Going beyond the obvious – talking about challenge and change (Programme Meeting 11 May 2011)

The JISC Curriculum Design Programme Meetings have become something of a milestone for the UG-Flex project. The recent trip to Birmingham for the latest meeting provided an opportunity for reflection on our project in the context of challenge and change.  The question that framed the day was how can we convey, in a useful context, what we have learned and what has changed at Greenwich to others?

One thing that emerged from the activities and sessions was that UG-Flex is one of the projects that has delivered (and continues to deliver) a combination of technical outputs and softer change outcomes. So in our case we need to think about what outputs and outcomes such as “better dialogue around flexibility and curriculum design and delivery” actually look like and how to describe them to different audiences? Equally how can we convey meaningfully what improved processes and systems around course information / data look like and what impact they have had? To ensure we capture the breadth of what UG-Flex has achieved, it is likely that our approach will encompass case studies as well as multimedia tools and written guides and training.

The meeting was also a chance to talk to colleagues from other projects about their respective approaches to evaluation. These discussions were extremely useful in helping UG-Flex to re-evaluate its own approach, and proved the argument that there is something positive to take from every situation! A paper on our evaluation approach for the remainder of the project will go to the next Project Management Group meeting.