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School of Health in Social Science Annual QAE Report 2010/11

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The University of Edinburgh

College of Humanities and Social Science

School of Health in Social Science

Annual Quality Assurance and Enhancement Report

2010-2011


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1. Introduction

1.1 Brief overview of the School

The School of Health in Social Science is a leading provider of postgraduate and undergraduate professional education in health, health policy and related fields. The School consists of the four subject areas:

Clinical Psychology

Counselling and Psychotherapy

Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in Health

Nursing Studies The School is commissioned to provide professional education by a number of statutory organisations and many School programmes are subject to accreditation by external bodies.

1.2 Brief overview of the scale and scope of learning and teaching activities

The School offers postgraduate degrees in Clinical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Dementia, Health and Social Care and Nursing Studies, together with an undergraduate Honours degree in Nursing Studies and an expanding range of Continuing Professional Development opportunities, from one day events and seminars to full courses. The School has 120 undergraduates and approximately 500 PG taught students.

Three School subject areas – Clinical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy and Nursing Studies – offer PhD/MPhil and MSc by Research programmes. In 2010-11, the School had 64 postgraduate research students. Over recent years, the School has built upon its excellent reputation in face to face professional education with an increasing range of e-learning activities, adopting both blended learning and full distance education models. 1.3 Overview of the key features of annual monitoring and review in the School, including student engagement with Quality Assurance (QA) processes. The principal QAE processes directly involving students include individual lecture, seminar and workshop feedback forms, course and programme feedback and evaluation forms, staff student liaison meetings and representation on relevant committees. Increasingly, additional measures have been implemented, such as greater use of mid-course feedback, use of Web CT, discussion forums and wikis for impromptu feedback, quick email surveys to students on specific course or programme matters, and proactive use of external evaluators to meet directly with students for programme evaluation. PG


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research students hold regular meetings with the School PG Research Student Co-ordinator who responds to quality issues related to the PGR learning experience through a variety of forums (see 3.4 below). Course organisers complete the College Annual Monitoring Form for each undergraduate and postgraduate course, including research training courses. Each programme is also reviewed annually. Professional education programmes are subject to a separate system of annual monitoring and regular revalidation as part of their accreditation process. The School enjoys active and collaborative relationships with external examiners who provide detailed and constructive ongoing feedback to programme teams and detailed summative feedback through their annual reports. The latter are reviewed by the School Learning and Teaching Director and Heads of Subject Area, with quality issues actively followed up. Each of the four subject areas in the School has a QAE representative who is responsible for ensuring that requisite procedures are conducted within the subject area, adapted where necessary to the particularities of the courses and programmes taught. These representatives attend the School Learning and Teaching Committee, reporting relevant issues into that committee and feeding necessary information back to their subject area teams. The School Learning and Teaching Strategy Committee ensures a strategic focus on enhancement activity across the School and the dissemination of good practice across programmes and subject areas. Each subject area has a system of regular course and programme review meetings and strategic away days at which quality issues in relation to learning and teaching are discussed and priority areas agreed. 2. Actions taken as a result of issues raised in the previous year’s report 2.1 Action points identified in the School’s 2009-10 report and an update of progress.

1 Ensure that action taken as a result of student feedback is consistently available on relevant websites for all programmes.

Partially achieved. There has been a significantly greater use of web CT for providing summaries of student feedback and actions taken by staff. However, this is not yet universal across the school.

2 The QA Director will ask the L&T Director to consider student representation on that committee.

Fully achieved. The School L&T Strategy Committee has student reps, UG, PGT and PGR.


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3 Each course and/or programme to publish a return date for each assessment. Course and programme staff to prioritise prompt return of assessments.

Fully achieved.

4 Each programme to include questions on students’ experience of assessment and feedback in annual programme evaluations.

Partially achieved. There have been more programme and year evaluations including this area for overall programme evaluation from students, but there is not yet one standard evaluation form for all programmes.

5 The School is attending to issues of poor scholarship and plagiarism through the drafting of a strategy which addresses issues of cultural awareness in relation to academic practices and acculturation to the academic requirements of British Universities for international students and the particular challenges faced by mature postgraduate students returning to study at University after many years in professional practice. A range of specific actions in relation to these issues is proposed for implementation in 2011/12, overseen by the Learning and Teaching Strategy Committee.

Good and on-going progress in this area. Every subject area has implemented new measures in relation to poor scholarship and plagiarism (see examples below).

6 To clarify pastoral support roles within the various programmes, the School is drafting a School-wide table listing academic and pastoral support roles for all programmes, which includes first and second lines of support within the university and in the placement/clinical context for students on all programmes.

Fully achieved and published on the Student Support pages of the School website: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/health/learning-teaching/student-representation

7 All programme handbooks across the School provide detailed information to students on academic and pastoral support. In 2010-11, all such sections are being reviewed across the School with the intention of standardising and updating information where possible.

Fully achieved.

8 All student programme evaluations to include questions on the quality of academic and pastoral support.

Partially achieved: implemented for some programmes.

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9 The School is strongly encouraging the take-up of peer observation of teaching in 2010-11, with a particular focus on the subject areas for whom this measure is not yet embedded in practice.

Partially achieved. Improved numbers over 2009-10, but not consistently so, as reported below.

10 All student course and programme evaluation forms to include specific questions about adjustments.

Partially achieved: implemented for some programmes. 2.2 The action points identified by the College’s Peer Review process of School Annual Reports and an update of progress.

1. School to give consideration to student representation on the Learning and Teaching Strategy committee

Fully achieved, as reported above.

2. School to work towards student feedback being made available across the websites for all programmes within the school

Partially achieved, as reported above.

3. Counselling and Psychotherapy to consider how best to address the question of consistency of feedback

Fully achieved. Counselling and Psychotherapy undertook a number of measures in relation to this issue, including an assessment feedback training session for all staff and ongoing review with external examiners. This matter is now resolved.

4. School should aim to publish clear and manageable return dates for the return of feedback for assessments in order to manage student expectations.

Fully achieved.

5. School to pursue its own recommendations in relation to academic and pastoral support.

Partially achieved as noted in 2.1 points 5, 6, 7 and 8 above. 3. Assurance of Quality and Standards (to reflect on key trends/issues arising from each of the following and to identify areas for follow-up and action for the School, the College or the University)


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3.1 Annual monitoring and review of courses and programmes (with any specific issues for UG, PGT and PGR noted separately, including an update on the status of programme specifications) Annual monitoring and review of courses and programmes has continued to work well, despite the increase in courses and programmes across the School and the increasing numbers of courses taught in alternative formats such as blended learning and distance learning. One of the main problems identified this session by both students and staff has been problems with learning and teaching spaces. With increasing numbers of students on programme, increasing numbers of programmes and a wider range of CPD activity, all subject areas have reported problems with sourcing suitable L&T spaces. This problem has been particularly acute for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology which is taught through week blocks and requires live video link-up to students in other parts of Scotland. The University seems to be particularly challenged in catering for teaching in such formats and students and staff have had to tolerate unsuitable and poorly equipped rooms, as well as frequent changes in teaching rooms. We hope that the new academic timetabling system will be able to improve this situation. 3.2 Annual monitoring and review of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) All CPD activity in the school has been monitored and reviewed. With the significant expansion of CPD activity in all subject areas in recent years, the School is developing intelligence on areas of success and future development as well as challenges. Nursing Studies have found generating interest in CPD courses at the University of Edinburgh challenging. This is the result of potential students favouring other local Higher Academic Institutions who offer clinical skills based learning which leads to a first degree. There has been interest and successful recruitment however to the Health, Research and E learning courses offered and due to the flexibility of these courses they are meeting the CPD need of recruited students. CPD development may be best achieved in partnership both internally with schools in the university and externally with international universities. This would allow recruitment from a wider range of potential students and may be a more efficient use of resources rather than directly competing with well-established local programmes in other institutions. Counselling and Psychotherapy has complemented its existing CPD courses with a number of one-off workshops, lectures and seminars and have found that shorter events attract more interest than full weekend courses. This will lead into planning for future CPD provision. Clinical Psychology has enjoyed a significant expansion in its CPD activity and has successfully built in CPD opportunities into existing teaching, enabling courses to be taken by both on-programme students and suitably qualified CPD visiting students.


