Curiosity-Driven Pedagogies
A transformative learning journey with Bath Spa University prioritises curiosity-driven pedagogies
Our staff take an evidence-informed and scholarly approach to developing their curricula and teaching practices, and are supported in developing their expertise for teaching.
Key topics:
- Evidence-informed teaching (inc. Scholarship of teaching and learning, SoTL)
- Curriculum design
- Professional learning
- Support for specific roles (inc. programme leaders, module leaders, link tutors, academic advisors, subject leaders, line managers)
- Support for specific areas of teaching
Reflection:
How far do you agree with the following comments?
- I take an evidence-informed and scholarly approach to developing my curricula and teaching practices.
- I am supported in developing my expertise for teaching in Higher Education.
Evidence-informed teaching
Advance HE's Professional Standards Framework (PFS), "a globally-recognised framework for benchmarking success within HE teaching and learning", emphasises that tutors should use a range of evidence in order to enhance their practice. The PSF:
- "Fosters critically evaluative, reflective and evidence-informed approaches to teaching and/or supporting learning in diverse academic or professional settings.
- "Enables individuals and institutions to review and enhance practices in teaching and/or supporting learning, providing a focus for initial and continuing professional development."
In short, it promotes curiosity and the development of teachers and their syllabi through evidence-based reflective practice.
Advance HE define reflective practice in a Higher Education context as:
- "The process in which practitioners reflect and learn from their own teaching experience in order to develop their pedagogic skills and professional practice."
Reflection can broadly be split into two categories (following Schön's model):
- Reflection on action: Done afterwards, reflecting back on the teaching session. What could be enhanced and how? You may find it useful to keep a reflective journal (in writing, or verbally) to aid this.
- Reflection in action: Done during the session by the tutor as they're teaching, making decisions and often immediately acting upon this. It could for example be called "thinking on your feet".
You may find it useful to follow a reflective model, for instance:
Some further resources are:
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is a term that comprises a scholarly approach to developing practices around teaching and learning. Activities can range from conducting formal education research studies, through to critical reflection on your own teaching practice.
The University of Bristol's Institute for Learning and Teaching provides some common examples of SoTL:
- "Critically reflecting on your practice (drawing on evidence from literature and from your students) in order to develop and improve your teaching
- "Undertaking a project to investigate/innovate in learning and teaching
- "Sharing your practice/publishing project results via a case study, blog, conference paper or presentation, journal article etc."
As a teacher, it is also useful to have awareness of scholarship produced by others. For example, you may research the teaching innovations of others through read blog posts, academic publications, going to conferences and events, and so on.
Some resources are:
- National Teaching Repository: An Open Educational Resource (OER) to share SoTL-focused research and resources.
Student feedback can be pivotal in identifying strengths and areas for development both in a curriculum and in a tutor's own practice. Feedback can be gained through a variety of formal and informal methods, at the end or during ("midterm") a period of learning, and at a variety of levels (e.g. module, programme).
- Bath Spa's approach to formal end-of-module student feedback/module evaluations (requires BSU login)
- Further information on the Student Voice at Bath Spa University (requires BSU login): Including student surveys (e.g. the National Student Survey), academic/course representation, and Unitu (Bath Spa University's anonymous and institution-wide feedback system).
Action research is a term which explains a common method of enquiry used by teachers in order to enhance their own practice. The University of Bristol summarise that the key steps are:
- Identify an issue to investigate;
- Ask questions on how we can investigate it;
- Imagine a way forwards;
- Try it out an intervention;
- Evaluate what happens;
- Modify the intervention and try again;
- Evaluate the modified intervention;
- Reconsider the issue and questions following this intervention.
Some resources are:
- Queen Mary and the University of Central Missouri have useful guides on action research and how to get started.
Higher Education Practice (School of Education) and Teaching Expertise Development both provide support to staff regarding teaching and supporting learning.
Curriculum design
Curriculum design is the process of designing or enhancing curricula, usually academic programmes of study or modules. A chief aim is typically to create or revise programme/module descriptors; at Bath Spa University these are called Definitive Programme Documents (DPDs). Approved DPDs are collated in a SharePoint (requires BSU login).
