Transcript Academic Review Tutor Scheme - University of Gloucestershire

September Staff Conference
Monday 09 September
Tuesday 10 September
Wednesday 11 September 2013
September Staff Conference
10.00 – 11.45
Academic Review Tutors – session and workshop
11.45 – 12.45
Updates to:
Academic Regulations for Taught Provision
Assessment procedures
Student Evaluation
Student Representation
13.30 – 14.45
Reflection on Academic and Professional Practice
(RAPP) – session and workshop
15.00 – 16.15
Preparations for the Extended Academic Year
Academic Review Tutor Scheme
Recommendations arising out of the Internal Quality
Audit 2013
IQA Terms of Reference
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The Audit embraced the following topics:
The role of the ART and the articulation with the role
of the Senior Tutor
The institutional context within which ARTs operate
Resourcing
International Students, including UKBA compliance
issues
The University committee structures and ARTs
Professional and career development frameworks
Staff development and the provision of online
guidance to ARTs and students
Monitoring and record keeping
Collaborative Partners and the ART Scheme
Those who contributed
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Student Ambassadors / Student
Representatives;
Academic Review Tutors
Helpzone Managers
The Head of Student Advice and Guidance
Heads of School (who were also the faculty
student experience leads)
Senior Tutors; the UKBA Compliance Officer
Director of Collaborative Partnerships.
Summary of recommendations
For further detail please refer to Appendix A Internal
Quality Audit: Action Plan for the Academic Review Tutor
(ART) Scheme.
1) To develop a policy for the ART Scheme
2) To identify the key tasks involved in the ART role and
to develop accessible online guidance pertaining to
these activities for staff and students
3) To review operational procedures, including
monitoring and recordkeeping, in relation to the work of
ARTs; and in particular to identify ways in which this
could be supported more effectively by ICT
Summary of recommendations
cont.
4) To raise the status of the ART role by establishing the
equivalence of the ARTs role in supporting student learning and
the role of the module tutor in subject and module-specific
learning and teaching; this change may require reconsideration
of relevant University policies and strategies to ensure this is
consistently reflected within the way these activities are
resourced.
5) To use the opportunity provided by the extended academic
year to resource ARTs to add value to the student experience in
relation to academic study and co-curricular learning
6) To require collaborative partners to provide a support system
for student learning and engagement that is equivalent to the
ART scheme for those students undertaking UoG awards
WAIF UGT
3 hours per student for level 4
2 hour per student for level 5
1 hour student for level 6
Normally a member of staff will have one ART
group per Level with 15 students per group,
additional students attract hours as per the
allocation above.
 ARTS of international students should receive an
allocation of 1 additional hour per student on top
of the hours above
 Top up and credit transfer students are classed as
level 4 students.
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WAIF Induction
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Level 4 induction - 20 hours per member of staff
involved including ARTS
Split 10 hours contact and 10 hours prep.
Level 5 induction – 7 hours (spilt between
contact and preparation)
Level 6 induction - 7 hours (spilt between
contact and preparation)
Undergraduate student induction for franchised
courses 14 hours:
Split 7 hours contact, and 7 hours preparation
time (unless teaching materials already available)
plus travelling time.
WAIF ARTs PGT
3 hours per student for FT students
 1 .5 hours per student for PT students
 ARTS of international students should
receive an allocation of 1 additional hour
per student on top of the hours above.
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Supporting Students during
Induction
1) Assisting in acclimatization to HE / UoG environment
2) Ensuring course information has been received
3) Checking the accuracy of timetables
4) Making sure module choices are correct (should be more
straightforward at Level 4 post CFR)
5) Introducing students to online guidance available on University
website
6) Instructing students in the use of their student accounts
7) Explaining the ART role and establishing expectations re engagement
with their ART, attendance at meetings and responses to email
communication
8) Assessment submission and procedures for logging mitigating
circumstances explained
9) Introducing the wider university support network – Helpzones,
Student Services, SU
10) Ensure students are aware of the Student Representation Scheme
Supporting Students at Level 4
An initial review of progress (Early to MidOctober)
 Check how students are settling in and their
engagement with wider university life
 Discuss and agree any action required from
assessment feedback received so far
 Explore any difficulties experienced so far
 Discuss non-academic issues that impact
upon academic work- where appropriate
consider referral to other university services
Level 4 cont…
2) A second review of progress (January to
February)
 Discuss students engagement with wider
university life
 Review assessment feedback from Semester I and
agree any action required to retrieve marks or
generally improve performance.
