“By creating we think, by living we learn” Patrick Geddes
[Last updated 10 February 2005; the most recent update to the website is the LINK on the outcome of the students' survey on the introduction of semesterisation (see below). The Learning & Teaching Committee has assumed the remit of the Working Group on Modularisation and Semesterisation.
The aim of this website is to provide staff and students with up to date information on progress with the University's move to a semesterised and fully modularised structure for the academic year in September 2003. Responsibility for implementing the new semester structure lay with the Working Group on Modularisation and Semesterisation under the Convenership of the Vice Principal (Educational Development), Professor James Calderhead until March 2004. The Group which included representatives from each Faculty and the President of the Students' Association, met regularily to consider progress with the implementation. Each Faculty organised its own group to oversee the introduction of semesterisation and to improve communication between the Working Group, at the institutional level, and the Faculties. The minutes of the meetings of these groups are also available from below.
At its final meeting of 29 March 2004, the Working Group decided to recommend to the Learning & Teaching Committee that it be disbanded and that its remit be assumed by the Learning & Teaching Committee. At its meeting of 28 April 2004, the Committee agreed with this recommendation noting that any business arising from the introduction of modularisation and semesterisation would be dealt with directly by that Committee. This decision was endorsed by Senate on 12 May 2004.
To assist academic staff, a staff development resource was developed on the interpretation and implementation of the Scottish Qualifications Framework prepared by Dr R Partington. This resource was based on his recent staff development sessions with University staff and his experience in the this area with the QAA and the HEQC.
The University and DUSA arranged an on-line questionnaire survey from Monday 3 May until 4 June 2004 to determine students' views on the implications for them of the introduction of a semesterised structure for the academic year this academic session.
The final results of the survey are now available from this link. This final report was submitted to the Learning & Teaching Committee on 26 January 2005 and their comments on the report are also available from the report link.
Details of the semester structure were contained in the Working Group's second report (copy available from the Academic Secretary on request) which received the approval of Senate and Court in March 2002. The main elements of the new structure which were summarised in a flyer for staff and students published prior to the start of academic session 2003/04.
1. The single resit diet for both semesters for session 2003/04 begins on Monday 9th August 2004 for two weeks (see paragraph 14 below).
The relevant dates for the teaching year for session 2004/05 are reported in the table provided via the link shown on the left hand side of this page.
2. should departments wish to allocate time during the periods designated for teaching as "reading" week or some other time period, this was a matter for individual Faculties to decide
3. the examination of Level 1, semester 1 modules within class time only, and not by traditional unseen examinations
4. for Level 1, semester 1, those activities timetabled for weeks 12 and 13 should be limited to two types of activity: student assessment and feedback to students on the outcome of these assessments and to recommend that these activities be timetabled through to the end of week 13 and to note that these activities must be scheduled at the times laid down in Faculties' teaching timetables.
5. all Level 1/2 module summative examinations be no longer than 2 hours and Saturday mornings may be used for examinations
6. a three week vacation at Easter during the second semester and a four week vacation at Christmas
7. to promote flexibility of student choice, the introduction of a common currency of 20 credit modules for all Level 1/2 modules but allowing multiples of 10 credits for short courses eg Lifelong Learning type provision and, in exceptional circumstances, components of normal undergraduate programmes
8. to promote flexibility of student choice, the introduction of a common currency of 30 credit modules (or multiples thereof) for all Levels 3/4 modules
9. Level 3/4 modules are designated either semester length (examined summatively at semester end ("S[Semester]-type")) or year long, and (examined at year end only ("Y[Year]-type")) for those modules requiring greater reflection and time for assimilation
10. Note the change of wording to clarify meaning: Examination Boards must be held at the end of the second semester and following the resit examinations and may be held at the end of the first semester. If an Examination Board is not held at the end of the first semester, any notification of assessment results to students must include the warning that "This result is provisional and may be changed following moderation by the Board of Examiners in the second semester, after which final results will be notified to students". Such provisional results must however include the normal process of internal moderation. If an Examination Board is held at the end of the first semester, it must include participation (as defined in paragraphs 22-24 of the University's Guidance for External Examiners for Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Courses by the External Examiner in the moderation process. This is necessary to identify those students who were in need of remedial teaching assistance to improve student progression rates. It was stressed that the attendance of the relevant external examiner(s) at this Examination Board was not essential as moderation by external examiners of all degree examination results would be held during the second semester, in line with existing practice.
11. to provide the necessary degree of articulation with credit rating at Levels 3 and 4 and to allow the development of modules tailored to the needs of the variety of client groups that exist at the taught postgraduate level and subject to the exception of the requirements of external professional and similar bodies, a standard rating of 10 credits (with multiples of 10 up to a maximum of 40 credits) should be assigned to the taught element of postgraduate modules.
12. revised timetable for the meetings of Termination of Studies Committees in the transitional year of 2003 and for future years.
13. the timetable for future academic sessions up to session 2007/08
14. on the issue of the arrangements in 2004 for resit examinations for Level 1, first semester, modules, to agree that every effort should be made to avoid the use of traditional unseen examinations in August of that year, perhaps through the submission of additional coursework but that resit examinations may be employed for these modules, as a final resort.
15. on the issue raised by the Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences concerning the formal assessment of students in receipt of extended DP Certificates, to agree that the Faculty should follow existing University practice which dictated that students should be assessed in line with the relevant version of the Degree Regulations under which they were first assessed, to ensure that they were not disadvantaged by the recent change in the structure of the University's academic year.
16. University policy on maximum and minimum credits per academic session for undergraduates students comprises:
17.Faculties should allow undergraduate students a period of two weeks to change modules at the beginning of the second semester, in line with the policy adopted for the beginning of the first semester but to note that those students seeking to change modules, at the beginning of the second semester, should do so at the earliest opportunity to minimise the loss of instruction.
The Working Group has held a number of meetings following Court's approval of its report in March 2002 and these are available from the links provided below:
The Group's first meeting was held on 17 June 2003 [downloadable as .rtf file]. The minutes of the Group's second and third meetings 26 November 2003 and 16 March 2004 are also available.
Duncan of Jordanstone College
Arts & Social Sciences
Education & Social Work
The Learning & Teaching Committee welcomes comments and questions from staff and students on the move to a semesterised structure for the academic year and these should be addressed to Dr Eric Monaghan.
Dr Ian Francis
Academic Secretary
Email: i.k.francis@dundee.ac.uk
Tel: 01382 38 4011
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