CULT Project (Creatively Using Learning Technologies)

This document offers a brief overview of the University of Worcester’s (UW) participation in the Higher Education Academy’s Enhancement Academy Programme in 2009-2010. This
participation followed on from the University’s successful involvement in Phase II of the Higher Education Academy’s (HEA) eLearning Benchmarking Programme.
In line with other cohort institutions that participated in the HEA eLearning Benchmarking Exercise, the University of Worcester reported an encouraging level of staff engagement
with learning technologies. However, the majority of this activity entailed rudimentary use of our VLE as a repository for teaching materials and Powerpoint presentations. At that time, the introduction of an e-portfolio tool and pilot projects using a variety of technologies began to demonstrate the potential of learning technologies to support interactive student centred
learning activities.
Consequently, UW submitted a successful expression of interest for the Enhancement Academy Programme that articulated our wish to encourage and support staff to emulate the ‘early adopters’ who are using learning technologies more creatively to support active
student centred learning. We regarded this as an important dimension of addressing our key institutional objective to provide an outstanding student experience through measures to improve student retention, progression and achievement. Our students indicate high levels of satisfaction with their experience at the University (as measured through, for example, the National Student Survey), but we consider that this satisfaction does not yet translate through into year on year improved student outcomes as measured by key performance indicators (e.g. continuation and pass first time rates, completion and degree class outcomes).