When designing a programme or module, it is expected that some curriculum design models will be followed. At Bath Spa University, the mandatory models comprise:
- Constructive Alignment: It is expected that across UK Higher Education, programmes and modules will be aligned constructively. This comprises detailing a series of appropriate Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) which codify the minimum that a student should be able to do at the end of this period of learning in order to pass and be awarded credit. Teaching activities and assessments are then planned to align to these ILOs, in order that the former supports the student to work towards the ILOs, and the latter assesses whether the student has met the ILOs.
- Bath Spa's Education Design Principles: This states the seven priorities which a Bath Spa programme should pursue, and helps ensure that programmes are aligned to our Education Strategy. Although a programme as a whole is expected to align to all of these priorities, it is often the case that individual modules may only align to a fraction of them. Education Design Principles also provides guidance on a stage-based process in order to design a programme or module which has these principles embedded meaningfully.
You should also note:
- Bath Spa University's Employability in Curriculum (EiC) Framework (requires BSU login): This is a useful model for designing and enhancing curricula. It has been created to show what best practice in employability looks like, building on the Principles for Embedding Employability and aligned to the new Bath Spa Graduate Attributes. This page also includes the EiC Programme Design and Review Reflection Tools: these have been developed to enable programme teams to map their approach to embedding employability and enterprise in the curriculum.
It is often useful to follow further curriculum design model. Some common models are listed below:
- Arena, Blended, Connected (ABC): Focuses on creating a visual storyboard of a syllabus and the learner's journey through the curriculum.
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A model which aims to create curricula which support a diversity of learners. It begins from the position of acknowledging that all learners are different, and this should be a key consideration in designing learning.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) explain what a student should be able to do at the end of a period of learning (typically a programme, stage, module or session). In the case of credit-bearing elements (e.g. programmes and modules) they express the minimum threshold that a student should be able to do in order to pass that element and be awarded credit.
- Writing ILOs: This document provides guidance on how to write ILOs for use at Bath Spa University.
Some thing you should consider when designing ILOs:
- The OfS Sector-Recognised Standards, which draws upon The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ): These outline what a student should be able to do in order be awarded a qualification at different academic levels. This is unpacked further in the SEEC Credit Level Indicators.
- Subject Benchmark Statements: These comprise subject-specific statements which express what a student of that discipline should be expected to understand at each level.
- Competency Standards: Considering this especially in the context of Reasonable Adjustments.
- Any relevant professional or accrediting body requirements (Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies; PSRBs).
Some resources are:
- The Universities of Bristol, Edinburgh and Queen Mary: guides to writing Intended Learning Outcomes.
Portfolio and Planning provide support to teams on designing and enhancing programmes and modules at Bath Spa University.
Teaching Expertise Development are keen to support the design and enhancement of curricula at Bath Spa University. Please do get in touch for support.
Professional Learning
Professional Learning, also known as (Initial/Continuing) Professional Development (IPD/CPD), is the process of taking actions to improve one's own professional practice. In the current context, we are focusing on practice related to teaching and/or supporting learning in a Higher Education setting.
The Bath Spa's Education Design Principles highlight that our institution prioritises support for professional learning in this area:
- “Underpinning these principles is a commitment by the University to support staff in the development of their expertise for teaching in higher education.”
The below sections signpost to some of the key activities offered by Bath Spa University to support professional learning in this context.
Bath Spa offer two qualifications in this area:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE): For early career HE teaching staff. Leads to Fellowship of the HEA (see below). Free of charge for Bath Spa internal staff (both academic and professional services).
- MA in Professional Practice in Higher Education (MA PPHE): A flexible part-time Masters programme, based on micro-credentials. Options to build a PGCert, PGDip or MA. Can lead to Fellowship of the HEA (see below). Free of charge for Bath Spa internal staff (both academic and professional services).
Further information for Bath Spa University staff is available on SharePoint (requires BSU login). For external prospective applicants, information on the MA PPHE can be found on our website.
Professional accreditation in teaching and supporting learning is provided by Advance HE's Higher Education Academy (HEA) Fellowship Scheme. PRO-SPACE is Bath Spa's scheme to support and award fellowships.
Further information for Bath Spa University staff is available on SharePoint (requires BSU login).
The Digital Learning Developers provide guidance on the various digital tools used at Bath Spa University for teaching and learning purposes. They offer workshops and support on:
- Introduction to Academic IT Systems
- Ultra: Our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE); as well as linked systems (Grade Journey, Collaborate, Panopto)
- A wider range of tools, including: Adobe Express, Turnitin, Ally, Generative AI, LinkedIn Learning, Lucid Spark
Further information for Bath Spa University staff is available on SharePoint (requires BSU login).
