ORMS provides a range of different courses, which include;
- Internally validated short courses delivered over a few days, a weekend, or a couple of weeks. These are ‘stand-alone’ and are based on taught modules. They may be delivered outside of the UK.
- Externally validated short courses (sometimes referred to as CPD or commercial courses) which typically last for less than one month either full or part-time. These carry recognition by an Awarding Body. These are ‘stand-alone’ and are based on taught modules. They may be delivered outside of the UK.
- Internally validated professional courses, which usually last for more than one month either full or part-time. These may carry recognition by an industry, association or profession. They may be delivered outside of the UK. There may be a practice placement requirement for these courses.
- Externally validated professional courses, which usually last for more than one month either full or part-time. These carry recognition by a University. There may be a practice placement requirement for these courses.
The diversity of products and services that ORMS offers requires a flexible, yet coherent approach to the management of quality, and this is reflected in the Annual Quality Cycle, which uses a range of measures and approaches to ensure that products and services are appropriately evaluated and developed. Not all of the stages are applied to short courses, but all of the stages are applied to professional courses.
Evaluation of Learning and Teaching
ORMS uses a range of internal and external information and feedback from diverse sources along with examples of sound practice and innovation to enable us to keep our strategic approach to learning and teaching under review, to modify it as appropriate and to facilitate the continuous improvement of the learning opportunities we provide.
Data sources on which we draw includes:
- Feedback from students on how they were recruited to the course, particularly the information with which they were provided, how they made decisions about joining the course and how effective was the enrolment process;
- feedback from students on their learning opportunities (including placements) collected through internal mechanisms;
- feedback from students through external instruments like the National Student Survey (NSS);
- routine evaluations of modules and course incorporating feedback from staff and external examiners;
- feedback from alumni, employers and placement providers;
- feedback from service users and carers;
- retention statistics;
- grade profiles for students, modules and courses;
- availability and quality of teaching and learning spaces for formal and informal learning;
- uptake and utilisation of virtual learning environment and assistive technology;
- student academic appeals and complaints;
- feedback from external reviews and accreditations, such as those of professional, regulatory and statutory bodies;
- data on the professional qualifications of staff involved in teaching or supporting learning.
Evaluation takes place at different levels from module evaluation by the individual teacher or module team, through to senior management level and is appropriate to the mode and level of the provision.
Annual Quality Cycle
Event | When | Who | How |
Annual Risk Assessment | Before the start of the first run of a course | Head of Administration
Course Leader Quality Manager Clinical Development Group Directors |
Identification of factors likely to affect the student learning experience and effective running of the course |
Student survey: Induction and early course experience
[Professional Courses] |
During Term 1 (4-6 weeks after starting course) | Course leader | Online survey |
Identification of student cohort representative [Professional Courses] | During Term 1(4-6 weeks after starting course) | Course Leader | Student representatives are expected to canvas their cohort members for their views on their learning experience and to feed these into the course reviews. |
Student Module evaluation | After completion of module | Module leader | Online survey |
Sampling of teaching and learning materials and approaches | During each taught and/or online module | Course Leader
Quality Manager |
Review of teaching and learning methods looking for examples of best practice |
Module Evaluation | After completion of module | Module leader | Written summary of student module evaluation. Format to include recruitment, retention and attainment data; student engagement during online tasks |
PPEd registration
[Professional Courses] |
Annually, and prior to placement experience | Practice Placement Coordinator
Course leader |
Check of HCPC registration of PPEd
PPEd induction as necessary |
Placement audits
[Professional Courses] |
Ongoing, Placements to be audited prior to placements and annually. Risk assessment system to be used to reduce loads on placement providers. | Practice Placement Coordinator
Course leader |
Visits; compliance with PPEd statements and quality expectations
PPEd induction as necessary |
Placement evaluation
[Professional Courses] |
After completion of placement | Practice Placement Coordinator
Course leader Placement provider Students |
Contact from Course Leader, online form (?)
Student feedback form |
Sponsoring Organisation / Placement Provider Reviews
[Professional Courses] |
Annually by mutual agreement | RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses)
Practice Placement Coordinator Course leader Placement provider |
Review of learning agreements
Review of placements |
Employer Focus Group | Annually by mutual agreement | RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses)
Course Leader Quality Manager |
Review |
Internal moderation of assignments | After marking; before return of assessed work | Second marker to be nominated not having taught that module; marking to cover knowledge, construction, referencing skills. | Grid of marked work
Policy for second marking: 10% or 3 (top, middle, bottom), all at fail / refer; all at excellent |
External moderation of assignments | Sampling of student work | RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses)
External Examiner |
Annual External Examiner reviews |
Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLCs)
[Professional Courses] |
Term 1 and Term 3. Feedback from students on induction, teaching and course experience via student representatives | RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses)
Student Representatives from each cohort Course Leader Head of Administration Quality Manager Service User and Carer Group |
Arranged meeting through face to face or Webex / Facetime |
Course Committee Meeting
[Professional Courses] |
Term 1
Term 2 Term 3 |
RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses)
Course Leader Quality Manager Head of Administration Module Leader Tutors |
Early meeting in Term 1
Late meeting in term 2 |
Board of Examiners
[Professional Courses] |
End of Academic Year | RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses)
External Examiner Course Leader Head of Administration Quality Manager Module Leader |
Review of student experience; placement reviews; reports of complaints, Cause for Concerns; External Examiner(s) reports and recommendations |
Course Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) | End of Academic Year | Clinical Development Group
Course Leader Module Leader |
Pulls all data together from all reports including EE reports. Sets plans for following year. Updates risk assessments and action plans |
Course Development Meetings | End of Course Year | RGU Course Moderator
Head of Administration Course Leader Practice Placement Coordinator Subject Matter Champions Service User and Carer Group Placement Providers |
Using data gathered from meetings, reviews and quantitative evaluations during the preceding periods |
Marketing, recruitment and enrolment reviews | 6 months before new courses start | Head of Administration
Course Leader |
Review how students were recruited and update plans, methods and processes for enrolment |
Course development days. Updates: resources & reading list. |
End of Academic Year | RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses)
Course Leader Head of Administration Quality Manager Module Leader Course tutors Service User and Carer Group Practice Placement Educators |
Uses data from Subject Champions, reports, evaluations, external feedback to update and develop approaches and materials for the forthcoming period. |
Bi-Annual Conferences
[Professional Courses] |
As agreed | RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses)
Course Leader Module Leader Course tutors Service User and Carer Group Link Tutors Students Practice Placement Educators |
CPD opportunities for delegates to share best practice, interprofessional networking. Developments of Communities of Practice |
Publication of outcomes
ORMS will make information on performance available and accessible to students and appropriate to different levels, products and services (e.g. Key Performance Indicators, retention and progression, national and institutional survey results and comparisons, and quality review information).
In order to improve our performance, we will;
- Facilitate discussion around trends and issues identified;
- Initiate tutor-led activities designed to get feedback and facilitate discussions on improvements in the learning environments and placement settings;
- Undertake activities designed to help students comment on and contribute to shaping their current experience in addition to summative feedback.