ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY
The Senate
Summary Report of the Annual Monitoring of the Delivery of Taught Pathways
in the Academic Year 2005/06
1.
Introduction
1.1
The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary to the Senate on the annual
monitoring process for delivery of pathways in 2005/06, conducted between
September 2006 and March 2007.
1.2
The following reports are attached as appendices 3 - 9 and were the main
sources of information for the Summary Report:



Five Faculty Board Overview Reports (Arts, Law & Social Sciences;
Business; Education; Health & Social Care; Science & Technology). All
Overview Reports were approved by the relevant faculty boards at
meetings held in February/March 2007;
Synoptic Report for all foundation degrees (this report complements the
individual monitoring of foundation degrees undertaken as part of the
standard process and provides an overview of the foundation degree
award);
Annual Institutional Review of Edexcel Licensed Centre BTEC
Programmes (this report forms the annual reporting process for Edexcel
and complements the individual monitoring of Edexcel higher nationals
undertaken as part of the Anglia Ruskin standard process).
1.3
The Senate is invited to consider this report, agree appropriate action
where necessary and conclude the annual monitoring process of delivery
in 2005/06. A summary of all recommendations contained with this report is
attached as Appendix 2.
2.
Process
2.1
The main structure and organisation of the annual monitoring process for
delivery of pathways in 2005/06 was largely unchanged (a few minor
enhancements were agreed by the Senate in April 2006) with the Programme
level Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) remaining the principle focus of the
process. This represents the significant progress that has been made with the
process in addressing: (i) issues highlighted by colleagues through various
feedback mechanisms; (ii) the re-organisation in 2005 of Anglia Ruskin and
resultant changes to the curriculum management structures and; (iii) the May
2004 QAA Institutional Audit report. A three staged process has now been
used for the last three academic years and it is clear that the revisions made to
the process have become established and largely well understood. In general,
it can be reported that the process in the year to which this report refers has
operated smoothly and efficiently.
2.2
At its meeting of 26th April 2006, the Senate agreed to some further
amendments and enhancements to the process, as mentioned above. These
changes included:

the introduction of the concept of ‘commendable and/or significant
achievements’ to help distinguish further between these and examples
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06



of good and innovative practice, following the introduction of a formal
definition for the latter in the previous year’s process;
the change in sending a copy of the AMR(s) to all relevant external
examiners, for information, from the formal AMR submission date
(November) to after the Faculty Annual Monitoring Subcommittee has
completed its business (February);
an amendment to the constitution of the Faculty Board Annual
Monitoring Subcommittees, ensuring representation from other faculties
to aid consistency and the sharing of good practice;
changes to the statistical requirements for the process and the
presentation of these statistics (see para. 2.3 below).
The first three changes listed above were minor and not expected to cause any
major difficulties and this has proven to be the case. The annual monitoring
process has been enhanced as a result. The introduction of the concept of
‘commendable and/or significant achievements’ has helped to distinguish such
“good news” items (which the faculties, understandably, wish to highlight) from
other examples of more substantial “good practice” which can be disseminated
and adopted for use in other parts of the institution. It is expected that this
concept will be more widely used in future years as it becomes an established
part of the process.
2.3
In April 2006, the Senate approved the recommendation made in the Annual
Monitoring Summary Report that a special working group should be reconvened to consider further enhancements to the statistical element of the
annual monitoring process. Such a meeting was convened in July 2006 by the
Head of Quality Assurance and included the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Quality &
Enhancement), Associate Deans (with responsibility for quality assurance) from
each faculty (or nominee), the Institutional Quality Assurance Officer (Annual
Monitoring & PSBs), representatives of Communications & Information
Technology Services (C&ITS) and the Policy Unit (representing UK
collaborative partner institution interests).
The Group considered the two types of statistical data that are provided for
annual monitoring:
(a)
Module Statistics
It was agreed that these statistics, which provide information on a module by
module basis of student performance (eg: mean marks, distribution within
classification boundaries etc.) were well presented, easily understood and
required little amendment.
A few minor changes were agreed and
implemented.
(b)
Programme Statistics
These statistics were the main area of discussion. It was agreed that there was
an element of confusion about the expectations of the level of analysis to be
conducted by AMR authors and that the wide and varied range of statistics
provided made useful analysis difficult. The Group agreed that, within the
purpose of annual monitoring as defined in the Senate Code of Practice, the
statistical requirements of the process had become too complex and should be
simplified. It was also agreed to distinguish between the type of statistical
analysis that is best conducted in an annual process (such as annual
monitoring) and the type that is best conducted in a process which occurs over
a period of time (such as periodic review).
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Consequently, the statistical requirements for annual monitoring were revised to
include: (i) Module level analysis; (ii) Student continuation and completion for
the year being monitored (previously termed progression; changed to accord
with the new Academic Regulations) and; (iii) classification. It was agreed that
this analysis should occur on a year-by-year basis in the annual monitoring
process. The consideration of student profile statistical information (e.g.
qualification on entry, age, gender balance, geographical origin of entry,
ethnicity, disability, socio-economic background etc.) should be moved to the
periodic review process as this allows analysis over a period of time (normally
five years) where the analysis is more appropriate and meaningful trends can
be determined and action implemented if necessary.
Subsequent to the meeting, the AMR template was revised to accommodate
these changes and discussed, considered and agreed, via correspondence,
with the members of the Group. In addition, to facilitate the revised approach,
the format and presentation of the Programme statistics was amended.
The impact of these changes on the process, and the feedback received from
the faculties, is discussed in detail in section 6 of this report.
2.4
As in previous years, the Quality Assurance Division organised two staff
development sessions, held in early September 2006, for those colleagues
involved in the process. A total of 54 staff attended these sessions.
2.5
Staff development sessions for the annual monitoring process have become an
established feature and these will again by provided in September 2007. The
Quality Assurance Division will consider the feedback from the evaluation forms
carefully when preparing future staff development sessions. The level of
returned evaluation forms was much improved on the previous year with 30 of
the 54 delegates (55.5%) returning forms compared to a disappointing 12 out of
52 (23%) in the previous year. This was highlighted as an area for
improvement in the previous report to the Senate and good progress has been
made here.
2.6
Analysis of the 30 evaluation forms completed by delegates showed that the
sessions were generally found to be helpful (82.1% of respondents), instructive
(78.6%) and constructive (82.1%). Also, it is pleasing to note that far fewer staff
described the sessions in a negative manner than in the previous year:
confusing (10% compared to 50%), challenging (3.6% compared to 33%) and
difficult (0% compared to 25%). [The Senate will recall that the negative
comments for last year’s session were mainly attributed to the complexities
caused for the annual monitoring process by the change in organisational
structures (see para. 2.6 of the Summary Report for 2004/05)].
2.7
The main sessions were complemented by sixteen further sessions, delivered
by colleagues from C&ITS, dedicated to accessing and using the revised
statistical data provided to support the annual monitoring process.
3.
Conclusions
3.1
All five Faculty Board Overview Reports confirm that the annual monitoring
process of the delivery of pathways in 2005/06 was conducted effectively and
undertaken in a sufficiently critically reflective manner. In particular, the Faculty
of Arts, Law & Social Sciences once again reports a good level of engagement
by staff with the process and an improvement in the quality of the individual
AMRs.
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3.2
With regard to the essential requirements of the annual monitoring process, all
Overview Reports confirm that AMRs have been received for all Programmes
with all the prescribed attachments.
3.3
As noted in its Overview Report, individual AMRs for some Programmes in the
Faculty of Education were not completed by the due date. This was due to the
work required in preparation for, and during, two successful consecutive
OFSTED visits which occurred in late 2006 and early 2007. The Quality
Assurance Division was informed of the delay, and this did, to a small extent,
delay the institutional oversight of the process (conducted by the Quality
Assurance Division). However, the Faculty reports that these delays did not
prevent the Faculty Board Annual Monitoring Subcommittee from undertaking
its responsibilities with regard to the process and the Quality Assurance
Division can report that the institutional oversight of the process was conducted
for the affected Programmes albeit later than scheduled. It is recognised that
preparation for engagement with external agencies is very important and time
consuming and, on occasions when such visits occur during the annual
monitoring cycle, it is necessary to accommodate these commitments whilst
ensuring that the basic principles which underpin the annual monitoring process
are maintained. This was achieved in this instance.
3.4
The Overview Reports confirm that, in general, the action plans attached to the
individual annual monitoring reports were well constructed and followed the
S.M.A.R.T. format. The Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences reports that its
Action Plans reflected the issues identified and were informed by statistical
analysis where appropriate. The Ashcroft International Business School
describes its plans as “good, realistic and informed”. The Faculty of Education
notes an improvement on the quality of its Action Plans but reports that a small
number continue not to follow a S.M.A.R.T. format in a sufficient manner, an
observation shared by the Institute of Health & Social Care. Both faculties
highlight this as an area for development in future cycles of the process and
have required the appropriate Programme Leaders to amend their Action Plans
accordingly. The issue of S.M.A.R.T. Action Plans will continue to be a feature
of the staff development sessions.
3.5
All the Overview Reports confirm that external examiners’ reports were positive
and complimentary and were used effectively as part of the annual monitoring
process. In general, responses to the reports had all been provided and
S.M.A.R.T. Action Plans included reference to external examiners’ comments
where applicable.
3.6
Two recurring issues were raised through external examiners’ reports:


