Welcome to School 20999

1

• Output Standards A Users Perspective
• Professor Alistair Sambell
• Dean of School
• School of Engineering and Technology
• Northumbria University

2
Introduction

• Dean of School
• Responsibility for teaching quality
• Recent Professional Body, QAA visits
• External examiner
• Involved with EPC Project

• Raising discussion not answers!!!!!

3
Why Define Output Standards?

• Confidence to Stakeholders

• Clarity of Purpose

• Enable judgement of standards

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Stakeholders
Output Standards
5
What do we do?
Programme Specifications
Single Document
QAA template ?Learning Outcomes
Mapping Matrix
Programme Handbook ( Web)
Module Descriptors
Learning Outcomes
6
Have we got it right?
Frequency of Reference
Value?
Every 5 years
QAA Professional Bodies External Examiners
Staff Current Students Employers Prospective
Students
High
Many times year
Low
7
Can We Square the Circle?
Language
Articulate Level
Generality vs. subject specific
Single Living Document
Complexity
Threshold, Average or Best
Length
Stakeholders Benchmark
8
How do we make an impact?
9
The Way Forward?
Single (simple) Benchmark from QAA and PEIs
Use of exemplars to define output standards
Focus on sharing good practice