1. This Report presents the findings of an assessment in November 1995 of the quality of education in French, German, Spanish and linguistics provided by the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST).
2. UMIST developed from the Manchester Mechanics Institution, which was founded in 1824. In 1905 it was incorporated, for academic purposes, as the Faculty of Technology in the University of Manchester by whom the formal degrees are still conferred. A new agreement between UMIST and the University of Manchester formally took effect from August 1994, when UMIST ceased to be the Faculty of Technology. From that date, UMIST became responsible for all academic matters relating to its students and courses, and for all matters concerning its academic staff. There are currently some 6,000 students at UMIST, which is situated on a 10-hectare site south of the city centre. There are a number of nineteenth-century buildings, but most buildings date from the 1960s and 1970s. Modern languages and linguistics are provided by the Department of Languages and Linguistics.
3. The number of students taught in the Department of Languages and Linguistics is about 500, amounting to 200 full-time equivalents. A total of 14 full-time staff and 10 part-time/visiting staff contribute to the teaching of languages and linguistics.
4. The following provision forms the basis of the assessment:
Aims
UMIST's Aims and Objectives
All language courses (except optional)
Undergraduate main-language (French or German) programmes
6. The graded profile in paragraph 7 indicates the
extent to which the student learning experience and
achievement demonstrate that the aims and objectives
set by the subject provider are being met. The tests
and the criteria applied by the reviewers are these:
Aspects of provision
1. Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation
2. Teaching, Learning and Assessment
3. Student Progression and Achievement
4. Student Support and Guidance
5. Learning Resources
6. Quality Management and Enhancement.
Tests to be applied
To what extent do the student learning experience and
student achievement, within this aspect of provision,
contribute to meeting the objectives set by the subject
provider?
Do the objectives set, and the level of attainment of
those objectives, allow the aims set by the subject
provider to be met?
Scale points
1 The aims and/or objectives set by the subject provider are not met; there are major shortcomings that must be rectified.
2 This aspect makes an acceptable contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives, but significant improvement could be made. The aims set by the subject provider are broadly met.
3 This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are substantially met.
4 This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
7. The grades awarded as a result of the assessment are:
8. The quality of education in modern languages at UMIST is approved.
10. The number and range of combined honours programmes on offer contribute to the attainment of UMIST's objective of providing multidisciplinary opportunities. The provision in computational linguistics, German and French is well planned and meets the Department's aims in both cases. In particular, the curriculum in computational linguistics delivers sufficient linguistics and computing to lead to an understanding of natural language processing. In terms of progression, however, there is an apparent gap in that the delivery of computational linguistics does not begin until the second year. Even at that stage it does not include an explicit account of its status relative to linguistics or computing, or of its various sub-disciplines and their inter-relations. This appears to perplex students in the early stages of their programme of study. There is a case for modifying the content of Linguistics 1 to include a background to computational linguistics.
11. The provision in computational linguistics contributes to a more sophisticated and fundamental understanding of combined languages and provides students with substantial opportunities in computer-assisted language learning (CALL). In particular, the innovative approach to this aspect of the curriculum enables students to develop specific insights and skills in computational linguistics.
12. The possibility of combining computational linguistics with specific languages is also a distinctive feature of the provision and enables some students to pursue opportunities not available elsewhere. However, the Department might wish to monitor the extent to which all languages are making use of this distinctive opportunity.
13. The assessors were surprised to find that, although students of French and German are following a common objective, there is a contrasting approach to the structure of the curriculum in these languages. In the case of French, there is some doubt about the aptness of progression from year one to year two. For example, the course in French syntax and discourse appears to be significantly more advanced than the same level course in linguistics, although these are taught concurrently. Similarly, there is no German equivalent for the course in French syntax and discourse nor any French equivalent for the course in development of the German language.
14. Discussions with students and the assessors' observations both clearly indicate the value of courses taken in the first two years, followed by the year abroad. However, few non-specialist students are able to continue language development on return from the year abroad, and the objective of extending their existing competence would be more fully supported if some courses in all languages were available to such students in their final year.
