QAA’s latest Hallmarks of Success playbook supports course design, approval and management

Our latest Hallmarks of Success playbook aims to support our members in enhancing course design, approval and management processes for digital or hybrid delivery formats within their institutions. Course design, approval and management are critical elements in ensuring the quality of the student experience and can facilitate creativity, innovation and a culture of continuous improvement.

The third in QAA’s Hallmarks of Success series, the playbook is divided into three sections and considers key issues related to each of these areas. The playbook can be used to inform a range of purposes including reflecting on existing arrangements for course design, approval and management in blended and digital environments.

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 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 and blended delivery.

Each playbook is structured using:

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

The series is primarily aimed at those involved in curriculum design, delivery and approval, and will also interest those with a strategic remit for learning, teaching and assessment, quality professionals and wider academic and professional services staff.

Dr Ailsa Crum, QAA’s Director of Membership, Quality Enhancement and Standards said: 'Our latest playbook addresses the question of what good looks like in digital and hybrid course design. It also offers practical advice which members can use and adapt in their own settings. We have worked with colleagues across the sector in developing the playbook series and this has helped to ensure these resources are meeting the needs of QAA Members.'

The Hallmarks of Success playbook - Course Design, Approval and Management - is available to QAA Members on the QAA Membership Resources site. You can also find the other playbooks on Student-Centred Learning and Teaching and Assessment in Digital and Blended Pedagogy there. All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can sign up to access the site using our registration form.

QAA has developed and published the Hallmarks of Success playbook series in our role as a membership organisation.

What happens next?

The next edition of the Hallmarks of Success series will look at supporting and empowering teaching staff, and will be published in July.