The assessment calendar and the short period of time allocated to external
moderation;
The quality of referencing by students in written work.
[The Senate is reminded that the first issue was identified during the previous
year’s annual monitoring process and a Working Group was convened to
consider the assessment calendar and is scheduled to report to the Senate in
2007.]
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It is recommended to the Senate that the issue of the quality of
referencing by students in written work is highlighted to Programme
Leaders who will be asked to comment explicitly on this matter in the
following year’s AMR and which will be reported in next year’s Summary
Report to the Senate.
3.7
Last year’s Summary Report to the Senate noted four recurring issues which
had been raised through external examiners’ reports on the academic year
2004/05. The Senate agreed to require Programme Leaders to comment on
these issues explicitly in this year’s AMRs, the template for which was amended
to facilitate this. From the Faculty Overview Reports, the following comments
can be made:
(a)
Ineffective communication with external examiners
There has been less concern expressed by external examiners on this
issue with none of the Faculties reporting this as a major issue for
concern.
The Annual Quality Assurance Report to the Senate
(November 2006) highlighted those external examiners who felt that
effective communication had not been established with them during
2005/06 and the relevant Faculties and/or Departments are already
seeking to address this issue accordingly.
(b)
The need to identify and implement modern systems for the detection of
plagiarism
The Faculty of Science & Technology was the only Faculty to report on
this matter explicitly in its Overview Report, describing how it has
adopted web-based strategies for detecting plagiarism. The issue has
not surfaced as a recurring theme in 2005/06 external examiner reports.
(c)
The short period of time in the calendar allocated to external moderation
All Faculties reported that this continues to be a concern of external
examiners in 2005/06. The Faculty of Science & Technology reports
that is has introduced some new internal procedures to help relieve
some of the pressures which occur during the main assessment
periods. As reported, this issue is being considered by the Senate - see
para. 3.6 above.
(d)
A lack of understanding of the two-tier assessment process and, in
particular, responsibilities of tier one (Departmental Assessment Panel)
external examiners.
The Faculty of Science & Technology reported that these concerns had
appeared to be allayed. The Faculty of Education also highlighted the
issue in its report but noted that some minor work can be undertaken at
Faculty level to resolve the matter. [The Senate is reminded that this
issue is a significant part of the now well established institutional
induction for new external examiners and was also re-asserted to
external examiners as part of the implementation of the new Academic
Regulations which make the two-tier function explicit.]
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As referred to above, issues (c) and (d) are being addressed by other
institutional level processes so do not require further consideration through the
annual monitoring process at this stage. However, issues (a) and (b) above
would benefit from continued scrutiny and, therefore, it is recommended to
the Senate that the issues of ‘effective communication with external
examiners’ and ‘modern systems for the detection of plagiarism’ are
rolled forward to next year’s annual monitoring process and highlighted
to Programme Leaders who will be asked to comment further on these
matters in the AMR and which will be reported in next year’s Summary
Report to the Senate.
3.8
Although discontinued in 2004/05, the final year of the University Assessor
scheme highlighted one recurring theme emerging from university assessors’
reports which the Senate agreed to require Programme Leaders to comment on
explicitly in this year’s AMRs. The issue concerned the need to continue to
improve communication between Anglia Ruskin departments and collaborative
partners, especially since the closure of the former Regional Office.
The Faculty of Science & Technology, whilst highlighting that communication
with collaborative partners has improved, recognises that the management and
quality assurance of the delivery of pathways in regional partners demands a
disproportionate time commitment, especially for pathways attracting a small
number of students. The Faculty of Education commented that the integration
of the region with core Anglia Ruskin activity had provided greater opportunities
for the Faculty to work with regional collaborative partners and welcomed this
move generally. None of the remaining Faculty Overview Reports explicitly
comment on this issue.
Therefore, it is recommended to the Senate that this matter is rolled
forward to next year’s annual monitoring process and highlighted to
Programme Leaders who will be asked to comment further in the AMR
and which will be reported in next year’s Summary Report to the Senate.
3.9
All the Overview Reports report that all actions identified in the previous year’s
S.M.A.R.T. Action had either been completed or rolled forward for inclusion in
the Action Plan for 2006/07, due to the medium-long term nature of the issue or
where timescales required revision.
3.10 There were no major issues of concern raised by any of the Overview Reports
with regard to professional and statutory bodies.
3.11 There were no major issues of concern raised by the synoptic report for
foundation degrees.
3.12 There were no major issues of concern raised by the Annual Institutional
Review of Edexcel Licensed Centre BTEC Programmes report.
3.13 Overall, the Senate can be confident that the annual monitoring of the
delivery of pathways in 2005/06 has been conducted effectively.
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4.
Issues of Institutional Significance
4.1
The following issues of institutional significance were reported:
4.1.1
The Overview Reports from the Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences
and the Ashcroft International Business School highlight their concerns
about plans for the admissions processes for professional pathways
(e.g.: Law and Accounting), which tend to have complex and unique
entry requirements, to be managed by the University Registry instead of
the relevant Programme, Department or Faculty.
4.1.2
The Overview Reports from the Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences
and the Faculty of Science & Technology highlight concerns about the
standard of teaching accommodation and other physical resources at
the Essex (Central) Campus.
4.1.3
The Overview Reports from the Faculty of Education, the Institute of
Health & Social Care and the Faculty of Science & Technology highlight
the constraints under which they are operating as a result of the
restrictions placed on recruiting new staff and/or reliance on part-time
temporary staff.
4.1.4
The Overview Report from the Faculty of Science & Technology
highlights concerns regarding the standard of written English and, whilst
introducing initiatives at Programme and Faculty level, seeks further
support in its efforts at an institutional level.
4.1.5
The Overview Report from the Institute of Health & Social Care
welcomes the amendments and improvements made to the module
evaluation process, especially those used to reflect practice placement
issues, but requests the future consideration of electronic submission.
4.1.6
The Overview Report from the Institute of Health & Social Care
highlights the need for the external examiner report template to be
revised to require more specific comment on issues of practice
placement from appropriate external examiners in order to satisfy the
requirements of professional and statutory bodies.
4.2
It is recommended to the Senate that the above issues are reported to the
relevant responsible managers who are then required to provide a written
response to the next meeting of the Senate, detailing any action planned,
or taken, to address these issues.
4.3
The Faculty Overview Reports from the Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences,
Ashcroft International Business School and the Institute of Health & Social Care
also highlight, as an issue of institutional significance, the pressures caused by
the configuration of the existing assessment calendar and the short period
allocated to the marking process. As mentioned earlier in this report, this issue
has already been referred to a Working Group, on behalf of the Senate, which
will be reporting its conclusions in due course (see para. 3.6 above). No further
action via the annual monitoring process is therefore proposed.
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
5.
Examples of Good and Innovative Practice for Wider Dissemination
5.1
Anglia Ruskin defines good practice as:
"a method, strategy, system, procedure or process, which has, over an
appropriate period of time, resulted in improved academic standards, an
enhanced quality of education and/or an improved level of service to
stakeholders (eg: students, staff, external examiners, collaborative partners,
employers etc.) and which can, when appropriately adapted, be implemented in
other areas of the institution."
Such good practice can be evidenced in a variety of ways. Examples include
student performance, statistical information, feedback from stakeholders (ie: via
questionnaires, Programme Committee meetings, Employer Liaison Panel
meetings etc.).
5.2
In April 2006, the Senate agreed to introduce the concept of ‘commendable
and/or significant achievements’ (see para. 2.2 above) to complement the
examples of good and innovative practice. Faculties are invited to identify, from
the information provided by the Programme AMRs, examples of good and
innovative practice which meet this definition. This has been done by all the
faculties and these are listed in Appendix 1.
5.3
It is noted that the Ashcroft International Business School has provided, as its
list of examples of good practice, those examples identified by external
examiners in their reports for 2005/06, as previously reported to the Senate in
November 2006.
Although these are acknowledged and welcomed as
examples of good practice (and hence are detailed in the appendix), no other
examples have been identified (it is not the intention of the annual monitoring
process to merely repeat those reported by external examiners). The School’s
Programmes are encouraged, in future years’ AMRs, to identify other aspects
of good and innovative practice which are supported by other sources (such as
module evaluation, student feedback, Programme Committees, employers,
etc.) in addition to external examiners’ comments and reports.
5.4
The Senate is invited to endorse the examples of good and innovative
practice and commendable and/or significant achievements listed in
Appendix 1 which shall then be disseminated to the wider Anglia Ruskin
community with details of colleagues who can be contacted for further details.
The information will be provided to all Deans and Associate Deans of Faculty,
Directors of Studies, Heads of Department, Programme Leaders and HE Coordinators at collaborative partner institutions. In addition, the information will
be received and considered by the Learning & Teaching Committee and the
Faculty Learning & Teaching Subcommittees.
6.
Further Enhancements and Amendments to the Future Process
6.1
As is normally the case, a number of comments have been returned via the
Overview Reports and other informal sources about the main AMR template,
the Reader’s Report template and the associated guidance notes. These are
generally useful comments about wording and style which will be adopted for
next year’s process. [Areas for enhancement include issues of practice
placements, links and references to the Senate Summary Report, cross
referencing between different report templates etc.].
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
6.2
As detailed in para. 2.4 above, further enhancements were made this year to
the statistical analysis element of the annual monitoring process. All the
faculties are asked to comment in their Overview Reports on this element of the
process, including the extent to which AMR authors have used the statistical
information provided to inform their evaluation and Action Plans. The
comments contained within the Overview Reports fall into three main
categories:
(a)
Revised Statistical Analysis Requirements
The clarification and simplification of the type of statistical analysis (see
para. 2.4 above) required by the annual monitoring process has been
generally welcomed by all the faculties and is seen as a significant
improvement and has facilitated a better level of analysis and, hence,
conclusions. It is therefore recommended to the Senate that these
revisions are adopted for future cycles of the annual monitoring
process.
(b)
Revised Format and Presentation of the Programme Statistics
The revised format and presentation of the Programme Statistics was also
broadly welcomed by the faculties. In addition, access to the data, via the
various Anglia Ruskin portals, improved. In the past, Programme Leaders
were provided with a wide variety of different statistics, the presentation
and format of which did not accord with the issues which the annual
monitoring process required to be addressed and analysed. This caused
confusion and made the task difficult and burdensome. The revised
format matches precisely on to the revised requirements making it much
easier for Programme Leaders to engage with the information they
receive. A number of comments have been fed back to the Quality
Assurance Division on further enhancements that could be made to the
format and presentation of the statistics and the Quality Assurance
Division will take these forward with relevant colleagues in C&ITS.
(c)
Accuracy and Reliability of the Data
All the faculties highlighted concern about the accuracy of some of the
Programme level statistics that were provided via the revised reporting
format. The module level data is generally accepted to be reliable and
accurate. In a number of cases, Programme Leaders reported coding
errors which meant that students were listed as being on the wrong
pathways. A number of faculties acknowledged that the transfer from the
former 10/20 credit based curriculum to the new 15/30 credit based
curriculum, which coincided with the introduction of a new coding strategy,
will have caused some of these pathway level inaccuracies. However, it
was also apparent that some of the perceived inaccuracies were due to a
measure of misunderstanding of the new coding strategy. Consequently,
some faculties also reported a number of Programme Leaders who opted
to use their own, locally maintained, statistical information, instead of that
provided at institutional level.
It is clear that significant progress has been made this year with the statistical
aspect of the annual monitoring process in terms of (i) clarification and
simplification of the requirements of the process and; (ii) the more closely
aligned presentation of the data to the revised specified requirements.
However, it is important that the issue of the reported inaccuracies of some of
the Programme level data is addressed in order to increase the level of
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
reliability and confidence in the information that is provided. Therefore, the
Head of Quality Assurance will convene a short-life working group to facilitate
an investigation into the nature and sources of the perceived inaccuracies with
the Programme level data with a view to enabling the resolution of the problems
in time for next year’s annual monitoring process. The Group should involve
appropriate faculty staff (e.g. Programme Leaders) who can help identify the
areas that need to be addressed and appropriate University Registry and
C&ITS staff who manage and maintain the information and student record
systems.
6.3
As agreed by the Senate in April 2006, the use of a pathway level AMR for
collaborative provision was discontinued. Such a report template had been
used in the previous year in order to help facilitate the process of dialogue and
consultation between Programme Leaders and Pathway Leaders when
preparing the main AMR in recognition of the fact that the process was taking
place in the first few months of the first year of operation of the new curriculum
management structures (and, hence, the role of the Programme Leader).
The report was discontinued as part of Anglia Ruskin’s continued drive to
simplify the annual monitoring process by reducing the levels of reporting to
only three (the Programme, the Faculty Board and the Senate). This was in
recognition of the organisational change which saw the integration of regional
collaborative provision with that of core Anglia Ruskin and the inclusion of the
need for regular liaison, throughout the year, with Pathway Leaders at
collaborative partners within the role of the Programme Leader.
The Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences, the Ashcroft International Business
School and the Faculty of Science & Technology have all commented in their
Overview Reports that the loss of the pathway level report from regional
collaborative partners has made it more difficult to ensure the inclusion of the
partners within the annual monitoring process. The re-introduction of the
pathway level report for regional collaborative partners, in order to help capture
information about the delivery of Anglia Ruskin pathways at those locations,
has been suggested by two of the faculties.
The Quality Assurance Division’s experience of managing the previous year’s
process, when such pathway level reports were used, was that, whilst the
mechanism was used widely, it did cause confusion and tended to thwart,
rather than encourage, dialogue between key staff in the process. A number of
Programme Leaders merely appended all their constituent pathway level
reports to their main Programme AMR without any adequate level of detailed
analysis of the information contained in those reports nor any discussions with
the various Pathway Leaders at collaborative partners. This lack of dialogue
led to some Programme Leaders waiting for reports from collaborative partners
to be received instead of pro-actively contacting relevant Pathway Leaders and
discussing the operation of the pathway which falls within the remit of the
Programme Leader. In addition, the pathway level report tended to be
extended in its use to pathways delivered at Anglia Ruskin.
The Quality Assurance Division is reluctant to recommend that the pathway
report is re-introduced as it is believed that the reasons for its discontinuation
are still valid (see above). However, it is clear that further support for the
Programme Leaders is required with regard to engagement of collaborative
partners with the annual monitoring process. The Quality Assurance Division
will therefore liaise with both Programme Leaders and the relevant collaborative
partners during the summer of 2007, to identify the difficulties that have been
experienced with a view to developing an aide-memoire to assist the liaison
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
between Pathway and Programme Leaders. The Quality Assurance Division
will also review existing systems to determine if any further enhancements can
be made (e.g. advice and guidance during the early stages of the process).
6.4
The Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences and the Ashcroft International
Business School both highlight the scheduling of the meetings of the Faculty
Board Annual Monitoring Subcommittee meetings in late January and early
February as causing difficulties as they clash with meetings of Departmental
Assessment Panels (DAPs). The annual monitoring process operates from
September to March of each academic year and the timing of the subcommittee
meetings is designed to allow sufficient time for the Reader Report process
(which is conducted during December) to be completed. The various papers for
the subcommittees to consider (which includes the Readers’ Reports) then
need to be collated in early January and copied and circulated to subcommittee
members to allow sufficient time for them to be read in advance of the meeting.
The meetings cannot be held later as the output of the subcommittee (the draft
Faculty Overview Report) needs to be written and prepared in time for the late
February/early March meetings of the faculty boards.
However, it is acknowledged that the clash with DAPs can cause difficulties and
may prevent subcommittee members from being able to attend at a time when
workload is heavy for academic colleagues. The Quality Assurance Division
will consider this issue when drafting the timetable for the process in future
years and will consult with the faculties appropriately.
6.5
Since the introduction of foundation degrees and the development of a core
curriculum for foundation degrees at Anglia Ruskin, a Synoptic Report has been
produced each year for the foundation degree award. This report was originally
designed to assure the Senate of the progress and development of foundation
degrees at Anglia Ruskin and, in particular, the implementation of the Anglia
Ruskin core curriculum. Furthermore, many of the awards were delivered
exclusively by regional collaborative partners and the Synoptic Report provided
oversight of these pathways which were not delivered at Anglia Ruskin
campuses. The principle of a core curriculum for Anglia Ruskin foundation
degrees (amended in 2005) is now well established.
Following the re-organisation of Anglia Ruskin in 2005 and the integration of
regional collaborative provision with that of core Anglia Ruskin, the
responsibility for the quality assurance of academic standards and quality of
education is now the responsibility of the relevant Programme and, hence,
Department. The main Programme level AMR has been amended in recent
years (following a decision by the Senate in April 2005) to request specific
information about foundation degrees (and Edexcel provision).
In recognition of the developments and progress made over recent years, the
foundation degree Synoptic Report now simply provides information that is
duplicated from other aspects of the annual monitoring process. The core
curriculum for these awards is now well established and the number of
foundation degree pathways delivered exclusively by regional collaborative
partners has decreased significantly as a result of the reorganisation of 2005.
Therefore, it is recommended to the Senate that the Synoptic Report on
foundation degree delivery is discontinued and foundation degrees
continue to be annually monitored via the main Programme level AMR.
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
PAUL BAXTER
Head of Quality Assurance
April 2007
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Appendix 1
Examples of Good and Innovative Practice
Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences
The External Examiner commends the student handbook “Guidelines on the Practice
and Presentation of Work in Communication and Film” as a model of good practice
(Programme: Communication, Film & Media).
The External Examiner suggests that other programmes at Anglia Ruskin with a
similar combination of elements might benefit from the good practice of the
programme in overcoming the divide between theory and production work
(Programme: Communication, Film & Media).
Second markers inserting comments on student work to increase the transparency of
the double-marking process (Programme: English & Writing).
Synoptic Course Review module – highlighted by the External Examiner as an
“exemplary response to the requirement that learners reflect explicitly and coherently
on their student experience” (Programme: English & Writing).
The series of “Taste and Try” sessions delivered by the Cambridge Theological
Federation across the region leading to increased recruitment and significantly
widening participation (Humanities).
The presentation of ‘core’ philosophical materials in imaginative and creative ways,
often through the stimulating use of general themes (EPH2003, 2009), as noted by
the External Examiner (Humanities).
Public Service – a weekly Dissertation Discussion group set-up, designed to allow
students to present their ideas or difficulties to other students in a forum guided by
the lecturer. This had been a successful innovation that was reflected in the marks
achieved by the students (Programme: Social Sciences).
External examiner for Public Service had praised the use of peer assessment for
presentations in a number of Public Service modules. Students, with lecturer
guidance, defined marking criteria for presentations and evaluated their peers using
these guidelines (Programme: Social Sciences).
The enthusiasm with which students have greeted the European intercultural
placement (Eurocampus Sept-Dec 06) within the MA Intercultural Communication in
Europe. Of particular interest in the context of the Bologna process and to other parts
of Anglia Ruskin (Programme: Languages & Intercultural Communication).
The practice of working together with a charity to offer educational opportunities to
disadvantaged members of the community at a low cost to the Faculty is admirable
and could possibly be followed throughout Anglia Ruskin University (Programme:
English as a Foreign Language).
The use of WebCT to support delivery of all Level 1 modules on Law undergraduate
pathways (Programme: Law Academic).
The management of WebCT on-line debates on the LLM International Sports Law
pathway was praised by the External Examiner (Programme: Law Academic).
Summary Report to the Senate
13
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
The inclusion of assessed tutorials was endorsed by the External Examiner as
contributing to higher examination marks due to students improved knowledge base
(Programme: Law Academic).
Development of Street Law – undergraduate students giving talks and advice to
