Alan Maddocks, Engineering Education Centre
Carol Newbold, Learning and Teaching Development
Loughborough University
Different units in Loughborough University have been involved in separate Progress Files initiatives over the past few years. These include the RAPID Progress File in Civil and Building Engineering, the Undergraduate Skills Record in Chemistry and the Skills for Success Programme in the Business School. The outcomes will feed into Loughborough's implementation plan for Progress Files and personal development planning (PDP).
As in other universities there are many questions surrounding use of Progress Files, not least of which are: what form should they take, why should students use them, and how can staff be encouraged to support them?
RAPID in particular is providing a strong evidential base, having been used with over 2000 students in 12 HEIs in the UK. It has also been used in different ways and contexts, including
The Business School now has experience of using the Skills for Success programme with over 600 students through its core 'Personal Effectiveness' module. The Chemistry department is just starting out using the Skills Record which is being used to support the personal tutorial system.
This workshop provided an opportunity for participants to explore their experiences with Progress Files and compared them with those of Loughborough University. The key to successful implementation has less to do with the form of the Progress File, more to do with contextualising students' pre-university experiences and providing ongoing academic support.
Critical factors in presenting the HE Progress File successfully to students:
(Loughborough Powerpoint presentation)