University of Derby - Case study

The University of Derby is a university in the city of Derby, England in the UK. The main campus is in the north-west of Derby. The university additionally operates a site in Buxton, Derbyshire, known as the Devonshire campus. Courses are also housed in the Britannia Mill campus in Derby and the Chesterfield Centre for health education.

The university provides nearly 300 study programmes at the undergraduate level. Undergraduate programmes as well as short courses, foundation degrees, and postgraduate degrees are generally superintended by individual faculties/research groups and cover most popularly-recognized academic disciplines and subdisciplines. The university's Joint Honours Scheme allows students to combine over 40 subjects from across all four university faculties.

The University was founded in 1992 but its predecessors go back to 1851.

It has over 24,000 students of which 12,000 are undergraduates, 2,000 are postgraduates and 7,000 are FE students (doing non-degree courses).

Its web site is at http://www.derby.ac.uk

It is a member of the Open Learning Foundation, a member of EADTU.

Editors! When using this just as a template ignore all the information about 1-5 scales and comments.

Just cover each topic (bulleted list item) by a sentence or short paragraph. Note that several items are unlikely to be susceptible to desk research.

Institution

The present

General description of the institution in its current state, putting the e-learning into context

The university provides nearly 300 study programmes at the undergraduate level. Undergraduate programmes as well as short courses, foundation degrees, and postgraduate degrees are generally superintended by individual faculties/research groups and cover most popularly-recognized academic disciplines and subdisciplines. The university's Joint Honours Scheme allows students to combine over 40 subjects from across all four university faculties.

It offers many programmes including substantial e-learning with some delivered almost completely by e-learning.

The University is an active participant in UK development programmes in e-learning including Benchmarking and Pathfinder.

Students can study online for a foundation degree, honours degree or postgraduate degree in a wide range of subjects.

Studying for a degree online means that students can choose when and where to study - ideal if students want to study with a university but can't or don't want to come to lectures on campus all the time. Students can study at home or at work. All they need is a PC and an internet connection. With online discussion groups there's also plenty of opportunity for students to talk to fellow students from around the world.

Specific courses with a high level of e-learning include:

Vocational

• Advanced Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Skills and Studies
• Certificate of Higher Education in Supporting Disabled Students
• University Diploma in International Spa Management
• University Diploma in Psychotherapeutics

Foundation degrees

• Foundation Degree in Beauty and Spa Services
• Foundation Degree in Hairdressing and Salon Management
• Foundation Degree in Hospitality Management

Undergraduate degrees

• BA (Hons) Business Studies
• BA Hairdressing Salon Management
• BA Hospitality Management (Final Year Top-up)
• BSc (Hons) International Spa Management
• BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Adult) Top Up
• BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Mental Health) Top Up
• BSc Applied Psychological Studies
• BSc Applied Psychology

Postgraduate study

• LLM in Commercial Law
• MA Education
• MA Education: Guidance
• MBA (Certificate Stage)
• MBA (Diploma Stage)
• MBA (Master of Business Administration)
• MBA Logistics
• MSc Environmental Health
• MSc Environmental Management
• MSc Health Ergonomics
• MSc Strategic Information Technology Management
• MSc Strategic Management
• Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Supervision

Institution's annual budget

Not known.

Number of students in the institution

(a) in total? (b) as full-time equivalents?

Staff in the institution

(a) in total? (b) as full-time equivalents?

Institution's "business model"

(a) public (b) private (c) consortium (d) national programme. If (c) or (d) above, list the other partners (or the members) and for each briefly describe its role.

The University of Derby is a public institution.

Percentage of the institution's students based outside the home country

Not known.

Institution's approach to virtual mobility

Not known.

How the institution manages its "brand"

(a) in general and (b) in respect of any e-learning aspects

The University has a clear mission statement – “To be the learners first choice for quality and opportunity”. The e-learning provision is strongly marketed by a central marketing team and is linked via our homepage via "ways to study".

The past

Give a narrative description of the institution's history since its foundation, concentrating on key dates, recent years and any e-learning issues.

