DORA :: Browsing by Author "Allman, Zoe"

Browsing by Author "Allman, Zoe"

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A data-driven approach to student support using formative feedback and targeted interventions
(Routledge, 2025-03-26) Coupland, Simon; Fahy, Conor; Stuart, Graeme; Allman, Zoe
De Montfort University (DMU) has approximately 30,000 registered students, primarily at its Leicester campus in the United Kingdom (UK) but also at campuses internationally, as well as UK-based and transnational education partners. Based in Leicester, DMU’s community was particularly hit by the impact of COVID-19, with Leicester being the first city to be placed in local lockdown, extending the period of lockdown beyond the broader national experience. The approaches described in this case study were motivated by the need to capture information about student progress in the lockdown-necessitated online environment but have been equally impactful in in-person classroom teaching. In the subject area of computer games programming (CGP) at levels 5 and 6, students are required to use theoretical underpinning to develop solutions to practical problems, often demonstrating mastery of learning through completing a single, large piece of coursework over a medium-long timeframe, usually three–five months. Through the learning and assessment journey, students plan, meet, and reprioritise a series of dynamic sub-objectives. This all takes place during weekly timetabled workshops where most of the valuable learning occurs. These are student- and assessment-centred learning environments where learners, facilitated by tutors, incrementally develop their coursework projects. These workshops are natural opportunities to monitor engagement and to provide instant, formative feedback personalised to the learner and directly related to assessment. CGP as a discipline attracts students with a wide range of learning preferences and differences; the classical approach of 1–1 in-person tutoring may not be the best approach for these students (Amoako et al., 2013). Additionally, the temporary move to online teaching necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic meant this established approach was not possible. Continual support and feedback are critical in an online setting and facilitated through sustained interaction between tutor and learner (Gikandi et al., 2011). Maintaining this interactivity is important, and it has been observed that continual documentation and sharing of learner-created artefacts is a key feature of meaningful interactivity (Gikandi & Morrow, 2016). In response the CGP team have developed a suite of innovative tools and processes to facilitate the real-time monitoring of student progress through using digital artefacts and the metadata associated with these digital artefacts. This approach provides students with timely formative feedback at key milestones in their progress and facilitates interventions for students requiring additional support to fully engage for best attainment. This approach is grounded in constructivist theories of learning. The individual learner is at the centre of the process, and the feedback process is an iterative, continuous part of learning (Carless et al., 2011; Molloy, 2014).
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Am I in Higher Education’s third space? Who’s here with me?
(The SEDA Blog, 2024-08-21) Allman, Zoe
The third space is a concept I regularly encounter in articles, calls, and at conferences, but what is it? Am I in the third space? And who else is here?
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Am I in Higher Education’s third space? Who’s here with me?
(SEDA: Staff and Educational Development Association, 2024-11-28) Allman, Zoe
The third space is a concept I regularly encounter in articles, calls, and at conferences, but am I in the third space? And who else is here? Following my SEDA blog article (21/08/2024) of the same title, colleagues across the sector, from various roles, some known to me and many unknown, reached out to share their thoughts and responses. This session extends that discussion, are you here too?
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Authentic assessment supporting curriculum and delivery mode transformation
(2023-07-12) Allman, Zoe; Coupland, Simon; Fahy, Conor
De Montfort University is embracing significant transformation as curriculum and delivery mode transitions into an intensive block model approach. The Computer Games Programming (CGP) team were particularly innovative in their approach (Jones, 2022), completely revisiting curriculum sequencing and assessment methods to facilitate the best learning journey for students, and responding to employer and sector skills needs. This presentation highlights two examples of authentic assessments emerging from university-wide transformation. The digital economy requires graduates equipped with a set of digital skills which are practice based. CGP had been moving away from traditional written exams towards large, in-depth coursework which students produce over a term or academic year. In this approach digital skills are implicitly assessed, for example using source control metadata to assess students’ capabilities with a specific tool chain. This requires examination of digital footprints over the term. Therefore, the model needed revisiting to facilitate block delivery and explicitly assess these skills through face-to-face practical assessments we call driving tests, replicating assessments that are commonplace in other disciplines (Snodgrass et al, 2014; Kent-Waters et al, 2018). The depth of student knowledge is examined with a professional conversation, replicating assessment methods used in teacher and lecturer training (Britt et al, 2001). A driving test involves a student sitting with a tutor whilst being asked to perform a number of sequential pre-scripted tasks. Students are marked on the breadth of tasks they complete and the manner in which they complete them. The student is given immediate and personalised verbal feedback and an overall mark. The student leaves a digital trail which is used for moderation. Professional conversations introduce further diversity in assessment in level 6. These conversations supplement a practical assessment component and assess descriptors which can be difficult to evaluate in more traditional formats, for example identifying emerging issues at the forefront of the subject, and systematically identifying personal learning needs. Preparatory, co-created conversations highlighted that current level 6 learners would value this ‘technical interview’ format as the conversation allow learners to naturally demonstrate their understanding of the subject without additional coursework documentation/production. Students value these approaches that facilitate authentic demonstration of practical skills with tutor support and instant verbal feedback. As these assessment methods embed, there is ongoing consideration of whether these should be time limited activities; our experience suggests it should not as to date students have required different amounts of time to complete the task whilst demonstrating competency.
