RAVENSBOURNE COLLEGE OF DESIGN & COMMUNICATION

LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY 2006/7 – 2011/12

CONTENTS

Introduction and context

LSC and HEFCE strategic requirements

Learning and Teaching Strategy planning

Learning and Teaching Strategy development process

Learning and Teaching Strategy

Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation

ANNEX: Implementation schedule for 2006/07 – 2008/09

Ravensbourne College of Design & Communication Learning & Teaching Strategy 200/07-11/12 July 2006
1 INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT
The current Learning and Teaching Strategy 2004/05 – 2008/09 requires revision now that the
dates for moving to the College’s new site in Greenwich will soon be finalised. This is not
because of fundamental change but because of shifts in the external environment and their likely
impact on internal focus. It has been understood for some time that a number of factors are likely
to shape the future of higher education in the UK and two years on from the previous strategy
following relevant government papers their implications are much now clearer.

The key environmental factors are:

1-Rapid demographic change

Of particular relevance are (a) the predicted ageing UK population which will require spending for
health and long-term care and for pensions, thus competing for government funding alongside
higher education and (b) the shift in the market profile from a relatively buoyant 18-20 market to
one that is gradually declining, thus intensifying competition, to market favouring older age groups
and part-time and flexible modes of study.

2-Global economic integration

The current domination of the G6 countries in world trade is expected to be outpaced by the
rapidly expanding BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) by 2040. This is not merely a
threat to our low value-added, labour-intensive industries, e.g. manufacturing, but also to our
high-technology, high-skilled sectors which it has wrongly been believed would differentiate G6
countries from competitors. It is now believed that the UK may have a window of opportunity of 5-
10 years in which to develop new markets and that these will need to focus on the production of
innovative, high-quality, high value-added products and services which can be brought to market
quickly and efficiently. Creativity is regarded as the competitive weapon of choice but not in the
narrow aesthetic sense that focuses on style and appearance. Post Cox (Cox Review of
Creativity in Business, 2005) creativity is now defined more broadly and in relation to specific
definitions of “innovation” and “design” (Cox, 2005, p.2):

Creativity is the generation of new ideas – either new ways of looking at existing
problems, or of seeing new opportunities, perhaps by exploiting emerging technologies
or changes in markets

Innovation is the successful exploitation of new ideas. It is the process that carries them
through to new products, new services, new ways of running the business or even new
ways of doing business.

Design is what links creativity and innovation. It shapes ideas to become practical and
attractive propositions for users or customers. Design may be described as creativity
deployed to a specific end.

However, as Cox points out, for the potential of creativity to be developed, this means exploiting
the nation’s skills more fully. In particular, there is a need for higher education to tackle the
problem of “broadening the understanding and skills of tomorrow’s business leaders, creative
specialists, engineers and technologists” (Cox, 2005, p.4).

3-Faster innovation and technological change

Integral to successful innovation is a business process that incorporates new technologies,
design and best practice. In a global context the UK is seen as suffering from a productivity gap
with, for example, only average performance according to innovation indicators and below
average expenditure on technological innovation. These are conditions which in turn reduce
organisational capability to flex, change and innovate and to develop a workplace learning culture
that disposes people to cope with change and to participate in continuing personal development.
In higher education this means greater emphasis on the development of skills relating to
innovation and enterprise so that our graduates can offer industry the creativity it needs for

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competitive edge. It also means greater emphasis on partnerships with industry involving sharing
of knowledge and expertise.

Other important environmental factors include pressure on global resources (such as climate, fuel
and water) – arguing for company values that include sustainability – and global uncertainty
resulting from political, social and economic factors (e.g. poverty, exclusion, terrorism) – arguing
for policy making to be positioned alongside risk analysis.

4-Cultural value of an education in design and communication

The strategic visions of government and funding bodies tend to emphasis the commercial value
of education, the importance of student employability and the quantitative measurement of
cultural value. This is highlighted in a recent report by John Holden entitled “Capturing Cultural
Value” (2004) in which he argues that:

The present paradigm of evidence-based, target-driven decision-making is based on a

technocratic world view which:

-Sees linear patterns

-Excludes unforeseen outcomes
-Discounts things that are difficult to measure
-Concentrates on product and outcomes not process

This model promotes a paradigm in which “funders give policy direction … and the funded
respond by doing things and then measure those things to demonstrate their compliance…”.

Holden proposes a new paradigm of Cultural Value that:

-recognises the affective elements of cultural experience, practice and identity as well as the full
range of quantifiable economic and numerical data
-seek a forward-looking model to understand the broad public value (or value destruction) that
can result from the decisions both of publicly funded organizations and funding bodies
-adopts broad and unchanging concepts of public goods such as equity and fairness, enhancing
trust in the public realm, health and prosperity, thereby placing goals such as social inclusion and
diversity in a context that can be easily understood
-promotes a ‘strong’ culture, confident in its own worth, instead of a ‘weak’ culture dedicated to
the production of ancillary benefits, but it does not rest its case on the assertion that culture has
‘intrinsic value’
-challenges policy-makers and organizations to adopt a new concordat between funders, funded
and the public. Cultural Value gains legitimacy from public support and from the exercise of
professional expertise. Each part of the settlement is given due weight within an overarching
framework that seeks to maximise public good and to promote the vitality of culture.

This view reminds us that the work of our staff and students inevitably contributes to the shaping
of our society and that Culture in this sense can and should be valued for itself.

2 LSC AND HEFCE REQUIREMENTS

LSC Priorities 2006/07-2007/08
The main issue raised by the LSC’s funding priorities for FE is the rebalancing of public and
private contributions to the cost of learning. The Government’s stated intention is that the
national fee assumption should gradually rise to around 50% with there being an addition of 5%
per annum for both 2006/07 and 2007/08 but with priority groups of learners protected through
fee remission. The aim is that individuals and employers should bear more of the cost e.g.
employers in the case of work-based learning.