groups in schools on relevant legal issues has further developed their range of skills
(Programme: Law Academic).
Development of collaborative links with other Departments both within and outside
the University to enhance learning and teaching (Programme: Music).
Increased use of WebCT on the BA (Hons) Creative Music Technology pathway to
improve on-line access for students (Programme: Music).
Curriculum Development away days for core and Regional Partner staff to enhance
learning, teaching and assessment, including the development of generic
assessment criteria for non-written components of courses (Programme: Music).
Continued integration of theory and practice across the curriculum, focusing on
modules where students can engage in ‘embodied’ research as highlighted in the
QAA Subject Benchmark statement (Programme: Performing Arts).
Developing a collaborative arrangement for shared research seminars with the
University of Cambridge, relating to MA Children’s Book Illustration (Programme: Art
& Design).
‘One off’ use of leading professionals in the practice field for MA Printmaking
(Programme: Art & Design).
Ashcroft International Business School
There is an overall acceptable high standard across the board (in a number of
modules student performance was exceptional and well above the comparable
modules in other universities) (Department: Accounting & Information Systems).
The Personal Finance Management assignments are a good example of innovative
approaches to assessment (Department: Accounting & Information Systems).
Module BUD1A07 is a good example of an excellent marking scheme that is easy to
link to the award of the actual marks on student scripts (Department: Accounting &
Information Systems).
Commendable administrative arrangements for external examiners (Department:
Accounting & Information Systems).
A good variety of assessment methods are used (Department: Accounting &
Information Systems).
Internal moderation is of a high standard (Department: Accounting & Information
Systems).
The conduct of the DAP is very professional. The move to a DAP has given a
welcome opportunity for higher quality dialogue between external examiners and
staff (Department: Accounting & Information Systems).
Communication between administrators and external examiners has been excellent
Summary Report to the Senate
14
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
and documentation has been of a high standard (Department: Accounting &
Information Systems).
Although no good practice is specifically identified, activities designed to bring
enhanced practitioner characteristics to the Corporate Secretaryship module may
well provide such an instance in future (Department: Accounting & Information
Systems).
There is ample evidence of best practice in delivering the curriculum to the students
aspiring to both academic and professional qualification (Department: Accounting
& Information Systems).
There is ample evidence of sound second marking practices and full dialogue,
particularly in the care taken with the marking of dissertations (Department:
Accounting & Information Systems).
The provision of agenda and papers, and other domestic arrangements for the DAP
and its associated meetings, has been exemplary (Department: Accounting &
Information Systems).
Course assessment is clearly related to industry and capitalises well on local
contacts (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
Assignments are logical, developing and progressive frameworks for students
allowing scope for innovation, interpretation and student creativity (Department:
Human Resource Management & Marketing).
The amount of research completed by FdA Hospitality students, which is very
thorough, current and valuable (Department: Human Resource Management &
Marketing).
The Anglia Hospitality/and associated subjects teams are strong in vocational
experience, collaborate well together and show mutual respect and an empathy for
each others' challenges in the teaching and learning role of other educational
establishments and are to be commended (Department: Human Resource
Management & Marketing).
The academic standards achieved by all three academic establishments within
Anglia Ruskin's provision are thought to be very good examples of Hospitality
provision. One FdA module (BUBP102) continues to be an exemplar of the purpose
and ethos of foundation degrees (Department: Human Resource Management &
Marketing).
Particular strength lies in the inter-establishment collaboration on the creative
interpretation of definitive documents, appropriate and interesting assignment setting
and the moderation process (Department: Human Resource Management &
Marketing).
It may be useful to review further opportunities for practice based assessment or
potential for computer aided interactive assessment (Department: Human
Resource Management & Marketing).
Curriculum design appears to be forward looking and innovative, with a clear focus
on enhancing the student experience (Department: Human Resource
Management & Marketing).
Summary Report to the Senate
15
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Good quality teaching and learning methods have been employed (Department:
Human Resource Management & Marketing).
A commendable range of assessment methods have been utilised, giving diversity to
students (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
DAP procedures were rigorous and robust (Department: Human Resource
Management & Marketing).
The teams involved clearly demonstrate their dedication to student achievement and
progression (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
Students benefit from personal and collegiate approaches to teaching and learning
(Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
At Fd level there is evidence of constructive, helpful and relevant comments to
students and evidence that contentious issues have been discussed (Department:
Human Resource Management & Marketing).
At the highest level there is evidence of impressive work indicative of research and
reading and MA courses have enabled students to create some excellent
dissertations (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
Some student work utilises extremely honest self-assessment (Department: Human
Resource Management & Marketing).
Some extremely innovative work is taking place in many modules (Department:
Human Resource Management & Marketing).
Discussions regarding grade boundaries are usually explicit in feedback to students
and it is evident that tutors have very positive academic relationships with students
(Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
The teaching pack for the module BUHM107 is most impressive in both scope and
presentation (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
The modules BSD/H1MO4 and BUHM105 are excellent examples of practical
orientation eliciting strong student commitment and high achievement (Department:
Human Resource Management & Marketing).
The module BUH1M09 is impressive, evoking theoretical depth and critical thinking
from participants (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
The overall feedback grid provided for module BUH1M04 is an example of good
practice (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
The flexibility of the modular structure is a strength of the provision, allowing students
to gain access to a range of relevant modules and if necessary to study at a
negotiated pace (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
Over time there has been a gradual improvement in all aspects of design of the
programme, which the academic staff have worked hard to develop (Department:
Human Resource Management & Marketing).
There has been a great improvement in teaching and learning methods. The
academic staff are to be congratulated on their commitment to providing a valuable
learning environment (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
Summary Report to the Senate
16
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Extensive written feedback is provided to students (Department: Human Resource
Management & Marketing).
The administration of information and samples is excellent in all respects
(Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
A highly current and valid curriculum (Department: Human Resource Management
& Marketing).
Consistent excellent examples of high quality feedback (Department: Human
Resource Management & Marketing).
Use of coursework, presentations and reports in assessment used to develop
practitioner skills (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
Very good examples of helpful assessment criteria for students (Department:
Human Resource Management & Marketing).
The continuing currency and validity of the curriculum in the light of developing
knowledge in the subject and practice in its application continues to be a strength of
the programme (Department: Human Resource Management & Marketing).
An impressively wide range of modules on offer (Department: International
Business & Corporate Strategy).
Evidence of very high quality teaching in a number of modules (Department:
International Business & Corporate Strategy).
Provision of marking guidelines and provision and use of grade descriptors on an
increasing number of papers (Department: International Business & Corporate
Strategy).
Informative comments on the module feedback form giving the module leader's
overview (Department: International Business & Corporate Strategy).
There is evidence of challenging, yet clear and fair, assessments, accurate marking,
obvious second marking and generally excellent feedback (Department:
International Business & Corporate Strategy).
The curriculum is extremely up to date and a wide range of courses is on offer
(Department: International Business & Corporate Strategy).
There is generally excellent design, content and organization of the curriculum
(Department: International Business & Corporate Strategy).
The better students demonstrate an excellent understanding of the material, which
reflects well on the quality of the teaching on the course (Department: International
Business & Corporate Strategy).
Marking criteria are excellent and a wide variety of assessment methods is used
(Department: International Business & Corporate Strategy).
The administrative arrangements
Business & Corporate Strategy).
Summary Report to the Senate
are
17
excellent
(Department:
International
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
The supportive learning culture engendered by the staff team is to be commended
(Department: International Business & Corporate Strategy).
Formative written feedback to students is excellent (Department: International
Business & Corporate Strategy).
The quality of supervision on projects and dissertations is very good (Department:
International Business & Corporate Strategy).
The quality of feedback on the Masters dissertations is detailed, informative and
insightful (Department: International Business & Corporate Strategy).
The Awards Board was fastidious in its consideration of student awards and gave
careful and extended consideration to difficult cases when these arose. It was
efficiently chaired and administered to a very high standard (General to the
Faculty).
Although no good practice is specifically identified, the move to a 15/30 credit point
rationale from the coming academic year involves improvements in the course
structure, content & learning progression, which may well provide useful experiential
information for the future (General to the Faculty).
The MA Corporate Governance is one of a small number of ICSA validations at
master's level in this rapidly developing discipline. As such, the course programme
has satisfied a range of stringent ICSA criteria set out for the approval of a route to
qualification and practice in the global profession of Chartered Secretaryship
(General to the Faculty).
The course leader has been scrupulous and supporting in arranging meetings and
providing detailed information and the administrative staff have also provided
excellent support (General to the Faculty).
Students on the MA Corporate Governance should feel well satisfied with their
treatment in the assessment of their performance (General to the Faculty).
The supportive learning culture engendered by the staff team is to be commended
(General to the Faculty).
Formative written feedback to students is excellent (General to the Faculty).
The course administration system works well; administrative staff are helpful and
proactive (General to the Faculty).
Awards Board meetings are well-managed (General to the Faculty).
The flexibility of the modular structure is a strength of the provision, allowing students
to gain access to a range of relevant modules and if necessary to study at a
negotiated pace (General to the Faculty).
It is clear that both the University and the team take issues relating to the quality of
provision and the standards of student performance seriously (General to the
Faculty).
The Awards Board is conducted professionally and the administration is well
organised (General to the Faculty).
Summary Report to the Senate
18
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Faculty of Education
The provision for the teaching assistants was noted to have a profound impact on
student learning (Programme: Teaching Assistants).
Engagement with External Examiners is considered to be a strength within all three
Departments (Departments: Continuing Professional Studies, Education
Studies and Initial Professional Studies).
The Education Studies External Examiner identifies strength in the facilitation of
student critique of their placement setting drawing upon their knowledge, skills and
understanding (Department: Education Studies).
It is noted that the BA (Hons) Learning Technology and Research (also known as
‘Ultraversity’) has produced Anglia Ruskin University’s first cohort of graduates who
have studied exclusively on-line. The Reader also highlights for commendation the
use of online submission and interaction with the External Examiner and
recommends this for wider adoption (Programme: Ultraversity).
The Reader of the Teaching Assistants AMR highlights the positive effect of the
introduction of work-based tutoring and the establishment of a work-based coordinator which was originally established to address weaknesses with regard to
employer involvement (Programme: Teaching Assistants).
The Reader of the Continuing Professional Development AMR highlights the use of
exemplar dissertations, and the development of a ‘community of practice’ in the area
of MA dissertations as being good practice. Also worthy of note is the examination
and review of a variety of styles of learning journals; effective use of WebCT and
effective practice in staff development (Programme: Continuing Professional
Development/Post Compulsory Education).
Institute of Health & Social Care
The development of student conferences to which both students and practice
colleagues are invited continue to be seen as examples of good practice These have
been commented upon in successive external reviews (Programme: Unspecified).
The inclusion of a summary of external examiners comments responses and actions
taken in Social Work Annual Monitoring Report is seen by the reader as a good
model of practice (Programme: Social Work).
The Job Fair run in conjunction with stakeholders is an example of good practice
(Programme: Unspecified).
The redesign of the placement evaluation tool at HSHS is seen as a major
enhancement initiative. A revised process for maximising the completion alongside a
more sophisticated reporting framework has resulted in 490 placement evaluation
responses that indicated that 85% of students would recommend their placement
area to other students (Programme: Unspecified).
Faculty of Science & Technology
Mid-module learning review (Programme: Surveying).
Summary Report to the Senate
19
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Creative and innovative use of WebCT (Programmes: Surveying, Computer
Science).
Exemplary module guides and structured student feedback (Programmes:
Construction, Psychology).
Engagement of
Construction).
employers
in
exhibitions
of
student
work
(Programme:
Collaboration with employers in assignments (Programme: Architecture and
Planning).
Study abroad opportunities (Programme: Architecture & Planning).
Employer sponsorship of student prizes (Programme: Architecture and Planning).
Buddy mentoring for part-time students (Programme: Computing).
Curriculum focussed conferences (Programme: Computing).
Imaginative
and
innovative
assessments
(Programmes:
Construction, Animal & Environmental Biology).
Psychology,
Innovative Distance Delivery (Programme: Ophthalmic Dispensing).
Exceptional performance in external examinations (Programme: Optometry and
Optical Management).
Exceptional opportunities
Environmental Biology).
for
fieldwork
learning
(Programme:
Animal
&
Practitioner engagement with the delivery of the curriculum (Programme: Animal &
Environmental Biology).
Effective monitoring of plagiarism (Programme: Technology).
Further Commendable and/or Significant Achievements
Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences
The newly opened Ruskin Gallery was commended for the resultant advancement in
the presentation of the work of staff and students to a wider audience and its
contribution to the cultural life of the University (Programme: Art & Design).
English was rated 3rd in the Guardian rankings for best English Departments just
behind Oxford and Cambridge Universities (Programme: English & Writing).
The re-approval of the MA Music Therapy pathway by the Health Professions Council
was noted as a commendable achievement. It had been the first pathway nationally
to be granted unconditional approval by the HPC (Programme: Music).
Faculty of Science & Technology
Success by students in external competitions (Programme: Computing).
Summary Report to the Senate
20
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 2
Summary of Recommendations to the Senate
1.
The issue of the quality of referencing by students in written work is highlighted
to Programme Leaders who will be asked to comment explicitly on this matter in
the following year’s AMR and which will be reported in next year’s Summary
Report to the Senate (para 3.6).
2.
The issues of (i) effective communication with external examiners and (ii)
modern systems for the detection of plagiarism are rolled forward to next year’s
annual monitoring process and highlighted to Programme Leaders who will be
asked to comment further on these matters in the AMR and which will be
reported in next year’s Summary Report to the Senate (para 3.7).
3.
The issue of effective communication between Anglia Ruskin Departments and
regional collaborative partners is rolled forward to next year’s annual monitoring
process and highlighted to Programme Leaders who will be asked to comment
further in the AMR and which will be reported in next year’s Summary Report to
the Senate (para 3.8).
4.
The six issues of institutional significance are reported to the relevant
responsible managers who are then required to provide a written response to
the next meeting of the Senate, detailing any action planned, or taken, to
address these issues (para 4.2).
5.
The revisions made to the statistical requirements are adopted for future cycles
of the annual monitoring process (para 6.2).
6.
The Synoptic Report on foundation degree delivery is discontinued and
foundation degrees continue to be annually monitored via the main Programme
level AMR (para. 6.5).
Summary Report to the Senate
21
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Summary Report to the Senate
22
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 3
Faculty of Arts, Law &
Social Sciences
2007 Faculty Overview report of Annual Monitoring of delivery in 2005-6
Areas covered by the report, as listed in the guidance notes.
1.
Essential Requirements
2.
Statistical Data
3.
External Examiner Reports
4.
Key Issues, Themes & Trends
5.
Previous Year’s Action Plans and Readers’ Reports
6.
Future Action Plans (a complete set of action plans should be attached to the
overview report)
7.
Examples of Good and Innovative Practice
8.
Issues for Special Consideration during 2006/07
9.
Outstanding Actions
10.
Comment on the effectiveness of the Annual Monitoring process and the
operation of the process itself. This may also include any recommendations
for the future enhancement of the process.
Summary Report to the Senate
23
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
1. Essential Requirements
Annual Monitoring Reports (AMRs) meeting the essential requirements and with the
requisite attachments were received from all the Programmes in the Faculty and
considered by the Faculty Board’s Annual Monitoring Subcommittee held on 31
January 2007. The AMRs considered were:
Law (Professional Courses)
Law (Academic Courses)
Cambridge School of Art
Communication, Film & Media
English and Writing
Languages and Intercultural Communication
English as a Foreign Language
Music
Performing Arts
Humanities
Social Sciences
The meeting also considered the Annual Synoptic Report of courses delivered at
Norwich School of Art & Design
2. Statistical data
All reports made use of the centrally provided data. Although there have been
improvements in the quality of centrally provided pathway and programme statistics
and the distinction between the requirements of annual monitoring and periodic
review have been clarified, some annual monitoring reports identified areas where
the statistics could be improved. In Law, for example, there had been some
difficulties with statistical data as a result of a change of pathway codes and students
switching from combined to single honours pathways consequent on the introduction
of the 15/30 curriculum. One pathway (SH Drama) appeared twice in the statistics
under different pathway codes and, more generally, central statistics continue to
attach students on non-continuing CH pathways or on newly approved two subject
pathways to whichever is deemed to be the managing Programme (e.g. Law, Social
Sciences). A minority of AMRs (e.g. Music) had supplemented central data with
locally produced data.
Programme Leaders had generally welcomed the simplified statistical analysis
compared with previous years. However, the proliferation of separate data sheets in
Programmes with a large number of non-continuing Combined Honours pathways
containing very few students proved problematic in some areas, particularly in
Languages and Intercultural Communication and in Humanities. The magnitude of
this problem will reduce as non-continuing pathways phase out.
3. External Examiner reports
A copy of the Faculty’s summary of issues raised by External Examiners was
available to the meeting. The subcommittee was generally satisfied that points raised
by External Examiners had received an appropriate response in SMART Action
Plans, but was unable to confirm this in the case of NSAD whose Report provided a
synoptic overview of External Examiners’ Reports rather than the Reports
Summary Report to the Senate
24
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
themselves. The subcommittee consequently requested additional information from
NSAD (Sec 9 below, and Notes: 3.12).
It was noted that two Externals’ Reports for 2005-6 had triggered Faculty Action
Plans for 2006-7. These were BA Archaeology and Landscape History at
Peterborough Regional College and Graphic Design at the College of West Anglia. In
both cases the plans were being implemented effectively.
External Examiners in two Programme areas (Languages and Intercultural
Communication, and Social Sciences) commented on the University’s assessment
calendar and on the short timescale for moderating student assessed work.
4. Key Issues, Themes and Trends
Only one general theme emerged from consideration of the twelve AMRs.
4.1. Three Reports - Languages and Intercultural Communication, Performing Arts
and Social Sciences (Notes: 3.6.2, 3.9.2, 3.11.2, respectively) propose revisions to
the assessment calendar. This provides additional evidence to support Anglia
Ruskin’s decision to review the assessment calendar in the course of 2006-7.
A number of specific issues were also identified:
Specific issues included:
4.2. The Law School is concerned that a centralised admissions policy is detrimental
to recruitment to the CPE which has complex and unique entry procedures. (Notes:
3.1.4).
4.3. The Law School strongly recommends that proposals to modularise professional
Law courses (CPE and LPC) be abandoned because of a lack of ‘fit’ between Law
Society requirements on the one hand and the structure and regulatory framework of
the 15/30 curriculum on the other. (Notes: 3.1.3)
4.4. Physical Resources for Law Programmes (Academic) still being taught on the
Central Campus in Chelmsford. This was perceived as having an adverse effect on
both current provision and future recruitment. (Notes: 3.2.2)
5. Previous Year’s Action Plans and Readers’ Reports
The subcommittee was able to confirm that Action Plans for the academic year 20056 had been implemented and that such responses as were required to Readers’
Reports had been made.
6. Future Action Plans
The subcommittee felt that in the main Action Plans for 2006-7 reflected the issues
discussed in the AMRs and were informed by statistical analysis where appropriate.
In most cases the targets set were felt to be realistic and to be distinct where
necessary (e.g. in the case of collaborative provision). While welcoming the extreme
attention to detail in the School of Art’s Action Plan for 2006-7 the subcommittee had
some concerns about the high number of actions and the consequent need to
monitor them carefully. It imposed an ‘Outstanding Action’ with the sole purpose of
helping the School to achieve this.
A complete set of action plans is attached to this report.
Summary Report to the Senate
25
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
7.
Examples of Good and Innovative Practice (to be reported to the Faculty Learning & Teaching Committee of 11 June 2007)
Programme
Nature of Good Practice
Communication, Film & Media