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Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in Health (ISSH) has recently established a programme of CPD. Postgraduate Courses Developed for the MSc in Integrated Service Improvement are now offered individually on a CPD basis with some take up across all courses. As part of this programme a course in Quantitative Information and Analysis has been developed with NHS Education Scotland (NES) and colleagues in the School of Social and Political Science. NES have committed to providing 75% of funding to suitably experienced NHS students and the course is oversubscribed for the coming year. In addition a series of ‘Supporting Derek’ CPD events have been held to train trainers of staff working with people with learning disabilities and dementia. These events, held in Scotland and England, were well attended. All subject areas hold regular strategic planning meetings at which CPD provision is reviewed and future directions and opportunities identified. 3.3 Student performance and achievement (including presentation and analysis of statistics for UG, PGT and PGR). All programmes report course and programme results consistent with previous years and no issues arising. The PGR co-ordinator is actively monitoring the number of PhD students completing within their prescribed period of study and working with colleagues to identify necessary steps to improve numbers completing on time. The School is also reviewing the PhD First Year Progress Board arrangements with a view to establishing the reasons why some PGR students withdraw or are discontinued at this stage. 3.4 Feedback from External Examiner Reports (with any specific issues for UG, PGT and PGR noted separately) The BN Honours Programme continues to be viewed very positively by its external examiners. They comment that students are well prepared at the end of their degree programme for their careers in nursing. Feedback from examiners indicates that the programme meets the NMC requirements for pre-registration education and is of an extremely high standard with regard to teaching and assessment, in both the academic and clinical environment. The programme standards are considered to be very high with good consistent assessment processes and during this academic year teaching staff were praised for the amount of detailed assessment feedback they give to students. The only adverse comment expressed in the 2010/11 feedback was regarding the honours dissertation which was revised two years ago. One examiner felt that students undertaking the research proposal as opposed to the critical appraisal for their honours dissertation were underperforming. Strategies to address this have been discussed and revisions made regarding guidance and teaching with students for 2011-12. This is a relatively new dissertation for the undergraduate students and staff in the subject area. The dissertation will continue to be closely monitored and action taken to improve student learning and attainment as appropriate.


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The BN Programme is required to be redesigned in 2011-12 to meet the new NMC Standards for Pre-registration Nursing. In the new Programme, available from September 2012, there are plans to further rationalise the assessment of students as they currently have a comparatively large assessment load compared with other institutions. In Clinical Psychology, all externals’ reports were positive about the quality of the content of the Programme and felt that standards were comparable if not better than other UK Clinical Doctoral Programmes. Examiners were happy with the delivery of the Doctoral Programme, teaching methods used and feedback gained. Some comments were made about the new thesis model which was introduced two years ago which were generally positive but which also suggested possible changes in the structure organisation to avoid repetition of content. In relation to comments received 2009-2010 there has been greater clarification for external examiners about their role in relation to the exam board. All external examiner reports relating to the MSc in Applied Psychology were positive and commended the programme on its innovation in applied psychology training. Within ISSH the postgraduate programme in Integrated Service Improvement received very positive feedback from the external examiner who highlighted the relevance and innovative nature of this programme. Two areas for development were identified by the external examiner. These were around anonymous marking, which has now been put into place, and achieving an appropriate balance between reflective practice and research-based elements in the programme. As a result of constructive discussions with the examiner all dissertations will now include an empirical component. Counselling and Psychotherapy external examiners have also reported positively on the quality, breadth and depth of the work produced by students, especially in their masters dissertations. They have suggested alternative ways of offering assessment feedback which are being piloted and evaluated by the staff team in collaboration with students in 2011-12. The external examiners have also made strong representations regarding the University’s lack of a facility for the resubmission of postgraduate dissertations, which the subject area is taking up at College and University levels through appropriate channels. 3.5 Feedback from students: an outline of processes for obtaining feedback and the key trends arising from these. (including internal course and programme feedback surveys and external surveys such as NSS, PRES, PTES and ISB) There is a good response rate for student evaluations in most courses and programmes and, where lower, staff are proactively addressing this. All subject areas also have well-established systems of staff student liaison and student representation, including student representatives on the School L&T Strategy Committee. Alongside such mechanisms, Clinical Psychology has introduced a system of student representatives attending the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Programme Team Meetings and their input has proved invaluable. Within ISSH plans are in place to capture feedback from


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students within the first year of graduating from the Integrated Service Improvement MSc to determine the impact of their learning on professional practice. PGR students are well-represented through a number of mechanisms, including the School PGR co-ordinator having membership of the School Management Committee and regular meetings with the Head of School. PGR students have requested more School generic (rather than subject specific) research training courses and the School is taking this forward. The BN (the only undergraduate programme) continues to be evaluated extremely well in the National Student Survey. In 2010/2011, students from Nursing Studies achieved a 100% survey completion rate which led to students receiving an award. Results from the study rated Nursing Studies very highly. Significant strength: teaching staff support. Area for improvement: resource availability for clinical skills learning on campus. The BN honours programme has again been rated UK Number 1 for Undergraduate Nursing in The Times and Guardian league tables. The School’s performance in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey was mixed. Staff enthusiasm, pastoral support to students and quality of teaching were all rated highly, as were the professional and personal development components of the programmes. Learning and teaching spaces came in for significant criticism, as did the accessibility and quality of library resources. On-programme research skills training, dissertation support and assessment feedback also scored less well than in other schools across the College, although two out of three respondents were happy in these areas. These are disappointing results, especially given the efforts the School has made in these areas in recent years. In response, the School L&T Strategy Director and QA Director have devised a tailor-made School PGT survey to attempt to drill down into the PTES results and establish where the problems identified by the students might lie. Results from this are expected in early 2012. 3.6 Internal Reviews - TPRs/PPRs (including subject-specific remit items and recommendations from reviews) The lack of appropriate clinical teaching resources for the BN was highlighted during the TPR review which took place in 2010-11. The review report questioned whether the current arrangements for clinical skills learning were suitable for nursing students and sustainable due to the financial costs accrued. This view, combined with the results of the National Student Survey, illustrates that the quality of the clinical skills experience on the BN is being impacted by limited resources. Nursing Studies clinical teaching resource allocation discussions are being addressed at School management level. Further TPR findings commended amongst a range of significant key strengths:

