Academic review of UK higher education
Introduction
A Subject provision and overall aims
B Academic standards Intended learning outcomes
Intended learning outcomes
Curricula
Assessment
Student achievementC Quality of learning opportunities
Teaching and learning
Student progression
Learning resourcesD Maintenance and enhancement of quality and standards
Summary of the main review outcomes
Subject provision and the overall aims
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (the QAA) helps to provide public assurance that the quality and standards of higher education are being safeguarded and enhanced by conducting academic reviews of higher education provision.
In developing its method for academic review, the QAA has published a wide range of materials designed to provide a background against which the reviews can take place. These are:
The QAA carries out reviews of individual subjects through service level agreements with the main higher education funding bodies. It also carries out institutional reviews of higher education institutions. The judgements made by the subject reviewers can contribute substantially to institutional review.
Subject review is a peer review process. It starts when institutions evaluate their provision in a subject in a self-evaluation document. This document is submitted to the QAA for use by a team of reviewers who gather evidence to enable them to report their judgements on the academic standards and the quality of learning opportunities. Review activities include meeting staff and students, scrutinising students' assessed work, reading relevant documents, and examining learning resources. Full details of the process of subject review can be found in the Handbook for academic review, QAA, 2000.
The range of judgements that reviewers may utilise when they have completed a subject review are summarised below.
To reach this judgement, reviewers look at:
Reviewers make one of the following judgements for each of three aspects of
learning opportunities:
The three aspects of quality of learning opportunities are:
Reviewers also report the degree of confidence they have in the institution's ability to maintain and enhance quality and standards in the subject under review.
1. This report presents the findings of a review of the academic standards achieved, and the quality of the learning opportunities provided, in computing and engineering programmes at Bradford College. The review was completed in the academic year 2002-03.
2. The provision under review consists of the following programmes, which may be taken either full or part-time unless specified otherwise:
3. Bradford College is one of the largest mixed economy colleges in the UK, and offers a broad range of programmes in both further education and higher education (HE). The primary focus of the College's provision is to meet the needs of the Bradford community, responding especially to the requirements of disadvantaged groups. Currently, there are around 26,000 students studying at the College, with over 2,600 full-time equivalent (FTE) and 1,700 part-time students enrolled on HE courses. In 1992, the College formalised an agreement of association with the University of Bradford, whereby degrees designed in the College are subject to a joint validation process and lead to a University of Bradford degree award. The Higher National programmes are validated by Edexcel.
4. The computing and engineering provision is located in two departments: the Department of Computing and Business Administration, which with two other departments constitutes the Bradford Business School; and the Department of Engineering and Construction. The Department of Computing and Business Administration, in collaboration with the Division of Computing Technology in the Department of Engineering and Construction, also delivers Higher National programmes in computing. With regard to the programmes reviewed here, there are currently 101 full-time and 41 part-time students taking courses in the Department of Computing and Business Administration, with a further 163 full-time and 94 part-time students on the collaborative programmes. The Department of Engineering and Construction currently has 99 full-time and 142 part-time students enrolled, with a further 20 distance-learning students taking the HNC/D Engineering (Metallurgy and Materials). The Department of Computing and Business Administration has 16 FTE staff and the Department of Engineering and Construction has 35 FTE staff teaching on these programmes. The Departments are supported by 11 administrative and three technical staff.
5. The College's mission is to:
6. The overall aims of the subject provision are:
7. The intended learning outcomes of the degree programmes combine a range of core business and information technology (IT) knowledge and understanding, with relevant specialist discipline knowledge and application as well as personal transferable skills. They are clearly distinguished from the Higher National programmes by the expectation that degree students will 'analyse, evaluate and criticise in an academically disciplined way'. The learning outcomes also make clear that the degree students are prepared for management positions in the computing industry and relate closely to the Subject benchmark statements for computing, and general business and management. The programmes have not been proposed for accreditation by an external body. The learning outcomes are consistent with the stated overall aims of the provision and The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ); they also reflect the broad vocational aims of Bradford College.
8. The intended learning outcomes of the HNC/HND programmes combine an appropriate range of common skills, discipline skills, and knowledge and understanding. These are derived from the Edexcel specifications for the programmes.
