What the project is?
This initiative has emerged out of a strategic vision to enhance the student learning experience at the University of York. This vision grounded in the research evidence relating to student learning gain involves a fundamental shift in the way curricula are conceived by requiring focus to be placed foremost on the programme as a whole.
This new ‘York Pedagogy’ has fundamental implications for academic teaching leadership and in particular the role and authority of ‘Programme Leaders’. It is the aim of the project to clearly define the role of ‘Programme Leader’ within the University and to provide robust and thorough support. We will provide training to enable individuals who are appointed to Programme Leader positions to undertake their responsibilities professionally effectively and in line with the aspirations of the University and the new Learning and Teaching Strategies.
What the project hopes to achieve?
Success in the project will entail:
- Terms of reference being established for the role of programme leader
- The successful design and implementation of a new Programme Leaders Course which engages the target constituency. The intention is to pilot the new course in 2015-16 with a view to making it available University-wide the following year
- An effective impact evaluation strategy incorporated into the life cycle of the project. This will inform development as well as future avenues of support for existing and incoming programme leaders (i.e. ‘succession training’ and CPD)
- The improvement of programme quality by embedding design and delivery in a more reflective pedagogically-led programme team environment. The design of module content teaching and assessment will enable the programme as a whole to support student learning in the most effective way.
- The provision of evidence that individuals can carry forward through the YPAD scheme to seek recognition as Senior Fellow of the HEA. The course will build on and integrate with the existing presence of professional development opportunities.