The quality and range of the Clinical Electives

The peer assisted learning initiative between 5th year medical students and 4th year nursing students to teach 3rd year medical students and 2nd year nursing students

Enhanced advice given by Directors of Studies on course choice


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The dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism of staff

The culture of mutual respect between staff and students

The Careers session initiative

The development work being undertaken to enhance the quality of the ‘sign-off mentor’ preparation and so enhance the quality of the student support and practice based education throughout the students’ final placement experience

100% Peer Observation of Teaching

The Workload Model

The development of the Masters Programme

Work currently being undertaken by Nursing Studies to map current teaching practice and content against the new NMC standards

The extent of academics’ research used to inform teaching A key TPR recommendation was that School Management discuss the potential implications of the BN being the only undergraduate programme in the School. The TPR reviewers expressed concern that the programme may become isolated from other UG programmes in the University. To prevent this, the current Director of the UG programme ensures she has direct input to UG committees at college and University level. This issue is being addressed by School Management, as recommended. 3.7 External Reviews (including accreditation reviews). In 2010-11 Nursing Studies was externally reviewed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which resulted in a very positive report, reinforcing the high quality standard of the BN (Honours) programme. Nursing Studies achieved the NMC’s autonomous status recommendation which means they do not require a formal review until they undertake revalidation. The Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Programme underwent significant changes with the development of two new courses: Clinical Psychology One and Two, in which all of the core teaching for the Programme is timetabled. The remaining courses for these years are: Research One and Two. Assessments are structured to directly examine these courses. Changes to the Programme have been reviewed and agreed upon with NHS partners. 3.8 Peer observation of practice. Formal Peer observation of teaching was conducted by approximately one third of teaching staff in Nursing Studies and Counselling and Psychotherapy, which represents an improvement over 2009-10. There were fewer numbers of formal POT in Clinical Psychology. Informal observation of practice is established in all subject areas. For example, Counselling and Psychotherapy professional requirements mean that many courses are co-tutored and staff meet to debrief weekly on their co-working, as well as the strengths


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and areas for improvement in their teaching. Much Clinical Psychology teaching is conducted in partnership with NHS colleagues, again involving regular discussions of lectures and seminars, including identifying areas to change and improve. All subject areas have active moderation processes where staff meet to discuss their assessment and grading of students’ work, including their feedback to students. In 2010-11, Counselling and Psychotherapy held a dedicated assessment feedback training session, identifying areas of good practice with a particular focus on consistency in constructive feedback. This involved examining an example of each marker’s assessment feedback in an open and transparent process. 3.9 Collaborative provision (Instances of collaborative provision, key features of QA processes and trends/issues arising) Senior students from Nursing Studies and the medical school continue to collaborate in the peer assisted learning scheme (PAL). Students report they value this opportunity to learn from each other and believe it assists in their understanding of partnership working. The mentoring and placement support systems for students on NHS nursing placements continued to work well, as did the subject area’s collaborative teaching with guest lecturers from the professional field. The MSc in Integrated Service Improvement in ISSH draws on a team of external tutors to deliver courses, all of whom have an active role in designing evaluation processes and have access to feedback on all courses. All courses on the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programme, and many on the Clinical Psychology MSc programmes, are taught by a combination of University academic staff and NHS clinical staff. Feedback is regularly collected on WebCT at individual lecture/workshop level and external staff have access to this. At course level, feedback is routinely solicited from external teaching staff by email and face-to-face meetings. The MSc in Applied Psychology undertakes an annual programme review with its NHS and NES stakeholders, involving service users and external experts. A new development this session was the Doctoral Programme’s collaboration with the sister Programme from the University of Glasgow in developing a Service Users Seminar in September 2011. This critically examined how service users might be more involved in clinical training and research and this issue will be further developed in the academic year 2011-2012. Counselling and Psychotherapy monitors quality issues of placement experience and professional practice courses through regular meetings with placement agency managers and clinical supervisors, who also provide direct inputs into students’ professional portfolios. In response to their feedback in 2010-11, the programme has expanded the assessment and contracting course and provided more teaching on working with clients experiencing mental health difficulties. Placement managers have continued to participate in the selection process for professional programmes.


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3.10 Summary of key issues arising from the annual monitoring and review of quality and standards and implications for enhancement (a summary of key issues arising from sections 3.1 to 3.9) Actions in relation to Nursing Studies issues include:

work with students to increase the return rate of feedback for several courses

explore with School management the issues relating to the suitability of the clinical skills environment for Nursing students on the central campus,

examination of the position of the BN as the sole undergraduate programme in the School

ongoing review of student assessment load

ongoing review of BN dissertation model and student performance

exploration of development of more distance learning CPD provision Actions in relation to Clinical Psychology issues include:

ongoing review of new thesis-for-publication model

taking forward service user involvement in clinical training

evaluation of new CPD courses Actions in relation to Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in Health issues include:

changing guidance for dissertation in line with external examiner feedback

changing timetabling of courses in response to student feedback Actions in relation to Counselling and Psychotherapy issues include:

addressing the University regulations for failed masters dissertations, in response to external examiner feedback

The School will:

continue to address the inadequate provision of learning and teaching spaces for professional education, working actively with the new academic timetabling system

address several areas of disappointing results in the PTES

work towards the creation of relevant health research training courses for PGR students

review procedures for the selection, support, monitoring and supervision of PGR students to improve retention and completion

focus on improving formal peer observation of teaching, especially in subject areas where the practice is not yet embedded, and aim at capturing more effectively evidence of other peer observation of practice activity

4. Enhancement and Good Practice


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4.1 Update on progress in relation to the School and College Learning and Teaching Strategies and related University strategies Increased transparency of quality issues and processes In 2010-11, the School QA Director worked with the College web-team to publish full information about quality processes in the School on the School webpages, making quality matters fully accessible to staff and students and serving as a first line of information and guidance. See: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/health/learning-teaching/quality and http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/health/learning-teaching/student-representation e-Learning As part of the School DE initiative, ISSH is developing a new distance learning MSc in Health and Social Care including pathways in dementia, learning disability and child and adult mental health. Clinical Psychology and Nursing Studies have been actively promoting the greater integration of e-learning within their core programmes. In the former, all courses routinely offer Lecture materials (presentations, hand-outs and reading lists) through Web CT. Some courses have elements taught through e-learning (including some aspects of research teaching) to encourage a blended approach to content. During 2010-11 significant time has been spent on the development of ‘The Virtual Family’, an electronic resource will be added to over subsequent years and will provide a problem focussed approach to learning and can be used to further integrate theory, research and practice across all of the courses. This will be formally introduced to teaching in 2011-12. eLearning within the postgraduate programmes of Nursing Studies is well developed. This ensures flexibility for postgraduate learners studying full or part time and attracts international students wishing to learn from a distance. All online formats have been developed to adhere to legislative policy and make all courses accessible to people with additional needs for learning. Nursing Studies now plans to engage undergraduate nursing students with aspects of eLearning during the academic year of 2011/12. This will be aimed at developing transferrable skills and promoting graduate attributes and employability. Due to disciplinary philosophy, Counselling and Psychotherapy have elected not to develop e-learning to the same extent as other School areas. In 2010-11 they are,

