Abstracts

Curriculum Challenges: ‘big words which make us so unhappy’?

Gill Ferrell¹, Stephen Brown², Peter Bullen³, Eddie Gulc⁴, Marianne Sheppard⁵
¹JISC Services, United Kingdom,²De Montfort University, United Kingdom,³University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom,⁴Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom,⁵JISC infoNet, United Kingdom

The various drivers for change in the education sector create diverse challenges for institutions in realising their vision. At the heart of these issues is the need to create more dynamic and agile curriculum design processes and better meet the needs of diverse groups of learners through more student-centred methods of delivery. Institutions are exploring how technology can help them address the challenges to achieve strategic agendas such as ‘employer engagement’ and ‘enriching the student experience’. But, whilst being positive aspirations, we can ‘fear those big words that make us so unhappy’1. Focusing on the theme of ‘learner engagment’, the aim of this session is to draw contributions from the audience in unpacking these ‘big words’ to gain a common understanding of the issues facing institutions and providers in designing and delivering their curricula.The session will begin with an overview highlighting some of the common challenges facing the post-compulsory education sector. This will be followed by a panel discussion involving representatives from three institutions who will outline their approach to the challenge of learner engagement in the curriculum design process and how technology is enhancing the student experience. The audience will then be invited to break out into smaller discussion groups to explore the support and resources needed to help them manage this challenge more effectively. The session will be facilitated by staff from JISC Advisory Services who are looking to provide a range of support mechanisms to help institutions with these issues.Participants will:- Gain an understanding of some common challenges around technology supported curriculum design and delivery- Explore the meaning of some of the challenges around learner engagement in different institutional contexts- Identify the areas of support they need in developing and implementing technology based systems for curriculum development and delivery within their context- Input into the development of support resources from agencies such as the JISC and the Higher Education AcademyJoyce, James. 1922. Ulysses.