A Learning Journey, modules, pathways and CPD

For learners entering University they know they have a passion for their subject and are hungry to learn, however their journey is not always clear and the pathways to knowledge can be closed within modules or levels. Throughout the University knowledge can be siloed which may stop learners making intuitive leaps between modules and fully grasping the interconnected nature of their programmes. As for programmes with pathways, it is not always clear what a pathway will entail until the learner is already committed to that journey and other pathways may start to appear more appealing.

Through a CAI sabbatical I aimed to create a Blackboard Community that encapsulates a learners journey on our programmes in Product Design and allow the learner to access key materials and skills in a single place without the barriers of module or level. The aims of this project were:

• To place all core knowledge in a single easily accessible place • To allow learners to openly see and interact with materials from all levels of their study at a point that it interests them Additional benefits to this resource have been:

• This resource can be used proactively to inspire students with material which may not be on their core module. In my area we have 3 programmes that share a number of core modules with specialisations. This has allowed students to view non-core materials. • This resource can be used retrospectively, to further support students who have struggled in an LO in a specific assessment. On our mark sheets we have produced a formula which looks at a student’s grade for a specific LO and it that drops below a threshold a comment can be added to their feedback saying “I note you have struggled with X please find additional resources on that topic here X’