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Block delivery as the future of Higher Education? Learning from design and implementation
(2024-07-09) Allman, Zoe
Aiming to enhance the student learning experience De Montfort University (Leicester, UK) embarked on a significant university-wide curriculum transformation project, to review and redesign academic programmes of study for delivery in an intensive, block modular approach. The approach enhances consistency of curriculum design and delivery through the development and implementation of standardised 30 credit, sequential, block modules per level of undergraduate study. Curriculum transformation facilitated opportunities for teams within the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media, to revisit, reimagine and redesign the curriculum in response to student feedback, employer and industrial recommendations aligned with graduate outcomes, and a desire to create a future-facing unique curriculum offer that best responds to the needs of students, individually and collectively. The strategic leader for this curriculum transformation within the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media, which is home to around 5,500 students at the Leicester campus, explains the rationale and process that facilitated re-validation (curriculum approval) for 51 programmes in a fourteen month period; the majority within just three months, and those requiring greater liaison with external accrediting bodies taking a little longer. Each programme required a unique set of considerations, aligned with the underlying principles of the University’s approach to change, recognising the varied nature of content, delivery and engagement across a wide range of taught subjects. Opportunities and challenges arising through extensive and fast-paced curriculum transformation, both within the Faculty and across the University, are explored through this presentation. Alongside curriculum change was the need to review and re-align academic regulations and academic processes to facilitate re-validation and delivery in reduced timeframes. An overview of changes will be summarised, along with how exemptions from the University’s standard model were considered and supported. Examining innovation and inclusivity at the heart of this curriculum change, as well as impact within the first two years of delivery, the continuous evolution of academic programmes is explored. Learning from curriculum design and curriculum change processes provides insights into the most effective methods for initial curriculum redesign. As the second year of delivery in the new block approach concludes, learning and impact from the initial experiences of students and staff are explored, considering strengths and areas for further development, enhancement and growth. As a Faculty and University we ask what comes next for Higher Education? Is block delivery the future?
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Building future-focused education at De Montfort University – block by block
(Advance HE, 2024-07-03) Allman, Zoe; Brooks, Nicola; Goldsmith, Chris; Orwin, Claire
De Montfort University has introduced a new university curriculum sequencing and delivery approach, known as Education 2030. From September 2022 students began to embrace learning in a new sequential, block format. This presentation by the Associate Dean (Academics) explains how the Education 2030 approach was adopted and embraced across their respective subjects, and the opportunities and challenges this created along the way. The session reflects on the process of transformational change to ensure a future-focused education, and the learning from the first two years of delivery of academic programmes in the Education 2030 format.
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Can non-assessed creative play help students develop confidence and critical thinking?
(Times Higher Education, 2025-01-11) Wright, Chris; Allman, Zoe
Supporting and enhancing students’ drawing skills improves not only their visual communication but also their mental health and well-being. Chris Wright and Zoë Allman offer low-stakes ways to use creativity to build community.
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CATE 2022: Embedding mental wellbeing
(Advance HE, 2022-09-07) Allman, Zoe
When Advance HE launched the first Embedding Mental Wellbeing in the Curriculum (EMW) project De Montfort University (DMU) were keen to be actively involved. In March 2020, as the UK moved into lockdown due to Covid-19 a new team formed to devise and deliver a project to embed mental wellbeing to best support the University community.
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Compassionate decision-making
(2025-02-26) Allman, Zoe; Hardaker, Pamela
The higher education sector is increasingly asked to embrace compassionate approaches in decision-making, particularly when considering extenuating or exceptional individual student circumstances, but how do we make this work with our regulations to maintain academic standards? When considering student exception requests, we explain how compassionate approaches are embraced whilst respecting the regulations and the need to ensure that all students are treated equitably and with fairness. Descriptions of how the regulations inform and influence decision-making, ensuring we maintain academic standards, whilst embracing compassionate approaches will be provided. This session covers the key points for consideration, not only in the decision-making process but also in communication of any consideration and decision, remaining mindful of the increasing need for compassion in higher education. Examples referred to in this session are anonymised and non-attributable, but based on genuine cases to facilitate authenticity.
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Cross-sector collaboration to enhance embedding mental wellbeing
(Association of National Teaching Fellows, 2023-10-13) Allman, Zoe
In the week recognising World Mental Health Day 2023, this article highlights an example of collaboration to enhance mental wellbeing, as presented at the ANTF Symposium 2023.
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Developing and delivering in block: Reflections one year in
(Quality Assurance Agency, 2023-09-21) Allman, Zoe; Coupland, Simon; Attwood, Luke; Fahy, Conor; Hasshu, Salim; Khuman, A. S.; Shell, Jethro
Open Access
Digital image manipulation: an interdisciplinary approach.
(University of Nottingham, 2009-09-09) Allman, Zoe; Gongora, Mario Augusto; Passow, Benjamin N.
