CELT’s work is guided by, connects to, and supports a variety of USW strategies, policies and process around learning, teaching and assessment (as well as wider policies). This page sets out how we interact with each of policies as well as providing links to the policies themselves.
Student Experience Plan
The University began developing a student experience plan in 2015, with the final plan being approved in summer 2016. This follows on from the implementation of the Academic Plan and the Academic Blueprint, to ensure that all elements of what makes a great student experience are captured and enhanced at the University of South Wales. CELT is working directly on several of the key strands and supports all work to improve teaching, learning and assessment.
Academic Workload Model
The University of South Wales has adopted a Workload Model which will provide a fair, transparent and effective framework for the allocation and distribution of academic workloads across the University and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) for all staff on Higher Education contracts.
Assessment FOR learning policy
This document set out the University’s Assessment Policy from December 2015. It provides clear guidance for the use of assessment which focuses on Assessment FOR Learning.
Assessment Tariff
The purpose of the USW Assessment Tariff is to ensure consistency between modules with equal weightings across the University’s courses. It aims to minimise the risk of assessment overload for both students and academics. The document should be read in conjunction with the University’s Assessment Policy.
Tariff Asesu
Diben Tariff Asesu Prifysgol De Cymru yw sicrhau cysondeb rhwng modiwlau sydd â’r un pwysoliad ar draws cyrsiau’r Brifysgol. Mae’n ceisio lleihau’r risg o or-asesu o safbwynt y myfyrwyr a’r academyddion. Dylid darllen y ddogfen ar y cyd â Pholisi Asesu’r Brifysgol.
The Course and Module Leader Indicative Responsibilities are intended to give academic staff who have course or module leadership as part of their role an indication as to the type and level of associated responsibilities.
A handbook has been created as a resource for course leaders. The handbook is a template and faculties are empowered to amend/add to it as suits local circumstances.
All courses must provide students with a course handbook to give students and overview of their expected learning. This handbook should be placed in the Course Organisation on Blackboard.
The USW Academic Plan helps to guide and shape how CELT can support teaching and learning to be distinctive and promote best practice. It emphasises active participation and simulation based learning for 21st Century employment that is underpinned by focused, high quality research.
The academic blueprint for undergraduate courses is an important tool to ensure consistency in our approach to developing and implementing our teaching and learning. CELT can support academics to implement the plan and design modules that enable academic staff to focus course developments on innovation in pedagogy.
The University’s Academic Portfolio Review has sought to produce an academic portfolio which is responsive, adaptive and attractive to students and employers of the future. As part of this extensive review, this Curriculum Design Guide has been developed to provide staff with a series of questions, checklists and guidance which will be of use when reviewing existing programmes, or designing new ones.
The aim of the Reflection and Observation of Practice Scheme is to facilitate the sharing of critical reflective practice between colleagues as part of their staff development activity. CELT maintains guidance for the scheme and provides staff development and training on reflective practice, mentoring, and all elements of enhancing teaching and learning.
This document set out the University’s Assessment Policy from December 2015. It provides clear guidance for the use of assessment which focuses on Assessment FOR Learning.
Mae gan y Brifysgol bolisi o gyflwyno pob asesiad ar-lein sy’n golygu bod rhaid cyflwyno a marcio pob aseiniad ar-lein a darparu adborth a marciau o fewn 20 diwrnod gan ddefnyddio Gradecentre. Rhaid i’r eithriadau hynny pan nad yw’n bosibl cyflwyno aseiniadau ar-lein gael eu nodi a’u cytuno gyda rheolwyr academaidd ar ddechrau’r flwyddyn academaidd.
Mae’r ddogfen hon yn amlinellu Polisi Asesu’r Brifysgol o fis Rhagfyr 2015. Mae’n rhoi canllawiau clir ar gyfer asesiadau sy’n canolbwyntio ar Asesu AR GYFER Dysgu.
The purpose of the USW Assessment Tariff is to ensure consistency between modules with equal weightings across the University’s courses. It aims to minimise the risk of assessment overload for both students and academics. The document should be read in conjunction with the University’s Assessment For Learning Policy.
Diben Tariff Asesu Prifysgol De Cymru yw sicrhau cysondeb rhwng modiwlau sydd â’r un pwysoliad ar draws cyrsiau’r Brifysgol. Mae’n ceisio lleihau’r risg o or-asesu o safbwynt y myfyrwyr a’r academyddion. Dylid darllen y ddogfen ar y cyd â Pholisi Asesu’r Brifysgol.
New modes of assessment can be proposed to be included in the Assessment Tariff and the process outlined in the policy document should be followed to ensure the University’s systems are updated and able to support the new assessment mode.
The assessment dialogue and the assessment approval event are key aspects of the Assessment for Learning Policy. They aim to encourage course teams to review the assessment approach across a course to align with the principles of Assessment for Learning. The 'Assessment Dialogue – points to consider’ document outlines how course teams might approach this part of the process.
For further information on how the assessment approval events should be organised, refer to the University’s Assessment for Learning Policy.
This document sets out the required process for assignment submission. The University has a policy of online submission for all assessments whereby all assignments should be submitted and marked online and feedback and marks provided within 20 days using Gradecentre. Exceptions where online submission is not possible should be notified and agreed by academic managers at the beginning of the academic year.
Mae’r ddogfen hon yn nodi’r broses ofynnol ar gyfer cyflwyno aseiniadau.
Assessment cover sheets are not required for online assignment submissions as the submission declaration is incorporated into the submission tools.
(For a faculty specific version please contact your Head of Student Experience.)
(Er mwyn cael fersiwn sy’n benodol i gyfadran arbennig, cysylltwch â’ch Pennaeth Profiad Myfyrwyr.)
Examinations are an important part of the way in which we assess our students and the result can have a significant impact on student progression and ultimately degree classification. Examinations should therefore be written in a way that is fair, allowing students to do their best whilst facilitating differentiation between academic ability and levels.
Assessment Diaries were established in the light of student feedback to provide them with clear information about how their programme of study will be assessed. They are integrated with Blackboard and ensure that students receive timely reminders of due dates and feedback dates.
Guides to viewing and managing your Assessment Diaries are available on the TEACH website along with guides to many other online assessment tools.
The University expects all staff to make appropriate use of the VLE. The following Policy sets out the University’s expectations in terms of the minimum amount of information a student can expect to find in their modules.
All University courses have an organisation area in Unilearn which should provide students access to all relevant information about the course including the modules that make up the course, contact details for course team, the course handbook and other useful information. Twice yearly a course evaluation survey will be also be provided to students via the course organisation. The course organisation minimum requirements policy sets out the information must be provided to students in these areas.
For the 2016/17 academic year, the University is developing a new approach to delivering course and module evaluation, called Loop. The new system will enable students to provide feedback at both module and course level in one application. Tools are being developed to permit staff (depending on their role) to run reports at module, course, school and faculty level.
The University of South Wales believes that there are a number of benefits to using social software in learning and teaching. This document offers guidance on how best to use it and outlines some examples of how it might be used.
The University encourages students to make use of laptops and mobile devices in their learning, teaching and assessment. The following guidelines, approved by Academic Board, are provided so that staff and students can make effective use of such devices in a formal learning and teaching environment.
IT Policies
IT Services has a range of policies that impact on the use of technology for learning and teaching.