A number of higher education providers have adopted block teaching approaches in recent years, this involves the delivery of modules consecutively rather than concurrently over shorter, more immersive periods of time. In 2021/2022, De Montfort University redesigned and revalidated almost all undergraduate and postgraduate courses to follow block delivery under their Education 2030 Strategy.

Early research has suggested that block pedagogy has shown improvement in student attendance, retention, and overall positive outcomes. These benefits are particularly noticeable for neurodiverse students and those from diverse backgrounds who often struggle in their transition into higher education.

This project seeks to draw upon sector experiences by examining quantitative data related to attainment, pass rates and retention, in addition to qualitative feedback gathered from staff and  students from across all participating institutions in the form of tailored surveys and focus group discussions.

Outputs

The intended outputs of this project are:

• a report documenting findings from the institutions, staff and students with recommendations on the key measures of success
• a toolkit to support those looking to develop a block teaching approach including:
  • practical materials for the sector to use in their own institutional contexts
  • reflective case studies from participating institutions which factor in challenges and opportunities experienced when embedding block teaching
  • Student-led multimedia resources which share the student perception of block teaching and tips for other students to make the most of this learning style. 
• a series of academic and student-led webinars, podcasts and vlogs which will be made available via the website.
• an in-person Block Teaching conference to share the project findings, case studies and recommendations to inform the sector.

Lead:

De Montfort University

Partners:

Manchester Metropolitan University, Victoria University - Australia, University of Gloucestershire, University of Plymouth, University of Suffolk