The publications most influential in the formulation of the LSC’s priorities are the 14-19 and Skills
White Papers (2005) which are intended to outline how schools and FE should contribute to the

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national agenda for becoming more globally competitive. Priorities reflect continued investment in
participation and attainment in order to ensure that the target for achieving Level 2 at 19 is met,
thus guaranteeing a particular level of output.

Within this framework, the London Learning and Skills Plan (March 2006) explicitly prioritises the
importance of meeting skills needs of the capital’s employers and workforce (at Level 3 and
above). Particular emphasis is given to basic numeracy and to using the 2012 Olympic Games
and Paralympic Games as a vehicle for focusing skills analysis with a view to optimising legacy
benefits.

HEFCE Strategy 2006-10

In response to these and other factors HEFCE has recently issued a new strategy (2006-10).
Although it continues to be informed by Dearing and retains broadly the same four key objectives
as before (2003-08):

(a)-Widening participation and fair access

(b)-Enhancing excellence in learning and teaching
(c)-Enhancing excellence in research
(d)-Enhancing the contribution of HE to the economy and society

the focus sharply points at:

-the high expectations of students with the introduction of variable tuition fees
-the demands of employers for rounded, highly skilled graduates who are readily employable and
can plan a part in developing organisations that can adapt to the needs of customers and enable
global competitiveness
-the demand for variably paced and located educational delivery, including increased use of
technology in learning and teaching
-the need to invest in the development of academic staff capability, including continuing
professional development
-the development of quality enhancement
-the need for collaboration with other institutions based on a recognition that there are some
things that other universities and colleges can do better, and that limited resources could be
better concentrated where they will be most effective”.

Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund TQEF

HEFCE’s priorities for the sector are further refined in the recent circular about the Teaching
Quality Enhancement Fund (TQEF) (2006/11). TQEF was created in 1998 after Dearing with a
view to raising the status of learning and teaching in higher education. Three main strands of
activity have been funded: at institutional level, the enhancement of learning and teaching
(including the development of institutional learning and teaching strategies and the Centres for
Excellence in Teaching and Learning); at sector-wide level, the establishment of 24 subject
centres and ultimately the Higher Education Academy); and at individual level, the creation of the
National Teaching Fellowship Scheme. Following a review in November 2005 it was decided that
theme-based funding should continue.

Underpinning development of this revised Learning and Teaching strategy are the national
strategic priorities for learning and teaching in higher education:

-teaching informed and enriched by research

-supporting continuing professional development
-support for student and staff volunteering
-supporting success and progression for students with diverse needs

These need to be explored in a context that prioritises:

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-the continued embedding of the various strands of equality and diversity including disabilities,
gender, race.
-development and dissemination of good practice
-the enhancement of the quality of provision including actions at institution level to improve the
quality of the student learning experience.
This emphasis gives the College opportunity and funding to refine successful existing activities in
each of these areas and to develop new initiatives that will support the College’s move to the new
site and respond to market factors and HEFCE’s new strategic priorities.

Another area of strategic priority for HEFCE is e-learning. This is underpinned by HEFCE’s e-
learning strategy (March 2005/12) which views strategic implementation in seven phases:

• Strand 1 Pedagogy, curriculum design and development

• Strand 2 Learning resources and networked learning
• Strand 3 Student support, progression and collaboration
• Strand 4 Strategic management, human resources and capacity development
• Strand 5 Quality
• Strand 6 Research and evaluation
• Strand 7 Infrastructure and technical standards.

The College originally developed a provisional e-learning strategy in Summer 2003 and this was
replaced in 2005 by a strategy that respects HEFCE’s strategic framework.

3 COLLEGE MISSION AND CORPORATE PLAN

The preceding introduction to the context of learning and teaching in higher education also
reinforces the currency of the College’s mission statement, particularly in relation to wider
strategic considerations relating to enterprise, creativity, technology and innovation and in respect
of HEFCE’s continued emphasis on widening participation and on the development of staff
capability:

Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication aims to provide innovative and

dynamic educational opportunities through high quality teaching and student support.
We are a national institution with international perspectives but we attach particular
importance to contributing to London’s social and cultural vibrancy and its economic
prosperity. We encourage creativity and enterprise in our students and staff and
champion the creative exploitation of digital technologies in design and
communications.

3.1 Strategic aims

The College’s strategic aims for 2006-07 are as follows:

3.2.1 Relocation: Implementing plans to relocate the College to new premises on the
Greenwich Peninsula;

3.2.2 Partnerships: Developing strategic alliances with selected partners and collaborating
actively with regional, national and international partners in support of the creative
industries

3.2.3 High quality specialist education: Providing high quality, specialist education in design
and communications which meets the needs of our students, their employers and the
business sectors we serve.

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3.2.4 Knowledge transfer: Developing creative and effective knowledge transfer and
business support services which meet the needs of our client industries.

3.2.5 Management and governance: Maintaining and developing responsible and sensitive
arrangements for management and governance.

4 STRATEGIC PLANNING
The main drivers for the new Learning and Teaching Strategy are the need for:

-laying the ground for the delivery of learning and teaching in new Ravensbourne
-fulfilment of the College's Mission and Strategic Aims
-full engagement in HEFCE's strategic aims and priorities
-linkage of Learning and Teaching with our Widening Participation, Equal Opportunities, Human
Resources, LRC, E-learning, Quality, Employability, Registry, Business Support, Estates, Health
& Safety, Student Support, Marketing and Communication, Information and Communication,
Management Information Systems and Commercial Development strategies.

