For a little while, programme leaders have been asking for extended provision from CELT. We have produced quite a lot of resources related to programme design, but we didn’t have too much on programme management. Once we started asking people what should be in the resources, we were bombarded with ideas. We knew programme leaders had a lot to do, but seeing the list of expectations was quite sobering. We’ve tried to work with this list to develop a set of courses and resources which will help.
During the autumn term, we ran workshops for programme leaders and talked to a range of central and faculty support services. As a result of this, we have developed some new resources which aim to provide guidance on a variety of procedural aspects of programme leadership. These are still under development but it would be really helpful if you would have a look at them and give us some feedback. You can look at the tasks by term, by category or by A-Z.
In addition to this, we’ve almost finished drafting some overarching materials which aim to help programme leaders at a more strategic level. For example, can you actually plan your marking and moderation schedule without having an overview of what you want assessment to achieve? How do you set targets for progression on your programme? What’s the best induction strategy for your typical mix of students? How can you delegate tasks to members of the team if there isn’t a clear approach at departmental level? We’ll be discussing these at the next set of T50 workshops on 27, 28 and 29 January. Please do come along and contribute to the discussion and development of these programme strategies. Please note that the same workshop is being repeated twice. You can register for these via MyHR; search for T50@MMU – Programme Leaders 2 in the catalogue.
We have also recently updated our resources on programme development, including the sections on writing the learning, teaching and assessment aspects of a programme specification.
And finally, we’re starting a free, open, online course starts next Friday, 16 January for programme leaders and link tutors. It’s open to colleagues at MMU or elsewhere, and you don’t actually need to be a programme leader – insight into programme leadership may also make you a more effective part of a programme team. You can register here or just join in online. There will be weekly webinars at 1pm on Fridays; you don’t need to commit to the whole course.
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