New Hallmarks of Success playbook series launched by QAA

QAA aims to support its members to design and deliver a high-quality student experience within hybrid and blended delivery, through a new series of resources. The Hallmarks of Success playbooks provide our members with high-level guiding principles that underpin success in the delivery of hybrid and blended learning and teaching. 

They can be used to inform course design and curriculum review within a hybrid environment, and to stimulate discussion about success factors, potential roadblocks and how to overcome them. The playbooks can be contextualised to suit an individual higher education institution's strategy, culture and approach to hybrid learning and teaching.

The first edition on student-centred learning and teaching focuses on the interrelated themes of student engagement, retention, achievement and progression in the context of hybrid learning. This edition was developed by QAA in collaboration with our members from the sector - particularly Dr Ann Thanaraj along with colleagues from Teesside University.

QAA’s Director of Membership, Quality Enhancement and Standards, Dr Ailsa Crum said: ‘The new Hallmarks of Success playbook series reflects QAA’s ongoing commitment to stimulating conversations about the future of hybrid learning among our members.

‘This resource offers practical guidance on how to successfully achieve student-centred learning and teaching within your institution. This series has been informed by conversations with QAA Members on the challenges and opportunities presented by hybrid learning and we look forward to launching further resources across the membership year.’

Each playbook is structured using:

• success statements
• conditions for achieving success
• potential roadblocks
• overcoming roadblocks.

The playbooks build upon QAA’s previous Questions to Inform a Toolkit for Enhancing Quality in a Digital Environment guidance. The series is primarily aimed at those involved in curriculum design, delivery and approval but may also be of interest to those with a strategic remit for learning and teaching, and wider academic and professional services staff.

Future editions of the Hallmarks of Success series will look at: assessment in digital and blended pedagogy (February 2022); programme design, approval and management (April 2022); and supporting and empowering teaching staff (July 2022).

The Hallmarks of Success playbook - Student-Centred Learning and Teaching is available to QAA Members on the QAA Membership Resources site. Those from QAA Member institutions can sign up to access the site using our registration form.