4 September 2009

The information-gathering phase of the Vocabularies Review is now closed. The findings and proposals will be discussed at an all-day meeting at Academy York on 21 September 2009 - please contact Mike Clarke at Academy York to book a place if you wish to attend.

What is HEAV? 

HEAV (Higher Education Academy Vocabulary) is a hierarchical controlled vocabulary that is used to tag resources on the Academy's websites. It was created in January 2007 by merging the RDN/LTSN Pedagogic Terms Vocabulary with the RDN/LTSN Policy Themes Vocabulary and adding a number of new terms.

Why does HEAV need to be reviewed?

 Controlled vocabularies are most effective when the terms used to describe concepts are the same ones used by subject experts. Because language is constantly changing, controlled vocabularies need to be reviewed regularly to ensure that the terms approved for use are still current, and also to check for new terms required to describe new concepts.

How to contribute to the review 

Suggestions for amendments to existing terms and proposals for new ones may be made via the discussion on these wiki pages (key proposals will be summarised regularly on the synopsis page). The pages will be open from 1 June until 4 September: after 4 September they will be locked and the proposals will be collated into a discussion paper. This paper will be considered at an all-day meeting on 21 September at Academy York. The update to HEAV will be published on 12 October 2009.

The current version of HEAV is available on the Academy's website at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/higher_education_academy_vocabulary

Suggestions for amendments to the thesaurus structure are being gathered separately, on the Thesaurus page.

June

New terms suggested so far (in no particular order), with comments:

Context based learning: is this the same concept as Situated learning, defined as 'A relational view of the person and learning ... learning as increasing participation in communities of practice ... learning is seen as a process of social participation...' If not, how can we define the difference? If it is the same concept, should Context based learning be the new preferred term, with Situated learning defined as a non-preferred term for it, or vice versa?

Evidence based practice: can be added as a narrower term for Teaching, with the following related terms: Evidence based policy, Practice based research, Theory practice relationship (any others?)

Induction: does this cover staff induction, student induction, or both? Should we add Staff induction and Student induction as well, as narrower terms? Where should it sit in the hierarchy? Possibilities include: Curriculum or Student recruitment (if it's only to be used for Student induction), Staff, Staff development or Staff recruitment (if it's to be used for Staff induction).

Motivation: where should this go in the hierarchy? Depending on how you see the concept, it could be added under Learning, Students or Teaching.

Dyslexia: can be added under Learning difficulties - with Dysgraphia, Hearing impairments (cf Auditory processing disorder) and Visual impairments (cf Irlen Syndrome) as related terms. NB dyslexia is officially classed as a learning disability, but according to the HEAV definition for Learning disabilities (q.v.) should be filed under Learning difficulties in this vocabulary.

Asperger's syndrome: in the last review it was decided that adding this term was unnecessary, as most of the people with autistic spectrum disorder in higher education will have Asperger's. If it is required, it should be added as a narrower term for Autistic spectrum disorder.

Attention deficit disorder: can be added under Learning difficulties.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: can be added under Learning difficulties.

Dysgraphia: can be added under Learning difficulties, with Dyslexia as a related term.

Teaching methods: add as a level 2 term under Teaching. Adding this term will involve revising the hierarchy under Teaching, as many of the current level 2 terms (eg Classroom management, Clinical teaching, Large group teaching, etc.) should be subordinate to it (Alignment and Teaching plans are the exceptions).

Assessment criteria: add as a level 3 term under Assessment.

Student centred learning: is already in HEAV as a non-preferred term for Student centred education. Do we need both terms?

Transition: is already in HEAV as a non-preferred term for Progression.

Action research: could be added as a level 3 term, under either Research methodology or Teaching and research. Or is it another way of saying Practice based research? If so, which should be the preferred term?

First year experience: add as a level 3 term under Student experience.

Quality assurance: HEAV already has a term 'Quality enhancement' under Policy - Educational policy - Excellence. Does Quality assurance cover the same concept? If not, how does it differ? Do any of the existing terms under Evaluation (e.g. Benchmarking) or Standards cover it?

Peer learning: is this already covered by Cooperative learning or Collaborative learning? If not, how does it differ? Should it be subordinate to either of these terms or added as a broader term for one of them? If it is the same concept as either Cooperative or Collaborative learning, should it be the new preferred term?

Peer review: is this the same concept as Peer assessment? The current HEAV definition for Peer assessment includes assessment by a fellow professional. If it is the same concept, which should be the preferred term?

Reflective practice: add as a level 2 term under Teaching.

Student feedback: Feedback is already in HEAV (level 4 term under Formative assessment), but is mainly used for teacher feedback to students. However, this concept is already covered by Student evaluation of teachers (level 4 under Staff appraisal). Should Student feedback be added as a non-preferred term for Student evaluation of teachers, or should it be the new preferred term? Or does it cover a slightly different concept - do we need both terms, and if so which is the broader one?

Laboratory work: this term is already in HEAV as a non-preferred term for Practical work.

Group-based assessment: Group assessment is already in HEAV: add as a non-preferred term?

Virtual learning: add as a narrower term for either E-learning or Online learning.

Postgraduate Research Experience Survey / Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey: these are names of specific projects and not suitable as HEAV terms. We could add Postgraduate Experience as a narrower term for Student Experience (with Postgraduate Research Experience and Postgraduate Taught Experience as narrower terms, if required).

Group work: is already in HEAV (level 3 term under Small group teaching).

Capability: definition needed for this term before we can assign it a place in the hierarchy.

Learning threshold/threshold concept: are these the same concept? If so, which should be the preferred term? If not, what's the difference?

July

No additional suggestions were received during July.

August (WB 10/8)

Curriculum design has been suggested as an additional term. If adopted, it could sit under either 'Curriculum' or 'Curriculum development.'  This term is in the British Education Thesaurus, where it has the definition 'Arrangement of component parts of the curriculum;' the current HEAV definition for 'Curriculum development' (closely based on the BET definition) is 'Activities that are intended to produce new curricula or improve existing ones.' Alternatively, 'Design' could be introduced as a new top-level term, with 'Curriculum design' and 'Research design' (for example) as subordinate terms. A new definition for the term may be required as the BET definition seems too narrow; for example, the University of Manchester definition is this: 'Curriculum design includes consideration of aims, intended learning outcomes, syllabus, learning and teaching methods, and assessment.'  (from the website for the Teaching and Learning Support Office at http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/teaching/curriculumdesign/) This definition overlaps with the one for 'Curriculum development'; however if it reflects modern usage of the term more accurately than BET, it will be necessary to decide exactly how (or whether) to differentiate between the two.

August (WB 24/8)

International staff has been suggested as an additional term. If adopted it would go under Staff.

Bologna Process has been suggested. It could go under Internationalisation in the Policy area of the hierarchy. Is it sufficiently 'abstract' to qualify as a HEAV term, or is it a proper noun (name)?

Careers (or Careers advice?) has been suggested as an additional term, under Employability.

Technology enhanced learning has been suggested. Is this the new accepted term for (what used to be) e-learning? If not, is it broader or narrower? How should it be defined?

The following additional terms have been suggested: Wiki, Repository, Observatory, Taxonomy, Classification [Scheme], Learning Object. If added to HEAV they would be used to describe resources ABOUT these subjects; some may also be required as HEART terms.

WIMBA classroom has been suggested as a narrower term for Learning Environments.