9. Local employers confirmed the appropriateness of the education and training that the College provides, commenting particularly on the flexibility of the College in meeting their requirements. The programmes satisfy the needs of a diverse student population and provide, particularly in engineering, a very flexible approach that includes the provision for students on one course, to study in a distance-learning environment.
10. The degree programmes in computing are validated through the College's quality assurance procedure, which was developed in liaison with the University of Bradford. This procedure allows for initial consideration before a full proposal is developed and considered for validation. In general, the development process harnesses appropriate internal and external expertise and inputs, to ensure the curriculum content underpins the achievement of the intended learning outcomes. However, although there was evidence of indirect influence from employers on the aims and outcomes, there was no systematic inclusion of their input before validation. Indirect input continues to be through staff consultancy, industrial placements and professional staff development.
11. The aims and intended outcomes of the programmes are communicated to students through programme handbooks, and this is consolidated during induction and subsequent briefings on option choice. Students welcomed the inclusion of full and clear information on aims and outcomes in programme documentation and indicated that, in general, staff effectively communicated the outcomes of individual modules before the start of formal teaching.
12. Staff are informed of aims and outcomes through engagement with the programme development process and operationally through programme committees. Programme managers and tutors ensure that relevant documentation and advice is provided to staff on aims and outcomes.
13. The computing programmes are well designed, with a wide range of pathways and opportunities for progression through HNC, HND and into an honours BSc degree. Entry and exit points are available at each level, allowing students to exit with awards that suit their individual needs and ability.
14. The BA (Hons) Business Systems Management is a three-year honours programme designed to develop an understanding of the role and needs of senior administrators and business systems managers in a rapidly changing business environment. It includes an eight-week industrial placement in the second year, and a major dissertation in the final year. Students who are having difficulties at the end of the first or second years can transfer on to the ordinary degree, although they may take the full quota of honours modules, providing an opportunity for transfer back into the honours programme.
15. The BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology curriculum offers a final top-up year to the HND Business Information Technology pathway, by adding modules worth 120 credits at level 3. The modules are designed to encompass support for the technical requirements of computer installations. There are eight core modules, a double-module dissertation, and the opportunity for students to select two options from a common range provided by the College.
16. In computing, departments have differentiated well between the three different HNC/D computing pathways, ensuring that the optional content provides a strong thematic route. In the first year there are core units, as well as a large number of options that allow students to pursue their chosen pathway. The three pathways are used as an entry into the final year of an honours degree programme at Bradford College. HND students may also be accepted onto a second or final-year University of Bradford degree, depending on the programme selected.
17. In engineering, the HNC/Ds use core modules that provide the underpinning common skills, discipline skills, knowledge and understanding for the programme. The optional modules provide an appropriate opportunity to develop further knowledge, understanding and skills related to the chosen pathway, as well as broadening into other areas to satisfy individual interests or specific employment needs. The structure of commoncore modules provides an effective link between HNC and HND. Students are advised as appropriate to take specific modules for articulation to an engineering degree outside the College. To facilitate this, the curriculum of the MNC/D ENgineering (Metallurgy and Materials) pathway is informed by the requirements of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, and is available on a distance-learning basis.
18. While all the programmes are driven by the needs of local industry, and are accepted as a good foundation for employment, there has been no formal input by employers into curricular development for a number of years, although there is considerable informal industrial input. The Bradford Business School Advisory Committee and the Engineering Advisory Committee, with their industrial representatives, considers what is provided, and programme validation committees have industrial input, but neither of these bodies has any formative input into the design of the programmes. There is evidence that the curriculum is informed by recent industrial experience and consultancy work of the tutors. However, the College acknowledges that it needs to provide more opportunities for scholarly activity to ensure a fully informed and current curriculum for the degree programmes. In general, the intended learning outcomes are adequately supported by the curricula, as outlined by the relevant curriculum map in the programme specifications.
19. Assessment is by coursework and formal written examination. Tasks are varied and appropriate to the programmes. They include practical, written and oral exercises, group and individual work, presentations and case-studies. The assessment process provides students with ample opportunity to demonstrate achievement of the intended learning outcomes. Assessment procedures are validated by the College's quality assurance systems.
