Learning and Teaching Strategy

Introduction

The Department's Learning and Teaching Strategy addresses matters of Curriculum and Programme Development, Delivery, Assessment Procedures and Enhancement of the Student Learning experience, in keeping with the ethos expressed within the University Academic Strategy. Detailed aspects of this strategy are the responsibility of the Board of Studies in Computer Science and are informed by external committees such as Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee, and such initiatives as may arise through University Codes of Practice.

Aims

The Aims of the Departmental Learning and Teaching Strategy are,

• to facilitate student achievement of the intended learning outcomes of their programmes of study as delineated in the programme specification.
• regularly to review its undergraduate degree programmes in order to ensure that these remain relevant to students, employers, and professional bodies.
• provide teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels which is informed by the research and scholarship of the staff, and to develop curricula which reflect developments in the subject.
• prepare students for further study in a related field and for careers where the skills and techniques acquired through computing based degree are important.
• provide a range of degree programmes which reflect the diversity of Computer Science and its applications in such a manner as to maximise flexibility of student choice between programmes.
• to recruit and retain appropriately qualified students able to benefit from the opportunities available at the University.

Curriculum Development

Curriculum development deals not only with identifying areas in which new programmes may be needed but also in ensuring that existing provision reflects newer areas and relevant technologies. In keeping with the University's standing as a research-led institution, a significant factor informing the process of updating and reviewing programmes is in ensuring that teaching curricula are designed and modified in the context of cutting-edge research. Curriculum development is informed by the QAA Subject Benchmark for Computing and BCS accreditation guidelines. Modfications to existing modules are considered in the light of responses from students (via module and end of year questionnaire feedback) and module coordinators (through end of module reports). Proposals for extending the range of modules available and/or removing modules are considered by the Board of Studies in the light of factors such as continuing relevance, the need to reflect current research expertise within the department, appropriate input via the Departmental Industrial Liaison committee etc. Authoritative external input to curriculum development is provided via external examiners and by the responsible professional organisation British Computer Society (BCS).

At undergraduate level the Department offers eight single Honours degree programmes including an MEng, plus a joint Honours programme which is run in conjunction with the Management School. At masters level, the Department offers three MSc programmes and is also involved in the teaching of MSc and MRes programmes run by the Faculty. In order to ensure continuing relevance of all programmes against an enviroment of continual evolution, the Department monitors and directs necessary modification to its provision through the following mechanisms:

1. Feedback from students as elicited from module and end-of-year questionnaires, reports from the Staff-Student Liaison Committee.
2. Input from external reference points such the British Computer Society.
3. Feedback from staff via module reports.
4. Recommendation from external examiners.
5. Input from potential applicants.

The principal group through which curriculum development initiatives, programme and module changes are reviewed is the Board of Studies in Computer Science, which considers information collated from (1-4): individual modules are reviewed at the end of each semester and decisions respecting changes agreed and minuted. The module coordinator(s) effect the agreed modifications by editing the formal module specification on Tulip.

While these processes work effectively at the level of module provision, it is recognised that a broader perspective is needed in order to ensure programme structures remain relevant and continue to reflect current practice. A sub-group of the Board of Studies (comprising the UG and PG Directors of Studies, Assessment Officer, Chair and HoD) deals with programme structure reviewing overall provision and interaction of programme components on a year-by-by year basis. Factors influencing programme changes range from recognition that core material should be introduced at earlier stages (e.g. as advised by external review or necessitated through introduction of advanced topics in final year), feedback from students expressing interest in increased coverage of given specialist areas, etc. Major factors in the development of new programmes have been in reflecting growing specialist research groups within the department (programme in e-finance), perceived demand as identified from feedback from applications and employer interests (G402).

Delivery

The Department is committed to the use of a range of delivery methods intended to reflect a mixture of traditional and new approaches. The majority of modules are taught using the conventional 50 minute lecture (with combination of whiteboard and PC-based presentations). Practical and/or lab-based elements are a central element of ensuring students acquire the key skills fundamental to their chosen programme of study. The Department aims to emphasise student-directed learning through a growing use of group-work centered modules, and student presentations. The individual pro ject that students undertake in their final year is a key element in which student-directed initiative plays a part and provides a valuable opportunity for students to enhance presentation skills.

Assessment

Programmes are assessed by a combination of traditional written examinations and continuous assessment, including marked essays and computer programming problems. The second year group project, the final year individual project and the M.Sc. project all include an element of assessment by oral presentation and demonstration of project work. All modules are assessed at the end of the semester in which they are taught. The mark produced for a module is subject to scrutiny at the meetings of Departmental Examiners, by the External Examiner and by the Faculty Board of Examiners' meeting. Decisions on progress are also controlled by the University's published regulations.

Modules are assessed (according to the nature of the module) in one of three ways as follows:

• Examination only where the assessment is based entirely on examination, which is held at the end of the semester in which the module is taught.
• Continuous Assessment
• Examination and continuous assessment

Details of the assessment method for each module can be found in the individual module specifications.

Enhancement

The Department is committed to continual monitoring and improvement of the standard of its teaching provision. The primary mechanism for achieving this is through Module Reports, which are reviewed each semester by the Board of Studies. This report provides: a summary of responses to questionnaires completed by students towards the end of every module; a report form completed by the module coordinators after reviewing questionnaire responses. Module coordinators may submit proposals for changes to the module specification which are considered by the Board of Studies.

Student input

Student feedback is sought through questionnaires relating to individual modules and each year of study, which students are encouraged to complete. These returns are considered by the Board of Studies and the Staff Student Liaison Committees and inform discussion on revision to module content, aims and learning outcomes, assessment regime.