15. The taught MSc programmes are well designed, with a coherently organised and appropriate curriculum. These are successful conversion programmes for the students recruited; graduates obtain employment in industry or universities, or proceed to further academic research, thus meeting the stated aim regarding progression to employment.
16. There is a need to clarify central and departmental responsibilities for the development of transferable skills such as word-processing. There would be clear curricular advantages if the development of such skills could be separated from discipline-content teaching. There is evidence that students' varying competence in these basic skills is an obstacle to academic progress, making demands on classroom time intended for purposes other than skills development.
17. The arrangements made for the year abroad in the main language undergraduate programmes recognise the central curricular role it plays in personal and language development. These arrangements are generally successful, although some students who had experienced the year abroad as part of joint or combined studies programmes were less confident that its full potential was achieved. However, the year abroad clearly contributes to the high level of personal development achieved by students.
18. The staff are appropriately qualified for the range of study programmes. In particular, students in the specialist field of computational linguistics benefit from both the research expertise of staff and the fact that they are pursuing a unique programme at undergraduate level. The content of all courses is up to date and deals with new and emerging issues arising from the research interests of staff. This is particularly evident in the MSc programmes where, for example, innovative work in machine translation is incorporated into the curriculum. Overall, it is evident that staff activity in research, scholarship and consultancy impacts on and enriches the curriculum.
19. This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation:
Grade 3.
21. The assessors observed 22 classes, including lectures, seminars, spoken language classes and CALL laboratory sessions; 41 per cent were found to be grade 4, 32 per cent grade 3 and 27 per cent grade 2. None of the classes visited was grade 1. The self-assessment indicates that the extensive use of, and reliance on, machine-assisted and independent learning is a specific strength of departmental teaching. However, in practice, the range experienced by students is rather narrow. For instance, the organisation of the language laboratory does not allow a self-access facility, CALL work is done under supervision in timetabled classes rather than independently, and some language classes showed an excessively rigid approach.
22. In the case of languages, the actual implementation of Level 1 and 2 modules in classes was occasionally disappointing, especially in view of the stated intention of introducing students to aspects of the contemporary society and culture of the relevant country. In certain classes, there was an over-concentration on teaching when, given the numbers of students and the specific topic, a seminar or discussion format would have been more appropriate. Student involvement in classes ranged from the minimal to extensive. The structure and range of the teaching and learning activities meet the aims, but good practice needs to be identified and shared more widely.
23. The teaching methods adopted enable appropriate development of understanding and other intellectually transferable skills to take place alongside the development of a very high level of subject-specific skills. The significance of these skills is endorsed by students' own positive assessment of their learning and by employers and placement supervisors. The achievement of such a high level of consistent skill and ability, in part a reflection of individual students' personal qualities, indicates a supportive teaching, learning and assessment culture and ethos throughout the Department and UMIST. The assessors observed that the development of independent learning abilities appears to occur primarily during the year abroad and in the final year of study.
24. It is evident that some tutors have a preference for assigned work to be presented in word-processed form and the assessors consider this to be appropriate, given the nature of the programmes on offer. Instances of good practice include the submission of diskettes rather than paper copies for assessment. However, this approach to the submission of work for assessment is not systematic or universally encouraged.
25. Assessment by coursework is frequent and suitably varied to test the wide range of skills which are a key component of the curriculum. There are agreed departmental policies on submission and return dates for coursework, and these are adhered to by both staff and students. The form and quality of feedback varies, and feedback processes are most successful where staff respond directly, sometimes on diskette or by agreeing a time to discuss returned assignments with students. Feedback is also possible through E-mail and this is frequently used to maintain contact between staff and students.