20. Assessment briefs are clear, and criteria are clearly communicated to the students. Students' work is marked fairly according to the criteria and there is evidence in the external examiners' and verifiers' reports that standards are appropriate. External examiners confirm that the internal verification and moderation system is fair and consistent. The reviewers noted that recent inconsistencies in the internal verification of some HNC/D work for mechanical engineering have been addressed. A college-wide assessment tariff system, which is consistent with the programmes' learning outcomes, is used to ensure that the workload on students is reasonable and comparable across modules and programmes.
21. The College has a policy on plagiarism, with an appropriate range of penaltie; this is communicated to students at induction. Students are reminded again of their responsibilities on the cover sheet of assessed work. Academic staff are aware of the dangers, and are proactive in providing clear documentation warning against plagiarism.
22. There is high-quality feedback on some assessed work across all programmes. Students and Edexcel external verifiers commented favourably on the timely and clear formative feedback provided on the HNC/D programmes. However, students commented, and the reviewers confirm, that on the BA (Hons/Ord) Business Systems Management and BA (Ord) Business Information Technology programmes, formative feedback occurs too late to be useful. The reviewers recommend that students have some formal feedback on their assessed work at an earlier stage in the process. There is a transparent assessment process and good formative feedback on project work.
23. External examiners' and verifiers' reports, and the reviewers' inspection of students' work, show that students' achievements are consistent with the relevant subject benchmarks, and that they are appropriate to the awards that are made.
24. Minutes of recent examination boards show a healthy spread of marks in most units. Of those students who complete the computing degree programmes, achievement statistics are satisfactory. In 2001-02, the results for computing degree programmes were 15 per cent Upper Second class awards, 45 per cent Lower Seconds and 10 per cent Third class awards, with 25 per cent obtaining an honours pass and 5 per cent referred. For the computing HNC/Ds in 2001-02, 82 per cent achieved a Pass, 9 per cent failed and 9 per cent were referred. The failure rate on the HNC Computing, Software Engineering is 29 per cent, although the number of students involved is too small to draw any reliable conclusions at present. Achievement statistics on the HNC/D engineering are very healthy. In 2001-02, on these programmes 92 per cent of students achieved a Pass and 8 per cent were referred.
25. With respect to academic standards, the reviewers conclude that:
Overall, the reviewers have confidence in the academic standards achieved by the programmes in computing and engineering at Bradford College.
26. A College teaching and learning strategy is currently under development. This emphasises the progression from teaching to learning; quality assurance to meet individual and social needs; promotion of widening participation; continuous professional development to enhance learning and teaching; and learning and teaching to promote the development of subject expertise, employability, citizenship, personal development, and lifelong learning. There is evidence that this strategy is articulated at departmental level. The strategy for computing and engineering underpins the stated aims and outcomes by providing a range of learning opportunities with a focus on the use of group work, learning through discovery, and work-based scenarios. While traditional lectures, tutorials and workshops are used, there is also considerable emphasis on 'learning by doing'. Laboratories are used effectively and good use is made of IT. Final-year degree students and graduates confirmed the progression towards more independent learning. The Departments are developing teaching and learning methods to satisfy the needs of students with disabilities.
27. The acquisition of transferable skills is embedded in the teaching and learning process, with opportunities for developing and assessing these, made explicit to students. Progress files are being piloted on the BA Business Systems Management, HND Business Information Technology and HND Software Engineering. These are configured to encourage student reflection and are linked to key skills development.
28. The general approach to teaching and learning for distance-based students on the HNC/D Engineering (Metallurgy and Materials) has been developed to meet the needs of these students. Self-learning and directed-learning materials have been developed, and support for learning is provided through formative feedback, student reflective logs and regular communication with module tutors. Student feedback on engagement with the learning process is extremely positive. The tutors involved meet regularly for briefings to ensure that a consistent teaching and learning approach is employed. Students expressed satisfaction at the approachability of staff.
29. The College has an observation of teaching staff scheme, and this has been effectively applied within computing and engineering. In the most recent observations, teaching was graded 'good or better' in engineering, with 2 per cent classed as unsatisfactory in computing. Feedback to staff identifies strengths and areas for improvement, and there is an opportunity to inform staff development. Students expressed general satisfaction with the quality of teaching and teaching materials; when difficulties had occurred they had been resolved.
