Curriculum and Design Programme Meeting 13th and 14th October -The Why and for Whom Questions

Thanks to Sarah, Lisa and Marianne for organising a really helpful programme meeting.

As usual the more my prejudices are reinforced the more I like it. This time it was why do we have validation/approval processes and student record systems and for whose benefit. The consensus seemed to be both are largely driven in their current incarnations by the needs of external agencies i.e. HEFCE reporting and QAA audit. Ensuring a variety of stakeholder’s requirements is met by these processes and systems including assurance and funding bodies is perhaps the key challenge.

Key points for me were:
1. The ability to re purpose the data generated by validation events and processes.
2. Ensuring validation/approval events encourage properly evidenced reflection by programme/course teams.
3. How to ensure that the artefacts from validation events add value after the event/process is completed. Should it ever be completed?
4. Once again the need for joined up processes.
5. Flexibility without boundaries is called a mess.
6. The process of course/programme delivery should be a larger issue for those involved as opposed to content.
7. External agencies are happy to support a greater range of flexibility than they are often given credit for.

The Design studio should provide a valuable resource and help guide our developments. We need to think about how we introduce it to the management team and institution generally. Reassured that the discussions the project are enabling within and outside of the institution are acceptable outputs.

The projects outside of our cluster group that seemed to have the most direct relevance for our project are Staffordshire, Ulster and Manchester Met. Particularly liked the look of the user interface design tool Ulster is using.

Enjoyed Keri Facers presentation without agreeing with some of the conclusions she was drawing. Is there really a disconnect between parents and their children as a result of technology. Sounds like a familiar tune with technology replacing pop music.