The history of the University of Derby is complex, involving lots of institutions, premises and affiliations. See the diagram.

The following material is sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Derby#History

Early years

Over the years, two dozen bodies have contributed to the university's formation. The first of these was founded in 1851 as the Derby Diocesan Institution for the Training of Schoolmistresses. Albeit under different names so to reflect maturing objectives, the institution flourished as an individual entity for some 120 years before merging with another developing educational artery to help form what was then known as the Derby Lonsdale College of Higher Education, 1977.

The other line of this confluence began in 1853 with the establishment of the Derby School of Art, which in 1870 became the Derby Central School of Art and the Derby Central School of Science. In 1885, the two schools were reformulated into the Derby School of Art and Technical Institution. Less than a decade later however, 1892, three more mergers took place and the institution became the Derby Municipal Technical College.

Kedleston Road

In 1928, the Technical College split into the Derby School of Art and the Derby Technical College. By 1955, the two had become the Derby and District College of Art (opened on 22 September 1966 by Paul Reilly, Director of the Council of Industrial Design), and the Derby and District College of Technology (opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 15 May 1964), both situated on Kedleston Road. The site was formerly Markeaton Golf Course and cost £2.5m, with a foundation stone placed on July 5 1957 by Lord (Ernest) Hives, a former managing director of Rolls Royce. Opened by the Duke the day before, the 35 acre Bishop Lonsdale College in Mickleover was developed for teacher training courses. At the opening ceremony, the Duke said qualities needed by teachers are the dedication of a saint, the patience of a watchmaker, the sympathy of parents, and the leadership of a general. The Duke spent two days in Derby, staying the night nearby at Okeover Hall near Ashbourne as a guest of the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. Half of the places at Mickleover were reserved for C of E trainees and the other half for those with no link to Derby Diocese. The operational split between the two colleges at Kedleston Road was dissolved in 1972 with a mutual initiative for the creation of the Derby College of Art and Technology. Five years afterward, and as previously noted, the described educational lineage married itself with Derby’s diocesan tradition, which had became known institutionally as the Bishop Lonsdale College of Education at Mickleover. There were about 800 students at Mickleover and 1200 at Kedleston Road.

Merger with Mickleover Education College

After the 1977 union and subsequent formation of the Derby Lonsdale College of Higher Education, four other educational institutions would add their respective sector-related talents. In March 1981, the college held its first graduation ceremony with formal academic caps and gowns with only six degrees (out of 156 courses) being ratified by the CNAA. Previous to this, the college's degrees were awarded in a ceremony at the University of Nottingham. The Matlock College of Education, a traditional Church of England teacher training college formed in 1946 at Rockside Hall (now a country hotel), combined with Lonsdale in 1983 to create the Derbyshire College of Higher Education, when the Matlock College was having financial difficulties when funding for teacher training was scaled down when school numbers had dropped. In 1985, this college at Matlock was scaled down significantly and closed in 1986. In 1991 the Southern Derbyshire School of Occupational Therapy united with the college. The Southern Derbyshire School of Radiography did the same in 1992.

Transformation to university

It was also in 1992, via the Further and Higher Education Acts, that the Derbyshire College of Higher Education became the only school of higher education in the country to be upgraded directly to a university.[citation needed] On 31 October 1992, the T block (science subjects, which lies to the north of the North Tower) was opened by Princess Alice, the Chancellor of the University. In January 1994, Britannia Mill[2] (a renovated mill) opened, at a cost of £10m. On 4 March 1994, the B block (business and management subjects, which lies north of the East Tower) was opened by the Conservative MP, Tim Boswell. Later in autumn 1994, the Atrium was built. In November 1997, the Learning Centre was officially opened, having been built on a former car park. The University of Derby was fully invested, and in 1998 welcomed a synthesis of efforts with the High Peak College of Further Education, Buxton on Harpur Hill – a synthesis to eventually be amalgamated as the Devonshire Campus[3] of the University of Derby Buxton, Derby's second campus.

History of e-learning at the University of Derby

To follow.

External environment

Institution's funding from government as a percentage of annual income

Not known.

