• An investigation of the structure of, and demand for, learning delivery systems to further enable flexible access and customised provision within postgraduate and continuing professional development programmes in Environmental Science.

      Crossland, Glenys (University of Wolverhampton, 2002)
      Within the context of Lifelong Learning it has been increasingly recognised that the new constituencies of learners now entering Higher Education (HE) will place different demands than hitherto upon the institutions and the programmes delivered. In the Division of Environmental and Analytical Sciences at the University of Wolverhampton (UW), it has also been noted that the typical participant profile for some award programmes is increasingly reflecting this national trend. This has been growing particularly within the masters programmes where the significant numbers of post- experience candidates render the cohorts much more disparate than previously in their needs and demands from the course provision. The growing importance of demand-led provision has been further driven by an increase in the upskilling needs of the regional economies which, in turn, are generating an influx of new constituencies of learners into HE. For the West Midlands region, and for UW, this is a particularly important issue given their joint commitment to economic and social regeneration, and the latter’s role as a major employer in the region. Locally, this is a particularly pertinent issue for the field of Environmental Sciences where there have been clear statements of need regarding the development and management of the environmental economy. (Advantage West Midlands 2000). The project was intended, initially, to gather data, which would inform future provision for the following masters award programmes: Land Reclamation; Environmental Science; Environmental Management; Environmental Technology.
    • Cross modular tracking, academic counselling and retention of students on traditional delivery, technology supported learning, flexible access and other awards

      Oliver, Ken; Musgrove, Nick; Smith, John (University of Wolverhampton, 2002)
      The increasing emphasis in recruitment of ‘non traditional’ student cohorts (Year 0, part- time evening only, Flexible Access, additional needs etc) combined with multi-staffed modules and technology supported learning (TSL) delivery is mitigating against the traditional tutor overview of cross-modular student performance and may be hiding student problems until a point of no return when formal summative evidence of failure is validated. In addition the trend towards minimising formal assessment loading can be seen as reducing the numbers of performance benchmarks available to establish learner profiles. The project aims to implement a continuous cross-modular tracking and assessment structure, initially for first year Environmental Science (ES) students, in order to provide such ‘early warning’ of student difficulties as will permit viable counselling and remedial support. It is anticipated that such a strategy will reduce the incidence of ‘under performance’, ‘drop outs’ and ‘resits’ by making support available at the point problems arise and not when formal failure is established.