Good Practice
“Good Practice” in Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Online version of e-Assessment in action
ELIR Posters
UWS Good Practice template
Internal Case Studies
Introduction
A fundamental part of any enhancement strategy for Teaching, Learning and assessment (TLA) that is designed to develop a better overall learning environment for students, is the identification and dissemination of areas of potential good practice. The University Strategy for the Enhancement of the Quality of Learning, Teaching and Assessment (SEQLTA) has this goal at its heart and, consequently we all need to be aware of innovative and/or good practice in order that this can be shared amongst colleagues within the University and the HE community at large.
This will assist (footnote 1) in:
- Improving the student experience and the inherent knock on effects such as better retention and progression;
- Enhancing a “dialogue” on pedagogy by sharing good practice, both inter and intra-School
- Raising the profile of the individual members of staff involved;
- Raising the profile of the institution
The term “good practice” is difficult to define but the QAA has a working principle on this (footnote 2). It is important for the individual who is “practicing” to be able to articulate that practice against a number of criteria e.g.
- specifications of the learning activity(type of activity, student profile, year of programme, etc)
- your aims of the session(s),
- outcomes of the session(effect on learning, retention rate, etc)
- critical reflection on the practice (what worked/didn’t work, etc.)
- evidence that it works (student comments, External Examiners report, other peers, etc.)
It is then important for others (footnote 3) to evaluate this practice against criteria such as:
- is the practice worthwhile disseminating when judged against other’s views?
- is the practice “transferable” to another context (e.g. subject, different group of students) – taking into account any resource issues?
If the answer to both of the above is YES, then the practice is probably to be deemed as “good” in a wider context and hence useful in enhancing the overall student learning experience.
More simply, CAPD have defined good practice as: an approach that has been recognised within the University (or elsewhere) as having made an overall improvement to the student experience that is (or is likely to be) sustainable. This may be evidenced through some form of qualitative or quantitative analysis but should normally include feedback from students that demonstrates the effectiveness of the practice.
How do we Identify and Disseminate Good Practice?
The identification, dissemination and raising staff’s perception of “good practice” can originate in a number of ways.
Internally through:
- Annual Reporting Cycle especially Module Review Forms and Programme Annual Reports
- peer-to-peer contact within a School/Faculty to discuss practice (e.g. Learning and Teaching Forums, informal scholarly discussion, observing each other’s teaching, internal subject/school discussions at SDG, etc.)
- internal publications within a School
- peer-to-peer contacts at University level (e.g. Centre for Academic and Professional Development (CAPD) staff development workshops and seminars, Pg Cert in TLHE programme, annual L&T Conference, Annual Enhancement Days organised by the Quality Enhancement Unit (QEU)
- work of CAPD Academic Contacts with Schools
- internal publications at University level either organised by schools or through CAPD
- etc.
Externally through:
- CAPD seminar programme with external speakers
- annual L&T Conference keynote addresses
- external publications by UWS staff
- learning from external publications/events
- “horizon scanning” by CAPD (e.g. Higher Education Academy (HEA), Staff Educational Development Association (SEDA), Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), etc)
There is evidence from CAPDs work with Schools and in particular its evaluation of the annual reporting cycle that Schools are effective in identifying good practice within a subject area e.g. through Programme Annual Reports and Module Review Forms and through mechanisms such as Subject Development Group discussions and SHR/Validations. CAPD also has as a core remit to better facilitate the dissemination of such practice to all academic and related staff in the University.
We hope you find this CAPD set of web pages helpful.
INTERNAL GOOD PRACTICE
EXTERNAL GOOD PRACTICE
Enhancement Themes Website: http://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/themes/Guide/default.asp
This webpage provides a guide to the enhancement themes outcomes.
HEA: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/home
Here you might find the Subject Centres and Resources particularly useful.
JISC
Here you may find a number of useful publications, such as: Innovative Practice with e-Learning and Plagiarism: a good practice guide.
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA): http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/default.asp
Here you can access the Academic Infrastructure. This is a set of nationally agreed reference points for setting, describing and assuring the quality and standards of higher education courses.
SEDA: http://www.seda.ac.uk/publications.html
SEDA aims to promote innovation and good practice in higher education through staff and educational development and subject-related practices. SEDA publishes SEDA Papers and SEDA Specials on topical higher education issues, such as: Students supporting Students and Student Transition: Practices and Policies to Promote Retention.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International (IETI) is the journal of SEDA and can be accessed via the above SEDA link or directly via: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/routledge/14703297.html
University of Glasgow: http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/learningteaching/goodpracticeresources/
Here you will find a selection of Good Practice resources on a range of topics from Assessment and Feedback to First Year Experience to Internationalisation.
Dr David Ross and Dr Louisa Sheward
CAPD
Footnote 1
For an excellent treatise on the merits of Good Practice in student learning, see A W Chickering and Z F Gamsen in The Wingspread, Journal, Volume 9, No. 2, published by The Johnson Foundation Post Office Box 547, Racine, Wisconsin, 53401-0547, Susan Poulsen, editor.
Footnote 2
The QAA defines good practice for its IQER (Integrated Quality and Enhancement Review) methodology as “practice that the team regards as making a particularly positive contribution to the college's management of the student learning experience of higher education in the context of that college, and which is worthy of wider dissemination within and/or beyond the college.
Footnote 3
E.g. other staff in subject area, within a Faculty, external (e.g. during ELIR review)