In this Section:
Mini-Projects at Welsh HEIs
The Centre funded two Mini-Projects at Welsh HEIs under its Call in 2008/9. The Call sought bids in any one (or more) of four themes: Assessment and Feedback, work-based learning, research-teaching linkages and learning technologies. The Projects are each nearing completion, and will deliver comprehensive project reports.
Funding was awarded to the following:
Loretta Newman-Ford, Steve Lloyd and Steve Thomas at the University of Glamorgan for "HoneyBee: evaluating Glamorgan’s Work-Based Learning initiative":
HoneyBee, at the University of Glamorgan, is a project which offers a partnership of academia, professional training and personal development to both engineering undergraduates and local businesses by coordinating and supporting a range of bespoke work placements. TheMini Project will evaluate beneficiaries’ experiences of the HoneyBee scheme. Research will examine the impact of Work-Based Learning engagement on the employability of Glamorgan’s engineering undergraduates and will investigate the development of new, practical and transferable skills through real-life work experience. Skills requirements of local businesses and the attitudinal/practical barriers they face recruiting undergraduates/graduates will also be touched upon, where such evaluation could inform our Work-Based Learning provision, allow us to make recommendations, and utilise the HoneyBee scheme to exemplify good practice.
Start date: October 2008 Duration: 12 months Funding: £3.5K
Dr Peter Theobald at the Cardiff School of Engineering, Cardiff University for "The development of an Assessment Framework for the assessment of students’ Individual Projects"
This study aims to explore the robustness of the Individual Project assessment; this is the major piece of individual work performed by an undergraduate student (typically at Level 3) on every accredited Higher Education Institution (HEI) engineering programme. The broad range of student projects typically requires a method of assessment unique to this module (e.g. report and viva voce). The subjective nature – in addition to the involvement of many staff – means that this assessment is susceptible to inconsistency. Subsequently, this study aims to explore the validity and reliability of the local Individual Project assessment process in order to make enhancements that will ensure that the mark provides a fair account of a student’s performance. This aim will be achieved by proposing the adoption of an Assessment Framework that will fit within the Cardiff University Assessment Strategy, whilst also being generic and thus readily transferable for implementation at other HEI’s.
Start date: January 2009 Duration: 12 months Funding: £3.5K
For more information, please contact the identified investigator or Simon Steiner at simon@engsc.ac.uk
Background to the submission of bids
The call was established to encourage bids for the funding of pedagogic research and learning and teaching development projects that link closely with some of the priority areas of enhancement for Welsh HEIs.
The invitation to bid was open only to HEIs in Wales, to work in any one (or more) of the following themes:
- Assessment and Feedback,
- work-based learning, enterprise and employability,
- research-teaching linkages,
- Learning Technologies.
The Centre's aim in funding Mini-Projects under this Special Call was to provide opportunity for the sharing and development of good practice and resources in engineering education at Welsh HEIs that will be beneficial to the wider engineering community. This invitation to bid was made only to HEIs in Wales, to work in any one (or more) of the nominated themes, to encourage subject-based pedagogic research arising from any one (or more) of the nominated themes.
Funding of up to £3500 over 12 months was awarded to successful bids to complete a small scale research or development project within a department or institution - the findings and resources from the project will be disseminated by the Engineering Subject Centre/published on the Centre's website.