A particular challenge in the monitoring of the previous Learning and Teaching Strategy has been
to co-ordinate the contribution of the range of College support services . This is to ensure that
learning and teaching aims are formally and transparently linked with the activities of College
services and by implication formally reviewed on an annual basis. It is understood that whilst part
of the activity of an individual service relates to learning and teaching, other parts may not be so
directly connected. College services have responded very positively and discussion about a
shared annual review process has also taken place. The key difficulties are whether to adopt a
generic format and the question of the choice of the optimal time of year for all services to carry
out the monitoring review. Some services already systematically review their effectiveness in
relation to the student experience; others do not do this formally but still regard the student as the
centre of the service offered; yet others respond to service-driven reviews. The difficulty of
embedding Learning and Teaching strategies at middle management level was highlighted by the
HEFCE review of TQEF funding [Summative evaluation of the Teaching Quality Enhancement
Fund (TQEF), The Higher Education Consultancy Group and CHEMS Consulting, November
2005, p.69]

Key assumptions underpinning the Learning and Teaching Strategy are:

-continued development and delivery of a portfolio of innovative, vocationally relevant courses for
students from further education and undergraduate levels through to postgraduate and continuing
professional development

-continued commitment to supporting students to achieve successful employment outcomes

-a continued College strategic commitment to the widening participation agenda

-a continued College strategic commitment to the "the creative exploitation of digital technology"

-continuation of an emerging applied research function at postgraduate level

5 LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The strategy is aligned with the College's Corporate Plan 2005-06 (June 2005) and based on a
review of recent literature from the sector.

Consultation on this document has taken place as follows:

-an invitation to staff to put forward important issues at faculty and departmental level
-discussion at the Learning and Teaching Committee

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-discussion at course and Faculty Committees (student representatives were present at course
committee meetings)
-discussion at Academic Board
-placing of a draft strategy on the College’s Forums for comment electronically
-an open meeting based on the draft strategy
-completion of Impact Assessment

6 LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY

6.1 Mission
To provide a specialist education that prioritises enterprise, innovation and employability, that
focuses on excellence in design and communication within an appropriately resourced and
professionally supported environment, that is underpinned by innovative approaches to learning
and teaching and that is accessible to a widely differentiated body of students

6.2 Strategic aims for learning and teaching

A Relocation to the new Ravensbourne: To prepare the academic community and

related support services for the move to the new site at Greenwich in 2009/10

B Developing staff capability: To promote professional standards and continuing

professional development for teaching staff in further and higher education

C Quality assurance and enhancement: To embed a robust framework for assuring the
quality and enhancement of learning and teaching at faculty and course level

D Continued innovation in delivery: To stimulate and support continued innovation in the

delivery of learning and teaching

E Widening participation in a supportive learning environment: To widen participation,

in particular, through the development of an appropriately supportive learning
environment

F Enterprise and employability: To enhance enterprise and employability skills

development

G Continued innovation in digital technology: To continue to develop an appropriate

technical and digital environment for the delivery of learning and teaching in the current
building and in the new Ravensbourne

What follows is further information about the strategic aims and details of the strategic objectives.
The targets that relate to these objectives for the next three years are listed in the table in the
annex.

A Relocation to the new Ravensbourne

To prepare the academic community and related support services for the move to the new
site at Greenwich in 2009/10
The move to a new site represents an opportunity for the College to review and develop its
existing approach to learning and teaching and to design new vibrant, flexible and innovative
environments that promote active learning and inclusivity. The key findings of development work
on the new building are:

-demand for knowledge sharing environments: learning in both industry and educational
environments increasingly revolves around spaces and technology that support flexible
collaborative activity in physical and virtual settings

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-acceptance of multi-choice education: there is now general acceptance of many “best” ways to
teach, reach and learn. Hybrid learning opportunities involving a blend of face-to-face and on-line
learning are increasingly common, allowing learners to pick-and-mix to suit their requirements

-growth in learning networks: in a world where network access is readily becoming available
anywhere anytime, learners are creating a web of learning networks, seeking places where they
can come together in real space and time

-enduring importance of “place”: learners will continue to want to come to places where they can
participate in lively discourse, receive hands-on assistance, take advantage of well-equipped
collaborative settings and gain access to resources too difficult or expensive to use elsewhere

This detailed work provides an important driver for new developments in pedagogy and for further
refining our model of student support to meet the needs of our new Greenwich context. Here we
also expect a diverse student body that will demand learning environments that accommodate a
wide range of learning styles in a time and space in which the student may choose to learn. This
will be achieved by creating collaborative learning areas that integrate space and technology
environments. The design being developed treats the whole College as potential creative content
space. Students will not be confined to working in segregated areas or black boxes but will
continue to have open access to technical areas for which they have been trained. Input from
senior media specialists will continue to mean that students remain in close proximity to industrial
practice..

The core focus will be on the development of young professionals as practitioners in a particular
discipline who both understand the needs of industry and the cultural value of what they offer. It
will be important to promote the learner’s capability to develop an individual learning plan and
thus to personalise learning; to study independently and develop lifelong learning skills; and to
collaborate effectively in teams when conducting projects. A number of projects have been
undertaken e.g. “How do Students Learn” (September 2004), an investigation of what students
believe compared to staff views; and “Delivery Methods” (Summer 2005), a project exploring staff
preferences and capabilities in the use of different delivery and assessment methods. Since its
inception in summer 2005, considerable progress has already been made in the implementation
of the College’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). In addition to consolidating this work, it has
become apparent that staff would benefit from support in continuing to develop their pedagogical
skills and approaches and in the design of learning, particularly in relation to new contexts and
technology. Much of the College’s delivery is student-centred and project-driven as is
characteristic in art and design education. It is clearly important to build on the strengths of this
while also identifying its limitations.

Objectives

A1 To review and develop a robust business process for timetabling that optimises the use
of physical space and resources

A2 To develop a course-unit-based model of course costing as a means of increasing

flexibility and value for money in the delivery of learning and teaching

A3 In collaboration with the College’s architects, to define the learning culture and design the
learning environment of the new College

A4 To develop staff capability in the design and pedagogy of student-centred learning

experiences on the basis of a fit for purpose approach, including face-to-face learning, e-
learning and blended learning

A5 To consolidate the College’s blended e-learning focus and the role of the VLE as a

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 means of providing web-accessible course information, of managing the delivery of units,
and for making accessible generic and course specific learning materials at faculty and
discipline level.

