This document discusses efforts at Manchester Metropolitan University to enhance the student experience through digital learning and transformational change. Key points include developing a new curriculum with fewer but clearer learning outcomes and more formative assessment. A learning technology review led to migrating courses to a single virtual learning environment for consistency. Student voice was embedded through surveys and giving program/module leads and personal tutors access to analytics dashboards. The goal was a joined-up, personalized, consistent student experience wrapped around the learner through integrated cloud services and a data warehouse collecting usage data. Continuous monitoring and improvement was emphasized to systematically address student dissatisfaction.

1. GCU Annual Learning and Teaching
Celebration 2016
Celebrating Excellence:
Enhancing the Student Experience

2. Enhancing the Student Experience:
Transformational Change | Digital Learning
Professor Mark Stubbs | @thestubbs
Head of Learning & Research Technologies
Context > Journey > Digital > Outcome > Reflection

3. 36,000+ students
1,000+ courses
6 faculties
2 campuses
Context > Journey > Digital > Outcome > Reflection

4. University-wide Transformation Programme
Refresh Curriculum
Refresh Admin Processes
Wrap University Around Learner
2010
Context > Journey > Digital > Outcome > Reflection

5. An Integrated Response to Improving the Student Experience
NSS Analysis,
Focus Groups, Surveys

6. Enhancing Quality and Assessment for Learning (EQAL)
• A coordinated ‘strike’ for step-change improvement
In the current climate
Diminishing unit of resource
Everything depends on everything else
We are large and risk averse
New Curriculum
• Designing new modules, …
New Admin Systems & Processes
• Personal timetabling, …
New Virtual Learning Environment
• Moodle & myMMU web/mobile, Talis Aspire…
New QA & QE Processes
• Facilitating curriculum transformation

7. Rules for a New Curriculum
• Different module credits
• Less summative, more formative assessment
• Fewer but clearer learning outcomes
• Constructive alignment of learning outcomes & assessment
• Single source of truth for weightings, deadlines … etc

8. Setting up the New Curriculum
Early 2010 Late 2010 Early 2011 Late 2011 Early 2012 Late 2012 Early 2013 Late 2013
Plan Prepare L4 Set Up L4 Live L5 Set Up L5 Live L6 Set Up L6 Live
Design
New
Curriculum
Review
New
Curriculum
Approve
New
Curriculum
Set up
Curriculum
in SRS
Design
Teaching
Schedules
Produce
Timetables
Publish
Timetables
Design
Assessment
Schedules
Set up
Submission
System
Publish
Deadlines
Set up
Courses in
VLE
Build
Courses in
VLE
Great
Online
Experience
(Seamless,
Personalised,
Consistent)Set up
Reading
Lists
Pedagogic
Input
Learning Technology
Input
Library Input
Curriculum Design Course Admin/Setup
Learning, Teaching & Assessment Resources & Facilities
Publish
Reading
Lists

9. Digital | Balancing Consistency with Ownership
• Learning Technology Review (Mar 2010)
• Migrate from WebCT to “Core+ VLE” (Moodle)
for all modules & progs
• Joined-up, personalised, consistent
Recognised: watch & learn how staff use tech
Core: we set up & train staff and tell students to expect a
consistent ‘front door’
Arranged: we set up institutional accounts & train staff
to use
Recommended: staff set up & we train to integrate

10. Digital | Wrapping the University around the Learner
megamashup
mws

11. Module code
Resource list
Relevant resource
Digital | Integrating Cloud Services using Consistent Identifiers

12. NSS: OVERALL NSS: ASSESSMENT
Outcomes | Improving NSS Performance

13. Improving the Assessment Lifecycle
Define assessment types
& weightings in SRS
Record deadlines /
return dates in SRS
Create & tag VLE
assignments with SRS
assessment identifier
Publish submission
deadlines / feedback
return dates in VLE
Submit VLE
assignments
Mark & annotate
VLE submissions
Transfer marks
electronically from
VLE into SRS
Publish
provisional marks
in VLE
Publish
assessment analytics
Track VLE
submissions

14. University-wide Transformation Programme
Listen to Student Voice
Be Bold & Joined-up
Balance Consistency & Ownership
Address Dissatisfaction
Embed Student Voice
Empower Programme & Module Leads
with Actionable Learner Analytics
Empower Students & Personal Tutors
with Actionable Learning Analytics
Refresh Curriculum
Refresh Admin Processes
Wrap University Around Learner
2014

15. • Embed Student Voice
• MMUnion
• Investment in Reps
• Training & Publicity
• Internal Student Survey (ISS)
• Delivered twice a year via Student Portal
• Single programme & module survey personalised according to student enrolments
• Questions derived from NSS
• Closed questions minimised to maximise free-text feedback
• ‘Grounded Theory’ style qualitative analysis to target improvements in
• Technology-Enhanced Learning and Assessment & Feedback
• Continuous Monitoring & Improvement (CMI)
• Expectation of response to ISS, NSS, Reps built in to CMI process
Systematic Continuous Improvement

16. • Data Warehouse (est. 2011)
• Microsoft Business Intelligence
• SRS, VLE, Submission, Attendance
& Survey data
• 40-50 million rows in big tables
• Dashboards
• Heads, Programme & Module Leads
• Personal Tutors
• Challenges
• Data Quality & Ownership
• Meeting Demand with Scarce Expertise
• Verifying Accuracy of Novel Insights
• Embedding in standard processes
Systematic Continuous Improvement

17. • Dashboards for Heads, Programme & Module Leads
• Students
• Progression
• Marks
• Satisfaction
• Comments
• Action Plans
Systematic Continuous Improvement

18. Data
Warehouse
Student
Enrolments
Moodle
Usage
Submissions
& Marks
Attendance
Dashboard for Personal Tutors

19. University-wide Transformation Programme | Reflection
Listen to Student Voice
Be Bold & Joined-up
Balance Consistency & Ownership
Address Dissatisfaction
Embed Student Voice
Empower Programme & Module Leads
with Actionable Learner Analytics
Empower Students & Personal Tutors
with Actionable Learning Analytics
Refresh Curriculum
Refresh Admin Processes
Wrap University Around Learner

20. Enhancing the Student Experience:
Transformational Change | Digital Learning
Thanks for listening
@thestubbs