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however, piloting audio-recording and uploading of lectures onto web CT, as well as the provision of all teaching materials on this format. This is currently being evaluated by students and preliminary findings are very positive. Academic and Pastoral Support All programme handbooks now include full information about sources of academic and pastoral support and the roles, responsibilities and expectations of the various staff employed to support students. The School recognised that this issue can be confusing for students on professional programmes who have a network of professional and academic supports, such as director of studies, academic and clinical supervisor, mentor, agency manager etc and are sometimes unsure of the remit and responsibility of these different roles. A full list of all such positions in the School has now been collated and published on the relevant page of the school website, as reported above. In response to an increase in numbers of academic misconduct cases in recent years, all areas of the School now routinely and proactively provide teaching sessions on good scholarship practice which addresses issues of plagiarism and poor scholarship. This is also covered in programme handbooks. Assessment feedback One area of particularly good practice in the School is assessment feedback on the BN. It is regularly commended and used as an example area of good practice for other UG programmes throughout the University with regard to the depth of student assessment feedback it provides and the pastoral support that accompanies it. Detailed feedback highlights strengths in the student’s work, areas that require further development, as well as providing an overall appraisal of the work in line with the marking scheme. This approach is seen as ‘feeding forward’ to enhance the future written work of the students. The process in place to support it states that students will receive feedback as well as their annotated scripts in hard copy within 3 working weeks of submission. This timeframe allows students time to further develop and improve future written course work. Counselling and Psychotherapy’s work on improving assessment feedback is described in 3.4 and 3.8. Research-Teaching Linkages In Clinical Psychology, the Doctoral Programme emphasises research-teaching linkages within the Programme and has developed a Research Fair, which took place for the second occasion in 2011. This gave trainees the opportunity to both discuss current research being conducted by academic members of staff as well as examine research opportunities with regard to their theses. A research database has been established and NHS staff have been actively encouraged to add information to this so that trainees are aware of research synergies and opportunities between academic and clinical staff and


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placements. 2010-11 saw the further development of research tutorials which encouraged peer support for learning by trainees. The changes to the doctoral thesis model are also feeding through into an increasing number of doctoral students submitting their research for publication in peer-reviewed journals, with successful publications emerging. Counselling and Psychotherapy have been increasingly adapting professional courses to include specific inputs on staff research specialisms and including staff publications in core reading. The very successful postgraduate student research conference is now organised by students themselves, thus promoting their graduate attributes in the area of conference organisation. The conference continues to attract audience members from the wider professional field, promoting knowledge exchange. In 2012, their peers from the Counsellor Education programme at the College of William and Mary, Virginia, will be co-presenting at the research conference in Edinburgh. Counselling and Psychotherapy have also established a Masters graduate writing group to provide peer and academic support to graduates to publish from the dissertations. The School is collating information about student publications across all subject areas to promote this on the school website, providing confidence-building examples, alongside relevant support structures. All programmes in the School integrate applied research in clinical settings and knowledge exchange activities into their programmes. Nursing Studies PGT students apply research knowledge to a chosen area of their professional practice on the Clinical Decision-Making and Judgement course, as well as integrating work-based research projects into other courses and the dissertation. Clinical Psychology routinely undertake small scale agency-based research projects, while Counselling student can elect to do so. With our strong links to the professions, the School is particularly well-placed to continue to develop applied and clinically-relevant research activity. This serves both as knowledge exchange for the field while also increasing the employability of students, as their research is close to or fully integrated into clinical practice settings. Other areas of Learning and Teaching Strategy are reported in the School L & T Strategy (attached as an appendix). 4.2 Summary of enhancement and good practice for sharing across Schools and Colleges.

Development of accessible, live, interactive and information-rich webpages on learning, teaching and research for staff, students and prospective students on the School website

Further development of eLearning including full distance education courses and programmes, e-versions of traditionally taught courses and greater use of blended learning for established courses, in all subject areas


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Greater clarity regarding pastoral and academic support and a proactive preventative approach to academic misconduct

Enhanced assessment feedback activity

Proactive support structures to promote student research activity and publications, including student-led research seminars and conferences

5. Forward Look 5.1 Summary of recommendations for action by the School or by the College or other University departments arising from the Annual Report In 2011-12, Nursing Studies will:

Address and develop an action plan for student feedback challenges on some Nursing Studies courses

Progress development of the online Leadership course

Target online courses, especially the Leadership course, to an international audience

Work with International Health to develop joint on-line courses to allow international health students access.

Address problems in relation to clinical teaching resource allocations

Engage undergraduate nursing students with aspects of eLearning

Counselling and Psychotherapy will:

Continue to increase and evaluate eLearning dimensions of existing courses and programmes

Trial new approaches to assessment feedback

Address the University regulations for failed masters dissertations, in response to external examiner feedback

Organise seminars for students focused on career prospects in the field and on how students can publish in academic and practitioner journals


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Clinical Psychology will:

Explore potential for service user involvement in clinical training

Evaluate new CPD courses and eLearning initiatives, such as the virtual family The School will:

Update course and programme evaluation documents to include: questions regarding academic and pastoral support; questions on adjustments; and questions on assessment feedback

Ensure that all significant actions undertaken, at programme, subject area or School level, in response to student feedback are published on the School website

Build on existing good practice in peer observation of teaching and other academic practice to increase activity in this area

Address problems with sourcing suitable L&T spaces with University colleagues

Investigate and address areas of relative dissatisfaction for PGT students

Investigate the creation of a School Student handbook, addressing areas of common interest for all students in the School

Explore the provision of relevant health research training courses for PGR students

Review and improve PGR selection, review boards and monitoring of progress to increase retention and completion rates

5.2 Identification of themes to be taken forward by the School The main themes the school will be working on in 2011-12 are:

Enhancing the PGR student experience

Promoting research and enquiry amongst PGT and UG students

Developing greater interdisciplinary co-working in learning, teaching and research


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Appendices

1. Checklist

2. Remit and membership of the School QAE Committees

3. School Learning and Teaching Strategy

4. Statistics and tables of data on student performance

5. TPR/PPR Responses

6. List of External Examiners


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Appendix 1

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Checklist for School QAE Report for Academic Year 2010-2011

School of Health in Social Science

1 Have all taught Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses within the School supplied a course monitoring form?

Yes

2 If No to question 1 is an explanation given in Quality Report?

n/a

3 If No to question 1 have steps been taken to remedy this?

n/a

4 Have you attached the full range of statistics required? Breakdown of marks for UG and taught PG courses, final degree classifications for all UG programmes?

Yes

5 Have the above statistics been analysed?

Yes

6 Has a statement of QA procedures in the School been included?

Yes

7 Have External Examiners reports been discussed and have the responses to any issues raised been included in the Report?