A6 To develop a quality framework for the delivery of e-learning

A7 To introduce the e-portfolio as a vehicle for facilitating personal development planning.

A8 To research, design and pilot the ICT technical infrastructure and technical resources
required for the new building

A9 To continue to develop educational and industrial partnerships and networks

internationally, nationally and locally, in particular, in the Greenwich area, to promote
collaboration, knowledge exchange and student recruitment

A10 To explore the requirements of applying for Degree Awarding Powers including a
development plan involving close collaboration with partner institutions

B Developing staff capability:

To promote professional standards and continuing professional development for teaching
staff in further and higher education
The College is in the process of designing a sustainable system for enabling academic staff to
develop the skills needed to participate in subject-specific and pedagogical research, to apply for
internal and external project funding and to disseminate good practice. This aim responds to the
training and continuing professional development needs of academic staff whereas aim D
focuses on the scope of scholarly activity and research.

In response to Dearing’s recommendation that higher education teaching should be established

as a profession in its own right, a Framework of Professional Standards was published in
February 2006. This recommendation also reflects Dearing’s concern for the student learning
experience in a mass higher education system and the need for good teaching to be recognised
as well as good research. Thus higher education academic staff will increasingly be required to
possess a teaching qualification and to engage in continuing professional development within the
Framework of Professional Standards overseen by the Higher Education Academy.
Objectives

B1 To map the elements of the Framework of Professional Standards onto College provision
in order to evolve a College Framework and to implement this and monitor progress

B2 To make provision for continuing professional development and career progression

For existing academic and technical staff to reach a point in 2009 in which all established
staff either have PGCEs and/or HEA accreditation and 50% have an MA or are registered
for a higher qualification and are fully enabled to inform their teaching with research

B3 To engage fully with the new Higher Education Academy by drawing on the knowledge,
expertise and opportunities it offers for enhancement of higher education teaching, for
research informed teaching and for the dissemination of good practice.

B4 To enhance staff induction and ensure appropriate support is available for all new
members of staff.

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C Quality assurance and enhancement
To embed a robust framework for assuring the quality and enhancement of learning and
teaching at faculty and course level
The College successfully completed its QAA Action Plan in December 2005 and during 2005-06
underwent a major process of revalidation of all its undergraduate provision, thus testing the
newly developed quality manual and validation procedures. There continues to be much work to
be done in broadening the College’s course portfolio by validating new courses and in updating
and developing staff understanding of QAA processes, particularly in relation to the articulation of
an inclusive curriculum. However, attention is now increasingly extending to the role of quality
enhancement with particular emphasis on developing systems and processes for continuous
improvement.

Objectives
C1 To enhance internal academic quality systems by developing a review system for support
services

C2 To engage fully at faculty and at course level with Ofsted’s quality framework at FE level
and with the QAA's FHEQ, Code of Practice and National Benchmarks at HE level and
with the wider further and higher education agendas and to provide this activity with
appropriate support

C3 To continue to develop tools to facilitate the implementation of sound quality systems

including peer observation, the personal tutorial system, unit delivery planning,
individual learning plans and student feedback mechanisms.

C4 To continue to develop formal use of statistical information in course evaluation and

planning

D Continued innovation in delivery

To stimulate and support continued innovation in the delivery of learning and teaching
Whilst continuing to prioritise the delivery of learning and teaching by industry practitioners, the
College recognises that many academic staff seek to improve their teaching practice and wish to
inform decision making about new approaches by establishing a formal, systematic evidence-
base through research. For example, the College’s student feedback project which reviewed
existing approaches and good practice from external sources prior to experimentally evolving the
the College’s current practice. This objective emphasises the importance of continuous
improvement and innovation in delivery through systematic research, underpinned by appropriate
staff development. It also identifies themes relevant to the new curriculum.

The focus here is on supporting staff who wish to develop their teaching practice through
experimentation and reflection and on the development of research-informed teaching. As
Griffiths (2004) shows this can refer to several different ways of using research:

1) Research-led: where students learn about research findings, the curriculum content
is dominated by faculty research interests, and information transmission is the main
teaching mode;
2) Research-oriented: where students learn about research processes, the curriculum
emphasises as much the processes by which knowledge is produced as learning
knowledge that has been achieved, and faculty try to engender a research ethos
through their teaching;
3) Research-based: where students learn as researchers, the curriculum is largely
designed around inquiry-based activities, and the division of roles between teacher
and student is minimised.

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Objectives
D1 To roll out the new curriculum’s units in contextual studies (including dissertations) and
personal and professional development

D2 To develop a College approach to cross-disciplinary work and to team assessment

D3 To review the extent to which it is appropriate for students to determine their own
programme of study

D4 To support staff in the development of a reflective, action-research approach to learning

and teaching as a means of developing their teaching practice and disseminating good
practice

D5 To develop an applied research function at postgraduate level

D6 To review the College’s portfolio of courses as part of a programme of continuous review

with a view to strengthening existing provision and pioneering new creative areas

E Widening participation in a supportive learning environment

To widen participation, in particular, through the development of an appropriately
supportive learning environment
In line with HEFCE’s strategic plan, the College has already carried out a range of successful
projects focused on expanding access and progression opportunities. However, perhaps the
greatest challenge generated by widening participation is providing an appropriately inclusive
curriculum and learning environment. This includes providing support for students with learning
difficulties and for students with a disability, e.g. dyslexia. It is important to support a
differentiated cohort effectively whilst maintaining retention and achievement levels and
identifying benchmark standards for evaluation. Even more challenging is the creation of a
climate in which such students feel comfortable about openly seeking support. In practice all
students are given a range of opportunities for discussions with Student Support about learning
difficulties prior to entry, following registration and, regularly, with course staff during personal
tutorials. With the establishment of the new curriculum there is now an additional opportunity for
identifying those with learning difficulties in term one when all students will be required to submit
written work. If the delivery of learning and teaching to a diverse set of learners is to be effective,
issues relating to the student’s learning skills and approach to the learning process also need to
be addressed. Teaching staff need to be supported through staff development on the inclusive
curriculum, on disability issues and on the learning process to enable them to contribute fully to a
supportive learning environment. The College’s Student Support function is also considering
expanding its services to provide a regional support centre.