English and Writing



External Examiner suggests that other programmes in the University with a similar combination of elements might benefit from the good practice of the programme in overcoming the divide between
theory and production work.
As in the previous year the External Examiner commends the student handbook “Guidelines on the Practice and Presentation of Work in Communication and Film” as a model of good practice.
Second markers inserting comments on student work to increase the transparency of the double-marking process.
Synoptic Course Review module – highlighted by the External Examiner as an ‘exemplary response to the requirement that learners reflect explicitly and coherently on their student experience.’
Humanities


The series of “Taste and Try” sessions delivered by the Cambridge Theological Federation across the region leading to increased recruitment and significantly widening participation.
The presentation of ‘core’ philosophical materials in imaginative and creative ways, often through the stimulating use of general themes (EPH2003, 2009), as noted by the External Examiner.
Social Sciences

Public Service – a weekly Dissertation Discussion group set up, designed to allow students to present their ideas or difficulties to other students in a forum guided by the lecturer. This had been a
successful innovation that was reflected in the marks achieved by the students.
External examiner for Public Service had praised the use of peer assessment for presentations in a number of Public Service modules. Students, with lecturer guidance, defined marking criteria for
presentations and evaluated their peers using these guidelines.
The enthusiasm with which students have greeted the European intercultural placement (Eurocampus Sept-Dec 06) within the MA Intercultural Communication in Europe. Of particular interest in the
context of the Bologna process and to other parts of the University.
The practice of working together with a charity to offer educational opportunities to disadvantaged members of the community at a low cost to the Faculty is admirable and could possibly be followed
throughout Anglia Ruskin University.

Languages and Intercultural
Communication
English as a Foreign Language
Law (Professional)
Law (Academic)









Performing Arts

The use of WebCT to support delivery of all Level 1 modules on Law undergraduate pathways.
The management of WebCT on-line debates on the LLM International Sports Law pathway was praised by the External Examiner.
The inclusion of assessed tutorials was endorsed by the External Examiner as contributing to higher examination marks due to students improved knowledge base.
Development of Street Law – undergraduate students giving talks and advice to groups in schools on relevant legal issues has further developed their range of skills.
Development of collaborative links with other Departments both within and outside the University to enhance learning and teaching.
Increased use of WebCT on the BA (Hons) Creative Music Technology pathway to improve on-line access for students.
Curriculum Development away days for core and Regional Partner staff to enhance learning, teaching and assessment, including the development of generic assessment criteria for non-written
components of courses.
Continued integration of theory and practice across the curriculum, focusing on modules where students can engage in ‘embodied’ research as highlighted in the QAA Subject Benchmark statement.
Art & Design


