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A fundamental expectation in the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, which underpins module design, is that all students should receive a high-quality academic experience. This requires curriculum development, review and redesign to incorporate key stakeholders and respect inclusivity. 

 

Current understandings of student identity do not explicitly and systematically include what we define as disciplinary affiliation identity. Many students take shared modules taught to a mixed audience of students enrolled in different degree courses.

 

Through a literature review; an online survey for staff to investigate their experiences of designing and delivering shared modules; and online focus groups at each partner institution to investigate student expectations and experiences of shared modules, this project explored how students’ various disciplinary affiliations and identities can be brought into the design of modules shared across the curricula of different programmes. 

 

The project went on to identify specific contexts, barriers, enablers and other factors that impact the likelihood of the successful implementation of interdisciplinary approaches to the delivery of taught provision.

Outputs

Literature review

This research drew from different perspectives to contextualize shared modules, define their distinctiveness, highlight their curricular challenges and opportunities, and propose a definition and typology of shared modules that guided the design of the outstanding research methodology, including surveys for staff, and focus groups for students at each partner institution.


Shared Modules Literature Review

Publication date: 16 Nov 2023

A report

The final project report outlines recommendations for reviewing and developing shared modules, with emphasis on curriculum design and inclusive practice.


Embedding multiple disciplinary affiliation identities in shared modules to enhance curriculum design

Publication date: 30 Sep 2024

Shared module curriculum design and enhancement toolkit

The research informed the development of a multistage toolkit whose elements have been created to support the key stages in curriculum design, delivery and evaluation of shared modules.


You can use the toolkit to:

  • adopt a structured approach for the design of a new shared module. 
  • reflect on and evaluate how interdisciplinarity and inclusivity are used to embed multiple disciplinary affiliations in the curriculum of a module using a series of prompt questions at key stages of the curriculum design.  
  • use customised tools to enhance the delivery of a shared module.  

Toolkit: Embedding disciplinary identities in curriculum design

Publication date: 01 Oct 2024

An Evaluate and Reflect Tool

With reflective questions to help you evaluate your shared module(s) by identifying areas of strength in your curriculum and areas for enhancement.  


Evaluate and Reflect Tool (MS Word version)

Publication date: 01 Oct 2024

Evaluate and Reflect Tool (MS Excel version)

Publication date: 30 Sep 2024




Lead: University of Greenwich


Partners: Royal Holloway, University of London and University of Lincoln

Other Collaborative Enhancement Projects

QAA supports a number of projects every year, covering a range of topics and interest areas. Each is led by a QAA Member, working in collaboration with other members institutions. You can find more information on all projects, and access resources and outputs, on our website.