Agents for curriculum change: the role of Learning Development

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1454

Keywords:

curriculum change, academic collaborations, role identity, third space, change agents

Abstract

Learning Development (LD) can rightly see a role as positive institutional change agents. However, this perception can often be frustrated by external interpretations about the value of study skills (Richards and Pilcher, 2023), which could go some way to perpetuating something of an identity disconnect, where others may often continue to perceive LD as remedial (Bishop et al., 2009).

 

This session aimed to inspire a sense of where opportunities may lie for challenging perceptions with LD as change agents, using our institutional experience of having made some significant headway in influencing wholesale curriculum change. The workshop was an opportunity for exploratory discussions, with participants sharing their experiences of participation in curriculum change initiatives or challenges faced in trying to engineer this role. It considered ways to seize and make the most of other opportunities, such as student guidance on Artificial Intelligence, to be similarly influential.

 

Based on our experience of a new curriculum framework, discussions explored challenges the LD team faced in seeking, in the first instance, to have a significant role in the process, achieving this and the inherent frustrations nevertheless. With participants, we discovered how LD can seize opportunities through recognising the role LD can play, such as defining pedagogical concepts of resourcefulness and resilience, which was inherent in the curriculum design. Group activities explored the challenges in trying to influence curriculum change, shared successes and considered whether this is an effective use of LD time. Group investigations also looked at the importance of collaborating with academic developers, and how this can help address and evolve perceptions of LD as change agents, given that staff educational development can be assumed to be the more natural agent for progressing institutional curriculum change and why an LD presence can bring a unique perspective.

Author Biographies

Robert Walsha, University of Surrey

Robert Walsha leads the University of Surrey’s Learning Development team where he has initiated projects ranging from establishing a key role for LD to support a three-year long institutional Curriculum Design Review (CDR) exercise, to being instrumental in designing and implementing a fully integrated model of LD on Surrey’s Foundation year programmes. As an advocate for holistic and inclusive practice, Robert led on developing an institutional approach to ‘Resourcefulness and Resilience’ (one of five key ‘pillars’ – or graduate attributes – of Surrey’s Curriculum Framework).

Heather Barker, University of Surrey

Heather Barker manages the University of Surrey’s Academic Skills and Development team comprising Learning Development Advisers and Learning Development Librarians. A key research area is inclusive and holistic Learning Development encompassing cognitive, affective and emotional aspects of a learner’s journey. This informed her contributions to developing an institutional approach to ‘Resourcefulness and Resilience’ (one of five key ‘pillars’ of Surrey’s Curriculum Framework). 

References

Bishop, C., Bowmaker, C. and Finnigan, T. J. (2009) ‘Mrs Mop, mechanic and/or miracle worker: metaphors of study support’, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (1), pp. 1-14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.v0i1.34.

Hilsdon, J. (2011) ‘What is Learning Development?’ in P. Hartley, J. Hilsdon, C. Keenan, S. Sinfield and M. Verity (eds.) Learning Development in higher education. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 13-27.

Hood, S. (2023) ‘Succeeding at Learning Development’ in A. Syska and C. Buckley (eds.) How to be a Learning Developer: critical perspectives, community, and practice. Abingdon, Routledge, pp. 195-202.

Richards, K. and Pilcher, N. (2023) ‘Study Skills: neoliberalism’s perfect Tinkerbell’, Teaching in Higher Education, 28(3), pp. 580–596. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1839745

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Published

31-10-2024

How to Cite

Walsha, R. and Barker, H. (2024) “Agents for curriculum change: the role of Learning Development ”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (32). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1454.

Issue

No. 32 (2024): Special Edition, ALDinHE Conference Proceedings and Reflections

Section

Conference Proceedings

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Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education

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