Developing a collaborative arrangement for shared research seminars with the University of Cambridge, relating to MA Children’s Book Illustration.
‘One off’ use of leading professionals in the practice field for MA Printmaking.
Music
Summary Report to the Senate
26
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
8. Issues for Special Consideration during 2006/07
None specific to Pathway and programme teams, but see 10 (below)
9. Outstanding Actions
Actions are required in respect of the following Programmes
Programme
Action Required by 31 March 2007 (unless
stated otherwise)
Law (Academic Resubmit action plan with the inclusion of an
Courses)
action point to address the issue of students
not completing assessments at Undergraduate
level.
Action: David Stott
Art & Design
The School of Art to report back to the Faculty
by 1st May 2007 outlining progress made with
the points listed on the SMART action plan.
Action: Paul Marris
Languages &
Pathway Leaders to provide more detailed
Intercultural
explanations for the low average marks for the
Communication modules Crossing Cultures 2 and Spanish
Intermediate 1 and 2.
Action: Sarah Fitt
Languages &
Further information to be provided to explain
Intercultural
the apparent anomaly that students return from
Communication their year abroad with significantly different
volumes of credit and in some cases no marks
either for one semester or the whole year.
Action: Sarah Fitt
English as a
Resubmit action plan with the inclusion of an
Foreign
action point to address the work still required
Language
by EFL, Finance and Registry to bring UPCS in
line with the EFL office.
Action: Nick Hillman
Norwich School To provide further information to clarify that all
of Art & Design issues raised by External Examiners have
been satisfactorily addressed.
Action: Keith Bartlett
Monitored by
RM
DF
RM
RM
RM
RM
10.
Comments
10.1
The level of engagement with the process has been good and the quality of
the reports has shown an improvement from the previous year.
10.2
The subcommittee recommends the use of cross-referencing in the reader’s
report to specific sections of the AMR as an enhancement to the current
process.
10.3
The subcommittee recommended that the Annual Monitoring Subcommittee
meeting not be held at the end of January to avoid clashes with Departmental
Assessment Panels
10.4
The subcommittee felt that AMRs had an important and developing role to
play in the enhancement agenda, in particular the dissemination and
Summary Report to the Senate
27
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
implementation of good and innovative practice. While it was understood that
both the Faculty Board and Senate would have oversight of the Annual
Monitoring process, the subcommittee’s report could usefully be discussed at
the Learning and Teaching Committee and similar fora.
10.5
The subcommittee recommends that a Pathway report template be
reintroduced for regional partners. Such a template would facilitate the flow of
written information from regional partners and thereby support Programme
Leaders in the compilation of their AMRs. It would also serve to consolidate
the culture of annual monitoring at local level.
Derrik Ferney
Associate Dean (Academic Development)
15 February 2007
Summary Report to the Senate
28
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 4
Ashcroft International
Business School
2007 Faculty Overview report of Annual Monitoring of delivery in 2005-6
Areas covered by the report, as listed in the guidance notes.
1.
Essential Requirements
2.
Statistical Data
3.
External Examiner Reports
4.
Key Issues, Themes & Trends
5.
Previous Year’s Action Plans and Readers’ Reports
6.
Future Action Plans (a complete set of action plans should be attached to the
overview report)
7.
Examples of Good and Innovative Practice
8.
Issues for Special Consideration during 2006/07
9.
Outstanding Actions
10.
Comment on the effectiveness of the Annual Monitoring process and the
operation of the process itself. This may also include any recommendations
for the future enhancement of the process.
Summary Report to the Senate
29
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
1. Essential Requirements
Annual Monitoring Reports (AMRs) for the following programme areas were
considered by the Faculty Board’s Annual Monitoring Subcommittee held on
Thursday, 1st February 2007. They all met the essential requirements and had the
requisite attachments
Undergraduate Programme - author Graham Webster
Postgraduate Programme - author Jon Salkeld
Professional Programme - author John Webb.
2. Statistical data
All reports made use of the centrally provided data. However, authors commented
that this did not always appear to reflect actual student numbers. Some use had
therefore been made of local data.
Although there have been improvements in the quality of centrally provided pathway
and programme statistics, the volume of data provided for the undergraduate
pathways hindered the extraction of meaningful information about student
progression and retention. The apparent duplication of courses under different codes
also made it difficult to make sense of the data for the undergraduate programme
area.
As many AIBS undergraduate students change pathways at the end of year one, a
means of identifying these students as “continuing” rather than “non-continuing”
students in the statistical reports needs to be established.
A large quantity of data had been provided for modules in the undergraduate
programme area. This reflected the different cohort deliveries in the regions. As
many of these partnerships had been discontinued, and the number of modules
available has been reduced under the 15/30 curriculum, it is expected that the
module data will be more easily analysed in respect of AIBS pathways for annual
monitoring in 2007.
Similar issues relating to the volume of data had been noted in the postgraduate
reports. More emphasis needs to be placed on analysing the data for future reports
in this area.
With the rationalisation of pathways and modules this data should become more
manageable for subsequent years, but there is still a need for some further
refinement of the centrally produced statistics.
For the professional programme area, some difficulty had been experienced in
making judgements about student achievement as statistical data relating to student
results on modules had not been forthcoming from the PSBs. However some
analysis of AIBS student performance compared to national results had shown that in
14 out of 15 papers AIBS students had outperformed the national average.
Summary Report to the Senate
30
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
3. External Examiner reports
Issues raised in the external examiners reports had been addressed in the action
plans. There were no serious issues for concern in the reports for 2005/6. A copy of
the Faculty’s summary of issues raised by External Examiners was available at the
meeting.
Comments made by the external examiners had been responded to by Heads of
Department and Directors of Studies.
The need for wider reading and a higher standard of referencing by students,
identified by Margaret Greenwood for the postgraduate programme area needed to
be part of the action plan.
Kate Mosely’s comments regarding marking criteria in respect of the personal
development element of the course needed to be added to the action plan for
professional courses.
Adrian Haberberg’s comments regarding dissertation marking also needed to be
addressed in the action plan for the undergraduate programme.
The external examiners’ reports noted areas of good practice and commented on
improvement in marking and moderation in response to issues raised in their
previous reports.
External Examiners commented on the University’s assessment calendar and on the
short timescale for moderating assessed work. This is being reviewed by a working
party representing all faculties.
4. Key Issues, Themes and Trends
The need to simplify the statistical data provided for AMRs was highlighted in all
three reports.
The restricted timescale for marking and moderation is of concern, but is being
addressed through the working party reviewing the assessment calendar.
For professional courses, the centralised admissions procedure was identified as
problematic as it did not fit with the admission of professional and part-time students
who tended to arrive and enrol on the evening of the first day of the course. It was
felt that the centralised service was not always able to provide clear information
about AIBS courses to part-time students.
The agreed APL tariffs relating to postgraduate and professional programmes
needed to be implemented for 2006/7.
5. Previous Year’s Action Plans and Readers’ Reports
The Action Plans for the academic year 2005-6 had been implemented and
responses to Readers’ Reports had been made. The programme leader for the
postgraduate area has been asked to confirm action taken by annotating the action
plan for 2005/6
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
6. Future Action Plans
Action Plans for 2006-7 reflected the issues discussed in the AMRs, were informed
by statistical analysis where appropriate, and in most cases had realistic, measurable
and achievable targets.
The following actions should be added to the relevant action plan in response to
comments from external’s, or issues raised in the annual monitoring report:
For the undergraduate programme area, two further action points were required one relating to the monitoring of retention at the end of the first year, and a second
relating to the monitoring of APL being applied to students’ assessment records for
dual awards.
For the professional programme area, an action is required relating to the external’s
comments relating to marking criteria.
For the postgraduate programme area, the issue of the need for wider reading and a
higher standard of referencing by students (raised by the external examiner) should
be added to the action plan.
A complete set of action plans is attached to this report.
Summary Report to the Senate
32
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
7.
Examples of Good and Innovative Practice identified by external examiners
Title of DAP/AB & Examiner details
Accounting & Information Systems
DAP (George Foster: Liverpool John
Moores University)
Accounting & Information Systems
DAP (Margaret Greenwood:
University of Gloucestershire)
Accounting & Information Systems
DAP (David Lilley: Education
Consultant)
Positive Comments/Good Practice (GP) Identified
1. There is an overall acceptable high standard across the board (in a number of modules student performance
was exceptional and well above the comparable modules in other universities) (GP).
2. The Personal Finance Management assignments are a good example of innovative approaches to
assessment.
3. Module BUD1A07 is a good example of an excellent marking scheme that is easy to link to the award of the
actual marks on student scripts.
4. Commendable administrative arrangements for external examiners.
1. A good variety of assessment methods are used.
2. Internal moderation is of a high standard.
3. The conduct of the DAP is very professional. The move to a DAP has given a welcome opportunity for higher
quality dialogue between external examiners and staff.
4. Communication between administrators and external examiners has been excellent and documentation has
been of a high standard.
1. Although no good practice is specifically identified, activities designed to bring enhanced practitioner
characteristics to the Corporate Secretaryship module may well provide such an instance in future (GP).
2. There is ample evidence of best practice in delivering the curriculum to the students aspiring to both academic
and professional qualification.
3. There is ample evidence of sound second marking practices and full dialogue, particularly in the care taken
with the marking of dissertations.
4. The provision of agenda and papers, and other domestic arrangements for the DAP and its associated
meetings, has been exemplary.
Summary Report to the Senate
33
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Title of DAP/AB & Examiner details Positive Comments/Good Practice (GP) Identified
Human Resource Management &
Marketing DAP (Juliet Burnham:
Birmingham College of Food &
Creative Arts)
1. Course assessment is clearly related to industry and capitalises well on local contacts (GP).
2. Assignments are logical, developing and progressive frameworks for students allowing scope for innovation,
interpretation and student creativity (GP).
3. The amount of research completed by FdA Hospitality students, which is very thorough, current and valuable
(GP).
4. The Anglia Hospitality/and associated subjects teams are strong in vocational experience, collaborate well
together and show mutual respect and an empathy for each others' challenges in the teaching and learning role of
other educational establishments and are to be commended (GP).
5. The academic standards achieved by all three academic establishments within Anglia Ruskin's provision are
thought to be very good examples of Hospitality provision. One FdA module (BUBP102) continues to be an
exemplar of the purpose and ethos of foundation degrees.
6. Particular strength lies in the inter-establishment collaboration on the creative interpretation of definitive
documents, appropriate and interesting assignment setting and the moderation process.
Human Resource Management &
Marketing DAP (John Dakin:
University of Derby)
1. It may be useful to review further opportunities for practice based assessment or potential for computer aided
interactive assessment (GP).
2. Curriculum design appears to be forward looking and innovative, with a clear focus on enhancing the student
experience.
3. Good quality teaching and learning methods have been employed.
4. A commendable range of assessment methods have been utilised, giving diversity to students.
5. DAP procedures were rigorous and robust.
Summary Report to the Senate
34
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Title of DAP/AB & Examiner details Positive Comments/Good Practice (GP) Identified
Human Resource Management &
Marketing DAP (Jane Fairclough:
University of Winchester)
1. The teams involved clearly demonstrate their dedication to student achievement and progression (TQI).
2. Students benefit from personal and collegiate approaches to teaching and learning (TQI).
3. At Fd level there is evidence of constructive, helpful and relevant comments to students and evidence that
contentious issues have been discussed (GP).
4. At the highest level there is evidence of impressive work indicative of research and reading and MA courses
have enabled students to create some excellent dissertations (GP).
5. Some student work utilises extremely honest self-assessment (GP).
6. Some extremely innovative work is taking place in many modules (GP).
7. Discussions regarding grade boundaries are usually explicit in feedback to students and it is evident that tutors
have very positive academic relationships with students (GP).
Human Resource Management &
Marketing DAP (Adrian Haberberg:
University of Westminster)
1. The teaching pack for the module BUHM107 is most impressive in both scope and presentation (GP).
2. The modules BSD/H1MO4 and BUHM105 are excellent examples of practical orientation eliciting strong
student commitment and high achievement (GP).
3. The module BUH1M09 is impressive, evoking theoretical depth and critical thinking from participants (GP).
4. The overall feedback grid provided for module BUH1M04 is an example of good practice (GP).
Human Resource Management &
Marketing DAP (Kate Moseley:
University of Wolverhampton)
1. The flexibility of the modular structure is a strength of the provision, allowing students to gain access to a range
of relevant modules and if necessary to study at a negotiated pace (GP).
2. Over time there has been a gradual improvement in all aspects of design of the programme, which the
academic staff have worked hard to develop.
3. There has been a great improvement in teaching and learning methods. The academic staff are to be
congratulated on their commitment to providing a valuable learning environment.
Human Resource Management &
Marketing DAP (Tessa Owens:
Liverpool Hope University)
Summary Report to the Senate
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Extensive written feedback is provided to students.
The administration of information and samples is excellent in all respects.
A highly current and valid curriculum.
Consistent excellent examples of high quality feedback.
Use of coursework, presentations and reports in assessment used to develop practitioner skills.
Very good examples of helpful assessment criteria for students (GP).
35
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Title of DAP/AB & Examiner details
Positive Comments/Good Practice (GP) Identified
Human Resource Management &
Marketing DAP (Adam Palmer:
Southampton Solent University)
1. The continuing currency and validity of the curriculum in the light of developing knowledge in the subject and
practice in its application continues to be a strength of the programme.
International Business & Corporate
Strategy DAP (Anthony Conibear:
London Metropolitan University)
1. An impressively wide range of modules on offer.
2. Evidence of very high quality teaching in a number of modules.
3. Provision of marking guidelines and provision and use of grade descriptors on an increasing number of papers
(GP).
4. Informative comments on the module feedback form giving the module leader's overview.
International Business & Corporate
Strategy DAP (Philip Hardwick:
Bournemouth University)
1. There is evidence of challenging, yet clear and fair, assessments, accurate marking, obvious second marking
and generally excellent feedback (GP).
2. The curriculum is extremely up to date and a wide range of courses is on offer.
3. There is generally excellent design, content and organization of the curriculum.
4. The better students demonstrate an excellent understanding of the material, which reflects well on the quality
of the teaching on the course.
International Business & Corporate
Strategy DAP (Larry Meachem:
University of Central England)
Ashcroft International Business
School Awards Board (Anthony
Conibear: London Metropolitan
University)
Summary Report to the Senate
5.
6.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Marking criteria are excellent and a wide variety of assessment methods is used.
The administrative arrangements are excellent.
The supportive learning culture engendered by the staff team is to be commended (GP).
Formative written feedback to students is excellent (GP).
The quality of supervision on projects and dissertations is very good.
The quality of feedback on the Masters dissertations is detailed, informative and insightful.
1. The Awards Board was fastidious in its consideration of student awards and gave careful and extended
consideration to difficult cases when these arose (GP). It was efficiently chaired and administered to a very high
standard.
36
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Title of DAP/AB & Examiner details Positive Comments/Good Practice (GP) Identified
Ashcroft International Business
School Awards Board (David Lilley:
Education Consultant)
1. Although no good practice is specifically identified, the move to a 15/30 credit point rationale from the coming
academic year involves improvements in the course structure, content & learning progression, which may well
provide useful experiential information for the future (GP).
2. The MA Corporate Governance is one of a small number of ICSA validations at master's level in this rapidly
developing discipline. As such, the course programme has satisfied a range of stringent ICSA criteria set out for
the approval of a route to qualification and practice in the global profession of Chartered Secretaryship (TQI).
3. The course leader has been scrupulous and supporting in arranging meetings and providing detailed
information and the administrative staff have also provided excellent support.
4. Students on the MA Corporate Governance should feel well satisfied with their treatment in the assessment of
their performance.
Ashcroft International Business
School Awards Board (Larry
Meachem: University of Central
England)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ashcroft International Business
School Awards Board (Kate Moseley:
University of Wolverhampton)
1. The flexibility of the modular structure is a strength of the provision, allowing students to gain access to a range
of relevant modules and if necessary to study at a negotiated pace (TQI).
2. It is clear that both the University and the team take issues relating to the quality of provision and the standards
of student performance seriously (TQI).
3. The Awards Board is conducted professionally and the administration is well organized.
Summary Report to the Senate
The supportive learning culture engendered by the staff team is to be commended (GP).
Formative written feedback to students is excellent (GP).
The course administration system works well; administrative staff are helpful and proactive.
Awards Board meetings are well-managed.
37
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
8. Issues for Special Consideration during 2006/07
See 10 below
9. Outstanding Actions
Actions are required in respect of the following Programmes
Programme
Professional
Action Required by 31 March 2007 (unless
stated otherwise)
Monitored by
BE
Quantify ACCA pass rates.
Respond to Kate Moseley in respect of her
comments in Section 3b of her annual
report.
Reflect Kate Moseley’s comments in the action
plan.
Action: John Webb
Undergraduate
Monitoring of modules which had had a
mean mark below 50% should be added to
the action plan.
BE
Monitoring of retention at the end of the first
year should be added to the action plan.
G
Development of work-based and placement
learning in alignment with the Faculty’s
strategy should be added to the action
plan.
Graham Webster
Concluding the negotiations with ACCA and
approving credit recognition of PSB awards
should be added to the action plan.
Monitoring of APL being applied to students’
assessment records for dual awards should be
added to the action plan.
Response to Adrian Haberberg’s comments
regarding dissertation marking should be
added to the action plan
Action: Graham Webster
Postgraduate
Last year’s action plan should be annotated
to identify which items had been
completed.
BE
The need for wider reading and a higher
standard of referencing by students should
be added to the action plan.
Consideration of articulating APL tariffs to
recognise PSB awards against Anglia
Ruskin pathways should be added to the
action plan.
Action: Jon Salkeld
Summary Report to the Senate
38
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
10.
Comments
10.1
Cross-referencing in the reader’s report to specific sections of the AMR would
greatly assist consideration of readers’ reports by the sub-committee, and the
writing of the overview report.
10.2
The meeting of the annual monitoring subcommittee should not be held at the
end of January as this period clashes with Departmental Assessment Panels
10.3
The areas of good practice identified in the report should be widely circulated
to staff through departmental meetings and the Learning and Teaching
Committee.
10.4
For 2007 the Pathway template should be used as a means of collecting
information for the main programme reports.
Brenda Eade
Associate Dean (Quality Assurance, Curriculum Development and
Student Experience)
February 2007
Summary Report to the Senate
39
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Summary Report to the Senate
40
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 5
ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Education
Annual Monitoring Process Overview Report
2005/2006
1.
Essential requirements
Although all essential requirements had been met, two consecutive OFSTED
inspections (primary and secondary ITT) in December and January had impacted on
some of the Programmes Teams’ ability to meet published deadlines for submission.
However, it can be confirmed that by the time of the sub-group meeting, an annual
monitoring report (AMR) for each programme had been received. Readers’ reports for
all AMRs were completed by the meeting with the exception of one for the Primary and
Secondary Initial Teaching Training report as this had been received extremely late in
the process (two days before the sub-group meeting). Each AMR did include a list of
the pathways within its remit and their locations of delivery. All required appendices
were included with the reports with the exception of the reports submitted for BA
(Hons) Primary Education (ITT) and the PGCE which appeared not to have all required
attachments by the time they reached the Readers. All omissions were followed up by
the Annual Monitoring sub-group and checked to ensure that no significant issues had
been overlooked within the texts of the reports.
2.
Statistical Data
All report authors used the statistical data available to them; some writers used
centrally produced data, while others made use of local data as it was considered to be
more accurate. It was noted that PGCE primary data were still being absorbed into the
BA (Hons) Primary Education (ITT) which caused difficulties in interpreting trends in
progression. This issue was raised in last year’s summary report. This, and other
identified anomalies in the SITS data have been referred to the Data Quality and
Systems Development Unit for resolution.
Statistics were generally well used to identify trends over the year although incisive
