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University of Glamorgan - Karen Fitzgibbon

Under the theme of Engagement, initiatives include:

• 'Early Days' and 'Study Health Check' - two online learner support tools designed for students to assess their orientation (Early Days) and integration (Study Health Check) with their studies. Designed as a way to reach students who may be in need of support but reluctant to make an overt request for help.
• Early Days and Study Health Check 
• 'GlamStart' is an animated simulation of the first few days in the life of a fresher. Students are provided with a chioice of avatars (animated characters) to choose from and they then control the experience of the character by going to lectures, using the annotated map to move around the campus, visit various locations such as the LRC, Students' Union and so on. The game is also populated with short videos of real students sharing their experiences and a short 'taster' lecture about getting the most from lecture attendance.
• GlamStart 
• Assessing class perfomance - A first year module on a law undergraduate programme with between 150 and 180 students annually. Students assess their performance in the classroom throughout the academic year e.g the effectiveness of their contributions to class discussion, this constituting 40% of the total assessment for the module. 
• Automatic Peer Assessment - Via the CAP (Computerized Assessment of Peers) system students have their assignments marked by their peers and are able to anonymously query their marks. The overall assessment grade is established by this allocated mark for the essay and a ‘mark for their marking’ given by the tutor.
• Employability and Professional Development, (HND1 Business skills module), is very much about students taking control of their own academic development early on, and deciding for themselves which aspects of the study skills that underpin their other subject-specific modules they would wish to develop further, over the course of the year. The module assesses their entry-level key skills early, through self-diagnostic activites and a 1-2-1 interview, and asks students to identify areas for improvement over the year ahead. At the end of the module, students submit a reflective essay considering their development over the year and their future 'skills plans' - the emphasis being on continuous professional development - and attend a second 1-2-1 interview to assess their exit-level skills and motivate them for their second and subsequent years of study, and beyond.

Under the theme of Communities of Practice, initiatives include: 

• The BA Leisure, Sport, Tourism and Events induction programme includes guest speakers, outdoor team building, learning to learn sessions and lunch with the Dean of Faculty - all in the first week of term! Designed with the specific intention of building a community of practice, and engaging students with study from day one, this programme has proved highly successful and contributes to a positive student retention and achievement rate on the scheme.
• Authentic Learning Clinic: This is a simulated environment in the context of a practice development team, set up for the purpose of offering first year students on a Counselling training progamme (BSc (Hons) Counselling) an experience of practice which resembles an actual clinical experience.
• Authentic Learning 
• The partnerships between the University of Glamorgan BSc Coaching & Performance students and Rhondda Cynon Taff (RCT) Sports Development, Cardiff “Future Blues” Community Rugby, Cardiff Blues, Pontypridd RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union have led to a rich community of practice developing between first, second and third year students (in various roles including second and third year mentoring first year) as well as with the professional groups named.
• Coaching 
• 'Geography at the University of Glamorgan' is a Facebook (social networking) site which connects 1st Year undergraduates with one another, the years above, graduates, and to myself and other staff, with whom they may converse, discuss and check issues that concern them.
• Voluntary Student 'Buddy' System: In order to integrate new students within the established chiropractic student body, the Division of Chiropractic has a voluntary system whereby students in year 2 are linked with incoming year 1 students. This system has been very successful and it has been extended to include the year 0 entry the year this course commenced. The Division of Chiropractic provides the administrative support for the scheme, however the year 2 students and the Chiropractic Student Society organise and manage the social events associated with the programme. Feedback from students indicates that this is extremely well received and has been acknowledged as a model of best practice within the University. 
• Buddy system 
• Mathematical Modelling - As part of our first year Mathematical Modelling the students are required to work in groups of 4 throughout the year. This means everyone has to work with and get to know 3 others in the class. There are discussions and guidance given on leadership, and good group membership etc. This has gone a long way towards building cohesion amongst subgroups within the class and there is no room for anyone to be left out.
• Castle Banqet -  At the end of induction week (February start) the Business School arranges an evening banquet for post-graduate students, with traditional welsh fare and entertainment in Cardiff Castle. Students are encouraged to come in their national costumes and it is an opportunity to meet staff and other students, and for cultural awareness raising and integration across a very diverse cohort with students from more than 20 countries taking part. 

