Teaching and learning
Teaching and learning enhancement is a core activity in undergraduate and postgraduate education in midwifery at Manchester.
We carry out a wide range of activities to enhance teaching and learning by improving the quality of the student experience and guiding the development of excellent and cutting edge curricula, ensuring they are delivered to the highest standard.
Our teaching and learning activities include the following.
Rigorous internal reviews and professional body monitoring ensure that our programmes meet relevant quality and benchmark standards. All of our professional bodies report that we effectively control risks and their monitoring reports convey confidence in our provision.
Our Teaching and Learning Team also:
- provide advice, support and project management for teaching and learning and student experience activities;
- develop policies that underpin effective teaching and learning and work in partnership with colleagues to implement these and establish robust processes;
- manage our Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Committee (UG TLC) and Graduate Education Committee (GEMC), which oversee quality assurance for all UG and PGT programmes and activities that contribute to teaching and learning and the student experience. This is primarily through TLC and GEMC, as well as the operational group Undergraduate Leadership Forum (UGLF).
Annual monitoring
This process enables us to reflect on the previous academic year's activities and programme delivery. The continued cycle of monitoring ensures that programmes remain fit for purpose and strive for further enhancement.
Periodic reviews
UG 2014, PG 2017 (2011)
This is a developmental process normally undertaken every five to six years based on a self-evaluation.
We have been commended for many areas of good practice and recommendations made during this process inform the onward enhancement of our programmes.
Peer review
This is a supportive process whereby academic colleagues review and explore another colleague's teaching and supporting information.
This occurs through the direct observation of their interaction with students and the review of their teaching materials and course unit design.
The aim is for staff to take part in the peer review process in a three-year cycle. This helps build a comprehensive picture of a teacher's strengths and areas for development, and thereby facilitate career progression and enhance teaching quality.
We strive to improve our educational programmes by meeting and exceeding the benchmark standards set by the following regulatory organisations:
- Nursing and Midwifery Council;
- Health and Care Professions Council;
- Health Education North West;
- College of Social Work;
- British Psychological Society.
We work with regulatory organisations for both ongoing monitoring activities and new programme approval.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council, in concluding its annual monitoring of NHS provision in the Faculty in 2010 and 2011, stated that "the University has robust quality assurance systems and processes" and "the University has excellent, integrated systems for quality assurance".
Continued approval from Heath Education North West (Commissioner of Education) cites the quality of our programmes and continued adherence to the ECQ standards required within the education contract.
Students can be assured that by choosing Manchester you will experience the benefits of outstanding teaching and learning in a high-quality, research-rich environment, and a qualification of which you can be truly proud.
Health and Conduct Committee
Our Health and Conduct Committee considers matters concerning students' conduct and health as directed by The University of Manchester regulations and policies.
The committee operates within the guidance from the NMC and HCPC and regulatory framework relating to pre-registration students and registrants (for students studying CPD units or programmes).
Student evaluations
Seeking our students' views is crucial to enhancing teaching and learning and improving your experience during your studies.
Student evaluations (internal module evaluations and National Student Surveys for undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research) enable the Teaching and Learning Office to direct activities to address areas requiring improvement, make appropriate modifications and share/disseminate good practice through the Student Experience Action Plan.
Quality assurance of practice audits
Practice learning forms a fundamental part of our UG pre-registration programmes.
The Teaching and Learning Office works in partnership with the Practice Learning Unit and placement providers to ensure that placements allocated are fit for purpose and of a high quality.
All placement areas are required, under the NMC, to complete a regular educational audit that remains valid for two years. Information regarding audits is included in both internal and external monitoring mechanisms.
Mentorship and updates
All pre-registration students are allocated to a named mentor while on placement. We run a Mentor Preparation programme in partnership with other pan-Manchester higher education institutions and also provide mentor updates.
This enables mentors to have a positive experience carrying out the role and in turn provide a positive experience for their student mentees.
The Education Innovation and Scholarship (EdInaS) group encourages and oversees scholarly activity, innovation and evaluation in education and the implementation and dissemination of good practice.
The primary function of EdInaS is to promote and enhance scholarly output related to teaching and learning. It plays a major role in enabling us to achieve the vision for demonstrable excellence in this field in line with our teaching and learning strategies and operational plans.
E-learning
We are committed to providing a richly interactive and stimulating e-learning environment that enhances teaching and learning. The e-learning platform will facilitate flexible and innovative approaches to learning that meet the educational needs and different learning styles of our students.
The strategy will further ensure that e-learning provision is regularly assessed for quality, evaluated by all users and is continually enhanced in order to meet our own strategic statement of providing exceptional online and blended learning resources.
Simulation
This offers opportunities to allow learners to engage in experiences without the distractions of the real setting, mastering skills at an individual pace where mistakes can be valuable learning opportunities and acquiring the understanding as to which skills/actions are required in patient management.
Simulation is a teaching and learning method within which a real life task, event or experience is recreated with the aim of providing a safe learning environment, for the acquisition of skills knowledge and behaviours (NHS North West 2010).