The Curriculum Design and Approval Process at the University of Strathclyde: Baseline of Processes and Curriculum Design Activities

The objectives of the Principles in Patterns (www.principlesinpatterns.ac.uk) project are to: * Document current practice in faculty curriculum design and approval processes with an emphasis on identifying gaps and blockages in planning processes, in information sharing, in the way guidance is provided and in alignment with strategic objectives. * Develop a new approach to curriculum design and approval that reduces blockages, more appropriately supports staff and reflects the principles and strategic objectives embodied in University policy. * Test out ways of representing effective learning designs at task, module and course (programme) level to support teachers in design activities and to support staff members responsible for planning, managing and sharing of curriculum design information. * Represent these outputs in ways that are useful to other institutions engaged in curriculum design and to the wider HE and FE sector. (project plan p5) This baseline document provides a review of current institutional processes and practices in relation to curriculum design within the University of Strathclyde. It provides baseline information about the module and programme decision-making process and the associated documentation flow. Issues, bottlenecks and challenges raised by current practices are highlighted. This document also reviews current support for learning design and for the representation and sharing of good designs at the University of Strathclyde and discusses how design might be improved. We did not attempt to baseline design practice per se, as that would be a major research project in its own right.