 Check module registrations for Semester II
 Discuss any issues that may affect progression
 Discuss non-academic issues that impact upon
academic work- where appropriate consider
referral to other university services
Level 4 Cont…
3) A third review of academic progress (Prior to the end of the
academic year)
 Review student’s engagement with University life
 Consideration of all available assessment feedback
 Identification of strengths, areas of difficulty and barriers to learning
and anything they have found particularly helpful
 Allow time for the student to think and talk about their experience
of learning during the year
 Help them to identify any action they need to take to develop or
any additional support they should access
 Check Level 5 module choices
 Encourage the student to review their first year on their course
and at University, helping them to identify anything they wish to do
differently in the future
 Ensure the student records co-curricular activity and achievements
(HEAR)
Supporting Students at Level 5
1) An initial review of progress (By the end of
October)
 Check how students are settling in and their
engagement with wider university life
 Review the agreed actions from the previous
meeting and ensure that plans are in place to
pursue these
 Review student’s timetable and discuss any
progression issues e.g. any modules failed at Level
4 that will need to be retaken
 Discuss non-academic issues that impact upon
academic work - where appropriate consider
referral to other university services
Level 5 Cont…
2) A second review of academic progress (Prior to the end of the academic
year)
 Allow at least half an hour for this one-to-one meeting
 Require the student to bring all available assessment feedback from
modules taken in both semesters of level 5
 Identification of strengths, areas of difficulty and barriers to learning and
anything they have found particularly helpful
 Allow time for the student to think and talk about their experience of
learning during the year
 Help them to identify any action they need to take to develop or any
additional support they should access
 Check Level 6 module choices (or alternatively placement arrangements)
 Encourage the student to review their second year on their course and at
University, helping them to identify anything they wish to do differently in
the future
 Ensure the student records co-curricular activity and achievements
(HEAR)
Supporting Students at Level 6
1) An initial review of progress (By the end of
October)
 Check how students are settling in and their
engagement with wider university life
 Review the agreed actions from the previous
meeting and ensure that plans are in place to
pursue these
 Review student’s timetable and discuss any
progression issues e.g. any modules failed at Level
5 that will need to be retaken
 Discuss non-academic issues that impact upon
academic work - where appropriate consider
referral to other university services
Level 6 Cont…
2) A second review of academic progress
(January / February)
 Review progress and identify any completion
issues
 Discuss the student’s post-graduation plans
and help them to identify other sources of
support e.g. regarding careers, writing CVs,
interview skills or postgraduate study
 Encourage the student to check that a
complete record is available (HEAR) of her /
his co-curricular activity and achievements
Specifically the Academic Review
Tutor should aim to:
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Be involved during Induction Week helping students settle into
University and into their studies.
Provide opportunities for tutees to review their progress three times
per academic year at Level 4 and twice at level 5 and 6. The first such
opportunity must be within the first six weeks of the start of the year.
These opportunities should be provided on an individual basis with the
student and a record of each meeting should be kept.
Offer advice or assistance regarding timetable issues, programme
requirements, progression and other academic matters.
Recognise when the assistance required is beyond the tutor’s
competence and refer to another appropriate person or agency or
seek advice from Helpzone staff, Senior Tutors or other appropriate
staff.
Be available to tutees on a drop-in basis for at least one half day
per week (office hours) at times when students do not
normally have timetabled classes.
Ensure that tutees know how to contact the University at
short notice in situations that are urgent, e.g. illness, domestic
crisis.
Act as a point of referral to other student support services.
Act as a student advocate where appropriate (for example at
assessment boards or as a referee to provide written
references).
Help foster the view that the University regards students as
individuals and actively supports the academic progress of all
students.
Follow up any students whose work is a cause for concern, e.g. if a
student does not attend the progress review meetings ensure that
procedures for follow up action are implemented.
Follow up any students whose behaviour is a cause for concern.
Ensure that the correct procedures are followed. If unsure contact
Student Services.
Reminder: Keep a record of all progress review meetings. All
documentation should comply with Data Protection legislation and
tutors should bear in mind that students have the right to see any
information, including any hand written notes that are kept about
them.
Keep confidential any matters discussed with a tutee unless the
tutee has given his/her permission for information to be passed
on, or, in exceptional circumstances the tutor judges it
appropriate for the information to be shared, e.g. the student is
deemed likely to harm himself/herself or another person.
Remain informed about Academic Regulations for Taught
Provision.
Participate in appropriate staff development opportunities.