Yes

8 Have there been any programme reviews in the past year?

Yes

9 If Yes to question 8, does the report describe action to be taken in response to the review?

Yes

10 Have you included a note of actions taken in response to issues raised in last year’s QAE Report?

Yes

11 Have all courses issued a student questionnaire?

Yes

12 Do procedures exist for ensuring that comments from Staff-Student Liaison Committees have been responded to?

Yes

13 Has a report on the implementation of the College Learning and Teaching Strategy been included?

Yes


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Appendix 2 School of Health in Social Science Quality Assurance Committee 2010-11 Chair Seamus Prior Secretary Sue Larsen Subject Area Representatives Clinical Psychology Ethel Quayle Counselling and Psychotherapy Seamus Prior Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in Health Ailsa Cook Nursing Studies Tonks Fawcett Other Members School Learning and Teaching Director Karen McKenzie


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Appendix 3

School of Health Learning & Teaching Strategy 2009-2011

Introduction Context The College of Humanities and Social Science revised the College Learning and Teaching Strategy in 2010, with the overarching aim that it would ensure that all our undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research students:

• receive the highest quality learning experience

• are enabled to develop fully as partners in their learning and as graduates for the 21st century

• have their student experience enriched by participating in a scholarly community characterised by world-leading research and by opportunities to study across an extensive range of disciplines

.’ As part of the strategy, the following main implementation points were identified as priorities:

Students as independent learners

Supportive student environment

Research and enquiry

Communication skills

Assessment and feedback

Collaborative approaches to learning

Students as partners

Staff development The aim of the current document is to outline a School strategy which is both consistent with the College strategy and which recognizes the particular strengths and requirements of our School. Context of the School strategy The School of Health in Social Science is in the distinctive and strong position of offering a range of Professional Practice Programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. These include Counselling & Psychotherapy, Clinical & Health Psychology, Applied Psychology, Nursing and integrated service improvement for staff working in Health and Social Care. As a result, the School has strong links with organizations such as the NHS, Social work, statutory organizations and counselling practices. Current provision The fact that the majority of our programmes are directly linked to practice and work based learning means that our students are likely to be highly employable and have the ability to enhance the quality of service provision in their workplace, both of which are consistent with the goals of the University in relation to the 21st century Edinburgh Graduate.


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This also means that the School is already well-placed to meet a number of the College strategy implementation points because many of our existing programmes and courses:

Promote (and in many cases require) the student to be an independent learner

Provide multiple sources of professional and pastoral support as part of professionally accredited programmes

Promote cultural awareness

already have strong research-teaching linkages as a result of the emphasis within the NHS and other employing organizations on evidence based practice and teaching

Require our students to have strong written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills in order to communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals and groups

utilise creative forms of assessment and feedback to ensure that the required professional and academic competencies can be demonstrated

Utilise collaborative and student centred teaching methods. Specific examples of current provision in relation to the implementation priorities are shown in Appendix 1 Responsibility for Implementation It is recognised that the responsibility for creating a high quality learning experience for students is the responsibility of all staff within the School. This is, however, aided by the recent development of a new School structure and new role of Learning and Teaching Director. The Learning and Teaching committee has responsibility for the overall strategic direction and development of learning and teaching activities in the School and for overseeing the implementation of the College Learning and Teaching Strategy. Details of the membership and remit of the Committee are shown in Appendix 2. Purpose and scope of the Strategy The purpose of the School strategy is to help

maintain and enhance a high quality learning experience for our students and trainees.

ensure developments and priorities are in line with those of College and the wider University

to identify the specific needs and requirements of our particular student population and staff group to help ensure that these are met.

understand students’ cultural diversity and develop staff’s intercultural competencies

to highlight existing good practice, develop and evaluate innovations and engage with the wider learning and teaching community in order to exchange knowledge and ideas

to evaluate our current learning and teaching values and practices in the context of the recommendations, strategic priorities and statutory obligations of our various stakeholders and respond to these as required.

allow an opportunity and framework for reflection on our work.


23

The Strategy refers to both undergraduate and postgraduate learning and teaching in the School Strategic Aims The School strategic aims identified are consistent with those of the College strategy, which are outlined in brief in Appendix 3. In addition, the School has identified a number of areas for action which, while entirely consistent with the College strategy, reflect the particular needs of the School and its student and staff population. These are outlined in appendix 4. The 2010 priorities, with associated deadlines and targets are outlined in Appendix 5. Dr Karen McKenzie Learning & Teaching Director


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Appendix 1: Current provision in relation to the College Learning and Teaching Strategy implementation priorities

Strategic Priorities

Areas for development

include:

Some examples of existing good practice

1 Students as independent learners

Developing personal and intellectual autonomy

Personal development planning and reflection are integral part of professional development and the

School encourages this in a number of ways throughout the educational journey of the student. Some

examples are:

Learning outcomes and goals which relate to promoting reflection and personal self -development,

which are explicitly recognised in assignments and assessment criteria

The recognition of the cultural settings and academic values from which students are drawn.

The extensive use of clinical portfolios and eportfolios to inform and reflect personal development

planning, which have been recognized as good practice at College level.

The introduction of a range of eportfolio based courses

Learning activities which are explicitly designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning

and placement e.g. online clinical quandaries, role play

The explicit linking of graduate attributes to the curriculum in professional programmes, which are

independently assessed by professional accreditation bodies.

2 Supportive student environment

Providing a wide range of academic and pastoral support

Implement the Academic & Pastoral Support standards and principles http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicService`s/Policies/Academic_Pastoral_Support_Standards_Guiding_Principles.pdf

Regularly monitor how well the principles are being implemented

A range of mechanisms to provide pastoral support to students in university and placement settings.

Cultural awareness and identification of needs of international students and learners returning to education in relation to issues of academic writing and ownership

Ongoing programme of improving the estate facilities for students including study and social areas

A range of fora to obtain student feedback on the support provided

3 Research & enquiry Research-teaching linkages and

The majority of Programmes provided in the School of Health in Social Science lead to a professional qualification and there is, therefore a strong ethos of promoting evidence based practice which is reflected in

http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicService%60s/Policies/Academic_Pastoral_Support_Standards_Guiding_Principles.pdf



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include:


developing students as creative and imaginative thinkers

research-teaching-practice linkages throughout course and Programmes. The following reflect just a few of many case examples:

Collaborating with library staff to provide sessions to teach students to use research databases and to promote the research clinics offered by the liaison librarian

Using assignments and assessments which relate directly to the evidence base and are written in formats e.g. journal articles, that can be submitted for publication

Utilising research products in the form of poetic representations of the experience of being a patient on an acute psychiatric inpatient ward to facilitate the development of aesthetic knowledge in students

The provision of research seminars at which both staff and students present research

Developing knowledge exchange initiatives including students carrying out applied research in external agencies

The provision of research courses to students as part of their teaching

A research active staff team with a range of practice based and international research links

Access to a differing research epistemologies and professional wisdom

4 Communication skills

Developing a wide range of skills

Promoting the development of written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills is a key part of our courses and programmes. Existing practice includes:

The explicit assessment of a wide range of communication skills in course assignments

The promotion of communication skills through engaging students in a variety of media including

The recognition of the cultural settings and academic values from which students are drawn:

1. Seminar/tutorial/conference presentations 2. IT skills 3. Project collaboration 4. Networking 5. Blogs/wikis 6. Teaching students how to feedback constructively to their peers

5 Assessment and Feedback

Implementing the Feedback Standards and

The assessments used in the School must reflect the professional practice based nature of the majority of


26



include:


Guiding Principles the Programmes, to ensure that students are both academically and professionally competent. As such,

the School offers a range of assessment and feedback approaches including innovative approaches.

These include:

Peer assessment and group evaluation within the School and between students in different

Schools and Colleges

Provision of online anonymised examples of student work, including the mark and feedback

provided

Provision of a range of formative feedback methods including peer evaluated student

presentations, online quizzes, self-tests and crosswords

Provision of individual and group feedback with opportunities for further discussion.