analysis of data is not consistent across programmes. Access to the statistics had
initially proved difficult for some Programme Leaders due to technical issues relating to
password access. The need to consider other data sets to reflect the student profile in
more detail was raised as a possible area for further development.
The strategic use of statistics to inform future action plans in relation to widening
participation was highlighted by readers as particularly demanding, although some
reports did use statistics to set general recruitment and retention targets.
Summary Report to the Senate
41
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 5
3.
External Examiner Reports
All reports provided thorough commentary of responses to External Examiners with the
exception of one which was highlighted by the Reader. The significance of this
omission was explored with the Programme Leader and proved to be inconsequential.
No major risks to academic standards were identified by the Examiners; on the
contrary many positive comments were noted. Whilst Heads of Department welcomed
the summary of External Examiners’ comments compiled by AQSO, they considered
that its current format did not fully reflect the responses made by the Heads of
Department to those comments. Also, the timing of the presentation of this grid to the
Faculty Boards in January which was some time after the submission of responses to
the External Examiners without including these responses in the grid was not helpful.
In addition, the group confirmed the fact that engagement with External Examiners at
programme level was much more detailed than was reflected in the summary grid.
One of the Heads of Department advised that she was considering compiling a short
executive summary of all the External Examiners (as these are numerous) in reports
and responses her department in order to help programme leaders in their compilation
of next year’s annual monitoring reports.
It was noted that Anglia Ruskin’s two-tiered assessment process can result in it being
unclear as to which pathways External Examiners’ comments relate to as they are only
required to report on module assessments. The Department of Initial Professional
Studies is currently developing a set of Department protocols for its External
Examiners to complete which will help to alleviate this issue and support external
accountability, particularly in relation to engagements with PSBs. This is also being
addressed during Departmental External Examiner training.
Other developmental possibilities were discussed including for example the electronic
submission of External Examiners’ reports to facilitate rapid dissemination and a more
effective dialogue between departments and External Examiners.
The rationale for allocation of External Examiners to Departments in a two-tiered
assessment system was raised, as it was noted that this had resulted in one
programme benefiting from just one External Examiner for one of the programmes. It
was, however, noted that it was the responsibility of the Faculty to ensure adequate
coverage of its modules and awards.
4.
Key Issues, Themes and Trends
4.1
University level policies on the appointment of staff had proved to be a
significant constraint on the Faculty’s ability to ensure appropriate staffing
across all programmes.
4.2
The Faculty welcomed the greater opportunities for involvement with all aspects
of regional partner provision that had been occasioned by the emerging revised
partnership frameworks. A current challenge for these relationships is to
improve the rapidity of the response to such issues as staff turnover.
4.3
Whilst the integrative benefit of programme level annual monitoring were
recognised and appreciated; it was felt that the system in its current form did not
promote opportunities to engage effectively and actively at departmental and/or
faculty level.
4.4
It was noted that some Programme Leaders had commented that they did not
have systematic access to details of scholarly and other staff development
Summary Report to the Senate
42
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 5
activities undertaken by colleagues as they were not their line managers. This
would be considered by the Faculty Management Group.
4.5
5.
It was also agreed that training should be offered to Programme leaders to
clarify the remit of the Programme subcommittee and how this contributes to the
preparation of the Annual Report. The FQAO agreed to investigate the
possibility of faculty-specific training, building on this year’s experiences on the
annual monitoring process which would include the consideration of reflective
writing and smart targets.
Previous Year’s Action Plans and Readers’ Reports
Readers’ reports suggested, and the sub-group confirmed, that the updated action
plans submitted were adequate for each programme.
6.
Future Action Plans
Readers’ reports suggested, and the sub-group confirmed, that the action plans
compiled for action in 2007/08 were appropriate. It was also noted, that whilst there
was some improvement evident in the quality of the action plans, not all action points
could be considered to be fully SMART.
7.
Examples of Good and Innovative Practice
The provision for the teaching assistants was noted to have a profound impact on
student learning. Engagement with External Examiners is considered to be a strength
within all three Departments.
The Education Studies External Examiner identifies strength in the facilitation of
student critique of their placement setting drawing upon their knowledge, skills and
understanding.
It is noted that the BA (Hons) Learning Technology and Research (also known as
‘Ultraversity’) has produced Anglia Ruskin University’s first cohort of graduates who
have studied exclusively on-line. The Reader also highlights for commendation the
use of online submission and interaction with the External Examiner and recommends
this for wider adoption.
The Reader of the Teaching Assistants AMR highlights the positive effect of the
introduction of work-based tutoring and the establishment of a work-based co-ordinator
which was originally established to address weaknesses with regard to employer
involvement.
The Reader of the Continuing Professional Development AMR highlights the use of
exemplar dissertations, and the development of a ‘community of practice’ in the area of
MA dissertations as being good practice. Also worthy of note is the examination and
review of a variety of styles of learning journals; effective use of WebCT and effective
practice in staff development.
8.
Issues for Special Consideration during 2006/07
The impact of two OFSTED inspections and many TDA evaluations may alter or hinder
developments in the Initial Professional Studies department.
The change to
professional standards for QTS, both for primary and secondary post compulsory
education will almost definitely mean re-approval of the pathways within these areas.
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 5
9.
Conclusion
The sub-group concluded that the overall quality of the AMRs received was adequate,
but Readers’ reports indicated that most reports would benefit from a more analytical
stance. It was also noted that the use of centrally generated statistics continues to
raise questions regarding their accuracy. The action plans for most reports contained
some measurable outcomes, but further training in this respect would help authors to
identify SMART action points in future years.
In its present form, the annual monitoring template is very effective in the monitoring
dimension of quality assurance. The sub-group felt that it was less effective in the
identification and promulgation of good practice and in its ability to promote genuine
reflective engagement. The sub-group would welcome revisions that enabled the
annual monitoring process to make a stronger contribution to the enhancement of
provision. Additionally, whilst appropriate, the current emphasis on programme level
monitoring does not in itself promote integration with the Department/Faculty
developmental agenda.
Prepared on behalf of the Annual Monitoring sub-group by:
Chris Curran, Head of Department & Director of Studies, Faculty of Education
Alison Shilela, Associate Dean, Faculty of Education
Caroline Watts, Acting Faculty Quality Assurance Officer, AQSO
Other members:Linda Amrane-Cooper, Head of Department, Faculty of Education
Scilla Furey, Head of Department, Faculty of Education
Penny Hood, Director of Studies, Ashcroft International Business School
Ray Petty, Suffolk Postgraduate Centre
6th March 2007
Summary Report to the Senate
44
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 6
Institute of Health & Social Care
Annual Monitoring Overview Report 2005 – 2006
Introduction
The IHSC Annual Monitoring Sub committee met on the 16th February 2007 to review the
AMRs and Readers reports. The sub committee membership included four members of
academic staff in IHSC, an external member from the Faculty of Education and the
Associate Dean for Learning Resources and Quality from HSHS. This report offers a
synopsis of all the Annual Monitoring Reports for IHSC and the issues raised in the
synoptic report for HSHS. The vast majority of issues are similar and to differentiate all
of them would be very repetitive. However, specific reference to individual institutions
has been made where appropriate.
This year has been extremely busy for the Institute and HSHS. In common with the rest
of the University, an extremely heavy schedule of re-approval events has been
successfully concluded for both the 15/30 project and other new pathways. Additionally,
both institutions have been participating in an assimilation process. There has been a
huge amount of work to assimilate the curricula for the pre-registration nursing and
midwifery pathways, the operating department practitioner pathway, and the continuing
professional development provision. This has meant bringing together new teams to
develop converged pathways in preparation for a further round of approval events in
2006-2007. Both HSHS and IHSC have been the subject of QAA Major Reviews for the
Healthcare and Allied Health provision during the academic year under review. IHSC
achieved confidence and commendable judgements across all the provision under review,
and HSHS achieved confidence and commendable across all areas with the exception of
the quality of learning and teaching opportunities where they achieved an approved
judgement.
At the same time Heads of Department and Programme Leaders have been establishing
themselves in their new roles within the second year of operation as the new Institute of
Health and Social Care. The portfolio review that took place as part of the 15/30 project
in IHSC reduced the provision to some degree but it still includes 170 pathways, and 336
modules many of which are delivered on a multi site, multi cohort basis across a patch
that extends from Peterborough in the North to Southend in the South. This number will
include the assimilated pathways in 2007 -2008. It is to the credit of all the staff
involved that quality standards have been maintained, as evidenced by the external
reviews of all the provision.
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 6
1.
Essential Requirements
1.1
Annual monitoring reports for each Programme within the Institute have
been received and have been considered by a Reader approved by the
Faculty Board. The report from HSHS has also been received. Two external
examiners reports were outstanding at the time of the submission deadline
but have been received since.
1.2
The list of pathways within the scope of the annual monitoring report, the
list of relevant external examiners reports, action plans for the future and
previous years have been produced in accordance with the requirements.
The Readers reports for the previous year and responses have also been
appended. A programme leader for Radiography was appointed during the
academic year under review consequently a specific Readers report and
action plan for that Programme was unavailable. Relevant comments from
the aggregate Readers report for Allied Health have been addressed.
2.
Statistical Data
2.1
A recurring theme throughout the majority of the reports centres around the
accuracy of the centrally produced statistical data for IHSC. Assessment data
is seen as more accessible and accurate. Data on the student profile has
been augmented by that produced locally in order to provide the necessary
information. This is not seen as a serious problem in HSHS.
2.2
The overall trends in relation to student continuation, retention and awards
are positive. There are some issues in relation to attrition in the ODP
pathway at HSHS and the adult branch of the Pre-registration Nursing
pathways in both institutions. Plans are in place to address these issues.
These include a profiling exercise at HSHS to identify any emerging patterns
and a research project to establish any link between teaching strategies and
student expectations in the first semester of study. Where students have left
the pathways, exit interviews were carried out and explanations offered.
Most frequently cited reasons for withdrawal include personal and financial
reasons and wrong choice of course.
2.3
Some areas of provision, especially in the nursing and midwifery provision
continue to offer bridging and extended programmes that respond to the
widening participation agenda and provide opportunities for students who
are experiencing difficulties to transfer. Flexible forms of delivery are
increasing across the provision facilitating more work based and distanced
learning. The Radiography provision is a particularly good example of
increased recruitment by utilising this successful mode of delivery.
2.4
There is variation across the programmes in the use of statistical
information. Programmes that have used the information particularly
Summary Report to the Senate
46
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 6
successfully include; Primary Care, Public Health & Social Policy (Cambs)
(PCPH&SP); Radiography; Pre Registration Nursing (Overall) and Social Work
and Social Care. The statistics have been used in these areas to review
modules, increase marketing and improve recruitment. In Social Work, for
example, the downward trend in recruitment was reversed by increasing the
marketing in local schools. Other trends that have been identified include the
increase in the number of students diagnosed with dyslexia, the increase in
the number of under 21 year olds recruited to adult and mental health
nursing.
The increase in the number of dyslexic students has led to the
formation of a working group to address the support needs of these students
particularly in practice.
2.5
The simplified requirement of the statistical analysis in Anglia Ruskin did not
appear to have had any notable improvement on the quality of the reporting
in this area. Inaccuracy continues to be reported as a problem. The format of
statistical information required by QAA in the Major Review of Health Care
Programmes produced by the Data Quality Unit in our University is perceived
to be more user friendly and accessible. The format could be further
improved by identifying cohort delivery. This will be especially pertinent
following convergence with HSHS.
Opportunities will be sought for
assistance for the Data Quality Unit and C&ITs to develop this format
further.
3.
External Examiners
3.1
The Institute operates a close monitoring process for external examiner
reports and records responses made to any issues raised by them. A detailed
spreadsheet records reports received, issue raised and responses made.
Overall, in both HSHS and IHSC external examiners reports are very
favourable, commenting on the comparability of standards across the sector
and commending students on some excellent and potentially publishable
work.
3.2
The quality of the referencing in assignments continues to raise some
concerns. Lunchtime workshops are being offered to students by the Library
in an effort to improve practice in this area. In one or two cases the
management of the Departmental Assessment Panels was raised as an issue.
However, these were isolated situations and the vast majority of reports
commented
favourably
on
the
support
that
they
received
from
administrative staff. There were two areas where standards at risk were
identified, in podiatry where further intakes have been suspended and child,
youth and families where detailed responses have been forwarded to the
examiner in question. Some general issues have been raised by the external
Summary Report to the Senate
47
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 6
examiners in HSHS and are detailed in a similar spreadsheet with planned
actions for resolution.
3.3
Some externals examiners in both institutions have raised concerns about
the turnaround time for the return of scripts and the volume of work that is
being sent, and these issues are being addressed through the revisions of
assessment timetable. The excessive length time taken to process the work
of the DAPS in IHSC and the extensive number of modules and pathways
that are covered also caused comment. The streamlining resulting from the
15/30 project and the portfolio review should reduce this in future years.
3.4
Penalties for breaches of confidentiality is a contentious issue for external
examiners from different professional groups and this was referred to the
Institute Academic Quality & Approvals Committee meeting on 9th May 2006,
and an agreed response was formulated.
3.5
There has been an increase in the number of times that the subject of
plagiarism has been raised by external examiners.
There has been an
increase in the number of instances but it has yet to become a major
problem. The use of Turn-it-in software will be used more frequently where
plagiarism is suspected, and the frequency of cases is being monitored.
3.6
Only two examiner’s reports out of a total of 63 IHSC external examiners
reports identified specific areas of risk and where others had completed the
box the comments did not appear to constitute risk. However, detailed
responses to these comments have been made and sent to the external
examiners.
3.7
The level of detail provided by some external examiners is somewhat
limited, although verbal reports at assessment panels and awards boards is
often more comprehensive. In one case the external examiner was asked to
provide more information. It could be that the external examiner report
template deters some examiners from responding fully.
4.
Key Issues, Themes and Trends
4.1
The QAA conducted two major reviews in 2005-2006 for both Health and
Allied Health provision in IHSC on behalf of the Department of Health. The
judgements revealed confidence in relation to Academic and Practitioner
Standards for all areas of provision. The Quality of Learning and Teaching
opportunities were deemed to be commendable across all areas of provision.
Very few areas of weakness were identified in the Action Plans for all three
Major Reviews and some such as timely feedback and student evaluations of
placement were common to all.
Other issues included the need for word
processed feedback, the accuracy of the mentor database, withdrawal rates
in adult nursing, external examiners access to practice and the uptake of
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 6
peer observation, lack of structure in the practice learning element of the
Adult Branch community placement and the high number of student
managed days, and the student perceptions of the Inquiry Based Learning
approach at HSHS. The Allied Health review included issues concerning the
incorporation of opportunities for Inter-professional learning and the need
for mentorship training in Allied Health provision.
These issues are being
addressed within the Institute and HSHS, and are being monitored through
the relevant Quality committees.
4.2
The professional bodies to whom the Institute report, are increasingly using
locally produced, rather than specifically requested, material in their review,
accreditation,
approval
processes.
Consequently
the
inclusion
of
commentary on practice is expected in monitoring reports and external
examiner reports. This is not unreasonable given that in many pathways
50% of the time spent on the pathway is in practice, and the assessment
outcomes are both theory and practice based. As a result more and more
examiners are being encouraged to meet practice colleagues, visit practice
areas and talk with students about their practice experience.
However,
issues in practice are yet to be commented on fully within the Annual
Monitoring Reports.
Guidance material and planned staff development
events will focus on this area.
4.3
A key issue facing the provision is the external environment.
Budget cuts
and reductions in staffing in Local Authorities have meant that placement
opportunities are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
The local NHS
trusts are in deficit and this is impacting on the commissioning of Continuing
Professional Development pathways, but not the Pre-registration Nursing
pathways. However, staff cuts and ward closures are beginning to impact on
placement availability in 2005-2006 and will continue to do so. This is
becoming a serious quality issue as the pressure on placement areas is
beginning to impact on the student experience in both IHSC and HSHS.
Strenuous efforts are being made to address the problems. This may also
impact on future approvals as professional bodies are reluctant to approve
pathways without guaranteed placements.
4.4
An ongoing debate in the past year has been the use of the Anglia Ruskin
module evaluation form.
This form has been amended to include practice
information this year and is seen as an improvement of the previous version.
Electronic completion and submission is seen as the next challenge.
4.5
Several of the Annual Monitoring Reports comment on the problems
encountered in maintaining adequate administrative levels to service the
large number of diverse pathways and programmes. This is an on-going
issue and in some areas where a moratorium on replacement staff exists,
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 6
this has impacted on the quality of service offered.
5.
Previous Years Action Plans
5.1
The Action Plans in some reports were perceived by readers to be
unfocussed in some areas and not specific enough to be measured.
Nonetheless all the action plans were submitted and actions were addressed.
5.2
IHSC Institute Board Quality Enhancement SMART Action Plan 2005-2006
1.
To review the configuration of pathways and programmes within
the IHSC:
Partially
completed
as
part
of
the
15/30
project,
Further review taking place as a part of assimilation with HSHS.
2.
To ensure there is consistency and parity with clear marking criteria
across the Institute;
Introduction of the University General Assessment Criteria and Masking
Standards
3.
To ensure the pathways within the IHSC that have joint PSB approval,
i.e.
Nursing,
Midwifery
Council
(NMC)
which
has
a
statutory
requirement that the programmes are 50% theory/practice, that this is
reflected within the next AMR round 2005/06 of annual monitoring;
Improvement seen but further staff development required.
4.
To provide further staff development in the area of annual monitoring
which revealed the need to provide adequate training/support for
markers, particularly those new to the university, in order to avoid
disparity in levels as identified in one
particular case (Letter 16/2).
Staff development meetings held with Programme leaders, exemplars
shared and ‘surgeries’ offered for Programme leaders.
5.
To
ensure there is
adequate administrative support
which
has
implications for the quality of the student experience and student
retention;
Ongoing.
6.
The need for an active marketing package for pathways with low
recruitment figures'
Appointment of Marketing Manager and detailed strategies developed
for areas with low recruitment facilitated by an external marketing
agency.
The HSHS Action Plans were not available at the time of writing.
6.
Future Action Plans
6.1
The Committee felt that there continues to be considerable variation in the
quality of the reports received. Whilst some reports were very good with
evaluative commentary, others were more descriptive.
Summary Report to the Senate
50
There are some
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 6
Programme Leaders for whom this is a new process.
In the interests of
quality enhancement and staff development, Readers of reports where
quality
improvements
could
be
made
have
arranged
to
meet
with
Programme Leaders to offer detailed feedback and as a result two reports
will be re-submitted. A further workshop is planned to enable programme
leaders to moderate each others reports in an attempt to improve the
standard next year. Action plans are not sufficiently SMART.
6.2
One of the readers who is new to the process comments that there is
considerable repetition in terms of the confirmation that the required
components are present.
At present four different individuals have to
confirm that the requirements have been met. This would seem to be overly
bureaucratic.
6.3
There continues to be an on-going issue with the quality and use of the
centrally produced statistics. This must be addressed more satisfactorily in
the forthcoming year.
6.4
The AMR template could be further improved in order to encourage more
reflective and evaluative commentary and a greater emphasis on practice
where applicable.
The readers report template is repetitive and in some
places does not articulate with the AMR template. More encouragement
could also be made to refer to the Senate Summary.
6.5
Action Plan for 2006 -2007

