The focus of the first year of the project has been on preparation for institutional change, with many activities aimed at raising awareness among staff and students. This includes informing new students coming to Lincoln for the academic year 2011 – 2012.
The key activities and outputs so far have been:
- Briefing sessions and workshops held with staff across the university in both academic and professional support departments
- Setting up of Fund for Educational Development projects to support curriculum re-design initiatives
- Setting up Undergraduate Research Opportunities Scheme projects to support student involvement in the research work of the University
- Development of a ‘user guide’ and identification of eight key features of Student as Producer
- Self-assessment tool completed by all programmes across the institution, identifying existing practices in line with the eight key features, and planned developments
- High profile project launch and development of project website
- one-day Festival of Teaching and Learning showcasing student-led activities across all departments
- Establish with colleagues and students from other universities the inaugural British Confernce for Undergradaute Resaerch, at UCLAN, and send nine students to present their research
- Establishment of student group: ‘Producers’ as key agents of change
- Promotional materials designed by students, for students, including video, business cards, etc
- Development of evaluation framework
- Keynote presentations given at a number of institutions (UCS, DMU, Newcastle, Galway)
- Conference presentations at HEA and ALDinHE conferences
- Published book chapters and peer-reviewed online journal article
- Article published in THE, April 2011 http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=415973
Key to achieving the intended outcomes of the project is the revision of Quality Assurance and Enhancement Processes in relation to programme approval, monitoring and review, in order to embed Student as Producer fully across the institution. Revised documentation is now in place, ready for implementation during year 2 of the project.
Standout events already planned for next academic year 2011 – 2012:
- Teaching and Learning Festival to take place in early March 2012, dates to be confirmed
- Student as Producer will play a leading role in the organisation of the British Conference for Undergraduate Research (BCUR) to be held at University of Warwick in March 2012
- Student as Producer will host a national conference for student computer developers and programmers in collaboration with JISC in November 2011
- Relaunch ‘Neo – a journal for student research’ at the graduate conference. This journal is an outlet for student work that is reviewed by academics. Students take key roles in the management of this journal
- Publish single authored volume: ‘Student as Producer: How do Revolutionary Teachers Teach’ with Zero Books