30. Student feedback at module level feeds into the annual review of modules and programmes. There was evidence that this had informed developments in teaching and learning, such as the introduction of more problem-based learning. There was also evidence that module reviews and internal verification provided an appropriate mechanism to facilitate the development of good practice in teaching and learning.
31. The provision contributes substantially to the achievement of the intended outcomes, with most elements demonstrating good practice.
The quality of teaching and learning is commendable.
32. The student profile reflects the College's commitment to widening access to HE, with provision being made for full and part-time students, including day-release and evening-only students, as well as distance-learning. Enrolments on all the computing courses are healthy, with full-time groups in the range of 18 to 32, 30 part-time day release and evening-only, and a normal intake of around 80 for the HND Software Engineering course. Students on the engineering programmes are primarily part-time day-release students, with groups of 10 to 20, as well as a very small contingent of full-time overseas-sponsored students.
33. On the computing programmes, on average, about 20 per cent of the cohort are women, with an average of 6 per cent on the engineering programmes. On computing full-time programmes, 70 per cent are under 21 and Asian. On all part-time programmes, 53 per cent are mature and 71 per cent are white students.
34. The progression and completion rates for engineering, where there is a majority of students in employment, are appropriate. The completion rate for all engineering programmes for 1999-2002 is 85 per cent, although there is variation within this overall figure. For example, in the HND Engineering (Mechanical and Manufacturing) there was 100 per cent completion over the past three years in all cohorts, but in the HNC/D Engineering (Metallurgy and Materials) progression was varied, with two years recording completion of only 40 and 57 per cent. Moreover in some computing programmes, progression rates between levels 1 to 2 have approached only 30 per cent. The College has made a concerted effort to address the problem, and there is evidence in the current academic year of substantial improvement in retention figures. Changes made include the development of a published teaching and learning strategy, the rationalisation of time allocated to each module, and the intensification of pastoral and academic support. Recently, improvements in retention have been achieved, but it is not yet clear whether the actions taken by the College will produce a sustained and embedded increase in both retention and progression figures.
35. Students are provided with a comprehensive handbook with full details of all regulations, College facilities and unit specifications relating to their individual course. The induction provides a detailed discussion of the programme content, timetables, and information on central services and library provision. It also includes a diagnostic assessment of students' needs so that any particular student can be directed towards the College's special facilities. Students are encouraged to use the College's relevant workshops for communications and mathematics as appropriate. The students generally found that the programmes met their expectations and that they had received good guidance at induction.
36. All students are interviewed before acceptance on the course. A formal tutorial system has recently been initiated. The retention problem is now addressed in tutorials where staff take a proactive role with the students.
37. Student absenteeism is recognised as a serious problem in computing programmes. It was noted from the observation of teaching and learning reports that a number of classes were poorly attended. Students also commented on the problems of staff needing to recap on previous work for the benefit of those who had missed the previous lesson, so slowing their progress. The College has a well-defined policy on absenteeism when students are away for a period, but the problem is associated with the students who attend irregularly and are therefore not covered by College policy. In the current year, staff have acted more quickly to implement College policy, with a resulting drop in absenteeism figures.
38. There is a lack of correspondence between the College Management Information System's data and tutors' information on retention, progression and attendance. Such statistical discrepancies are usually resolved at the end of the academic year, and as such do not offer sufficient support in current programme management.
39. The provision enables the intended outcomes to be achieved, but improvement is needed to overcome weaknesses.
The quality of student progression is approved, but:
40. The majority of staff have industrial experience, and hold a teaching qualification with continuing professional development (CPD). CPD is aimed at developing subject expertise and enhancing teaching. Examples include active involvement with professional bodies, ILT Champions groups, a scheme for industrial secondments, consultancy and the engineering Departments' 'Electronics Yorkshire' industry-led scheme.
41. The College has a policy of replacing computer hardware on a three-year cycle, and records show that this takes place. Current computer laboratory provision is excellent, with a generous number of appropriately specified PCs, suitable peripherals and software. This includes a number of new machines to support specific teaching needs. Students are not charged for the use of the College's printing facilities. Technical support is appropriate, and former students indicated that support for IT-based activities had been very good.