26. Staff and students would benefit from the sharing of good practice in assessment and this could be achieved through the development of a comprehensive assessment strategy covering all modules. The assessors found evidence of innovative methods of assessment appropriate to desired learning outcomes. However, there is some variation in the relationship between the credit value of a module and the assessment burden generated. In particular, the year abroad carries 120 credits regardless of the amount of work undertaken by the student and although the year abroad counts for 10 per cent of the final degree award for some categories of students, it carries no weighting for others whose experience is similar. The difference appears to depend on which is the 'home department'; the assessors suggest that the departments concerned review this matter. A more clearly specified set of objectives should be produced to justify the award of 120 credits for the year abroad, along with methods of evaluating whether these objectives have been successfully achieved.
27. There is evidence of good practice in a number of areas, including: effective preparation for the year abroad; friendly and supportive relations with staff; consistent and formal approaches to feedback; appropriate recognition of academic achievement at Level 2 in the final degree classification; and challenging teaching.
28. This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Teaching, Learning and Assessment:
Grade 3.
30. Reports by external examiners are generally very favourable and supportive. These positive conclusions are largely supported by the assessors' examination of students' assessed work undertaken. However, in 1994, the external examiner for German expressed some concern about the standards of written German achieved by final-year students on the International Management with German course following their year of residence in Germany. The department has taken steps to avoid the recurrence of this problem, but it will require careful monitoring, given that observation of Level 3 students on the other programmes suggests the problem may be rather more widespread. It is recommended, therefore, that the attainment level of written language achieved following the year abroad be closely monitored and the information obtained used to adjust the Level 3 curriculum as necessary.
31. Recruitment of undergraduates fluctuates from year to year and a consistent level of recruitment is made more difficult by the fact that the portfolio of programmes on offer is a blend of subjects which will not have been encountered at school, or presents subjects in an unfamiliar guise. Hence the Department is competing for students in the same pool, but not on the same terms, as other universities offering more conventional language degrees. A high proportion of the intake is recruited through clearing, but the introduction of a highly successful 'taster' open day aimed at sixth-formers and their teachers may be expected to develop a more secure base of applicants. The relatively heavy dependence on clearing may explain why the average GCE A-Level entry grades are some two points below the UMIST average. However, with the exception of 1992-93, the departmental withdrawal rates are comparable with those of the University. The high withdrawal rate in 1992-93 was addressed by the Department and appropriate action taken to ensure that it did not recur.
32. In these circumstances, it is very much to the Department's credit that the degree classifications gained are of a consistently high level. The high preponderance of First and Upper Second class honours degrees and the very low proportion of Third class and Fail degrees, as moderated by external examiners, indicates dedicated and effective teaching and a sound student support system.
33. The assessors are concerned that attendance levels at certain classes were relatively low. Although the Department has a well-designed system for monitoring attendance and reporting absenteeism to the appropriate tutor, there is some lack of clarity over the procedures and range of sanctions available to deal with persistent non-attendance. This is particularly true of students on combined honours programmes, where responsibility lies with the home department. Such non-attendance, particularly during the second year, can have a significant impact on the quality of preparation for the year abroad. Statements of attendance for students from outside the Department are sent to their home department at three-week intervals. However, communication between departments is not always adequate and staff are not always aware of the reasons for a student's absence or even of their intention to continue with a specific course.
34. This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Student Progression and Achievement:
Grade 3.
36. The system of support consists of a division of labour between postgraduate and undergraduate admissions tutors, year tutors and personal tutors. Personal tutors are assigned to all students on single and joint honours programmes and to students on the International Management degree who are taking a language within the Department. Personal tutors hold weekly meetings with their students, either individually or in groups. This appears to operate effectively, with students expressing satisfaction at the level of support they receive. If a student finds a member of staff other than his or her personal tutor more approachable, then a change of tutor is encouraged. Remedial help is available to students through personal contact with staff or through E-mail. There is especially good provision of 'surgeries' for students with specific difficulties on the French courses.
37. The French and German Sections have recently introduced personal development programmes for undergraduates. These involve students in creating their own record of activity and achievement, and there are plans to extend this innovative programme to all undergraduates in the Department. From January 1996, taught postgraduates will benefit from a course in research and career skills organised by the UMIST Graduate School; this will be of considerable value to MSc students both while following their courses and when seeking employment.