The way that funding is provided for institutions in the institution's country

Almost all universities in the United Kingdom are public institutions largely funded by the state. (The main exception is the University of Buckingham.)

State funds for the University of Derby come from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Legal status of the institution

The University of Derby is incorporated as a Private Company Limited by Guarantee, set up under the laws of England and Wales as Company No. 03079282. See http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/a46691c2b693b6e5186d624471a7a87f/compdetails

The Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association were drawn up in 1995

Language(s) that the institution uses for instruction

Add the percentage of students studying in each. (Bilingual study can also be included.)

The language of instruction is English.

Specific cultural issues that affect the institution's students

Mention any features relevant to e-learning

The University of Derby has a significantly high proportion of mature students (it is estimated that 60% of our students are 21 or over), which has an impact on the nature of their skill base and also their ability to commit full time to study, due to work and family commitments, thereby increasing the importance of e-learning to the institution.

External quality assurance and/or accreditation regime affecting the institution

Mention any features relevant to e-learning

The University of Derby has its quality of learning and teaching overseen by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). They have produced several reports in recent years on the University (see the list) including:

1. Collaborative provision audit, University of Derby, December 2006 (RG315 03/07), QAA, March 2007
2. Institutional audit, University of Derby,(RG141 08/05), QAA, March 2005
3. Quality Audit: Collaborative provision, University of Derby (IRD 732), QAA, March 2003

Approach to credit transfer with other similar institutions

The UK has as yet no overall system of credit transfer. However, new universities including the University of Derby normally have a network of relationships with nearby institutions especially colleges and other new universities, which facilitate this process.

For example, the Derbyshire Regional Network (DRN), later the Curriculum Partnership, was a partnership of five Further Education colleges and the University of Derby which has been formed to establish a regional credit framework and a CAT system. The DRN is an example of a single credit system across the FE/HE divide and is also based on guidelines and specifications developed by the FEU.

Main associations that the institution is a member of

with a note as to the relevance of each to e-learning (if any)

The University of Derby is a member of the Open Learning Foundation (OLF). It was a member of the Global University Alliance (GUA), set up by NextEd in the early 2000s.

As with most UK universities, it is a member of Universities UK. As with many new universities, it is a member of the Million+ group of new universities.

Main international partners of the institution

in the order of strategic importance, with priority given to collaborations involving e-learning

The University has a long list of international partners, of which the most relevant are:

• Botswana Accountancy College (Gaborone, Botswana) - The University of Derby runs the Master of Science in Strategic Management programme as an ...
• Gestalt Academy (Stockholm, Sweden) - Gestalt Academy is a private, non-profit making psychotherapy training organisation.
• Inter College (Israel)- from 1996
• Malawi Institute of Management (Lilongwe, Malawi) - from 1998
• Swiss Hotel Management School (Leysin, Switzerland)
• The Vakalo School of Art and Design (Athens, Greece) (established in 1957)

There are also relationships with several UK partners including many colleges - see the list.

Strategy

Current institutional strategy

The mission statement of the University is to be:

"The learners first choice university for quality and opportunity"

The leading aim of the mission is:

To achieve a high quality student focused learning experience

The University affirms within the leading aim, that:

• Learning and teaching is the core activity of the University
• The University will achieve excellence in learning and teaching provision in all its aspects and seek to deliver it flexibly
• Active and relevant scholarship and research informs quality teaching

= Current learning and teaching strategy

The learning, teaching and assessment strategy is described in a recent document presented at the staff conference in 2008.

