JISC

Fifteen higher and further education institutions have successfully won funding to explore how the technology can transform the way in which curricula are delivered.

They responded to an invitation from JISC to submit proposals ‘to transform how they deliver and support learning across a curriculum area through the effective use of technology, in response to a particular challenge faced by the discipline(s), department(s) or institution(s) involved.’

JISC have funded 13 of the projects, and Becta have funded two (which are led by Further Education Colleges), as part of a collaborative programme to ensure that both higher and further education have the opportunity to engage with this important area of work.

The institutions involved will review how they currently deliver and support curriculum areas, planning appropriate interventions, and piloting these with learners.

Over the two years that the projects have to run, the institutions involved will be reviewing how they currently deliver and support one or more curriculum areas, planning appropriate interventions, and piloting these with learners.  Enhancing teaching, learning support, advice and guidance, coaching, mentorship, peer and collaborative learning, feedback and assessment, personal development planning and tutoring, skills development and practice are all processes that might be explored.  

There is often overlap and interplay between curriculum design and delivery. Curriculum design needs to be built on real-world learning, teaching considerations and a good understanding of the needs of individual learners. The curriculum delivery projects will be actively encouraged to share practice and their experiences with the projects funded under the sister call Circular 05/08: Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design.

The 13 institutions selected to take forward their proposals with JISC funding are: 

• Bristol University
• Coventry University
• University of Exeter
• University of Hertfordshire
• Kingston College
• Kingston University
• University of Leicester 
• Middlesex University
• Newcastle University
• Open University
• University of Oxford
• St. George’s University of London
• Westminster University

The two institutions selected to take forward their proposals with Becta funding are: 

• The College of West Anglia
• Lewisham College

Both Curriculum Delivery and Design programmes will be supported by a central Support and Synthesis project which will be led by JISC InfoNet in partnership with the JISC Advisory Services, JISC-CETIS and the Regional Support Centres. This project will also be working in partnership with the Higher Education Academy and Becta so as to ensure synergy and join up with other relevant sector initiatives.

Further information on the programme and projects