Under the theme of Innovation in First Year Assessment, initiatives include:

• 'Making feedback work for you' leaflet - an A5 colour leaflet distributed to all first year LLB students to enhance understanding of the types of feedback students will receive and what it is designed to do, as well as information on how students can use feedback to help future learning.
• 'Learning boxes - telling learning stories' - first year Early Years Education students were encouraged to tell their own learning stories by relating either a positive or negative learning experience to an object belonging to them. 'Learning' was expressed in the widest sense and could include personal development such as discovering independence for example, or more formal learning experiences such as in school, college or university. Students were asked to share with one another how their positive or negative experience has shaped their personal approach to learning. This is then related to their assessment in terms of helping children understand their own learning patterns.
• 'Student Panel - Assessment Experiences' - a staff development event jointly organised by the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and the Glamorgan Students' Union. Students volunteered to take part in a student panel answering questions from the staff audience about the assessment experiences on their courses. The event was very well received by both students and staff and it was felt it helped generate a better understanding of the ways students approach their assessments as well as unpicking some of the contentious areas like bunching of deadlines and anonymous marking.
• 'Presentation of simulated practice for student counsellors' - first year students on the BSc Counselling course deliver a (recorded) presentation to simulate practice in preparation for their placement work with 'actual' clients. The students then discuss their practice by viewing the recording with their colleagues and tutor. 
• 'Use of blogs and wikis in assessment' - first year History students are using blogs to record their progress in their assessment and also to shape their learning community. Students also access and contribute to a History Assessment wiki which enables them to share their learning, pose questions and collaborate on the gathering of resources. Student feedback is very positive and many have said that this is helping them prepare for employment too by developing their collaborative learning skills as well as discursive writing.

Under the theme of Enabling Employability Through the First Year Curriculum, initiatives include:

• 'So what did you learn on placement?' Second year LLB students present their experiences of being on placement with the Citizen's Advice Bureau. The students share their experiences of giving advice to 'real' clients for the first time, workplace protocols and how they can see the transfer of their learning from the theory into the practice. First year students are then able to question the second years about their experiences and in this way, help determine whether they would like to volunteer for a placement with the CAB themselves. 
• 'Learning through employment toolkits for employers, learners and lecturers'. The three toolkits encourage stakeholder groups to consider ways in which learning through employment can be recognised as part of the formal learning process. The lecturer's toolkit offers a framework which formalises the university accreditation of informal learning. The employer's toolkit offers a framework through which employers can work with the university to jointly agree work-based tasks which meet the requiremeents for a university qualification at the appropriate level. The learner's toolkit is an online resource bank of materials to encourage students to make effective use of the learning taking place in their own employment and how this might be transferable into their studies. 
• 'Employability and Professional Development' is a module on the first year BA Business and Management. It supports students' development of the key skills necessary for success in studies and future development. An active approach to self-directed learning and continuing professional development is enabled through a variety of classroom activities and reflective exercises ranging from verbal and written communications, numeracy and working in groups to presentation skills, problem-solving techniques, research skills and project management.
• 'Network 75 - engaging employers with engineering students'. Network 75 provides students and employers with a unique opportunity to benefit from a joint learning approach. Employers engage students for the whole of their university programme as part time employees. The students study part time whilst working for the employer. The programme offers unique insights for both students and employers and has been extremely successful for many years.
• 'Experience Works' - from the 1st - 5th March a series of events are planned to engage students with the learning opportunities that work can bring. Guest speakers for pre-bookable sessions include Ruth Badger from the BBC Apprentice series, as well as opportunities to network with a broad range of employers, careers services and other agencies in a week long series of events and seminars.

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