The Aims of the LTA Strategy are to:

• Create a student-centred learning culture (so) our learners... become independent lifelong learners (c.f. ‘student focussed’ mission);
• Make our student learning experience accessible... in flexible ways to support widening participation, retention and progression where student learning is situated (c.f. ‘community based’ mission).
• Develop and enhance learner employability and professionalism... enabling them... to become reflective and responsive practitioners in their continuing employment (c.f. ‘achievement driven’ mission);
• Create a professional standards framework and scholarly environment to support staff in generating an ethos and practice of student centred learning

The Objectives of the LTA Strategy are to:

1. Develop inclusive LTA practices for diversity (c.f. accessibility etc)
2. Develop student skills and attributes (c.f. PDP, employability etc)
3. Strengthen programme design via curriculum frameworks and experts
4. Adopt professional standards in the context of CPD
5. Use innovative LTA methods for dispersed learners and teachers
6. Use technology supported learning in embedded and ubiquitous ways
7. Establish and implement a Flexible Learning Framework
8. Implement the University assessment policy
9. Implement a University LTA infrastructure
10. Implement a University LTA infrastructure
11. Establish excellent practice leading to quality learning
12. Support innovation in curriculum design, delivery, assessment and student support
13. Foster a spirit of partnership amongst every member of staff

The strategy is also available as a private download

Current e-learning strategy

e-learning is embedded as part of the LTA strategy and is not a separate document.

Percentage of students

(a) taking courses wholly or largely delivered by e-learning
(b) taking courses where the amount of institutionally supplied/guided e-learning is "significant" (i.e. has an impact on staff or students)>br> (c) taking courses where the where the amount of institutionally supplied/guided e-learning is insignificant?

Not known yet.

Percentage of the institutional budget that e-learning represents

Comment on how it is measured including the assumptions made, whether it is appropriate and any trends

Some highlights:

• £1.2 Million in terms of student income, however, there are also additional staff costs and software and hardware costs, which in part are related to e-learning.
• 120 hours per year x 4 to ELTFs

Also awaiting info from CEDM on their costs here

Role (if any) of external funding in fostering the development of e-learning

(a) not relevant, (b) useful, or (c) essential

It is essential, since much of the external funding has pump-primed activities, which may not have occurred without such external funding.

Structure

Institutional structure

preferably supplying an organogram

As is quite common in the UK, the University is divided into a number of academic units (called Faculties) and central departments supplying services to academic staff and students. See the page http://www.derby.ac.uk/current-staff for an overview.

There are five Faculties of which one, the Faculty of Flexible and Partnership Learning is particularly key to e-learning activities.

Type of e-learning support model

(a) hub (b) distributed (c) hub and spokes (d) complicated (e) non-existent

The learning support model could be best described as (c) hub and spokes, although perhaps with uneven spokes.

There is a central Centre for Educational Development and Media (CEDM), which supports staff in a range of electronic media, including e-assessment, video, animations etc. This is supported in varying levels in the faculties by e-learning teaching fellows, who act as points of support and champions. This is also augmented in some areas (low numbers) by dedicated developers to support academic staff.

The structure for the e-learning operation and how it maps into the institutional structure

To follow.

The committees that oversee e-learning and their relationship to the organisational structure

(including the rank and role of the Chair in each relevant committee)

E-learning within the University is overseen via a number of committees, which are as follows:

• CDL – Collaborative and Distance Learning Commitee
• (more coming)

Learning and Teaching processes

This has a focus on learning and teaching with other aspects viewed from this perspective

A wide range of programmes are currently offered fully online (so-called "pure" or "pure-play" e-learning):

• Applied Psychological Studies (Online) BSc (Hons)
• Applied Psychology (Online) BSc (Hons)
• Business Studies (Online) BA (Hons)
• Clinical Supervision (Online) PG Cert
• Cognitive Behavioural Skills and Studies (Online) University Advanced Diploma
• Education (Online) MA (incorporating PG Cert and PG Dip)
• Environmental Health (Online) MSc
• Environmental Management (Online) MSc (incorporating PG Cert/PG Dip)
• Events Management (Online) FdA
• Events Safety Management (Online) Diploma
• Hairdressing and Salon Management (Online) BA (Hons)
• Hairdressing and Salon Management: Creative Pathway (Online) FdA
• Hairdressing and Salon Management: Management Pathway (Online) FdA
• Health Ergonomics (Online) MSc (incorporating PG Cert/PG Dip)
• Hospitality Management (Online) FdA
• Hospitality Management Top up (Online) BA (Hons)
• Hotel Management (FdA)
• International Spa Management (Online) BSc (Hons)
• International Spa Management (Online) University Diploma
• Law, Commercial (Online) LL.M
• MA Education: Guidance Studies, incorporating PG Cert and PG Dip (Online)
• MBA (Logistics) incorporating PG Cert/PG Dip (Online)
• MBA, incorporating PG Cert/PG Dip (Online)
• Nursing Studies (Adult) Top up (Online) BSc (Hons)
• Nursing Studies (Mental Health) Top Up (Online) BSc (Hons)
• Psychotherapeutics (Online) University Diploma
• Spa Management (Online) FdA*
• Spa Therapies (Online) FdA *
• Strategic Information Technology Management (Online) MSc (incorporating PG Cert/PG Dip)
• Strategic Management (Online) MSc (incorporating PG Cert/PG Dip)
• Teaching 14-19 Psychology (Online) PG Dip
• Travel and Tourism Operations (Online) FdA