Staff development workshops for Programme Leader and Heads of
Department to review and moderate the AMRs that have been presented
with advice to increase the content on practice where applicable, improve
the Action Plans, reduce the use of appendices without adequate
referencing, improve the use of statistics and encourage authors of the
reports to demonstrate the Quality Management and Enhancement
agenda by the provision of more examples from their areas.

Develop the QAA format for programme and pathway statistics and
include cohort data.

Staff development workshops for pathway leaders to improve the quality
of the information supplied to Programme Leaders.

Encourage
authors
of
the
reports
to
demonstrate
the
Quality
Management and Enhancement agenda by the provision of more
examples from their areas.
7.
Examples of Good and Innovative practice
7.1
The development of student conferences to which both students and practice
colleagues are invited continue to be seen as examples of good practice
These have been commented upon in successive external reviews.
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 6
7.2
The inclusion of a summary of external examiners comments responses and
actions taken in Social Work Annual Monitoring Report is seen by the reader
as a good model of practice.
7.3
The Job Fair run in conjunction with stakeholders is a further example of
good practice.
7.4
The redesign of the placement evaluation tool at HSHS is seen as a major
enhancement initiative.
A revised process for maximising the completion
alongside a more sophisticated reporting framework has resulted in 490
placement evaluation responses that indicated that 85% of students would
recommend their placement area to other students.
8.
Issues for Special Consideration

The external environment will continue to impact on the work of the Institute
and HSHS and the quality of the student experience.

The financial constraints in the NHS may impact further on proposed
commissions and the provision of placement opportunities.

The assimilation process between IHSC and HSHS has been protracted for a
variety of reasons. The resultant uncertainty has led to low staff morale in
some areas and this coupled with effects of the introduction VSS in 2007
may impact on the management of change that will be required in the
coming months.
9.
Outstanding Actions
The resubmission of two reports is required by the end of March 2007. The action
plans from HSHS for 2005-2006 and 2006 – 2007 will be received shortly
10. Conclusion
The next academic year will include many challenges for the new Faculty of Health
and Social Care. The AMRs for both IHSC and HSHS contain similar issues that will
have to be addressed by the staff group and monitored appropriately by whichever
committee the Faculty governance structure determines will have the quality brief.
The quality of the provision as a whole is good and this has been verified by the
QAA and the other PSBs in the last year.
The external examiners remain satisfied
that rigorous standards are kept and maintained and that the provision equates
with that of other academic institutions.
Whilst areas for improvement can and should always be identified, there is much to
celebrate in the Faculty.
Summary Report to the Senate
52
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 7
ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY
Annual Monitoring of Delivery of Pathways in 2005/6
Faculty of Science and Technology Overview Report
1) Essential Requirements
Annual Monitoring Reports which met the essential requirements have now
been received from all the Programmes in the Faculty:
Architecture and Planning
Construction
Surveying
Computer Science
Computing
Design & Engineering
Technology
Forensic Science & Chemistry
Animal & Environmental Biology
Biomedical, Molecular and Sports Science
Ophthalmic Dispensing
Optometry & Optical Management
Psychology
Not all pathways delivered in Regional Partner Colleges engaged with the
Annual Monitoring process. The Annual Monitoring Subcommittee has
requested that pathway reports be submitted from pathways where there had
been no input.
.
2) Statistical Data
All reports presented and considered the annual monitoring statistical data.
Over the programmes the major issue of concern was the continuing high
levels of non-completion within the normal registration period. This is
interpreted as a consequence of the curriculum regulations which, required
passing grades to be obtained in all modules and allowed up to three attempts.
Changes implemented this year should see an improvement in the number of
students who complete their pathways within the normal period
All reports used the centrally provided data as their main reference source.
Although there have been improvements in the quality of this centrally provided
pathway and programme statistics and the distinction between the
requirements of annual monitoring and periodic review have been clarified,
several annual monitoring reports identified areas where the statistics could be
improved. Significant problems in coding as a consequence of transfer of
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 7
students form the 10/20 to 15/30 curriculum (for example pathways coded to
the wrong programme and/or department; double entries for single pathways;
lack of co-incidence between central statistics and local knowledge: no detail
relating to students registered on pathways delivered in partner college) were
identified. Where action was sought to improve the statistical reporting,
programme leaders found it difficult to identify who to approach to correct the
errors
Improvements to the statistical support provided by the university for Annual
Monitoring and clarification in the procedures for correcting errors will be sought
3) External Examiner Reports
All issues raised by external examiners were considered and responded to in
detail, either in the main body of the report or in an appendix prepared by the
Head of Department. Appropriate action was identified in the action plans.
The recurring themes highlighted by external examiners in 2004/5 reports have
been considered in all reports. Improvements have been reported where these
were identified as issues. However several themes remain of concern.
Although communication with regional partners has improved significantly, this
remains a problem in some programmes and the management and quality
assurance of the delivery in regional partner colleges continues to demand a
disproportionate time commitment. There are very few pathways delivered in
the region which recruited more than 10 students in 2006 and none that
recruited more than 20.
Although programmes have increasingly adopted web based strategies for
plagiarism detection, there is continuing pressure for Anglia Ruskin to provide a
lead in supporting electronic submission of assessments and electronic
detection of plagiarism.
A number of externals’ (responses from Architecture & Planning, Surveying
Computing, Computer Science, Technology Design & Engineering, Animal &
Environmental Biology and Psychology Programmes) raised issues associated
with the assessment timetable. Although in part these problems were
undoubtedly a consequence of the university wide re-organisation completed
during 2005/6, it is also apparent that the University calendar for 2005/6 did not
allow for sufficient time for the collection and moderation of assessment before
marks were submitted. Changes to the code of practice on assessment and
integration of module delivery across the region significantly increase the
administrative challenge in complying with the assessment timetable for
2006/7. New procedures have been implemented across the Faculty to
address this problem and a review of the academic calendar has been initiated.
An area of concern shared by several external examiners was the poor style
used by students in assessment. This was expressed as concerns regarding
referencing style (Surveying, Computing) and poor English expression
(Technology, Design & Engineering, Psychology). We have introduced Faculty
wide WebCT based resources to support the introduction of student to
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 7
appropriate styles of presentation and individual Departments have enhanced
support to meet their particular needs. However it may be appropriate to
consider an expansion of the University wide provision to support students who
have specific difficulties with written English.
Last year a number of external examiners had concerns regarding the two tier
assessment process. In general their concerns have been allayed. However
the newly appointed external examiner in Optometry and Optical Management
has again expressed strong reservations regarding the process. A robust
explanation of the operation of our system has been provided and it is
anticipated that he will have a fuller understanding of the procedures by the end
of this academic year.
It is gratifying to note the large number of externals who praised the curriculum.
For example, the external for Animal and Environmental Biology described the
teaching as excellent and the curriculum as innovative, modern and
challenging, the Psychology curriculum was described as innovative and up-todate and the Forensic Science curriculum as standard setting in Higher
Education. These externals are all themselves established academics in very
highly regarded Universities
4) Key Issues
There continues to be significant variations in recruitment across the Faculty
with all pathways in the Department of Built Environment Architecture and
Planning, Surveying and Construction showing increases over the last few
years The key issues identified in Annual Monitoring reports are listed below:\

Staffing – the over-reliance on part-time staff was an issue identified in
the reports from Construction and Surveying. The significant increase in
recruitment to these Programmes has meant that the numbers of fulltime staff has not kept pace with student numbers. This is being
addressed. However, recruitment of suitably qualified staff has proved
problematic. There was a particular problem in Forensic Science where
the combined effect of staff illness and staff resignations led to high
workloads for the remaining staff.

Physical Resources – Despite a significant investment in new
equipment, the quality of the studio and laboratory provision for
Technology students remains an issue. The efficient procurement of the
appropriate equipment and commissioning of the new facilities has been
problematic.
The pressure on studio facilities in Architecture and Planning continues
to cause concern and is unlikely to be completely resolved before the
opening of the Faculty Building in 2008.
Summary Report to the Senate
55
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 7

Student related issues. The high number of students who are taking
more than the expected time to complete their awards was identified as
an issue by a number of Programmes. It is anticipated that this will
improve with the introduction of the new regulations

Quality Assurance. Although communication with regional partner
colleges and compliance by partner colleges with quality assurance
procedures has improved, it has proved difficult to engage some
pathways and partner colleges in the Annual Monitoring process
perhaps because they were not formally required to produce pathway
reports.

In several reports there was concern expressed regarding the standards
of written English and the consistent use of the scientific style. This is
being addressed at Programme and Faculty level However, it may be
appropriate to consider University wide support for students who have
specific learning needs in written English
All of these issues are being addressed by the Department or Faculty.
However Programme Leaders require further support in their efforts to fully
engage some pathways delivered in partner colleges in the Annual
Monitoring process and students with specific learning needs in written
English would benefit from University wide support.
5) Previous Year’s Action Plans
Annual Monitoring Reports included last year’s action plans and a record of
action taken. There was some variation in the detail included to demonstrate
that action had been taken.
6) Future Action Plans
A complete set of Action Plans is attached. These broadly address the issues
identified above.
7) Examples of Good and Innovative Practice
A wide range of good and innovative practice was identified in Annual
Monitoring Reports and in feedback from external examiners. A common
theme in externals reports was praise for innovative, relevant and standard
setting curriculum (Animal & Environmental Biology, Forensic Science,
Psychology, Technology). Strong and links with professional bodies were
identified in Psychology, Architecture and Planning, Technology, Design and
Engineering). Highlighted examples of good practice include:




Mid-module learning review (Surveying)
Creative and innovative use of WebCT (Surveying, Computer Science)
Exemplary module guides and structured student feedback
(Construction, Psychology)
Engagement of employers in exhibitions of student work (Construction)
Summary Report to the Senate
56
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 7












