QO 12/95 Subject Overview Report - English
Higher Education Funding Council for England
Quality Assessment of English 1994-95
Summary
In 1994-95 assessment visits were made to 63 (72 per cent) of the 87 higher education providers of English literature and comparative literature in England and Northern Ireland. The institutions not visited were judged to be satisfactory on the basis of their self- assessment reports. The quality of education was judged to be excellent in 30 of the institutions visited (34 per cent of the total provision) and to be satisfactory in all of the remainder except for three. In two visits, the assessors judged the quality of provision in English to be unsatisfactory, and in one institution the provision was judged to be satisfactory in the undergraduate programmes and unsatisfactory in the postgraduate programmes.
This Report outlines the main findings of the assessment programme. It identifies excellence, discusses the quality of education in the subject, including the characteristics of good practice, and indicates areas where improvements might be made. One of the key conclusions is that English departments are diverse in their approaches to study. Different emphasis can be given to knowledge of literature, skills in the use of English and the exploration of the cultural contexts of English and its uses. In view of the very different approaches to the English curriculum, students selecting a course should check carefully the aims and learning objectives stated by the various providers.
Excellence was identified across a variety of programmes, institutions, approaches to subject delivery and assessments of the curricula. Positive features included: vigour in the curriculum; success in attracting capable, enthusiastic students; widening of access, - particularly to mature, returning students - without any diminution in quality; high retention rates; student achievement that in general reflects considerable intellectual challenge; the value attached to providing knowledge and skills useful in employment and further study; positive views held by past and present students about the quality of their learning experience; and excellent staff-student relations.
Other areas of the provision of English offer opportunities for further improvement. For the benefit of students, many providers need to articulate more clearly the relationship between subject aims, methods of learning, criteria and methods of assessment, and intended learning objectives. In about half the providers visited quality assurance processes did not effectively impact on the quality of English provision. Many providers could improve the integration of information technology (IT) within the curriculum, in line with stated aims and objectives. About half the classes observed could have been excellent with the application of greater intellectual rigour, a more effective application of the chosen methods of teaching, or considering more carefully the part played by students in small groups.
In the growing postgraduate provision, improvements in the arrangements for supporting students and returning work promptly are needed in almost half the providers. In approximately half of the visits, library provision was considered barely adequate for the courses provided. Although almost all English providers include preparation for employment in their aims and objectives, in practice such aims are seldom articulated in the form of specific learning objectives. The quality of information about the careers pursued by English graduates is inadequate in most institutions. All providers could further improve the overall quality of provision in English by taking up available opportunities for staff to identify and develop more widely the existing good practice in teaching, learning and assessment.
Introduction
1. This Overview Report presents the findings of the assessment
in 1994-95 of the quality of higher education provided in English
literature and comparative literature by universities and colleges in
England and Northern Ireland. It has been derived mainly from the
reports of 63 assessment visits carried out in institutions. Its main
purposes are to highlight positive features, to assist in the
dissemination of good practice and to suggest areas where
improvements might be made.
2. English literature and comparative literature are taught in 85
universities and colleges in England and two in Northern Ireland. In
all, 58 universities, six colleges of the University of London, 22
colleges of higher education and one college of further education
(listed in the annex) provide substantial studies in these subjects
which, for the remainder of this Report, will be referred to as
English.
3. The variety of education available in English is very wide and
offers students considerable diversity between institutions and
within some study programmes. Approaches to English range from the
teaching of established canons of literature to an emphasis on
exploring the relationship of texts and contemporary social issues,
while a small number of providers have a pluralist approach. The
variety encountered extends to related subjects such as film, drama,
creative writing, English language and linguistics, the literature of
other English-speaking countries and cultural studies. Approximately
80 per cent of the providers offer a degree of flexibility and choice
to their students, either by using unitised or modular structures, or
by designing courses with optional studies. Although undergraduate
programmes represent the main body of higher education in English, 80
per cent of the providers of English either offer, or are developing,
taught postgraduate studies.
Assessment Sample
4. A total of 87 self-assessment reports were prepared by
institutions during 1994 and 55 claimed excellence. Following
scrutiny of the self-assessments by assessors, 43 were judged to have
made a prima facie case for excellence and were included in the
assessment programme. A further 20 visits were arranged to ensure a
representative sample.
