wellbeing and Learning and Teaching Co-ordinator; School of Allied Health and Community       As part of the Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education we were introduced to the university’s Generic Undergraduate Grading Criteria (UW, 2016) [K6] and a fellow student commented if he had known this he would have ‘got a First’. This stuck in my head and after exploring Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) (Biggs and Collis, 1982; Biggs and Tang, 2007), I decided to design a session for students on assessment grading (A2). I explored grade differences using key vocabulary/ideas in the descriptors’, sporting analogies, physical demonstrations with books and hypothetical authorship…. Read moreVignette of Practice: ‘How to get an A Grade’

Tackling ‘Group Hate’: Design and Delivery of Authentic and Collaborative Learning for GAMA3004 Group Game Development Module

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Tackling ‘Group-Hate’: Design and Delivery of Authentic and Collaborative Learning for GAMA3004 Group Game Development module By Jacqui Edwards, Senior Lecturer & Course Leader for Game Art; School of the Arts.                           ‘Great Things’ Event, June 2019. This case study reflects on the design and delivery of a year-long level 6 module, for BA Hons Game Art, with a focus on embedding authentic learning and an innovative group work experience involving live briefs and collaborative, interdisciplinary practice (A1). In game development teamwork is essential, however, it is commonly an area that students find problematic. Indeed, the negative reactions to group work even has its own term, “Group-Hate” (Sorenson, 1981 cited in Burke, 2011)…. Read moreTackling ‘Group Hate’: Design and Delivery of Authentic and Collaborative Learning for GAMA3004 Group Game Development Module

Vignette of Practice: ‘Include Me’: A Move Towards Inclusive Teaching and Assessment

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‘Include Me’: A Move towards Inclusive Teaching and Assessment by Jo Augustus; School of Allied Health and Community   On reflection my style of teaching is underpinned by two attitudes I hold; commitment to others around me and collaborative working. Through my roles in HE I have focused on leading others in activities such as; course development, teaching and scholarly activity (QAA 2017) (K2; K6). The sense of working alongside, this could be as an expert or beginner, thus leading from the front, centre and behind with both students and colleagues. At times I have found this challenging and unnatural as I am an introvert, gaining inspiration from working with others once I have worked independently. This case study will outline a variety of innovative,… Read moreVignette of Practice: ‘Include Me’: A Move Towards Inclusive Teaching and Assessment

Personal Academic Tutoring (PAT)

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The Personal Academic Tutoring system at the University of Worcester sits at the heart of the student experience and impacts directly on student retention and attainment. We have been developing a model of PAT referred to as ‘working in partnership’ that we know is founded on best practice. As a result a number of useful resources and case studies have been produced. We have also updated the guidance on the University PAT web pages. There is also a Personal Academic Tutoring Guide with more information. The web pages include: * A link to the policy * Guidance – the role of the PAT; the role of the student; guiding principles; working in partnership; theoretical underpinning of working in partnership model *Examples of practice, including three… Read morePersonal Academic Tutoring (PAT)

Vignette of Practice: Level 2+ Award Programme by Craig Williams; School of Sport and Exercise Science

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Level 2+ Award Programme by Craig Williams; School of Sport and Exercise Science     This case study provides an overview of the rationale for, and impact of the ‘Level 2+ Award Programme’, an accredited Sports Coaching Award Programme at the University of Worcester (UW). Launched in 2011, the programme provided students with the opportunity to achieve recognised vocational qualifications within a mandatory first year coaching module (SPRT1024). The embedded Level 2 coaching award programme was designed to develop vocational coach education qualifications for UW students, which provided affordable and flexible vocational learning whilst also enhancing student employability and placement readiness. The blended learning aspect of the program permitted students to accredit prior learning gained in the module towards the Nationally accredited 1st4sport Level 2… Read moreVignette of Practice: Level 2+ Award Programme by Craig Williams; School of Sport and Exercise Science

Vignette of Practice – Graduate Employment: Increasing Student Employability Through Applied Lifelong Learning

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Graduate Employment: Increasing Student Employability Through Applied Lifelong Learning by David Mycock;  School of Sport and Exercise Science   This case study demonstrates the innovative and inspiring work I have done as the SSES Course Leader for the BSc. Sports Coaching Science with Disability Sport. It summarises my attempts to increase practical teaching, learning and employment opportunities for students on this study pathway. Graduate employment is one of the key Teaching Excellence Framework drivers for universities and this driver motivated me to more closely align my teaching activities and learning priorities with developing employability skills and opportunities. Additionally, I wanted to clearly articulate to inquiring students the answer to a question frequently asked; “What job will this course allow me to do”? The University of… Read moreVignette of Practice – Graduate Employment: Increasing Student Employability Through Applied Lifelong Learning

Accessible Organisations – Supporting learning providers in creating inclusive teaching and learning experiences

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So, you want me to read for my degree? Considering a Universal Design for learning approach to reading through the use of audiobooks and accessibility tools By Jisc accessibility and inclusion July 20, 2019  Inclusive Digital Capability, Learner Experience, Library, Uncategorized It seems logical to those of us working in higher education that students need to read for their degrees. Yet research indicates this isn’t so obvious to students themselves, with patterns of student reading not reflecting the approach and skills needed to succeed in HE. In this blog post, Michelle Malomo and Sarah Pittaway from the University of Worcester explore ways of reducing barriers to reading. Taking this starting point, initial (currently unpublished) research with a group of Early Years students at the University of Worcester highlighted that students often perceive reading as a skill… Read moreAccessible Organisations – Supporting learning providers in creating inclusive teaching and learning experiences