We had our final academic interest group (AIG) meeting last Thursday for this academic year. Our next one will be on Wednesday afternoon, 27th September. Unless we receive feedback to the contrary from group members, our plan will be to regularise the meetings to the last Wednesday of every month (bar August and December) from 1.30 to 4pm.
This year we have done well. I flagged up some of the highlights in the last session, but it is a good idea to share them more widely.
We have,
- Considered graduate attributes and discussed how these relate to developing learning capabilities and graduate capabilities for lifelong learning and employability;
- Heard from academics about their practice – something that we intend to do more of next year (volunteers?);
- Built this toolkit together through a series of development and sharing practice activities;
- Looked at authentic learning and considered what this looks like in practice. From this we have continued to develop the idea of applied learning in response to the University Strategy;
- Building upon this, we have developed a different discourse about employability in the curriculum – one that sees the potential for developing employability in everything a student does in and beyond the classroom;
- Considered placement practice, including peer mentoring to support successful placements – the focus of Daniela Hawryliuk’s LEAD Associate project;
- Developed a set of Frequently Asked Questions to explain what applied learning means and how it is achieved;
- Developed tips to support colleagues to develop an applied learning approach;
- Made concept maps to construct an emerging view of an integrated curriculum for transition;
- Looked at PPDP – a topic that requires much more attention next year and connected this to tutoring and academic advising;
- Looked at the Venture Matrix as a model for supporting transition through all levels;
- Heard about the Hallam Award;
- Developed curriculum design tools, including the student archetype resource with Andy Hirst;
- Initiated a call for project proposals to ensure that our work is led by each of us.
