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Education Strategy at Warwick

Our Priorities 2021/22

Education Executive have identified the following five strategic priorities for 2021/22

1. Course Approval

We will review our current course approval system and implement changes to improve its functionality. Alongside this, we will identify a new solution that manages both course and module approval, as well as supporting related processes and initiatives such as curriculum review and module selection. Our aim is to significantly improve the experience of designing and approving courses and modules for all involved.

In practice, our attention is likely to focus on:

  • Improving the current course approval system so that it better supports our process for course design, amendment, and approval;
  • Implementing a new system that supports departments in designing high-quality, relevant and market attractive courses, that also encompasses module approval;
  • Ensuring the new system supports related processes, such as curriculum review and module selection;
  • Developing a course catalogue which makes all programme details, including the programme specification, available to staff and students in one location.

    2. Review of Assessment Phase II

    We are building upon the work undertaken by the Review of Assessment begun in 2017 to modernise the academic infrastructure that underpins assessment matters and also enhancing our infrastructure to better support online assessment.

    In practice, our attention is likely to focus on:

    • reviewing assessment methods: with a view to further implementing the diversification of assessment work previously undertaken and incorporation of the planned curriculum review and inclusive education efforts;
    • online assessment: comprising policy development, implementation of an online assessment system and operational aspects as sub strands of activity;
    • developing a framework for assessment monitoring, data use and ethics .

    3. Curriculum Review

    Through this year, we will continue to develop the curriculum review process at Warwick, ready to deliver several curricula reviews each year from 2021/22 onwards.

    In practice, our attention is likely to focus on:

    • Designing and refining a curriculum review process which integrates with existing university processes;
    • Finalising guidance and a framework to inform academic departments of how to approach curriculum review and what data and information that can support them;
    • Developing a model of support for academic departments undertaking a refresh drawing together the expertise across teams;
    • Through the curriculum review framework, provide academic departments with the tools to bring together agreed strategies and policies which will inform curriculum design and review;
    • Continuing to complete several pilot curricula reviews and agree timescales for staggered curriculum refreshes each year from 2022/23 and the role of the ITLR in this.

    4. Inclusive Education

    The Inclusive Education Model includes immediate and long-term ambitions to achieve institutional and structural change that will enable us to deliver education in which all students feel included and able to succeed at Warwick. The Model has been enriched by valuable discussions and feedback received from departments, taskforces and groups. Successful operationalisation of the model is dependent on an ongoing collaboration between academic and professional service departments.

    In practice, our attention is likely to focus on:

    • Supporting departments in reviewing and engaging with their data dashboard to help support future planning;
    • Clarifying departmental structures to progress inclusion efforts;
    • Supporting departments in engaging with current students, the Students Union, Academic Convenors, Faculty Student Engagement Coordinators and Directors of Student Experience to determine approaches to ensuring that inclusion is embedded in student engagement through SSLCs and other departmental engagement;
    • Highlighting the range of training courses, guidance and resources and external information;
    • Piloting the curriculum review process with a department from each Faculty, including an ADC framework for curriculum review;
    • Assessing current progress in relation to inclusion as part of the 2021/22 TEG process.

    5. Enhanced Blended Learning

    We are looking ahead to a post-COVID world where we base education decisions on pedagogy. Aside from specifically online-only courses, the core learning paradigm will remain on campus, in person but intelligently enhanced by more online activity. The TABLE22 project has brought together current thinking and identified that.

    In practice, our attention is likely to focus on:

    • Enhancement and updating of learning platforms;
    • The strong student demand for lecture recording;
    • The need to reflect the investment in the creation of quality online learning in work load models;
    • The need for adequate resourcing to create quality materials;
    • The need for students to have access to a good laptop, reliable broadband and a quiet place to work.