Learning and teaching design and delivery

How choice of pedagogies and technologies is made for a typical programme that is envisaged to include significant e-learning

The types of pedagogy offered vary widely based on the nature of the target audience and their requirements. However, whilst there is still perhaps too great an emphasis in some areas on a didactic model, there has been a move towards greater use of problem-based learning.

Scope that staff have at delivery stage to refine or in some cases override design decisions made earlier

The University has moved from an overtly front loaded production model, where the material was all produced upfront of the course (as in the GUA era), to a system that now allows academic staff a great deal of flexibility in terms of the materials which they provide. There is also beginning to be a greater emphasis placed on collaborative activities and even user-generated content thus a model based too rigidly on "content" is not appropriate.

Learning and teaching development

This includes materials and IPR

Amount of e-learning content sourced from outside the institution

Use a scale of 1-5 with a comment (an exact percentage is useful)

Very little (score of 1).

However, the University is good at copyright cleared book chapters etc. The lack of re-use of existing content is a major weakness of the institution and is not currently handled in a systematic manner (but work is under way to resolve this).

Amount of e-learning content sourced from outside the institution that is OER

Use a scale of 1-5 with a comment

Very little (score of 1).

Most is on an informal basis by academics, not part of a standard development process. The University's involvement in the JISC POCKET project (linked to OpenLearn at the Open University UK) will be used as a vehicle to move this forward.

Ownership by staff of content developed

(a) owned by them and licensed to the institution, (b) owned by the institution but with some licensing back to staff, (c) owned by the institution but with no licensing back to staff, (d) unclear or disputed IPR position?

With the exception of a handful of long-serving academics (on Principal Lecturer contracts dating from many years ago), the content is owned by the institution. For more details see Intellectual Property Right Staff Regulations.

Amount of content sourced from other departments within the institution

Use a scale of 1-5 with a comment (an exact percentage is useful)

Score of 1. There is a very low level of sharing of material across the institution.

Role of student-generated content in the institution's programmes

Use a scale of 1-5 with a comment

Score of 1. Low, but varies by programme and is on an upward trend.

Learning and teaching evaluation and quality

Quality procedures

describe them (a) in general terms and (b) with respect to e-learning

The University has an innovative risk-based approach to quality assurance; the full VA processes are documented here: http://www.derby.ac.uk/qed/AQSD/HE_Quality_Assurance.html

The processes for e-learning are similar for those for e-learning, and thus VA procedures and annual monitoring apply. In addition an annual overarching e-learning annual monitoring report was produced (as separate to individual programme reports).

The University is a leading member of the Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement in e-Learning SIG set up by the Higher Education Academy and a group of universities.

Approach to evaluation of programmes

(a) in general terms and (b) where such programmes have significant e-learning components

Each programme produces an annual monitoring report, which has a defined structure and template. This is partly informed by programme questionnaires, delivered at three stages in the year. The e-learning programmes have specially designed items to capture pertinent information for online learners.