Objectives
E1 To provide appropriate student-centred learning development and support to all learners
according to need including individual sessions, classes, online diagnostics and
resource-based learning materials

E2 To continue to provide learning development support for teaching staff so as to enable

them to support students with learning difficulties

E3 To continue staff development in diversity, focusing in particular on equality and diversity

issues including disabilities, gender and race.

E4 To develop appropriate routes by which secondary level students and non-traditional

learners can progress onto a Ravensbourne course and to raise aspirations for HE within
the community. This includes internal progression for year 0 and FE students offered
through a

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 supported application process.

E5 Continue to develop the personal tutorial system as a focus for personal development
planning and as a device for learners to explore with the tutor learning challenges and
difficulties

E6 To review the College’s admissions process in response to the Schwartz Report with a
view of ensuring equality of opportunity for applicants from non-traditional backgrounds
.
E7 To continue to develop student-centred learning support provision through pre- and post-
entry consultations and course level diagnostics.

F Enterprise and employability

To enhance enterprise and employability skills development
In a vocationally-focused educational environment, all students expect to learn about industry
structure and practice through first hand experience, normally through work experience and work-
related learning so that they are well-prepared to enter full-time employment. Students also
expect to develop business related skills which will enable them to harness and exploit creativity
in a commercial context and for commercial ends. The key challenges for the College – for the
Enterprise and Employability Unit and course teams alike - are to develop employability and
enterprise skills that enable students to operate effectively in a commercial context. To support
course teams in responding effectively to this challenge, the Enterprise and Employability Unit will
continue to provide its core suite of established activities, including the management and
organisation of the work placement scheme and liaison with industry partners. Key development
priorities for the next three years include the further development of student-centred learning
materials and approaches relating to enterprise and employability and linking this to the continued
development of learning opportunities in the arena of enterprise, entrepreneurialism and business
start-up; contributing to the implementation of the new curriculum in personal and professional
development and enterprise; and the maintenance of a current network of industry partners who
can offer students work experience and keep the College informed about current industry
practice. This is especially challenging with a diverse student profile. At the same time, the Unit
will work towards the Matrix Standard, a quality standard for information, advice and guidance
services and will seek to continue the development of its student and graduate employment
service. Subject to feasibility, it will also set up an employment service in the College.

The College also intends to explore opportunities for greater synergies between its aims for
learning and teaching and for knowledge transfer. This will include, for example, working with
regional strategic agencies and Sector Skills Councils to provide courses and linked services to
business that addresses the needs of the media industry in London.

Objectives
F1 To support academic staff in the articulation and delivery of student employability, in
particular through the personal and professional development and enterprise units in the
new curriculum

F2 To benchmark career education, information and guidance (CEIG) services against

external standards and work towards the Matrix Standard, a quality standard for
information, advice and guidance services

F3 To increase student opportunities for work experience and employment by setting

up a College employment service (subject to feasibility).

G Continued innovation in digital technology

To develop an appropriate technical and digital environment for the delivery of learning
and teaching in the current building and in the new Ravensbourne

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The College continues to differentiate itself from other design and communication institutions in
Europe by its explicit emphasis on the “creative exploitation of digital technologies”. This
continues to be interpreted as:

-the creative use of technology – ICT, 3D, Fashion, broadcasting – for the development of
innovative and experimental student design and communication projects, a theme now at the
forefront of enterprise development.
-the creative application of technology in the delivery of learning and teaching e.g. the College’s
Virtual Learning Environment
-the provision of resources for learning e.g. College’s Managed Learning Environment and
database outputs

The task of sustaining resources that are sufficiently leading edge to justify claims of
distinctiveness continues to be challenging: staff and students normally preferring technology that
is “tried and tested” rather than “leading edge” if “leading edge” means “under development”.
Thus the maintenance of reliable but current (though not necessarily “leading edge”) production
resources as in industry is part of the basic level of service. Nevertheless to maintain our
distinctiveness we depend on significant research into the exploitation of emerging technologies –
which in turn depends on developing staff capabilities – and on systematic planning. The new
challenges faced by College technology providers centre on sustaining and developing the
current resources whilst designing and piloting the technology infrastructure and facilities for the
new College. Project student laptop ownership indicates that in the new Ravensbourne it will be
appropriate to require all students to own their own laptops so that the College can invest a
higher proportion of ICT capital in resources students can’t afford to own. Special provision will
be made for those who can’t afford this.

Objectives
G1 To develop a formal cyclical process for the review of technical resource needs in relation
to industry workflow, curriculum requirements and ICT resource management

G2 To require all HE students to own their own computer by 2009 and to develop a scheme
to support this in the case of students unable to afford their own computer. FE students
will be encouraged to own their own computer as appropriate

G3 To develop specialist web-based ICT services e.g. print, storage

G4 To continue to support access to independent online learning materials relating to the use
of technical resources and software learning

G5 To design the ICT technical infrastructure and the technical resources for product, interior
architecture and fashion for the new Ravensbourne based on well-informed research
into emerging technologies and current industry practice as a result of a close
collaboration between academic and technical staff and to pilot and implement the
design

G6 To promote the relevance of digital and networked culture to the academic community: a
body of professional designers, communicators and life-long learners

5 IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Implementation is outlined in the attached TQEF table and covers 2006/07-2008-09. Each of the
objectives identified within this strategy has been allocated to a specific senior management
function for implementation. Responsibility for six-monthly monitoring of activities has been given
to the Learning and Teaching Committee on behalf of Academic Board to which it reports. The
objectives will be reviewed annually in HEFCE’s Annual Monitoring Statement.

