Supporting mentors & resource transformation
Overview
Supporting mentors & resource transformation (SMART) project will investigate, develop and implement processes and tools to help us be smarter in support of work based learning, particularly through mentors, with a key objective being to produce an appropriate model for the Management of Change to support mentors, in order to improve the experience of work-based learning students.
The University has identified that effective mentors are vital to the success of students on work-based programmes.
As part of the University's Management of Change programme it is imperative to work closely with mentors across the University to identify the core tools, technology and processes to be recommended as best practice for the University and the wider sector.
Of paramount importance will be the Use Cases detailing the necessary interventions with all mentors to ensure the most effective support for work-based learning students that can be provided to them. This will include location-independent information provision and staff development.
Aims and objectives
The Use Case models developed during this project to support mentors will be generic, but applied to a specific set of technology-enhanced solutions for our use. These models will be able to be taken and applied in alternative environments, thus contributing to the continuing development of an infrastructure for lifelong learning and workforce development.
Included within this will be the enhanced understanding of how the use of technology in the mentoring process supporting flexible lifelong learning and workforce development leading to tangible benefits to enhance the experience of students and staff (academic and mentor).
Project methodology
The following strategy will be used to run the project:
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Engage and obtain feedback from key stakeholders both internal and external to the University
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Design and implementation of procedures, processes and Use Case model
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Purchase and implementation of suitable software and hardware
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Implement exemplar case studies and methodologies
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Evaluate and refine models
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Dissemination of information to the community
Anticipated outputs and outcomes
Outputs
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Consolidation of currently disparate information relating to outputs within Bucks
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Wider availability of the information to the academic community from a single source
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Integration into institutional policy
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Training in use of and promotion of resources to staff within
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Advice and guidance to colleagues in other institutions
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Informing sector good practice
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Documentation of all procedures developed
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Evolve an online community repository of good practice
Outcomes
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Provide an essential accessible resource for use by colleagues within and outside Bucks.
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Improved profile for Bucks within the academic community
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The implementation of a community repository will give a single point of access to a wide range of information and support available at the point of contact when required
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Development/extension of technical and relevant policies
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Improved awareness of available resources and guidance
Technology / Standards used
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Documentation in PDF format
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Web standards HTML
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Image standards JPEG
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Audio standards MP3
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Video standards WMV
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Metadata Dublin Core
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Alerting standards RSS
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e-Learning standards SCORM
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Frameworks and Models BPML, UML2.0*
*Aligned to the OMG standards where possible
Project Staff
Project Manager & Team
The Project Team are all part of Buckinghamshire New University and can be contacted by telephone on 01494-522141:
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Richard Jones- Head of the Flexible and Distributed Learning Centre (fdLc) and has spent many years as an e-learning champion, including as a Senior Teaching Fellow, and has widely published in the field along with presentation at international conferences and HEA workshops.
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Elizabeth Chamberlain - Support Services Manager and project Manager for JISC Institutional Repository project (ends March 2009)
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Crystal Oldman - Head of School, and currently Associate Dean with specific responsibility for looking at mentoring across the faculties and deriving a model of good practice for all to follow.
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Bill Schaaf - Head of School, and currently Associate Dean with specific responsibility for looking at the use of IT across the faculties to recommend good practice, as well as ‘blue skies’ computing curriculum developments.
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Justin Luker - A Senior Lecturer within the Flexible and Distributed Learning Centre (fdLc), previously employed as a learning technologist within Learning and Information Services and was a key member of the HEA Pathfinder Project team and has undertaken major roles in supporting technology-enhanced Learning (t-eL) within the University.