Provision of online clinical quandaries which were shown to have a significant positive impact on

trainee knowledge.

The development of a learning and teaching website with links to good practice examples and Implement

the Feedback Standards and Guiding Principles

http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Committees/LTC/Feedback.pdf The regular use of fora to obtain student feedback, from individual lectures to courses, programmes and School.

The use of elearning has been explored within the School, particularly to meet the needs of students who

are geographically dispersed for large periods of time, for example when on practice placements. The

strengths of the School in this regard include:

The development of a range of online courses and Programmes

The use of blended learning in the majority of courses

Staff members with further qualifications in elearning

Research and evaluation of elearning approaches

Provision of workshops on elearning to external contributors

http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Committees/LTC/Feedback.pdf


27



include:


Student induction sessions on elearning tools

Collaboration with other Schools, Colleges and Internationally on developing elearning

approaches

6


Enhancing professional and executive education

As the majority of programmes within the School have direct links with other organisations including health, social work and social care, collaborative approaches to learning form an integral part of the business of the School. This is illustrated by:

Joint training committees with health service staff

Established mechanisms for providing and evaluating practice placements

Direct input to teaching, research and supervision from professional staff

Provision of training e.g. in elearning to outside lecturers who provide input to programmes

7 Student as partners in their learning

Ensuring feedback is used to make improvements

Students are engaged in their learning and teaching provision in a number of ways including:

Involvement in fora such as curriculum planning meetings, Staff/student liaison meetings, joint training committee meetings

Involvement in shaping elearning provision

As providers of feedback at all levels from evaluating individual lectures to Programme performance

8 Staff development

Ensuring all staff are supported and developed to teach to the very best of their ability

Staff are supported in developing good practice in learning and teaching via a number of mechanisms including:

Yearly staff appraisal and personal development planning

The development of a School learning and teaching website which provides access to resources and shares examples of good practice

The provision of education sessions on key aspects of learning and teaching practice e.g. elearning

The provision of an annual learning and teaching away day which is open to all staff

Staff with postgraduate qualifications in elearning who provide support and advice to others


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Appendix 2: Membership and Remit of Learning and Teaching Committee

Membership: Director of Learning and Teaching (Convenor) Deputy Director Undergraduate School Director of Quality Subject area representatives Student representatives Meetings: 6-8 times a year Reports to: School Management Committee Learning and Teaching Strategy Committee Remit

To be responsible for the overall strategic direction and development of learning and teaching activities in the School

To oversee the implementation of the College Learning and Teaching Strategy

To develop and discuss strategic ideas for new courses and programmes especially where these draw on expertise in different subject areas and/or beyond the School

To ensure proper co-ordination between curriculum development, monitoring and QAE activities

To provide advice and support to the Learning and Teaching Director, Deputy Directors and the PGR Co-ordinator

To be responsible for the quality assurance of learning and teaching activities in the School


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Appendix 3: Summary of aims of the College Learning and Teaching Strategy The following Strategic Priorities create a framework to ensure the highest quality learning experience for all our undergraduate and postgraduate students to enable these skills to develop: 1. Students as independent learners Students will develop the ability to be personally and intellectually autonomous throughout their university education and beyond into their careers. 2. Supportive student environment Students will have access to high quality academic and pastoral support that will enable them to feel supported and confident both personally and academically. 3. Research and enquiry Students will benefit from the world-class research-led teaching environment which will enable them to develop a range of thinking skills (eg creative, imaginative, critical, analytic, evidence-based). 4. Communication skills Students will develop their communication skills in a wide range of ways that will enhance their lives both within and beyond their University career. 5. Assessment and feedback Students will have the opportunity to have their learning assessed in a range of ways and to receive feedback that will help them to continually improve. 6. Collaborative approaches to learning Students will have opportunities to enhance their academic/professional development through learning in collaboration both with peers and with experts. 7. Students as partners Students will be continually encouraged to engage in dialogue with staff about the quality of their learning experience. 8. Staff development Staff will have access to appropriate support and development opportunities in order to maintain and enhance their ability to contribute to a high calibre student learning experience.


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Appendix 4: School of Health in Social Science – Areas for Action in relation to Learning and Teaching Strategic Priorities


Areas for development include: Areas for action

1 Students as independent learners

Developing personal and intellectual autonomy

Be clear to students what is expected of them as learners- explore ways of bridging the gap between student and professional identity e.g. clinical quandary, guidance on professional identity and behaviour, virtual family project

Be sensitive to the cultural diversity from which students may be drawn

Develop and be explicit about employability initiatives- work with career’s service to develop School wide input on e.g. CV, interviews

Extend current and develop new Peer Assisted Learning initiatives and share good practice across Schools

Develop a more consistent approach to PDP and ePortfolios across the School, with greater clarity about the aims and purposes of these

Be explicit about what is expected of students in relation to academic standards and authorship

2 Supportive student environment


Implement the Academic & Pastoral Support standards and principles

http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicService`s/Policies/Academic_Pastoral_Support_Standards_Guiding_Principles.pdf

Regularly monitor how well the principles are being implemented

Explore the possibility of developing School wide mechanisms to obtain regular student feedback on how the principles operate in practice to inform improvements

Identify ways to meet the needs of international students and those who have been outwith formal education for some time

Improve the quality of PGR teaching and research support

Teachability - Record all improvements a. Consider if initiatives can be mainstreamed to enhance the learning

1. experience for all students

Consider how to use student feedback to improve support




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3 Research & enquiry Research-teaching linkages and developing students as creative and imaginative thinkers

Continue to improve the links so that teaching is informed by research

Extend the range of possibilities of linking research and teaching and Implement new research-teaching initiatives

Develop more formal structures and supports to encourage students to publish work more routinely

Further develop a culture that promotes routine research and evaluation of innovations in learning and teaching practice and scholarship.

Promote routine research and evaluation of innovations in e-learning/blended learning approaches

4 Communication skills

Developing a wide range of skills Identify the specific communication needs of international students and those returning to formal education and take measures to address these- in particular academic writing and academic authorship

5 Assessment and Feedback

Implementing the Feedback Standards and Guiding Principles

Maintain and develop a culture of sharing good practice and innovation in feedback and assessment.

Further develop a culture that promotes routine research and evaluation of innovations in assessment and feedback

Implement the Feedback Standards and Guiding Principles http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Committees/LTC/Feedback.pdf

Continue to develop and evaluate innovative assessment models

Regularly monitor student satisfaction

6



Complete strategic projects on developing opportunities for executive education and implement the results

Ensure elearning systems are user friendly and accessible to outside contributors

7 Student as partners in their learning


Develop a School wide student feedback mechanism

Develop a system for monitoring the extent to which feedback is acted on in a timely way

Use feedback from all sources to improve supervision and teaching



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8 Staff development


Regularly update learning and teaching website as a means to share good practice within and across Schools and highlight resources, guidelines and policies to staff

Ensure 100% staff appraisal

Continue to provide sessions on key issues in teaching and learning

Free up staff time to do more development and strategic work in Learning and teaching

Maintain and further develop robust systems and procedures which support the learning and teaching work of the School, for example clear administrative procedures and processes in relation to developing new courses and programmes, records of those undertaking CPD, Peer Observation of Teaching , HEA PG cert training, PG supervisor’s training.