Meta Learning and Teaching processes

Communications

The way the institution communicates good practice in e-learning within itself

focussing on communications across internal boundaries

Value for money

• Describe the annual planning procedure (a) in general and (b) how it handles e-learning aspects.
• Describe the decision-making process for a typical academic programme, with particular reference to how e-learning aspects are handled.
• Describe the decision-making process for a typical large IT project such as selection and installation of a new VLE.
• Describe the approach to budget management with particular reference to the staff versus non-staff issues in budgeting for e-learning.
• Describe the procedures in the institution for assigning or negotiating teaching workload to/with staff, taking account of non-traditional styles of teaching as well as classroom teaching and taking specific account of e-learning.

Staff

Teachers, lecturers, trainers and equivalent support roles

• Describe the approach to development of e-learning technical and pedagogic skills among staff, taking account of the different needs of different categories of staff. Set this within the context of staff development generally.
• Describe (a) the current level of staff competence in e-learning and (b) the expected level of staff competence in five years time. In each case use a 1-5 scale with a comment.
• Describe the extent to which staff attitudes to e-learning are favourable or not. Use a 1-5 scale with a comment.
• Describe the way that the institution rewards and recognises staff with competence in e-learning, in (a) monetary and (b) non-monetary terms.

Management and leadership

This subsection concerns leaders (Rectors, Vice-Chancellors, etc) and academic and support service managers (Deans, Directors, etc). These do not need to have specific knowledge of e-learning details but must have the necessary strategic, management, costing and foresight capability to preside over decisions on key e-learning issues such as procurement of a new VLE, development of a new distance learning programme, rebalancing the library and its staff more towards web 2.0 and less to books, etc. This will require appropriate manager and leader training.

• Describe the approach to development of e-learning-related skills among (a) managers and (b) leaders.
• Describe the current level of (a) management and (b) leadership competence in e-learning related skills appropriate to their levels. In each case use a 1-5 scale with a comment.
• Describe the extent to which (a) management and (b) leadership attitudes to e-learning are favourable or not. Use a 1-5 scale with a comment.
• Give details of the job description of the most senior manager/leader in the organisation who spends a significant portion of his/her time on e-learning matters (e.g. the Director of E-Learning).

Students

• Describe the approach to development of e-learning skills among students, taking account of the different needs of different categories of students. Set this within the context of students' more general information literacy and communication skills.
• Describe (a) the current level of student competence in e-learning on entry to the institution and (b) the expected level of student competence on graduation from the institution. In each case use a 1-5 scale with a comment.
• Describe the extent to which student attitudes to e-learning are favourable or not. Use a 1-5 scale with a comment.
• Describe the extent to which students understand the demands on them placed by e-learning systems (e.g. for assignment handling).
• Describe the current approach to handling student plagiarism, both prevention strategies and detection strategies.
• Describe the current (i.e. at last survey) level of student satisfaction with the e-learning aspects of their courses. Use a 1-5 scale with a comment.

Technology

For each of the following technologies relevant to e-learning describe how much it is used on a scale of 1-5 and add a comment if appropriate.

• VLE and/or content repository
• email or bulletin boards
• automated assessment
• Web 2.0 tools especially blogs, wikis and social networks oriented to the institution
• e-portfolios
• laptops - and comment on student ownership issues
• audio or video podcasting or streaming - and comment on student ownership issues
• mobile devices (not laptops) - and comment on student ownership issues

And finally:

• Provide a description of any other technologies with significant use in the institution.

Futures

• Describe the expected changes as they relate to e-learning within the institution's current strategic horizon (from the institution's strategy documents).
• Describe any changes further downstream that the institution is now considering or concerned about.
• Describe how the institution handles the foresight aspects of its operation with regard to e-learning.
• Describe how the institution handles advanced development oriented to e-learning (e.g. by a "sandbox" lab, innovation centre, etc).
• Describe how the institution analyses and takes into account present and future markets for its offerings.
• Describe how the institution analyses and takes into account present and future competitor suppliers for its offerings.
• Describe how the institution analyses and takes into account the views of other stakeholders, including but not restricted to employers, local authorities and the social partners (unions).

References and reports

1. Quality Audit: Collaborative provision, University of Derby (IRD 732), QAA, March 2003

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