Project work in partner universities 1996 - 1999:
The University of Newcastle
Contact Details
| |
Dr Tom Cain |
| Role in Project: |
Team Leader for Newcastle |
| Role in Institution: |
Head of Department |
| Telephone: |
0191 222 7769 |
| Fax: |
0191 222 8708 |
| Email: |
t.g.s.cain@ncl.ac.uk |
| Address: |
Dept of English Literary & Linguistic Studies |
| |
University of Newcastle |
| |
Newcastle upon Tyne |
| |
NE1 7RU |
Other members of the PADSHE team at Newcastle
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Internal Evaluator
Careers Adviser |
Professor Madeleine Atkins
Jeremy Paterson
Fiona Hewitt |
Variations across disciplines
The main transfer of PARs at Newcastle has been from undergraduate to postgraduate
courses within the Faculty of Arts, rather than from English into any radically
different discipline. The modifications called for by this transfer are
described in the account of the Case Study. See
case study
However, the principle that variation across disciplines must be catered
for, within any institutional PAR system, is at the centre of the Newcastle-Nottingham
Internet-PARs Project which builds on PADSHE work. The C&IT development
for this project is based in Newcastle's Faculty of Medicine and the aim
is to produce a flexible web-based tool, designed to be adapted to the
needs of different groups of users.
Core principles accepted
As one of the outcomes of the project work is the setting up by University
Teaching Committee of a Personal and Academic Record Working Party to plan
for institution-wide take-up of electronic PARs by October 2002, core principles
are currently under review. The Working Party is examining what will be
required of a new or revised personal tutoring system, and will set out
core principles as a result of that process.
Distinctive good practice
From the Internal Evaluator's Report
Over the past three years the use of Personal and Academic Records has
been successfully embedded in the systems of the Department of English
and is beginning to be taken up by other departments in the University.
Particular examples of good practice within this process have been:
-
Substantial modification of the Nottingham model over the three years to
suit the needs of students and staff in the Newcastle department. The Newcastle
English PAR is clearly divided into three colour-coded sections which help
clarify the different functions of the file:
-
an introductory section, with aims and objectives and a timetable of events
-
the main "tutorial record" section, which covers meetings with tutors,
and academic and personal matters relating to the student's University
career (module choices, extenuating circumstances, etc)
-
the third most innovative section is concerned with "Personal Development
Planning" and was designed in conjunction with the University's Skills
Officer and the Careers Service.
-
The practice of using the Personal Tutor as a route by which assessed work
is returned to the student. Such work is gathered together after being
marked at the end of semester one, and returned by the tutor in the first
meeting in Semester 2. This had two important advantages:
-
the student has an opportunity to discuss the written feedback given on
the essays
-
the tutor gains a valuable overview of the student's work. Patterns of
strengths and weaknesses can be seen when a group of essays is considered
by tutor and student in this way. This in turn is useful for future practice,
module choice, references and career planning.
-
Valuable contacts were made at an early stage with the Computing Centre
in the Faculty of Medicine: these led to the setting-up of the Newcastle-Nottingham
Internet-PARs Project (DfEE-funded) which will take PARs on in an IT format
which is to be adopted across the whole University by 2002.
Impact on teaching and learning
Within the English Department the PARs have been used to structure the
feedback given to students on their submitted work: all Semester 1 submitted
work is returned to students by their personal tutor, at a session in which
the process is listed on the agenda for the meeting. This has both improved
the quality of feedback for students (this was previously a matter of merely
reading comments on essays by the examiners), and has given the personal
tutor a valuable overview of the quality of the student's work, which in
turn improves the quality of advice on future choices, careers and references.
The process of module choice has been improved:
-
by the listing of module choice on the agenda for meetings
-
by the closer integration with the Careers Service which has been achieved
-
by the computerised system, which has streamlined the process
For postgraduates, the limited experience so far suggests that reflection
is usefully encouraged by the PARs. It has helped some of them evaluate
their work and progress more effectively, set themselves realistic deadlines,
and undertake critical examination of their progress. Those that followed
the PPAR programme in Classics most carefully also completed their MAs
on time. For supervisors, the PPAR helped promote more effective discussion
of progress.
Impact on institution/continuation plans
The new Institutional Plan for 1999-2004 envisages "the reform of our personal
tutorial system and the introduction of Personal and Academic Records in
electronic form by 2002".
Case Study
MA/MLitt in Ancient History. See
case studies
Deliverables
-
Department of English Literary & Linguistic Studies - Undergraduate
and Postgraduate PAR
-
Department of Classics - Postgraduate PAR.