38. The Department's early implementation of university policy to offer all students E-mail, and its endorsement of electronic communication in general, greatly facilitates communication on academic and personal support matters between students and staff. This has proved to be of particular value for communication out-of-hours. Academic guidance is available on a formal and informal basis, although students might benefit from a greater degree of information as there is not a high level of take-up. The level of support offered to students during their preparation for their year abroad and during the placement is acceptable. There is, however, a sense of anxiety among second-year students that could be allayed to some extent by making available to them reports on the year abroad written by earlier cohorts of students. The assessors observed that returning students would appreciate sharing their experience in this way. The Department refers students to other university agencies through the personal tutor system where appropriate. Information on central support services is prominently available through the University and the Department; students are aware of these services and hold them in high regard.
39. The Department has made recent changes to its arrangements for careers guidance, and a careers display has been established. A member of staff will take responsibility for liaising with the central careers service and the assessors welcome this development. At present, careers advice on subject-specific matters is mainly available through personal contact with individual members of staff. However, the Department could usefully consider nominating a representative for each of the four languages to ensure that all students receive the culture-specific and subject-specific information they require. Students have a high degree of awareness of the UMIST/University of Manchester joint careers service and approach it directly.
40. This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Student Support and Guidance:
Grade 3.
42. Learning support facilities in the Department are adequate and include a reading room and limited access to video materials. There is, however, only limited availability to self-access language laboratories and materials, and consideration needs to be given to improving these aspects if the intention of enhancing opportunities for independent learning is to be advanced further.
43. The library stock is appropriate to the range of courses offered and is well managed. There are close links between the Department and the library's subject specialist and there is a high degree of responsiveness to changes in demand. The students receive high-quality training and support to ensure that they gain maximum benefit from the library resource. Students also make regular use of the University of Manchester's library, which is conveniently located.
44. The ratio of computer terminal places to undergraduates is more than adequate for students needing to gain intensive familiarity with computer use, and the proposals for further and continued upgrading are welcomed. Help facilities are adequate, although they were under transitional management at the time of the assessment visit. Computer users are able to seek support on either PC or UNIX operation and the forthcoming enhanced staffing in this area is welcomed. Increasing use is being made of CALL facilities, especially for those learning French, and this is also a welcome development. Undergraduate evaluation of access opportunities to computing facilities was uniformly positive and it was noted that self-access to the University's computer laboratories is available for all but 11 hours each week.
45. In contrast, the provision for postgraduate students is surprisingly meagre and located in an inappropriate room. Six workstations of an appropriate quality are available for 18 MSc student. Even taking account of occasional access to other facilities, this represents minimal acceptable provision.
46. This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Learning Resources:
Grade 3.
48. The reports from external examiners are supportive, although they are also rather brief. A number of serious concerns expressed by external examiners in recent years have been dealt with satisfactorily and no further reference has been made to these issues in subsequent reports. Annual reports are likely to become more detailed as a result of the establishment of new procedures by the Teaching and Learning Committee, which will require specific issues to be addressed by external examiners.
49. Support for new academic staff takes the form of specific induction training. In addition, all staff are encouraged to develop their teaching skills. However, the updating of skills and continuous development opportunities are not always exploited by established staff. The Department has recently introduced a system of annual peer review and this points to an emerging culture of self-evaluation with clear feedback being given to staff following such peer assessment.
50. The self-assessment is relatively analytical, but not particularly self-critical. In relation to quality assurance the self-assessment states, for example, that internal review involves studying outcomes, consulting staff and students, confirming what is effective and enacting changes. Whilst this represents an appropriate approach to assuring and enhancing quality, the assessors found inconsistencies, for example in the collection, analysis and feedback procedures adopted for dealing with student questionnaires.
51. There is evidence that the revised institutional structures and processes for quality assurance are robust. The Department now needs to ensure that the benefits of the new system are fully incorporated within its own processes by addressing the inconsistencies in approach which the assessors identified.
52. This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Quality Assurance and Enhancement:
Grade 3.
54. The positive features of the education in French, German, Spanish and linguistics in relation to the aspects of provision include the following: