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Modularisation update

Resits policy

Enhancing Teaching and Learning – SIF Update

Data Protection – everybody’s responsibility

Online applications – your graduate programme can benefit too!

How to email all students in a module, major or programme

Information on supports for students with a disability

New senior appointments: Director of Registry and Director of Quality

Feedback

Dear Colleague,

Welcome to our March Bulletin.

Figures for CAO applications were released on Thursday 8th March. Our analysis shows that overall our major programmes are holding their position, some programmes continue to decline in popularity and there has been a sudden fall in interest in a small number of programmes. I am in the process of communicating these figures to Heads of Schools, who will provide staff in their area with a tailored analysis of the current position.

Significant progress has been made on our various SIF-funded Teaching and Learning initiatives. In particular, this month saw the launch of the Fellowships in Teaching and Academic Development. The fellowships are open to all permanent academic staff. Applications should be submitted by the 2nd of April 2007.

We are on track to complete the modularisation of our remaining undergraduate and graduate programmes for September ’07 entry. Once again, I thank all staff involved in this effort.

I hope that you find the Bulletin helpful. As always, I am keen to hear your feedback and ideas, so please do let me have your thoughts.

Dr. Philip Nolan,
Registrar

Modularisation update

This month, activity has been focused on collecting information on the structure of each of our undergraduate and graduate programmes to be offered for September ’07 entry.

Over 800 Module Co-ordinators across the University are working with dedicated liaison staff within our new SySDEM team to re-affirm and submit descriptions of their modules.  Additionally, programmes have been working with dedicated liaison staff in my office to submit the Programme Board-approved credit frameworks, major/minor structures and regulatory exemption requests for each programme.

All of this information is being stored in Banner in preparation for review and recommendation through the University Undergraduate (http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/academicpolicy/uupb.htm) and University Graduate (http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/academicpolicy/ugpc.htm) Programme Boards. Recommended programme structures and exemptions will then be submitted for final approval to the Academic Council Executive.

General Regulations – your guide to policy under modularisation

The most up-to-date version of the Modularisation and Semesterisation General Regulations is now available on the Academic Policy and Programme Development (APPD) website:
http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/academicpolicy/gen_regs.pdf        

Amendments to the General Regulations were approved by the Academic Council Executive Committee at its meeting on 7th March 2007; a version history of the Regulations can also be located on the APPD website: http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/academicpolicy/gen_regs_version_history.pdf   

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Resits policy

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*KEY TERMS

Programme structures:
This term relates to how the elements of a programme come together and includes detail on the credit frameworks (see below), core, option and elective module lists and progression rules.

Credit Frameworks:
Describes the overall credit load for a programme and how that is broken down on a stage-by-stage basis in terms of the balance between programme (ie core and option) and elective credits.

Majors and Minors:
These terms refer to the proportion of credit allocated to each subject within a degree. Degrees can be configured into different combinations. For example, a student may choose to configure their degree as a ‘joint major’ – where they study two subjects of equal credit value (each normally 25 credits at each stage). Alternatively, they may choose a major/minor combination, where the major element attracts more credits than the minor (normally a 30/20 credit split).

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Enhancing Teaching and Learning – SIF Update

In the December Bulletin (http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/registrar_bulletin/registrarsbulletinfinal.htm) I reported on the award of €1.9m from the Strategic Innovation Fund to develop Institutional leadership and innovation in education.

Part of the award is set aside to focus specifically on Teaching and Learning initiatives and part for developing educational leadership capabilities. I am pleased to say that major progress is being made across the four strands of our overall co-ordinated Teaching and Learning initiative:

1: Stimulating Innovative Teaching Description: This strand centres on the establishment of a number of Teaching and Academic Development Fellowships. Progress: Applications have now been invited for the fellowships. Under the scheme, up to eight Fellows will be appointed to work for two years to develop policy and practices on issues that are of current strategic importance in the University in supporting the enhancement of the modular framework. These include:

Ms Elizabeth Noonan and Dr. Baribre Redmond

• Improving the first year experience
• Developing new approaches to assessment
• Reinforcing linkages between undergraduate and graduate learning
• Curriculum development in the modular framework
• E-learning and blended learning

The fellowships are open to all permanent academic staff. Full details can be found on the Fellowship website at: http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/fellowship/

What is Enquiry-based Learning?

Enquiry-based learning (EBL) is an umbrella term used ‘to describe approaches to learning driven by enquiry.   The tutor (lecturer) establishes the task and supports or facilitates the process, but the students pursue their own lines of enquiry, draw on existing knowledge and identify the consequent learning needs. EBL is usually organised around collaborative work in small groups or with structured support from others, thus promoting the social interaction and cohesion that can be difficult in a mass system’.…(Kahn & O’Rourke, 2005, p1).

3: Widening Participation Description: The Widening Participation project, led by Áine Galvin and in collaboration with UCD's Geary Institute and NUI Maynooth Access Programme, involves a rigorous (predominantly) quantitative evaluation of the New ERA Access Programme. The ultimate aim of the study is to go beyond the analysis of the existing programme to design new interventions or to fine-tune existing ones, so as to improve participation and outcome rates of students from lower socio-economic groups in higher education. Progress: The team are currently in the process of securing ethical approval for the research.

Áine Galvin

Once this has been provided, the retrospective (comparative) analysis of anonymous data on two student cohorts will begin i.e. New ERA students and a comparable control group from the wider UCD student population who were not part of New ERA.

For more information contact: Áine Galvin at email aine.galvin@ucd.ie.

The widening participation project also includes funding for a feasibility study on using the modular curriculum to facilitate part-time learning within a broader lifelong learning framework.

For more information contact: Bairbre Fleming at email: bairbre.fleming@ucd.ie

4: Service Learning, Community Engagement, and Volunteering: Our SIF funding is also being used to develop Service Learning and Community Engagement within UCD. The Service Learning concept involves the provision of an opportunity for students to carry out projects to assist non-profit organisations – for example developing a marketing strategy for a charity shop. It is a true ‘win-win situation’ – the student gets exposure to a real-life challenge and a chance to hone their skills whilst the organisation benefits from the student’s skills and talents.

Dr. Martin Butler

Progress in this area includes the establishment of The UCD Centre for Service Learning, Community Engagement and Volunteering. The centre is committed to providing UCD students with a rounded social education and a strong sense of citizenship. The Centre has three main activities:

• The development and promotion of academic modules that involve a substantial community engagement component – leveraging the flexibility of the modular curriculum
• Liaising with the “not for profit” sector to identify projects to be undertaken by students
• Supporting the work of UCD Volunteers Overseas in co-ordinating placements abroad and developing the related activities of this charity

For more information contact: the UCD VP for Students, Dr. Martin Butler at email: martin.butler@ucd.ie.

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Emailing the students in your module, major or programme quickly and easily

To use this function:

(1)     Log into SISWeb from the Administrative Services tab in Connect – using your Personnel Number and PIN. For most people the PIN is the last six digits of their personnel number, however, some staff may have changed this at some stage. If you have a query regarding your PIN, please contact the Business Support Team on 1222 or business.support@ucd.ie
(2)     Click the tab “Faculty Services”.
(3)     Click the “Student Group Emails Page” link.

To use the form:

(1)     Select either a Programme (& Stage), Major (& Stage), Module or CRN.
(2)     Enter your subject and the body of your message
(3)     Enter the email address from which the email will appear to come from (usually your own but could be a general email address).

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Information on supports for students with disability

A Business Objects Report has been designed which provides confidential information on the academic and assessment supports for students with a disability. It can be accessed by Module Co-ordinators and Heads of School.

Below is a link to a briefing document that sets out the background and context of the new business report, instructions on downloading the report and guidance on the information provided.

Click here to access the report: http://www.ucd.ie/access/aareport.doc

The UCD Disability Support Services team (DSS) will be providing full training on the supports recommended and will be contacting Schools with a view to setting up these sessions as soon as possible.

In the meantime, if you have any queries, please contact the Disability Support Service team at 01 716 7565.

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New appointments - Director of Registry and Director of Quality

Two new senior appointments have been made within my Office. I am very pleased to announce that Kevin Griffin has been appointed as our new Director of Registry and that Roy Ferguson has been appointed Director of Quality.

Kevin comes to us from DCU where he was also Director of Registry. He will join UCD on the 21st of March and will assume overall responsibility for the Registry (Academic Policy and Programme Development, Assessment and Logistics, Operations, SySDEM, and Student Recruitment units).

Roy will join us at the end of April from Queens University, Belfast, where he has been Head of Quality Assurance and Partnerships for the past nine years.  He will have responsibility for ensuring that the University as a whole continues to deliver on its quality commitments across programmes and our wide range of administrative processes.

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