13
The strategy delivers important elements of the College's Corporate Plan which is monitored by
the College's Management Committee and by the Board of Governors. The targets are also
reviewed annually by HEFCE through the Annual Monitoring Statement.

14
 Annex C
Action plan template for TQEF allocations

Please specify in the template below the activities to implement institutional learning and teaching strategies that the institution will undertake in each of the
years 2006-07 to 2008-09 for which TQEF funding is sought.

Non-
TQEF Amount of HEFCE Allocation to
Proposed Activity Targets Responsible funding be used for each activity
by the end of the relevant year we will have: 2006-09 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

A. Relocation to the new

Ravensbourne: To prepare the
academic community and related
support services for the move to the
new site at Greenwich in 2009/10
Faculty
A1 To review and develop a robust and
business process for timetabling that Business
optimises the use of physical space and Completed business analysis of timetabling and Business Support
resources physical space usage and proposals Support budgets
Completed pilot and review
Full implementation of effective process

Faculty
A2 To develop a course-unit-based model and
of course costing as a means of Business
increasing flexibility and value for money Business Support
in the delivery of learning and teaching Completed analysis and proposed model Support budgets
Completed pilot and review
Full implementation of proposed model

Ravensbourne College of Design & Communication Learning & Teaching Strategy 200/07-11/12 July 2006
 Estates,
A3 In collaboration with the College's Resources, Estates &
architects, to define the learning culture Faculties & faculty
and design the learning environment of completed architect's brief and plan for piloting MA & FE budgets
the new College key preparation projects areas £10k pa 5,000
completed pilots (group 1) and recommendations
completed pilots (group 2) and recommendations
A4 To develop staff capability in the
design and pedagogy of student-centred
learning experiences on the basis of a fit LRC, HR
for purpose approach, including face-to- training; Staff dev
face learning, e-learning and blended Faculties & £5k &
learning, including those suitable for Completed staff & faculty development MA & FE JISC
delivery through a VLE programme and plan for piloting key projects Areas £30k 5,000
Staff dev
completed pilots and proposed models £5k 10,000
Full implementation of proposed models 5,000
A5 To consolidate the College's blended
e-learning focus and the role of the VLE
as a means of providing web accessible
course information, of managing the
delivery of units, and for making LRC,
accessible generic and course specific completed VLE course documentation, unit Faculties & WP
learning materials at faculty and discipline delivery management, learning materials access; MA & FE funding
level staff development for JISC podcasting project Areas £50k
JISC &
WP
funding
completed JISC podcasting project £80k
WP
funding
Full implementation of VLE model; review of wiki £50k
LRC,
A6 To develop a quality framework for the Completed analysis for JISC/HEA e-learning Quality &
delivery of e-learning benchmarking exercise Faculties 1,000

16
 completed quality framework developed through
JISC/HEA e-learning benchmarking exercise 1,000
Full implementation of quality framework 1,000
A7 To introduce the e-portfolio as a Student Student
vehicle for facilitating personal Support & Support
development planning Completed needs analysis and proposed model Faculties?? budget 1,000
Completed pilot of e-portfolio model and review 1,000
Full implementation 1,000
A8 In collaboration with external
consultants, to research, design and pilot
the ICT technical infrastructure and ICT &
technical resources required for the new Completed laptops for all pilot and proposed Technical ICT
building model; staff?? budget
Completed technical plans
Completed pilot of technical plans and
implementation
A9 To continue to develop educational
and industrial partnerships and networks
internationally, nationally and locally, in
particular, in the Greenwich area, to
promote collaboration, knowledge Completed research and review process and Marketing & Marketing
exchange and student recruitment proposed solution WP budget 5,000
Implemented plan and review 5,000
Continued to implement plan and review 5,000
A10 To explore the requirements of
applying for Degree Awarding Powers Quality
including a development plan involving Completed research and review process and Team
close collaboration with partner institutions proposed solution Quality budget
Plan developed to prepare the institution for DAP
and agreed by Governors followed by
implementation
Continuation of implementing plan for DAP

17
B. Developing staff capability: To
promote professional standards and
continuing professional development
for teaching staff in further and higher
education
B1 To map the elements of the Framework
of Professional Standards onto College
provision in order to evolve a College
Framework, and to implement this and Completed round one of formal mapping at HR &
monitor progress Faculty and course level Quality 5,000
Reviewed and implemented recommendations 5,000
Continued to monitor and review

B2 To make provision for continuing

professional development and career
progression for existing academic and
technical staff to reach a point in 2009 in
which all established staff either have
PGCEs and/or HEA accreditation and 50% Ensured that all newly appointed academic staff HR training HR Staff
have an MA or are registered for a higher either hold a PGCE or equivalent or are enabled & Faculties dev
qualification and are fully enabled to to achieve one; ensured that 25% of all staff are & MA & FE budget
inform their teaching with research registered for a higher qualification Areas £10k pa 35,000
Continued to ensure that all newly appointed
academic staff either hold a PGCE or equivalent
or are enabled to achieve one; ensured that 40%
of all staff are registered for a higher qualification 40,000
Continued to ensure that all newly appointed
academic staff either hold a PGCE or equivalent;
ensured that 50% of all staff are registered for a
higher qualification 50,000
B3 To engage fully with the new Higher Achieved funding for one or more pedagogic HR training 5,000
Education Academy by drawing on the research projects from HEA, achieved 25% & Faculties
knowledge, expertise and opportunities it membership of HEA, continued to be & MA & FE
offers for enhancement of higher represented on subject centre reference group, Areas
education teaching, for research-informed developed and implemented an internal teaching
teaching, and for the dissemination of fellowship scheme