Collaboration with employers in assignments (Architecture and Planning)
Study abroad opportunities (Architecture & Planning)
Employer sponsorship of student prizes (Architecture and Planning)
Buddy mentoring for part-time students (Computing)
Curriculum focussed conferences (Computing)
Success by students in external competitions (Computing)
Imaginative and innovative assessments (Psychology, Construction,
Animal & Environmental Biology)
Innovative Distance Delivery (Ophthalmic Dispensing)
Exceptional performance in external examinations (Optometry and
Optical Management)
Exceptional opportunities for fieldwork learning (Animal & Environmental
Biology)
Practitioner engagement with the delivery of the curriculum (Animal &
Environmental Biology)
Effective monitoring of plagiarism (Technology)
8) Issues for Special Consideration during 2006/7
It is suggested that Programme Leaders will give special consideration to the
integration of Regional Delivery with core Anglia procedures and processes.
9) Comments
Annual Monitoring Reports were effective in reviewing the delivery of the
curriculum across the activities at core Anglia and for most of our regional
partners. However, it has proved difficult to fully engage all the pathways in our
partner colleges with the Annual Monitoring process. In the absence of a
formal reporting structure, some Programme Leaders have found it difficult to
obtain comprehensive feedback from pathway leaders in some partner
colleges.
Iain Brodie
Associate Dean (Quality & Programmes)
Feb 2007
Summary Report to the Senate
57
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 7
Summary Report to the Senate
58
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 8
Anglia Ruskin University
Annual Monitoring
Foundation Degrees Synoptic Report
Anglia Ruskin University and its partner institutions currently approve the Foundation
Degrees listed in section two. The majority of Foundation Degrees were re-approved
during the year 2005/6 as part of the 15/30 curriculum changes. In cases where it
was decided not to continue the degree one of two actions were taken. Either the
degree was approved as a populated non continuing title and all modules were
revised or the degree was approved to complete in summer 2007 using original
modules
This report considers the analysis and evaluation of Foundation Degrees undertaken
as part of the Annual Monitoring Process for the academic year 2005/6.
There were a number of emerging issues and these are reported in Section One.
SECTION ONE
Academic Standards
It is clear from external examiner reports that Foundation degrees are maintaining
academic standards as appropriate. Two pathways were the subject of QAA review
during the year, FdSc Radiotherapy and Oncology Practice and FdA Public Service.
Both were successful. Students on the FdA Public Service had some difficulties with
poor academic practice. These were successfully addressed by the academic team.
Enhancement
It was recognised in many reports that the 15/30 curriculum was a means for
reviewing and making necessary changes to modules. Links with regional partner
institutions were frequently referred to and there has been renewed activity in this
area. Discipline network groups have been a positive method of communication.
Work Based Learning
The arrangements for this varied considerably and it would be useful to engage in
discussion with academic teams and students to ensure that appropriate support and
advice is given and good practice shared. The appointment of workplace /
placement co-ordinators has been a positive way to manage and develop
placements. Arrangements for supervision in the workplace and for preparation of
supervisors should be reviewed with the intention of setting standards and providing
agreed levels of support for students.
Working online
The challenges of obtaining electronic information from regional partner institutions
has been a continuing problem in the last year. Although there is now a useful guide
available this does not overcome some of the access problems.
Staff development is required for blended and distributed e-learning modules and has
not always been satisfactory.
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 8
Conclusion.
In a period of change, standards within Foundation Degrees have been maintained.
As staff have gained considerable experience in delivery of these degrees and in
working with partners and the workplace, development of online facilities and of
workplace supervision can inform future new Foundation Degrees.
Marian Redding
Head of Modular Programmes
12th April 2007
SECTION TWO
Faculty
Fd Pathway Title
ALSS
FdA Paralegal Studies
FdA Popular Music
FdA Print Journalism
FdA Public Service
FdA Professional Photography
AIBS
FdA Management
Education
FdA Early Years Childcare and Education
FdA Learning Support (Primary Education)
FdA Learning Support (Secondary Education)
IHSC
FdSc Associate Practitioner
FdSc Counselling (10/20 running out)
FdSc Radiotherapy and Oncology Practice
FdA Working with Young People
Science &
FdSc E-Commerce
Technology
FdSc Engineering (PNCP)
FdSc Ophthalmic Dispensing
FdSc Supply Chain (Logistics and Operations Management)
FdSc Supply Chain (Port and Maritime)
FdSc Supply Chain (Procurement and Purchasing)
Summary Report to the Senate
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 9
2005/6 Annual Institutional Review Report of
Edexcel Licensed Centre BTEC programmes
This annual Institutional Review Report (IRR) should relate to all BTEC programmes run as institutional awards under the Licence Agreement
(in most cases this will mean Higher National programmes).
Please send your IRR to the Edexcel University Chief Examiner to arrive before the end of March 2007
Note that any of the following tables may be scrolled if necessary.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROGRAMME DETAILS
Centre:
Centre number:
Anglia Ruskin University
16311
Review sent by:
Paul Baxter/Sharon Simpson
Date of submitting IRR: 30 March 2007
Position in institution:
Head of Quality Assurance/Institutional Quality Assurance Officer E mail address: p.baxter@anglia.ac.uk/
s.a.simpson@anglia.ac.uk
Name of Committee/Board approving submission of the IRR:
Professor Lesley Dobrée, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Quality Enhancement, Chair of the Academic Standards, Quality & Regulations Committee, on
behalf of the Senate (the full report will be received by the Senate at its next meeting on 25th April 2007).
FOR EACH BTEC PROGRAMME RUN AT YOUR CENTRE, PLEASE GIVE:
Title of programme:
Notes:
1. Indicate with a * programmes that are also run at partner
institutions.
2. For integrated HNC/D programmes please indicate HNC and HND
awards separately ( eg. 12/21 for 12 HNC and 21 HND awards).
HND Property and Surveying
HND Building Management
HND Civil Engineering*
HND Architectural Design Technology
HNC Business Information Technology*
HND Business Information Technology*
HNC Computing
HND Computing
HNC Multimedia Computing
HND Multimedia Computing
HND Audio & Music Technology
HND Internet Management & Web Design
HND Computer Aided Product Design
HND Electronics
HNC Electronic Engineering
HNC Engineering*
HND Engineering*
HND E-Commerce
HNC Applied Biology
HNC Chemistry
HNC Business Management*
HND Business Management*
HND Tourism & Leisure
Number
of
students
receiving
award in
IRR period
5
0
24
4
2
3
7
2
1
3
1
2
0
7
7
17
34
0
4
9
9
14
1
Comments:
Please add comments as necessary. In particular,
if no awards are made for any programmes.
Please see note below**
Please see note below**
Please see note below**
FOR EACH BTEC PROGRAMME DELIVERED BY A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER CENTRE, PLEASE GIVE:
Partner institution
Title(s) of programme(s) run at institution
Number
of
students
receiving
award in
IRR period
Braintree College
HNC Business Information Technology
4
Cambridge Regional College
HNC Construction
HNC Business Management
10
5
Summary Report to the Senate
61
Comments:
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 9
HNC Design (Graphic Design)
HND Motor Vehicle Engineering (Motor Sport)
HND Sports Science
0
3
0
Please see note below**
Colchester Institute
HNC Business Studies
HNC Art & Design (Visual Communications)
HND Art & Design (Visual Communications)
0
1
5
Please see note below**
College of West Anglia (COWA)
HNC Information Technology
HND Information Technology
HNC Graphic Design (Isle campus)
HNC Design (Graphic Design)
HNC Health & Social Care
HNC Business Management
HND Information Management Technologies
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Please
Please
Please
Please
Easton College
HND Sports, Health & Exercise
HNC Agriculture & Food Production
HND Agriculture & Food Production
HNC Animal Science & Welfare
HND Animal Science & Welfare
HNC Countryside Management
HND Countryside Management
HND Equine Science & Welfare
HND Horticulture
13
1
0
3
7
1
5
3
5
Great Yarmouth College
HND Engineering
HNC Child, Youth & Family Studies
HND Child, Youth & Family Studies
0
2
1
Epping Forest College
HNC Business Management
HND Business Management
HND Business Information Technology
2
7
0
Please see note below**
Havering College
HND Travel & Tourism Management
0
Please see note below**
Huntingdonshire Regional College (HRC)
HNC Information Technology
HNC Photography (Commercial Practice)
HND Photography (Commercial Practice)
Please see note below**
see
see
see
see
note
note
note
note
below**
below**
below**
below**
Please see note below**
Please see note below**
Please see note below**
Please see note below**
7
1
4
Lowestoft College
HNC Business Management
HND Engineering
HNC Engineering
HNC Childhood & Youth Studies
3
7
3
13
South East Essex VIth Form Community College (SEEVICC)
HND Sports, Health & Exercise
0
Please see note below**
Thurrock & Basildon College
HNC Business Management
Summary Report to the Senate
62
Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 9
West Suffolk College
HND Information Technology
HNC Business Management
HND Business Management
HND Engineering
HNC Engineering
HND Childhood & Youth Studies
HND Motor Vehicle Engineering
HND Building Services Engineering
HNC Building Services Engineering
HND Civil Engineering
HNC Civil Engineering
HND Construction
HNC Construction
0
Please see note below**
4
8
2
8
19
1
0
5
5
1
12
5
10
Please see note below**
**The majority of Anglia Ruskin HNs are delivered
to part-time students who, therefore, do not
necessarily complete within two years. HN
programmes also experience some student
withdrawals and some failures. Students who
demonstrate high achievement in the early stages
of their course may transfer to an Honours degree
pathway.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF BTEC PROGRAMMES
1 ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT
Do the External Examiners for each programme covered by the Licence Agreement confirm that the standards set are appropriate for the
level of the qualifications?
YES
If this is not the case for any programme give details here and refer to Section 5 if appropriate.
N/A
2 ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Do the External Examiners for each programme covered by the Licence Agreement confirm that the standard of student performance is at a
level appropriate for the programme they have studied?
YES
If this is not the case for any programme give details here and refer to Section 5 if appropriate.
N/A
3 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCESS FOR BTEC PROGRAMMES
Describe briefly how the institutional quality assurance processes used for producing this report provide an effective focus on the
programmes covered by this review and ensure consistency of practice across all programmes. (Include the procedures in place for
franchise programmes, where relevant). If this focus is apparent from your published quality assurance review and monitoring procedures,
simply attach these procedures to the Review (or provide an electronic link to them).
Following a significant reorganisation of the University’s academic infrastructure, a revised annual monitoring
process was introduced from September 2005. This process is based on the organisational structure of the
‘Programme’. A ‘Programme’ is a collection of cognate pathways, overseen by a ‘Programme Leader’ and is a
key feature of the University’s curriculum management systems. All pathways, including those delivered by
collaborative partners, are allocated to one and only one ‘Programme’. This is the second year of operation of
the revised annual monitoring process.
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Appendix 9
Each Programme Leader is required to submit an annual monitoring report encompassing delivery of all pathways
within their Programme at all delivery locations. A key aspect of this process is dialogue between the
Programme Leader and individual Pathway Leaders. The resulting report produces a S.M.A.R.T. Action Plan for
the forthcoming year. This addresses any issues highlighted in the report, including responses to external
examiners’ reports and the identification of examples of good practice for dissemination. For reporting on
delivery in 2005/06, a new requirement has been introduced whereby Programme Leaders are asked to identify
‘significant and/or commendable achievements’ for dissemination. For further information on ‘good practice’
and ‘significant and/or commendable achievements’, please see section 6 below.
In order to ensure a consistent approach across the University, a template is provided for the Programme
Report. All reports are subject to an initial check for completeness, by the Associate Dean and Faculty Quality
Assurance Officer, before formal submission to the Institutional Quality Assurance Officer in the Quality
Assurance Division.
The Programme Annual Monitoring Reports are read, respectively, by appointed Readers, approved by the
relevant Faculty Boards. The Reader produces a report (following a prescribed template) which provides speedy
feedback to the author, highlights relevant issues and comments on the quality of the report. The Readers’
Reports and the associated Programme Reports and S.M.A.R.T. Action Plans are considered by the appropriate
Faculty Board Annual Monitoring Subcommittee. Each subcommittee produces, for the attention of the Faculty
Board, an Overview Report on the operation of the process at faculty level. Concurrently, those Programme
Reports which include Edexcel provision are considered for the production of the IRR; a similar process is
conducted for all foundation degrees.
Finally the five Faculty Overview Reports, the Edexcel Report and the Foundation Degree Report are considered
by the Senate, together with a final summary of the entire process, written by the Head of Quality Assurance.
4 SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND ENHANCEMENTS
Give any significant changes in provision, such as newly validated Higher National programmes, changes in franchise position, cessation of
programmes, etc. Also, any enhancements to individual programmes you wish to report.
As reported in the IRR for 2004/5, a full review of Anglia Ruskin’s collaborative provision was undertaken during
2004/5, resulting in significant changes to the nature and size of the University’s collaborative provision.
Furthermore, from September 2006, a number of partner colleges are collaborating with new awarding bodies.
This report therefore covers the final year of Anglia Ruskin’s collaborative activity with the following colleges
delivering HNs:
Colchester Institute
Easton College
Great Yarmouth College
Havering College
Lowestoft College
West Suffolk College
During 2005/06, the University also undertook a major review of its provision, realigning the University’s
standard module size from multiples of 10 credits, to multiples of 15 credits. This report therefore covers the
final year of such pathways. However, a small number of pathways maintaining a structure of multiples of 10
credits will continue until current students complete their award. These HNs are listed below and will come
within the scope of next year’s IRR:
HND Health & Social Studies, COWA
HND Graphic Design, COWA (Isle campus)
5 MAJOR ISSUES
Summarise the situation over any major issues with regard to the BTEC programmes, including issues that have arisen from External
Examiners’ reports and with respect to student experience (including teaching and learning resources and issues from programme
committees):

unresolved issues raised in previous session(s): action taken
HNC/D Health & Social Studies
The IRR for 2004/5 commented on:
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Appendix 9
a weakness for the HNC programme of students’ inadequate referencing
the external examiner’s concerns over the appropriateness of the Research Module assessment strategy
the external examiner’s concerns over the failure of some students to always observe confidentiality in
written work resulting from Observation Placement
As the annual monitoring report for delivery in 2004/5 did not specify whether any action had been taken, this
was referred back to the Programme Leader who reported the following this year:
“The HNC is not going to run next year. Student numbers have been low. However, the Pathway Leader has
arranged study skills sessions and there is a confidentiality statement on each assessment sheet.”
The external examiner report at the end of the academic year will be checked to monitor satisfaction with
progress on the relevant issues.




new issues and action planned to resolve them: where possible, state where the responsibility lies for action and give a time
scale.
HNC/D Information Technology
Two issues have been identified:

The lack of a dedicated Linux lab was a concern for students at COWA. Plans were put forward to put a
Linux lab in place by September 2006. This was monitored by the Department and is now in place.

There has been difficulty in getting student representatives at meetings at HRC and COWA. A high
proportion of students are part-time. This has been addressed through the S.M.A.R.T. Action Plan with
the intention to hold more meetings so that more representatives can be involved in the process. This
will be actioned and monitored by the college course leader.
HND Computing
The Programme Leader reported that completion rates were low. Over a third of the fourteen students starting
the year transferred to the Computer Science degree*. Others did not complete for reasons of debt,
intermission or withdrawal. There were only two year three, part time, students remaining. Student retention,
recruitment and attendance, is being addressed through targets in the S.M.A.R.T. action plan. This will be
actioned by the Programme Leader, Head of Department and regional Course Tutors and will be monitored by
the Head of Department and Programme Leader.
*Most of the HND students elect to attempt extra modules and subsequently transfer to the BSc (Hons) pathway.
Therefore fewer HNDs are awarded. This trend is also beginning to happen at the regional partners as students
take up the opportunity to transfer to local Dip HE pathways or to a degree at Anglia Ruskin.
HND Graphic Design (College of West Anglia (COWA), Isle Campus)
The external examiner for modules that contribute to the Dip. HE and HND Graphic Design pathways expressed a
number of concerns in his report with regard to the marking process at the Isle Campus of COWA (and in
particular the preparation of staff for the marking process), standards achieved on the major project and the
use of visiting lecturers and field trips. An action plan was prepared in response to the report, following a
meeting between various members of the Pathway/Programme Team from both COWA and Anglia Ruskin
(including the Head of Department), the Associate Dean (with responsibility for quality assurance in the Faculty
of Arts, Law & Social Sciences) and the Head of Quality Assurance. The plan has been welcomed by the external
examiner and its implementation will be monitored through the annual monitoring report for the academic year
2006/07.
6 GOOD PRACTICE
Give any examples of good practice at institutional level in relation to BTEC programmes that you wish to draw to the attention of Edexcel,
including examples of good practice raised by External Examiners, and Internal and External Reviews of BTEC programmes.
As reported in the IRR for 2004/5, the Anglia Ruskin Senate approved a definition of good practice, to be
adopted in the annual monitoring process in response to concerns that many reports simply listed standard
practice as good practice. Programme Leaders also have the opportunity to identify significant and/or
commendable achievements. This encourages fewer, but stronger and more appropriate citations of good
practice.
The annual monitoring process, as outlined in section 3 above, culminates in a summary report, considered by
the Senate. The Senate endorses examples of good practice identified in the summary report, for dissemination
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06
Appendix 9
to other areas of the institution which may be able to learn from these. As the focus of annual monitoring is
based on the organisational structure of the Programme, such examples of good practice are drawn from across
the University, at Programme level, and do not therefore, identify individual pathways from which the examples
are drawn. Dissemination to the wider University community includes details of those who can be contacted for
further information. Colleagues are asked to consider and/or adapt for use, examples of good practice,
highlighted in the overview report on annual monitoring for the previous academic year, for delivery of any
pathway which may benefit from this.
Due to the nature of the University’s modular scheme, HN students may be taught alongside degree students and
any example of good practice may be a feature of delivery of a module contributing to more than one pathway.
The summary report on the annual monitoring process for 2005/6 will be considered by the Senate at its meeting
of 25th April 2007. The endorsed examples of good practice will be available after that date and can be provided
to supplement this IRR if required.
7 OTHER COMMENTS
Mention any points you may wish to make that would not otherwise be covered in the report. If you have received any relevant (nonconfidential) reports during the year from bodies external to your institution (eg Collaborative Audit, Professional Accreditation reports,
etc.), use this Section to make any comments, or to provide a reference to such reports.
(i) The IRR for 2004/5 reported that the Assistant Director of the Registry and the Head of Quality Assurance
were conducting a review of moderation and sampling processes with a view to introducing revised guidelines
from September 2006. During the 2005/6 academic year, the University revised its regulatory framework for all
taught pathways and produced a new set of Academic Regulations with implementation from September 2006.
The Anglia Ruskin Senate Code of Practice on the Assessment of Students, which details the University’s policy
for various aspects of the assessment process including internal and external moderation, was subsequently
revised to reflect the new Academic Regulations and was approved by the Senate in November 2006. The
revised Code contains revised and more explicit requirements for the moderation and sampling processes for all
modules contributing to taught pathways (including HNs) across the University and all of its collaborative
partners.
A ‘Procedural Document’ to support the Code of Practice is currently being developed which will provide
academic staff and other relevant staff with a step-by-step guide to the assessment process from the design of
assessment tasks to the moderation of assessed work and the final publication of results. The first draft of this
document has been considered by the University’s Academic Standards, Quality & Regulations Committee in
March 2007. It is envisaged that the final draft will be agreed in May 2007 with implementation from the
2007/08 academic year.
(ii) In December 2007, the University will undergo its next QAA Institutional Audit. This is a particularly
important engagement for Anglia Ruskin as it seeks to demonstrate the considerable progress made since the
May 2004 judgement of ‘limited confidence’. The Action Plan and subsequent progress report, submitted
following the previous Audit, have been accepted and signed off by the Agency.
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Annual Monitoring of Delivery in 2005/06