Brief description of the paper

At its meeting on 30 May 2008, Academic Standards Committee received the Report of the Review of Departmental Programmes of Teaching Learning and Assessment of the Department of Economics held on 24 January 2008. Following consideration by the Committee, the recommendations were forwarded to the relevant staff for action. The attached report details the responses and the progress to date in taking forward the recommendations.

The responses have been considered by the Convener of the Review Panel, who notes that, while full and appropriate consideration has been given to the majority of the recommendations, there are a number where work is still ongoing. The Convener of the Panel recommends that an update response on the recommendations noted below should be requested after a period of 12 months for the May 2010 meeting of Academic Standards Committee.

Action Requested

Academic Standards Committee is asked to consider the adequacy of the responses and the progress made to the following recommendations, which the Convener of the Review Panel considers to be satisfactory.

1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

Academic standards Committee is also asked to consider the need for update responses in relation to:

• Recommendation 2 - improving formative elements of assessment at UG and PGT to increase the number and quality of feedback opportunities. The Convener recommends that ASC request an update on the Postgraduate Teaching Committee’s consideration of: an improved form for returning helpful feedback to students; and of procedures for monitoring the quality of feedback returned.
• Recommendation 3 - introduction of new assessment practices to support enquiry led learning at levels 1 and 2. The Convener notes that the Department suggests there might be scope for further development of the work done to date. She recommends that ASC encourage the Department to take this forward, if appropriate, and that an update be requested in 12 months time.
• Recommendation 5 - Faculty work on the conversion of study abroad grades is ongoing.
• Recommendation 8 - student comments on aspects of the Careers service. The Convener notes that the Careers Service has not yet taken forward any action regarding comments made by students. She recommends that ASC asks the Careers Service staff to initiate the discussions with the Department and its students, as suggested, and to provide an update response.
• Recommendation 9 - embedding employability at Levels 1 and 2. The Convener is of the view that the Department should reconsider its response to this recommendation. Particularly, it should explore how it might work with the newly appointed Faculty Employability Officer to the benefit of students at Levels 1 and 2.
• Recommendation 11 - Work on reviewing the PGT programme structures to eliminate duplication and ensure choice as advertised is ongoing.
• Recommendation 16 - Rates of payment for GTAs. The Convener notes that the Department of Human Resources is reviewing practices regarding rates of payment for GTAs and that a first meeting to consider collated information had been planned for April 2009. The Convener is concerned that this work has not yet been completed and would recommend that ASC requests an early update, or report on conclusions, for its first meeting of session 2009-10.
• Recommendation 18 - Tutorial provision at PGT level. The Convener of the Panel notes that the Panel had expected significant progress with this recommendation to be reported at this time and expresses disappointment that the Department reports that it is unlikely that any significant change will be implemented until at least 2010-11. While the effect of resource constraints can be accepted, the Panel felt strongly that smaller group sessions with a high level of student participation were an important aspect of PGT programmes. Therefore, the Convener recommends that ASC request an update response from the Department at the end of session 2009-10 which should include a firm commitment to providing some type of smaller group session in all its PGT programmes.

Recommended Person/s responsible for taking action(s) forward

Head of Department (Recommendations 2, 3, 5, 9, 11, 18)

Dean of the Faculty (Recommendation 5)

Director of Careers Service (Recommendation 8)

Director of Human Resources (Recommendation 16)

Resource implications

There are resource implications, mainly for the Department, related to some of the activities noted above.

Timescale for Implementation

Additional responses should be reported to the May 2010 meeting of ASC with the exception of the response to recommendation 16 which should be reported to the October 2009 meeting of ASC.

Equality implications

Not applicable.