Recommendations from the Module Review

Funding Recommendations:

• Review the current model for funding IATL to find a better balance so that a) IATL receives income for teaching, b) Departments are incentivised to contribute to the teaching of interdisciplinary modules and c) Departments receive adequate compensation for releasing their students to take IATL modules.
• University to inform Departments each academic year how the workload and teaching income systems operate when a) Departmental staff convene or teach on an IATL module and b) students take IATL modules for credit in place of Departmental modules.
• Enable the payment of staff convening and/or teaching on IATL modules who are on non-academic or non-teaching contracts without the need for the negotiation of complicated exceptions to contracts with HR.
• Uplift funding for IATL for interdisciplinary curricula over and above the existing investment for educational innovation and project support.

Staffing Recommendations:

• Increase IATL core teaching staff, enabling IATL staff to not only contribute to teaching on modules but also to support the development and sustainability of interdisciplinary provision and ensure that IATL’s provision is characterised by pedagogic innovation.
• Appoint a Director of Education as part of IATL core staff. Such a role would work with other parts of the University to enable the development of more coherent and clear ways of interacting with Departments, Faculties and possibly GRPs, to embed and sustain interdisciplinary provision across the University.
• Provide formal recognition of staff in Departments contributing to IATL teaching via incorporation of their work in Departmental workload models. This needs to recognise that work on a new module begins before teaching.
• Reduce dependence on temporary staff. Where sessional staff are necessary, provide more secure contracts. Ideally temporary contracts should be part of developmental model, for example the regular appointment of a fixed-term Early Career Teaching Fellow.

Module Provision Recommendations:

• IATL to be more pro-active about generating modules, in conjunction with other University Departments, Faculties, students and potentially GRPs, that fit strategically within its portfolio and align more closely to wider strategic aims. For example, once areas of interest have been identified in consultation with different stakeholders, calls for submitting proposals for creating relevant modules in such areas should be issued, with the aim of involving colleagues from different Departments and services.
• That the opportunity to develop modules using the existing bottom-up approach should be maintained but in a more controlled manner. For example, calls should be issued once or twice a year to submit module proposals via a competitive process with the winners receiving funding to develop the process and receiving University recognition for their success.
• Where modules do emerge from individual initiatives, strong consultation with students is undertaken to ensure that such modules will recruit. Requiring module proposers to undertake a scoping exercise and to demonstrate demand as well as increasing student input on module approval panel are both practical strategies to help achieve this.

Module Recruitment and Registration Recommendations:

• When students are told about the module registration process (a centralised process as they register directly into EVision) the process information should include advice on applying for IATL modules.
• Greater recognition for students undertaking interdisciplinary modules as an incentive and as an opportunity for them to enrich their CV, testifying the value of their acquired new skills.
• Explore possibilities for these pathways mapping onto GRP themes. Most existing modules already map onto some of the GRPs remits and topics. More systematic interaction with GRPs could yield additional, relevant possibilities to expand curriculum in areas of great interest for students and the University more generally.
• Continue to develop resources and opportunities for effectively communicating the value of interdisciplinarity to students, challenging stigma and concerns around aspects such as teaching and assessment methods.
• Monitor the development of online not-for-credit modules and explore possibilities of courses to complement PhD programmes or to offer key interdisciplinary ‘skills’.
• Encourage Departments to promote the availability of IATL modules to their students, where appropriate, and to apply a consistent approach to granting permission to students wishing to take IATL modules.
• Information on interdisciplinary learning opportunities to be provided to prospective and arriving students so that students are aware of what the University offers before starting their degree programme.
• Build the interdisciplinary module application and approval process into the module registration system.
• Consider incorporating IATL’s modules into departmental course regulations so that IATL’s modules are easier to select and not viewed as ‘unusual’ option choices.

University Systems Recommendations:

• In Tabula, enable IATL administrative staff to masquerade/ proxy as module convenors (as they would if they were in the same department).
• Make it common practice in Departments to display a message to students registering on IATL modules through eVision to ensure they are redirected to IATL’s approval form.
• Look at the possibility of naming more than one convenor on the module catalogue system.

Timetabling Recommendations:

• The earlier availability of timetabling information would enable students to choose interdisciplinary modules around their core students. In addition, combining the module registration process with the timetabling process would enable places to be allocated more efficiently and would enable IATL to ensure fair access to students from all departments.
• Consider the possibility of a reserved area of the week for undertaking interdisciplinary study.
• Make available, at a minimum, a flexible open space on central campus over which IATL has timetabling control, to replace the Humanities Studio. Ideally, a dedicated interdisciplinary teaching suite to enable experimentation with innovative teaching pedagogies.