Expand the number of staff that hold expertise in relation to ePortfolios

Expand the number of staff that hold expertise in relation to elearning and online mentoring

Further develop a culture that promotes the appropriate use of and innovations in e-learning/blended learning approaches


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Appendix 5: School learning & Teaching Priorities for 2010 with associated activities and timescales

School: Health In Social Science

Strategy Priority Area Example of activity School deadline

Progress against target

Students as independent learners

Developing personal and intellectual autonomy:

Be clear to students what is expected of them as learners

Support students to maximise their potential both academically and professionally Examples:

Explore ways of bridging the gap between student and professional identity

Develop clinical quandaries

Develop guidance on professional online behaviour

Develop the virtual family project

September 2011

Develop and be explicit about employability initiatives

Liaise with career’s service to develop School wide input e.g. CV, interviews

September 2011

Supportive student environment


Implement the Academic & Pastoral Support standards and principles

March 2011

Set up a system to monitor how well the principles are being implemented

May 2011

Explore the possibility of developing School wide mechanisms to obtain regular student feedback on how the principles operate in practice to inform improvements

June 2011


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Research & enquiry

Research-teaching linkages and developing students as creative and imaginative thinkers

Develop more formal structures and supports to encourage students to publish work more routinely

September 2011

Communication skills

Developing a wide range of skills

Identify ways to meet the needs of international students and those who have been outwith formal education for some time

September 2011

Assessment and Feedback

Implementing the Feedback Standards and Guiding Principles

Implement the Feedback Standards and Guiding Principles http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Committees/LTC/Feedback.pdf

May 2011

Develop School wide systems to regularly monitor student satisfaction and record responses to areas of dissatisfaction

September 2011



Complete strategic projects on developing opportunities for executive education and implement the results

September 2012

Ensure elearning systems are user friendly and accessible to outside contributors

September 2011

Student as partners in their learning


Develop a School wide student feedback mechanism

May 2011

Develop School wide systems to regularly monitor student satisfaction and record responses to areas of dissatisfaction

September 2011

Staff development


Regularly update learning and teaching website as a means to share good practice within and across Schools and highlight resources, guidelines and policies to staff

Ongoing



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Aim for 100% staff appraisal

Ongoing

Maintain and further develop robust systems and procedures which support the learning and teaching work of the School, for example clear administrative procedures and processes in relation to developing new courses and programmes, records of those undertaking CPD, Peer Observation of Teaching , HEA PG cert training, PG supervisor’s training.

September 2011

Establish regular provision of sessions on key issues in teaching and learning e.g. via learning lunches, School Away Day

May 2011


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Appendix 4

Postgraduate Outcomes in SHiSS for QAE 2010-2011

Appendix 4

Master of Counselling Distinction Pass Diploma Certificate Fail W/D Total

2006-07 N

%

2007-08 N 3 6 13 23 3 51

% 13 27.2 59 46 6.1

2008-09 N 3 4 7 37 2 53

% 21.4 36.3 63.6 64.9 3.5

2009-2010 N 4 8 31 1 43 % 9.4 18.6 72 100 2010-2011 N 4 6 17 38 1 65 % 6.1 9.3 26.2 58.4 1 100

MSc in Counselling Studies Distinction Pass Diploma Certificate Fail W/D Total 2006-07 N 15 1 16 % 93.75 6.25 2007-08 N 8 18 26 % 30.7 69.2 2008-09 N 7 27 3 37 % 18.9 72.9 8.1 2009-2010 N 5 15 1 21 % 23.8 71.44 4.76 100 2010-2011 N 6 16 5 27 % 22.3 59.2 18.5 100

MSc by Research (Counselling) Distinction Pass Diploma Certificate Fail W/D Total 2006-07 N

% 2007-08 N % 2008-09 N % 2009-10 N 1 1 % 100 100 2010-2011 N 1 1 % 1 100


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MSc/Dip/Cert in Advancing Nursing Practice Distinction Pass Diploma Certificate Fail W/D Total

2006-07 N

% 2007-08 N % 2008-09 N 4 1 1 6 % 66.67 16.67 16.67 2009-2010 N 10 1 11 % 90 10 100 2010-2011 N 10 1 11 % 90.9 9.1 100

MSc by Research (Nursing) Distinction Pass Diploma Certificate Fail W/D Total 2006-07 N 2 12 14 % 14.2 85.7 2007-08 N 5 7 % 71.4 2008-09 N 1 1 % 100 2009-2010 N 2 2 % 100 100 2010-2011 N 0 % 0

MSc/Dip in Applied Psychology for Children and Young People Distinction Pass Diploma Certificate Fail W/D Total

2006-07 N

0 % 2007-08 N 1 17 1 1 20 % 5 85 5 5 2008-09 N 2 14 1 17 % 11.7 82.3 5.8 2009-2010 N 1 10 11 % 9 91 100 2010-2011 N 1 15 16 % 6.25 93.75 100


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MSc Integrated Service Improvement Distinction Pass Diploma Certificate Fail W/D Total

2010-2011 N 2 11 1 14 % 14.3 78.6 7.1 100

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Distinction Pass Diploma Certificate Fail W/D Total 2006-07 N 19 19 % 100 2007-08 N 45 45 % 100 2008-09 N 28 2 30 % 93.33 6.67 2009-2010 N 24 1 1 26 % 92.3 3.85 3.85 100 2010-2011 N 31 %


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Undergraduate Courses in SHiSS for QA up to 2010-2011

Health & Society 1a (NS0053)

Fail

A B C D E F G W Total

2008-09 # 14 19 13 1 2 3 52

% 27.45 37.25 25.49 1.96 3.92 5.88 100

2009-10 # 5 18 25 17 6 2 73

% 6.85 24.66 34.25 23.29 8.22 4.88 100

2010-11 # 8 11 21 10 1 0 0 51

% 15.69 21.57 41.18 19.61 1.96 0.00 0.00 100

Health & Society 1b (NS0054)

Fail


2008-09 # 6 18 18 5 6 53

% 13.04 39.13 39.13 10.87 13.04 100

2009-10 # 6 19 34 18 1 2 80

% 7.50 23.75 42.50 22.50 1.25 2.50 0.00 100

2010-11 # 7 20 13 4 1 1 0 46

% 15.22 43.48 28.26 8.70 2.17 2.17 0.00 100

Nursing 1 (NS0001)

Fail


2008-09 # 5 28 4 1 38

% 13.16 73.68 10.53 2.63 100

2009-10 # 8 22 4 34

% 23.53 64.71 11.76 100

2010-11 # 3 19 6 3 31

% 9.68 61.3 19.4 9.68 100

Health & Society 2a (NS0055)

Fail


2008-09 # 4 4 8 1 3 20

% 20.00 20.00 40.00 5.00 15.00 100

2009-10 # 0 8 17 9 1 35

% 0.00 22.86 48.57 25.71 2.86 100

2010-11 # 5 11 16 3 0 35

% 14.29 31.43 45.71 8.57 0.00 100


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Health & Society 2b (NS0056)

