Virtual Policy Centre Seminar Series 2011 - University of Wolverhampton

Virtual Policy Centre Seminar series 2011

Welcome The Virtual Policy Centre has been created to draw together expertise at the University to enhance the student experience and make the transition into higher education as smooth and as effective as possible.

Our aim is to carry out research across the whole education sector from primary right through to higher education, and disseminate the findings internally and externally. Research will focus on four key themes in relation to the student experience – transition, progression, retention and achievement.

This booklet outlines details of our forthcoming series of seminars, which we hope you will find useful and informative.

The conceptual model for the Virtual Policy Centre can be seen overleaf.

Education Partnerships (EP)

HEMIS Transition Blended Learning Introductory curriculum opportunities CPD

Institute for Learning Enhancement (ILE)

Pedagogies for transition Skills for retention Curriculum progression

Learning Works Graduate Attributes First year experience Blended Learning Mentoring/Coaching Work based learning

Peer support Pre-entry

Undergraduate/ postgraduate

• Continuum of the student experience • Impact on progression and retention • Dissemination to internal and external audiences

Transition to Higher Education Wednesday 12 January 2011, 5pm-7pm Delivered by Henriette Harnisch (University of Wolverhampton) and Bal Pierpoint (Principal North East Wolverhampton Academy).

When universities talk about transition, they typically mean the point at which, or immediately before which, students join the university. Issues that might potentially become barriers for transition are often linked to the physical move into a much larger institution and related issues of identity. The move from a broader curriculum to a highly specialist one; a pedagogy suited to a rigorous assessment and qualifications framework to a more autonomous way of working; and selfassessment and planning, to name but three key areas.

When looking at transition at an much earlier point in a student’s learning journey, these same issues are highlighted. This seminar aims to highlight steps towards a broader typology for transition across different phases and sectors of education, and develop teaching and learning strategies to address transition effectively. Examples will be presented from points of transition within the secondary and HE sectors.

ePortfolio: A Transition Tool?

Wednesday 9 March 2011, 5pm-7pm Delivered by Rachel Challen and Emma Purnell.

The journey between compulsory and post-compulsory education can often be fraught with the tension between environment, academic skills and expectations. ePortfolio has been proved to be an extremely useful tool in smoothing the transition between these sectors. Rachel Challen and Emma Purnell are Blended Learning Advisors in the University of Wolverhampton’s Institute for Learning Enhancement. Both Rachel and Emma are internationally recognised for their work in embedding and developing ePortfolio within the educational curriculum.

Graduate Attributes Wednesday 22 June 2011, 5pm-7pm Delivered by Megan Lawton and Professor Glynis Cousin (University of Wolverhampton).

This seminar is aimed at those who are thinking of helping students to evidence and articulate what they have learnt by studying in HE. The seminar will start by looking at the global drivers and development of the concept of Graduate Attributes. It will then present a case study of the University of Wolverhampton’s aim to produce Wolverhampton graduates who are knowledgeable and enterprising, digitally literate and are global citizens. Finally the seminar will present contextualised examples of activities that promote and evidence the different graduate attributes.

Retention and Progression Wednesday 21 September 2011, 5pm-7pm Delivered by Lib Meakin and Henriette Harnisch.

Facilities staff: cleaners, caterers and caretakers, play a vital part in the support of students. This is often unrecognised and overlooked. Lib will discuss her research that unpicks the important part that facilities staff play in student care and how this could impact on retention and progression. Lib Meakin is a PhD student with the University of Wolverhampton’s Business School. Her research focuses on the work experience of University facilities staff.

For more information Tel: 01902 518429 Email: cid@wlv.ac.uk

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