42. The QAA's subject review of engineering Q68?98 in 1998 indicated some concern with the quality of engineering laboratories, and this has been confirmed in the College's annual reviews. This problem has now been addressed. The engineering department has been proactive in supplementing College resources; in particular, the Electronics Yorkshire scheme represents a state-of-the-art facility, linking students to local industry.
43. Distance-learning is supported by the use of on-line and hard copy material, email and telephone. The reviewers also note that the College provides financial resources specifically for the development of distance-learning materials, and tutors are allocated appropriate space on their timetables to reflect the level of student support required.
44. There is ample teaching accommodation, and rooms are generally well decorated, furnished and laid out. The reviewers noted the high standard of audiovisual equipment.
45. Library accommodation is comfortable and accessible for most of the students. Part-time evening students, however, comment that current library opening times are inconvenient. The library has developed on-line subject guides; that represent a useful introduction to resources, and provide students with guidance on how to search and access material including that available from an on-line IT-skills unit. The library allocates sufficient resources to students, matching potential demand. Students pointed out that library staff generally reacted positively to any request to acquire a book. However, students noted and the reviewers confirm that some key course texts are not held in the library. Final-year students expressed concern at the limited access to past dissertations, in comparison with University of Bradford students, who have access to a 'dissertation library'. The reviewers observed that the departments are not sufficiently proactive in developing an acquisition strategy for the library.
46. The provision enables the intended outcomes to be achieved, but improvement is needed to overcome weaknesses.
The quality of learning resources is approved, but:
47. The College has well-documented procedures for monitoring programme delivery. These incorporate formal inputs from students, staff, external examiners and verifiers, as well as a range of performance indicators, such as progression and completion rates. Monitoring also takes place at module level, and the annual module reviews are fed into the programme review process. Module review meetings also provide an opportunity for formal student input. The programme committees, which include student representation, meet on a regular basis to monitor programme operation and to identify issues that require attention at departmental or college level. An annual programme review report is developed, based on the monitoring process, and this is used to identify actions for improvement. The report is forwarded to the host department for incorporation into the departmental annual self-assessment process, which is subsequently considered by the College Academic Planning Committee. This allows action at departmental level to be taken, as well as providing a mechanism to ensure that quality and standards are being maintained.
48. The annual programme reviews provide the main opportunity for enhancement through the identification of issues and action planning. There is evidence in the reviews that the process has been effective in addressing issues. In particular issues concerning learning resources, which had been referred to the Departments, were addressed. There is no evidence of formal input from industrial and employer advisory groups. The Student Perception of Course Survey (SPOCS) provides an overall assessment of the College provision. The annual programme reviews would benefit from a more effective use of quantitative data on progression and achievement, both to analyse trends and to measure more effectively the impact of strategies for improvement.
49. Each programme is subject to a progress review every five years. This process provides an opportunity for in-depth review of programme operation and achievement, and features a consideration of the outcome of annual reviews, an evaluation of programme health, and a curriculum review. The progress review generates a report that provides the basis for a progress review event, which includes external representation on the review panel. The BA (Hons) Business Systems Management was subject to a progress review in June 2001. The cycle of SPOCs did not include this programme, which meant recent SPOCs data could not be included. The report identified problems with progression, but there was no systematic analysis of potential contributing factors, although a weakness in the level of numeracy of some students was cited. Recent departmental initiatives appear to be addressing this, but the providers need to consider embedding the current initiatives, designed to improve progression and retention, in the formal monitoring and review process.
Computing and engineering programmes at Bradford College were reviewed in the academic year 2002-03. Judgements were made about the academic standards achieved and the quality of the learning opportunities provided.
The review covered the following programmes:
Overall, the reviewers have confidence in the academic standards achieved by the programmes in computing and engineering at Bradford College.
Strengths include:
Issues include:
The quality of teaching and learning is commendable:
Student progression
The quality of student progression is approved, but:
Strengths include:
The quality of learning resources is approved, but:
Strengths include:
The College has clear procedures for monitoring programme delivery that provide a mechanism to ensure that quality and standards are maintained. However there is at present, a lack of full and effective interaction between college and departmental systems with regard to statistical information. Initiatives designed to improve progression and retention need to be fully embedded in the College's quality processes at all levels.