Image manipulation programs allow users to retouch drawings or photographs. Using these tools for artistic image manipulation is a demanding task. In this paper we present a novel methodology, based on efficient image processing algorithms in combination with Cellular Automata, to create a very versatile and autonomous means for altering digital images. The system presents a newly achieved level of autonomous creativity in addition to minimising the effort for retouching images from an artistic point of view. We present an evaluation of an experimental implementation of our method and provide suggestions for its applicability.
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Educational development in significant transformation of academic programme re-design
(2023-05-19) Allman, Zoe
De Montfort University is embracing significant transformation as delivery of academic programmes transitions to block model. The first wave required one Faculty to re-design and validate twenty-three programmes in three months. This talk shares the methods used to prepare the learning community to embrace academic transformation, the role of educational development in facilitating readiness for change aligned to University strategy, quality and PSRB compliance, and developing provision to meet applicant, student, employer, and sector need.
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Embedding Mental Wellbeing
(The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), 2022-10-10) Allman, Zoe
World Mental Health Day is widely recognised on 10 October and the theme for 2022 is 'make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority', a theme that particularly resonates with a QAA Collaborative Enhancement Project focused on Embedding Mental Wellbeing. This blog post explores the outputs from that project - a project that aimed to provide definitions for mental wellbeing and embedding mental wellbeing, share examples from collaborative partner providers, and identify the benefits of embedding mental wellbeing to support colleagues across the sector.
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Embedding Mental Wellbeing
(Pearson, 2022-12-30) Allman, Zoe
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Embedding Mental Wellbeing - A Collaborative Approach
(2023-10-10) Allman, Zoe
De Montfort University’s Embedding Mental Wellbeing team harnesses the power of academics, professional services and the Students’ Union in collaborative partnership to embed mental wellbeing activity across the University. Responding to the University community and the impact of Covid-19, their project achieved cross-institutional transformation and cross-sector impact, and was recognised by Advance HE with a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE, 2022). In this presentation Zoë explores the collaborative activities that empower De Montfort University’s ongoing approach to embedding mental wellbeing.
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Embedding mental wellbeing for staff and students
(Chartered Association of Business Schools, 2022-02) Allman, Zoe
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Embedding Mental Wellbeing in Lockdown: An Increased Priority during a Pandemic
(Palgrave Macmillan, 2022-12-13) Allman, Zoe
The UK’s first national lockdown due to COVID-19 in March 2020 saw De Montfort University in Leicester re-scoping their proposed university-wide approach to embedding mental wellbeing in the curriculum. An increased focus on ensuring the mental wellbeing of students and staff recognised by the national media supported the university’s activity around five core strands of activity: (1) expanding the existing student-facing online wellbeing support, (2) developing new tutor resources for use in blended-learning, (3) enhancing the staff training offer, (4) expanding the academic training offer, and (5) sharing best practice. These core strands would enable the university to support its staff to embed mental wellbeing approaches for the benefit of the university community during and beyond the pandemic.
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Embedding mental wellbeing in the curriculum: a collaborative definition and suite of examples in practice
(Frontiers, 2024-01-11) Lister, Kate; Allman, Zoe
The sector-wide challenge of student mental wellbeing within higher education (HE) requires universities to systematically and holistically enhance their practice and approaches. This paper recounts how an interdisciplinary team of academics, senior leaders, professional services and Students’ Union representatives across seven institutions responded to this need by collaboratively identifying definitions, good-practice for replication, and benefits of activity to embed mental wellbeing in the curriculum. Considering and exploring definitions across HE, our study provides clarity and reference points for definitions, particularly around the nature of “embedding” in relation to mental wellbeing for students. Five core themes for mental wellbeing in HE were identified and defined through this study: flourishing or thriving, balance, community and belonging, dynamic, and inclusive. Furthermore, a five-point definition of embeddedness developed; it being modeled in practice, tailored to needs, inherent in values, ethos and culture, a holistic partnership approach, and represented in strategy supported by appropriate resource. These are represented as a Mental Wellbeing Embeddedness Framework. The study sought good-practice examples from across seven HE providers, presented as example resources for replication by others in the sector seeking to address similar challenges within their institutions. Twenty-seven examples were developed into an online open educational resource toolkit, providing clear examples for use in a range of settings and responding to different needs around student mental wellbeing. Each example sharing its original rationale for development and clear list of benefits to be seen from replicating the initiative. Sector feedback to date indicates referencing the definitions activity and expanding this for use in other contexts, replication of good-practice examples in different settings, and support for identification of the benefits that can be achieved from embedding mental wellbeing in the curriculum. This paper is a call to action, shaping the future direction of student mental wellbeing, supported by policy, practice, and constant innovation.
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Embedding mental wellbeing, methods and benefits
(The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), 2024-10-07) Allman, Zoe
Mental health is an increasingly important topic in Higher Education. It is considered in the design and development of academic programmes of study, support activity, and throughout the student journey. As the 10 October marks World Mental Health Day it is timely to raise to attention once again to the open educational resources developed and shared as part of the QAA Collaborative Enhancement Project, Embedding mental wellbeing: Methods and benefits.

Browsing by Author "Allman, Zoe"

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