The Moving Forward Initiative is now complete and the final report is now available:  Final Report. 

The MF team will continue to support the implementation of the Widening Participation Strategy, partly based on the work and experiences of MF.

Enquires for Moving Forward can continue to be directed to movingforward@gcu.ac.uk

We would like to invite you to attend the next set of Moving Forward mini CoP meetings, which will run as follows:

•  Feedback:  Monday 21^st February 2011, 10am in M129A

Students’ Association Feedback campaign and how this can be supported; the next steps.  Facilitated by Kieran Livingston, VPSD.

•  Exploring the Part-time student experience research:  SA/MF project:  Monday 21^st February, 2pm in W823

Research findings from the recently completed MFDFA project.  Facilitated by Kevin Ward, Students’ Association.  How can the part-time student experience at GCU be enhanced?

•  Induction:  Wednesday 9th March, 2pm in CPD01
• Supporting Induction across the University:  update on MF development projects on Induction and how these can be rolled out.

 If you would like to attend any of these meetings or know of anyone who may be interested in attending, please contact Julie.Brown@Gcu.ac.uk  or Karla.Benske@Gcu.ac.uk as soon as possible.

 Moving Forward:  Mini CoP Update – November 2010

 The latest set of Moving Forward mini CoP meetings were run as themed workshops:

• Feedback, the Student Perspective:   Facilitated by Kieran Livingston, VPSD.
• Defining the Independent Learner
• Effective Engagement with Secondary Schools:  Facilitated by Lorraine Judge (Focus West) and Eleanor Wilson (Caledonian Club).
• Supporting Transition and Progression through Curriculum Alignment: GGAP College University Subject Partnerships (CUSPS):   Facilitated by Margaret Hawthorne (GGAP).
• Exploring the Part-time Student Experience:  Cancelled (to be rescheduled)

 The meetings were attended by enthusiastic participants keen to take the themes forward.  At each session, MF undertook an exercise in order to identify three things:

1. Why the participants came to the meetings?
2. What the participants wanted to get out of the meetings?
3. What the participants thought the next steps should be?

 Most of those who attended the meetings did so because they were either involved in previous meetings of a similar theme, currently work/ have an interest in the area or wanted to learn more about/share ideas on the themes.  The majority of participants all wanted to learn more about what is happening in GCU on the themes, gain an understanding of what could realistically be achieved and establish some forward plans for concrete outcomes. 

 One of the key outcomes of the meetings were that all participants were keen on taking action in relation to the themes discussed, while acknowledging in some cases that more cross university participation would be required to  enable this.  When asked what the participants thought of the next steps forward would be, most highlighted that they would feedback on the meetings to other colleagues, encourage communication with mini CoP members  via the MF Blackboard module on taking themes forward and to enhance wider communication with colleagues. 

 The key points to take forward include:

• In terms of feedback, develop user friendly leaflet/guidance about feedback, with possible examples to enhance students’ as well as staff’s understanding, working along with the SA
• Engagement with secondary schools:  Further information on how GCU could engage more beneficially with secondary schools and how GCU and other HE establishments support widening participation/access.
• IL:  Wider consultation and trigger diagram on defining the independent learner, reflecting the range of independent learners
• Enhance communication within GCU (including between MF/GGAP) about the CUSPS Identify possible overlaps/ existing examples of practice and encourage potential CUSPS

 The Moving Forward Blackboard module is currently available to community of practice members, to enhance discussions and to keep everyone up to date with the latest developments.  We would encourage all members to log in and contribute to the discussion threads in order to enable a cross institutional and external strategy for action.  An overview of the mini CoP meetings are posted on Blackboard, as are presentations, relevant GCU policies and websites.  If you have problems accessing this or would like to join one of the mini CoPs, please contact Julie.Brown@gcu.ac.uk  or Karla.Benske@gcu.ac.uk

The next set of Moving Forward mini CoP meetings will be run as themed workshops, with the aim of drawing up action plans, timelines and tangible outcomes:

 Feedback, the Student Perspective:  Monday 25^th October, 12 noon in M401

• • Overview of the Students’ Association Feedback campaign and how this can be supported.  Facilitated by Kieran Livingston, VPSD.

 Defining the Independent Learner:  Wednesday 27^th October, 12 noon in M401

• • To agree a shared understanding of the concept from a staff and student perspective.

 Effective Engagement with Secondary Schools:  Thursday 28^th October, 12 noon in M402

• • Presenting a large scale and a small scale project on working with schools. Facilitated by Lorraine Judge (Focus West) and Eleanor Wilson (Caledonian Club).

 Exploring the Part-time Student Experience:  Monday 1^st November, 12 noon in MS109

• • How can the part-time student experience at GCU be enhanced?     Cancelled

 Supporting Transition and Progression through Curriculum Alignment: GGAP College University Subject Partnerships (CUSPS):  Wednesday 3^rd November, 12 noon in B024

• • Inform GCU staff and college partners and to enhance engagement with the CUSPS.  Facilitated by Margaret Hawthorne (GGAP).

  If you would like to attend any of the meetings please contact Julie.Brown@Gcu.ac.uk or Karla.Benske@gcu.ac.uk

The 2009/10 Academic Session has been a busy period for the Moving Forward Team.  Our June update has more information on some of the activities we have been involved in.

In February 2010 the Moving Forward Initiative was delighted to be able to offer small sums of money to Academic Schools, Learner Support, the Students’ Association and the MF mini CoPs in the form of Moving Forward Development Funding Awards.  The response to this has been very positive and we are delighted to say that 10 projects will be funded as a result.  The projects include:

• School of Health: Blogging placement – the development of reusable learning objects for transition and induction to the placement environment
• School of Engineering and Computing:  Supporting Adult Learners make the transition to HE and The Application of Science and Reporting
• School of Law and Social Sciences:  www.youemploy.me (this is not live at present):  Employability E-Forum for LSS
• School of Life Sciences:  Induction Microsite
• Caledonian Business School: Supporting Progression in a Connected Digital Age
• Learner Support:  Building resources for integrated induction
• Students’ Association:  Effective Service Provision for Part time Students
• Student Empowerment Mini CoP:  GCU Culture:  bringing together the students at GCU
• Preparation and Induction Mini CoP:  Pre-induction Resource Hub

We have recently attended and presented, with Sara Milne (VP Students’ association) at the European First Year Experience Conference in Antwerp, Belgium 26th -28th May.  This was followed by a presentation at the School of Health,  – ‘Hitting the Ground Running’  Health Symposium on the 4th June.  Our presentations can be found here.

As a result of having to reschedule our latest mini CoP meetings, we are now hosting a lunch time event on Thursday 10th June in CPD01 for mini CoP members.  This will allow for an opportunity to reflect upon the past year of the mini CoPs and to look forward to ways in which we can explore ways of taking things forward in the next academic session.

Due to current work schedules, it has been necessary to reschedule the May Mini CoP meetings, which are noted in the post below. 

We will contact members shortly in relation to the revised dates for the meetings.

Several dates have been identified for the next round of Mini CoP meetings.  Further information relating to themes and venues, will be issued nearer the time.