18
good practice.
B4 To enhance staff induction and ensure
appropriate support is available for all new
members of staff
C. Quality assurance and
enhancement: To embed a robust
framework for assuring the quality and
enhancement of learning and teaching
at faculty and course level
Achieved funding for one or more pedagogic
research projects from HEA, achieved 50%
membership of HEA, continued to be
represented on subject centre reference group,
appointed a second round of internal teaching
fellows 5,000
Achieved funding for one or more pedagogic
research projects from HEA, achieved 65%
membership of HEA, proposed internal teaching
fellows for national scheme 5,000
Implemented a staff induction DVD introducing
the College and key policies and providing
Learning, Teaching and Assessment guidelines
and reviewed its effectiveness; ensured that all
newly appointed academics either hold a PGCE
(or equivalent) or are required to engage in a HR
PGCE budget
Developed and piloted a mentoring scheme for
new staff
Implemented a mentoring scheme for new staff
Quality
and
Faculty
budgets
19

C1 To enhance internal academic quality
systems by developing a review system
for support services
C2 To engage fully at faculty and at
course level with Ofsted's quality
framework at FE level and with the QAA's
FHEQ, Code of Practice and National
Benchmarks at HE level and with the
wider further and higher education
agendas and to provide this activity with
appropriate institutional support
C3 To continue to develop tools to
facilitate the implementation of sound
quality systems including peer
observations, the personal tutorial system,
unit delivery planning, individual learning
plans and student feedback mechanisms
Quality &
Support
Service
Format agreed and pilot completed Heads
Full implementation and review
Monitoring revised format
Quality &
Achieved agreement at Faculty level to a Faculty Faculties &
quality development plan, followed by MA & FE
implementation Areas
Achieved continued implementation of Faculty
quality development plan and review
Further developments of Faculty plans
Developed and implemented a format for unit Quality &
delivery planning and for individual learning Faculties &
plans; implemented and reviewed the student MA & FE
feedback policy; Areas
Completed internal subject assessment audit
including formative assessment and feedback.
Developed a programme of themes for peer
observation of learning and teaching

Registry,
Quality,
Employ-
ability,
C4 To continue to develop formal use of Achieved an agreed model for the reporting of Student
statistical information in course evaluation course and services statistics for annual review Services,
and planning followed by pilot and review LRC, MIS

20
 Achieved full implementation of model for the
reporting of course and services statistics for
annual review.
Further development process following review

D. Continued innovation in delivery: To

stimulate and support continued
innovation in the delivery of learning
and teaching
D1 To roll out the new curriculum's units
in contextual studies (including Faculties,
dissertations) and personal and Achieved full implementation of level one units Student new
professional development and review and preparation for level two units Services posts 5,000
Achieved full implementation of level two units
and review and preparation for level three units 5,000
Achieved full implementation of level three units
and review of level three and the units as a
whole 5,000
Achieved cross-Faculty agreement of suitable
points in the curriculum for cross-disciplinary Quality,
D2 To develop a College approach to work and the establishment of a working group Faculties &
cross-disciplinary work and to team on team assessment followed by a proposed MA & FE faculty
assessment model or models Areas budgets
Implementation of pilot cross-disciplinary projects
using assessment models followed by review
Full implementation of cross-disciplinary projects
across the College using an agreed model or
models of assessment
Quality,
D3 To review the extent to which it is Faculties &
appropriate for students to determine their Achieved the appointment of a working group to MA & FE
own programme of study research and review "personalised learning" Areas
Completed research and proposed
recommendations 5,000

21
 implementation of recommendations 5,000
D4 To support staff in the development of
a reflective, action-research approach to Quality,
learning and teaching as a means of Provided staff development in action-research as Faculties &
developing their teaching practice and a means of enhancing teaching and achieved an MA & FE
disseminating good practice agreed list of Faculty- and course-based projects Areas 5,000
Achieved the completion of phase one of the
projects followed by review and
recommendations for future work 5,000
Achieved the completion of another set of action-
research projects. 5,000
D5 To develop an applied research MA
function at postgraduate level Achieved an applied research development plan MA Area budget
Achieved completion of phase one followed by
review
Achieved the completion of phase two followed
by review
D6 To review the College's portfolio of
courses as part of a programme of Mgt Cttee & course
continuous review with a view to Faculties & dev
strengthening existing provision and Completed model of portfolio review agreed by MA & FE budget
pioneering new creative areas Management Committee and completed trial areas £25k pa
Completed a new course development plan
Implemented the new course development plan

E. Widening participation in a
supportive learning environment: To
widen participation, in particular,
through the development of an
appropriately supportive learning WP
environment funding

22
E1 To provide appropriate student-
centred learning development and support
to all learners according to need including
individual sessions, classes, online In collaboration with key stakeholders, reviewed Student Student
diagnostics and resource-based learning the role of student orientation and induction and Support, support
materials developed an action plan; LRC budget
investigated the potential of setting up a
commercial access centre and presented a
development plan and recommendations to
Management Committee for approval
Implemented phase one of the development plan
E2 To continue to provide learning
development support for teaching staff so Reviewed provision in relation to the new Student
as to enable them to support students with curriculum's requirements and drawn up a plan Student support
learning difficulties for implementation the following academic year Support budget
Developed a strategy and implementation plan
for a commercial regional student support centre
and obtained agreement from Management
Committee
Implemented the first phase of the strategic plan
E3 To continue staff development in
diversity, focusing in particular on equality HR training
and diversity issues including disabilities, Developed and implemented a rolling & Student Staff dev
gender, race. programme of staff development Support budget
Continued the rolling programme of staff
development
Continued the rolling programme of staff
development