Fail


2008-09 # 4 10 3 3 20

% 20.00 50.00 15.00 15.00 100

2009-10 # 7 16 15 38

% 18.42 42.11 39.47 100

2010-11 # 1 12 21 1 35

% 2.86 34.3 60 2.86 100

Nursing 2 (NS0058)

Fail


2008-09 # 4 7 6 3 20

% 20.00 35.00 30.00 15.00 100

2009-10 # 2 18 13 1 34

% 5.88 52.94 38.24 3 100

2010-11 # 1 16 12 1 30

% 3.33 53.3 40 3.33 100

Undergraduate Programme Outcomes up to 2010-2011

Bachelor of Nursing with Honours (C0285) 1st 2.1 2.2 w Total

2008-09 # 4 19 3 1 27 % 14.81 70.37 11.11 3.70 100 2009-10 # 8 14 3 25 % 32.00 56.00 12.00 100 2010-11 # 3 14 17 % 17.65 82.35 100


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Appendix 5 SCHOOL OF HEALTH IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESPONSE TO TPR RECOMMENDATIONS 8. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Clarify the exact reasons why they are charged to use the Clinical Skills lab

facilities at Little France and consider whether the current arrangement is sustainable, consistent with facility sharing practices across the University and entirely equitable (3.6)

This question has been raised by the School Administrator with the College Registrar and is currently under review. 2. Information to be explicitly and repeatedly given about the opportunities and

constraints related to clinical placement allocations (3.6) This is an issue which is under constant review and as recommended by the Panel, we will continue to make the point that the nature of placement experience that we can offer our students is critical to the quality of our course. Our ongoing collaboration and dialogue with our HEI and NHS partners in relation to practice placements and mentor support ensures that we monitor the quality of the placement experiences for our students and respond to issues as they arise. 3. Key senior School staff (eg Head of School, QA Director, Director of Learning and

Teaching, School Administrator, Programme Director/Director of Undergraduate Studies) to discuss the implications of the unique place of the one undergraduate programme in a School that is mainly postgraduate-led (4.1)

We are aware that our programme is the only undergraduate provision in the School of Health in Social Science and for this reason may have the potential for isolation. Our view is that the committee structures in the School prevent this. In the School the Course Director of the Undergraduate Programme is styled as the Deputy Director of Learning and Teaching and sits on the Committee of the same name which is chaired by the Director of Learning and Teaching. She is also a member of the School Senior Management committee alongside the Director of Learning and Teaching, the Head of the Nursing Subject area and other senior members of the School. The UG Director also sits on the College Undergraduate Teaching and Appeals Committees, which further strengthens the integration of the undergraduate programme at College and University level. There are also tentative plans to explore the potential for developing an undergraduate degree in Health and a Masters’ programme as a fifth year directly linked to the BN Honours degree.


42

4. The programme team explores the possibility of developing a credit rated assessment tool for the achievement of practice learning outcomes ((4.5)

This recommendation is an interesting suggestion and is something that the Subject Area has raised in the past, along with the possibility of credit-rating practice placements. The students’ practice placements are externally examined via their portfolios and this is an area of further exploration during the current re-validation exercise. 5. Critical discussion to continue with external examiners on any further

improvements that could be achieved in relation to assessment issues (4.5) Feedback from external examiners goes through the staff/student liaison committee and curriculum meetings. There is also a feedback loop from College which requires action. These discussions continue and form an important part of our re-design and revalidation plans. In particular feedback on the format and assessment of the dissertation is currently being reviewed. Responsibility for actioning recommendations

Recommendation Responsibility of

1, 2, 4, 5. Nursing Studies staff

3. Key Senior School staff

9. SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION The following are suggestions for consideration regarding contextual and structural changes that impact on the programme: All of the suggestions for consideration are pertinent and welcome. They are also timely as we are currently re-designing the programme in the light of the new NMC directives. They address one of our main concerns which is to maintain the balance between quality teaching and research activity that is consistent with a research intensive University. Our high staff: student ratio is one of the strengths of the undergraduate programme as it allows the students to engage with research active staff and so witness the production of the evidence-base for practice. However as the staff number is small there is a tension in maintaining these activities. The practical suggestions offered by the Panel will be considered during our re-design discussions for the programme validation.

Succession planning: Teaching excellence remains a key factor in succession planning and new appointments as well as research output

Tutorials: The retention of the use of academic staff to lead tutorials should be protected in any programme development

Directors of Studies allocation: The current expectation is that every academic is allocated DoS duties. In the process of negotiating the principles of the Workload Model, consider whether this arrangement is in the best interests of the students


43

and is the best use of academics’ time eg especially those that are heavily engaged in research.

Administrative support: Any changes to the administrative support should not compromise the current level of support which contributes to the quality of learning and teaching as well as the student experience and perception (both internal and external) of the programme.

10. FOLLOW-UP TO THE REPORT The Head of School makes a formal response to the report within 14 weeks of the review report being available. The School subsequently reports on actions taken to the College Directors of Quality Assurance Group which includes a progress report in its annual report to the Senate Quality Assurance Committee This report and the Head of School response when ready can be found at http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/quality-unit/quality-assurance/internal-review/teaching-programme-review/reports/2010-2011 11. APPENDIX Appendix 1: Additional information considered by the review team Prior to the review

QAA Benchmark Statement, January 2009

Analytic Report

Bachelor of Nursing with Honours Programme Handbook

Programme Specification

Statistics: Progression data and Entrants metrics

External Examiners’ reports

NMC UK-wide Quality Assurance Framework Programme Monitoring Report

Response from the School of Health in Social Science to NSS data

Previous TPR report & response 2004

College of Humanities & Social Science Learning & Teaching Strategy

Reflective overview of key findings from TPRs and PPRs 2009/10 During the review

The review team had full electronic access to a comprehensive range of information prepared by Nursing Studies for their forthcoming wide-ranging NMC review

Professor Charlotte Clarke Head of School 14/11/11

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/quality-unit/quality-assurance/internal-review/teaching-programme-review/reports/2010-2011

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/quality-unit/quality-assurance/internal-review/teaching-programme-review/reports/2010-2011


44

Appendix 6

SCHOOL OF HEALTH IN SOCIAL SCIENCE EXTERNAL EXAMINERS – 2010 / 2011

Clinical Psychology – Postgraduate Victoria Byram Applied Psychology for Children & Young People

Samantha Cartwright-Hatton Applied Psychology for Children & Young People

David Daley Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

Kevin Dyer Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Psychological Practice

Matthew Garner Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

Dougal Hare Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

David Hemsley Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

Judy Hutchison Applied Psychology for Children & Young People

Jackie Knibbs Applied Psychology for Children & Young People

Derek Milne Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

Zenobia Nadirshaw Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

Jane Simpson Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

Arlene Vetre Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

Andrew Vigen Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (all routes)

Counselling and Psychotherapy – Postgraduate Liz Ballinger MSc/Pg Dip/ Pg Cert in Counselling Studies

Nigel Williams MSc in Counselling (Continuing Professional Practice)

Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in Health – Postgraduate Ailsa Stewart MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert in Integrated Service

Improvement

Nursing Studies – Undergraduate Joan McDowell Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Bernie Stoddart Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Roger Watson Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Nursing Studies - Postgraduate Kate Galvin MSc / Pg Dip / Pg Cert Advancing Nursing Practice

Sue Greener MSc / PG Dip / Pg Cert Advancing Nursing Practice

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