Some key guidance is collated here (all require BSU login):
- Assessment and Feedback for Education
- Virtual University
- VLE Minimum Expectations
- Assessment and feedback in the VLE
- Readiness Checklist for Ultra Module Pages
- Readiness Checklist for Ultra Programme pages
Guidance on a wider range of tools is supported through LinkedIn Learning:
Bath Spa University runs a scheme to help support colleagues to engage in peer review. This is one approach to help you to reflect, share ideas, ask questions and identify actions to improve your teaching and your students’ learning. It may include (but is not limited to) observations of teaching practice.
Further information for Bath Spa University staff is available on SharePoint (requires BSU login).
The Learning and Teaching Creativity and Curiosity Fund has been established to stimulate opportunities for pedagogic research, innovation and development across Bath Spa University. It provides resource and support for small-scale, co-created research and innovation projects in learning and teaching. Further information for Bath Spa University staff is available on SharePoint (requires BSU login).
The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) recognises and rewards excellent learning and teaching. It is administered by AdvanceHE and is open to all member institutions in the UK. Further information for Bath Spa University staff is available on SharePoint (requires BSU login).
Bath Spa's Learning and Teaching Community is a community of practice for all staff at Bath Spa University, focused on learning and teaching. It aims to spread curiosity in teaching and supporting learning, and to support continuous improvement for all colleagues. Follow this link to join (requires BSU login).
Bath Spa's annual Learning and Teaching Symposium is an annual opportunity to reflect, celebrate and look forward. We welcome the opportunity to share ideas with colleagues across the University and our educational partners, and we would love to hear about your learning and teaching experiences, innovations and research. Further information for Bath Spa University staff is available on SharePoint (requires BSU login).
A wider range of groups, communities of practice and events relevant to teaching and learning are available at Bath Spa University. Follow this link to view a collated list (requires BSU login).
Bath Spa University supports three formal academic career pathways to aid staff in their career development. These are:
- Teaching and Scholarship
- Teaching, Scholarship and Research
- Teaching, Scholarship and K3E (Knowledge Exchange, Enterprise and Employability)
Each has a dedicated promotion route towards Reader and Professor.
Further information for Bath Spa University staff is available on SharePoint (requires BSU login).
Further professional learning opportunities at Bath Spa are collated in several places:
Higher Education Practice (School of Education) and Teaching Expertise Development both provide support for professional learning in teaching and learning.
Support for specific roles
This section links to support for specific roles.
- Programme Leaders Community (requires BSU login): This community is open for all Programme Leaders and (in order to support them) all Subject leaders.
- Information for Programme Leaders (requires BSU login): Includes a role descriptor and FAQs.
- Link Tutor Team (requires BSU login): This community is open to all BSU staff. It contains links to various resources, toolkits and support.
- Information for Link Tutors (requires BSU login): Provides access to resources and signposts to information relevant to the Link Tutor role. The site includes documents, templates, useful contacts and a training request form.
- Subject Leader Forum (requires BSU login)
- Line Manager Forum: Membership is automatic for line managers. Contact Chancelry for further information.
Support for specific areas of teaching
This section links to support for specific areas of teaching and learning practice.
Resources from Bath Spa University:
- Designing Accessible Assessments: Guidance from Bath Spa University on how to create inclusive and accessible assessments that minimise the need for bespoke reasonable adjustments, supporting an accessible assessment environment for all students, including those who are disabled.
- Grading Descriptors and Marking Criteria Toolkit: This toolkit contains the approved grading descriptors for module assessments undertaken at Levels 4 to 6. It is designed to support academic staff when drafting marking criteria and providing feedback to students and is mapped against UK sector recognised standards for the grading of assessed work.
- Providing Effective Feedback: Guidance from Bath Spa University on how to provide effective feedback on students' formative and summative assessments.
Wider resources:
- Advance HE's Framework for Enhancing Assessment in Higher Education and Practitioner's Guide to Enhancing Assessment
- Advance HE's Assessment and Feedback Superchargers: "Resources to run your own Assessment and Feedback Superchargers workshop. The workshop is designed for disciplinary programme teams who are seeking to redesign assessment and feedback to promote student learning, engagement, and satisfaction."
Higher Education Practice (School of Education) and Teaching Expertise Development both provide support for teaching and learning.