23
E4 To develop appropriate routes by
which secondary level students and non-
traditional learners can progress onto a
Ravensbourne course and to raise Continued to develop projects with individual
aspirations for HE within the community. partner institutions through the staff & student
This includes internal progression for year volunteering system, offering projects, summer WP, WP
0 and FE students offered through a schools and visits; reviewing progress and Faculties & funding
supported application process improving the system FE Area £50k pa 5,000
Continued to develop projects with individual
partner institutions through the staff & student
volunteering system, offering projects, summer
schools and visits; reviewing progress and
improving the system 5,000
Continued to develop projects with individual
partner institutions through the staff & student
volunteering system, offering projects, summer
schools and visits; reviewing progress and
improving the system 5,000
E5 Continue to develop the personal
tutorial system as a focus for personal Reviewed the personal tutorial system in the light
development planning and as a device for of its existing role and the new functions Student WP
learners to explore learning challenges identified for the running of the new curriculum Support, funding
and difficulties with tutors and proposed a model Faculties £30k pa
Implemented a pilot of the new model with year
one students and reviewed findings
Implemented the new (revised) model across the
institution
E6 To review the College's admissions
process in response to the Schwartz
Report with a view to ensuring equality of Reviewed and redefined the College's
opportunity for applicants from non- admissions process accepted by Academic Registry
traditional backgrounds Board Registry budget
Implemented the College's new admissions
process and reviewed its effectiveness

24

E7 To continue to develop student-
centred learning support provision through
pre- and post-entry consultations and
course level diagnostics.
F. Enterprise and employability: To
embed enterprise in employability
skills development
F1 To support academic staff in the
articulation and delivery of student
employability, in particular through the
personal and professional development
and enterprise units in the new curriculum
Continued to review the College's admissions
process in the light of changes to the external
environment
Continued to keep student support provision
current and appropriate for a diverse set of
learners based on benchmarking with the sector, Student Student
research into new approaches and learner Support & support
feedback. LRC budget
Continued to keep student support provision
current and appropriate for a diverse set of
learners based on benchmarking with the sector,
research into new approaches and learner
feedback.
Continued to keep student support provision
current and appropriate for a diverse set of
learners based on benchmarking with the sector,
research into new approaches and learner
feedback.
HEIF2
funding
Provided guidance and staff development in the
delivery of the personal and professional
development and enterprise units for level one in Employ-
the new curriculum, reviewed the outcomes and ability,
proposed modifications faculties
Provided guidance and staff development in
recommended modifications and in the delivery
of the personal and professional development
and enterprise units for level two in the new
curriculum, reviewed the outcomes and
proposed modifications
25

F2 To benchmark the service against
external standards and work towards the
Matrix Standard, a quality standard for
information, advice and guidance services
F3 To increase student opportunities for
work experience and employment by
setting up a College employment service
(subject to feasibility)
G. Continued innovation in digital
technology: To continue to develop an
appropriate technical and digital
environment for the delivery of learning
and teaching in the current building
and in the new Ravensbourne
Provided guidance and staff development in the
recommended modifications and in the delivery
of the personal and professional development
and enterprise units for level three in the new
curriculum, reviewed the outcomes and
proposed modifications
Carried out a benchmarking exercise and
created a development plan for the achievement Employ-
of the Matrix Standard ability
Implemented the first phase of the Matrix
Standard development plan and reviewed the
outcomes
Implemented the second phase of the Matrix
Standard development plan and reviewed the
outcomes.
Carried out a feasibility study of the feasibility of
setting up a College employment service and Employ-
proposed and had accepted a development plan ability
Implemented a pilot employment service for
students and reviewed the outcomes
Implemented another pilot in the light of the first
or the next phase of the service.
ProjCap
funding &
internal
ICT
budget
26
G1 To develop a formal cyclical process
for the review of technical resource needs
in relation to industry workflow, curriculum
requirements and ICT resource
management
G2 To require all HE students to own their
own computer by 2009 and to develop a
scheme to support this in the case of
students unable to afford their own
computer. FE students will be encouraged
to won their own computer as appropriate
G3 To develop specialist web-based ICT
services e.g. print, storage
G4 To continue to support access to
independent online learning materials
relating to the use of technical resources
and software learning
Developed a proposed model for technology
planning and development for acceptance at
Management Committee ICT
Implementation of the technology planning and
development model
Continued implementation of the technology
planning and development model followed by
review
Implemented the "laptop" pilot and reviewed
outcomes ICT
Rolled out the "laptop" project for year one
students and monitored the outcomes
Carried out a benchmarking exercise and
created a development plan for the achievement
of web-based services ICT
Carried out appropriate development work
needed for the implementation of the web-based
services
Implemented the web-based services and
reviewed their effectiveness
Continued to liaise with academic staff and
technical tutors about appropriate new
developments and updates in order to enable
staff to prepare online learning materials ICT/MIS
27

G5 To design the ICT technical
infrastructure and the technical resources
for product, interior architecture and
fashion for the new Ravensbourne based
on well-informed research into emerging
technologies and current industry practice
and to pilot and implement the design.
G6 To promote the relevance of digital
and networked culture to the academic
community: a body of professional
designers, communicators and life-long
learners
Continued to liaise with academic staff and
technical tutors about appropriate new
developments and updates in order to enable
staff to prepare online learning materials
Continued to liaise with academic staff and
technical tutors about appropriate new
developments and updates in order to enable
staff to prepare online learning materials
Collaborated closely with academic staff and the
College's architects in the development of
designs for the technical infrastructure and
resources that meet the requirements of the
College mission in the new Ravensbourne ICT
Carried out pilots of new proposals to ensure
smooth implementation in the new
Ravensbourne
Carried out pilots of new proposals to ensure
smooth implementation in the new
Ravensbourne
Developed projects to promote the relevance of
digital and networked culture to the academic
community and disseminated the outcomes
Continued to develop projects to promote the
relevance of digital and networked culture to the
academic community and disseminated the
outcomes
Continued to develop projects to promote the
relevance of digital and networked culture to the
academic community and disseminated the
outcomes
28
HEFCE ALLOCATION 76,947 89,026 89,026
GRAND TOTAL 77000 87000 87000

29