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Joint Moving Forward And Real Wo RLD Event

The Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning and the Caledonian Academy hosted a one-day event on Wednesday 25th February to discuss how the goals of GCU’s new Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy can be embedded all across the university. The Principal and the Pro Vice Chancellor for Learning Innovation opened the event, which was a resounding success. Over 80 participants from GCU and a selection of Glasgow Colleges took part. It was delivered in two parts: The morning presented the Moving Forward Initiative, which aims to enhance the first-year student experience and develop independent lifelong learners. The afternoon showcased the Caledonian Academy’s Real WoRLD project, which is GCU’s university-wide employability initiative.

The morning part of the event saw the introduction of the GCU Transition and Progression Framework that was developed by Moving Forward (a copy of the Framework is available here on this Wiki - just click on Framework at the sidebar for more information). A small group discussion followed on how transition and progression support can be embedded into the curriculum by linking it to the LTAS and the i-Learn Framework. Then Moving Forward launched its sub-working groups or mini-Communities of Practice (mini-CoPs), based on the project streams that were agreed at the Service Design Event in May 2008. The morning closed with the successful launch of the mini-CoPs on:

1. Learning, teaching, assessment, and feedback;

2. Preparation and induction;

3. Peer support and mentoring;

4. Liaison with schools and colleges;

5. Marketing and communication;

6. Student empowerment and staff-student communication.

We welcome anyone who would like to join one or more of the groups above and participate in cross-university discussions on those topics. If you wish to join any of the groups and please contact the Moving Forward team at movingforward@gcal.ac.uk. Please feel free to look at the flipchart notes from the discussions on the GCU Transition and Progression Framework and the Moving Forward Mini-CoPs for your information:FlipchartNotes.pdf

The afternoon saw the introduction of Caledonian Academy’s Real WoRLD project. Under the title “Work-related learning – a challenge for us all” staff and students discussed how work-related learning activities can be embedded in the subject specific curriculum in all schools. Given that graduate employability is a responsibility that is shared by students, staff and employers, all these three stakeholders had their say. Speakers included Paul Foley, Council Member of CBI Scotland, academics from the Caledonian Business School, The School of Engineering and Computing and the School of Law and Social Sciences, student support staff as well as some of GCU’s students. The project team is still looking for colleagues who are interested in trying out innovative approaches to work-related learning in their teaching. Please contact Sabine McKinnon at sabine.mckinnon@gcal.ac.uk, Lecturer in Employability in the Caledonian Academy if you are one of them.