5. The quality of education was judged to be excellent in 30 of
the institutions visited (34 per cent of the total provision funded
by HEFCE and DENI and 48 per cent of the visits). All but three of
the other providers were judged to provide a satisfactory education.
In two visits, the assessors judged the quality of provision in
English to be unsatisfactory, and in one institution the provision
was judged to be satisfactory in the undergraduate programmes and
unsatisfactory in the postgraduate programmes. Arrangements for the
re-assessment of the quality of English in these three institutions
are in hand.
Aims, Objectives and Curricula
6. The overwhelming majority of providers declare aims and
objectives consonant with the mission and purposes of their
institutions, which usually emphasise excellence in teaching and
research, the widening of access, and serving the economic and social
needs of region and community. The first two of these are generally
fulfilled in English. The assessors often noted a correlation between
the level of activity in scholarship and research and the quality of
teaching. English as a discipline also offers an important avenue of
access to higher education for mature students and for those with
non-standard entry qualifications. Nearly 20 per cent of the
institutions visited provide first-year studies in colleges of
further education under franchise arrangements, varying from one or
two local colleges to, in a few cases, up to 10 quite distant
institutions. The assessors generally reported favourably on the
quality of franchise provision, especially in terms of its
contribution to the widening of access.
7. Approximately half the institutions visited provide English in
some form of modular structure, and a further third report plans for
developing schemes using units, courses or modules within degree
programmes. This is generally on a semester basis, though many retain
teaching terms. The most extreme form of modular structure, where
students have an entirely free choice in devising their programme of
studies after the first year, is only operated in about 10 per cent
of the visited providers. Where this is the case, the assessors often
raised questions about coherence and progression in the curriculum,
as well as the quality of the processes for students to make informed
choices. The normal pattern is some form of core or prescribed
structure, with a varying number of options.
8. About a quarter of the institutions visited offer English
students the opportunity to include in their programme other
subjects, independent study modules and periods of study overseas. A
small minority of providers now include very successful work
placements.
9. Subject aims and objectives show considerable variety of
approach, matching the different traditions and interpretations of a
very diverse sector. In over two-thirds of the provision, the
curricula were judged to be varied, up to date and well developed,
and successfully fulfilling the aims and objectives of the subject.
In a number of instances where the institutions' English provision
was not fully attaining excellence, the assessors commented that
overall aims, and more specifically the learning objectives of
specific course components, were not fully rationalised or
articulated for the benefit of students and staff. In these
instances, the assessors asked the providers to consider ways of
developing them.
10. In provision judged to be excellent, the subject's aims and
objectives are clearly focused and reflect current views on the
nature of the curriculum and the vigorous debate that takes place in
the academic community concerning the definition of English. Students
of English were only rarely unaware of the contemporary debate over
the nature of the curriculum, and whether it should remain
traditionally based on the accepted canons of literature and literary
theory, or reflect current needs and social issues in the selection
of topics. In selecting courses, however, students need to be alert
to alternative approaches. The assessors identified excellence in
several alternative models, including the extensive study of all
major periods of literature; giving students an understanding of the
meanings of literary texts together with the application of literary
theory; and the exploration of written and spoken English as a
reflection of the cultural context. In all the provision judged to be
excellent, the preferred approach to the study of literature is
complemented by an effective treatment of the acquisition of skills
related to the uses of English. Intellectual rigour and a depth of
treatment which create insight and understanding occur in the final
years of the undergraduate programmes that were judged overall to be
excellent. In many institutions, foundation or compulsory elements of
the programme dealing with critical methodology and/or theoretical
studies are central to the development of knowledge, understanding
and skills. Such elements commonly relate closely either to an
historical/chronological base or a cultural/contextual one. Most
providers aim to link theory to general practice, but students cannot
always make appropriate connections, often because the relationship
between the different components and stages of their programme is
poorly expressed.
11. The most common subject aim, identified by nearly three-
quarters of the providers, is to develop in students the skills
associated with the critical analysis of literature and language.
Although variously expressed, the development of analytical
competence and the skills of writing and oral presentation are
emerging as important common factors in the discipline's own
conception of its value and function. In some cases (about 20 per
cent of institutions visited), an explicit aim to develop creative
writing benefits the quality and nature of the skills fostered. Those
providers whose curriculum is framed in terms of learning outcomes
make explicit statements about the forms of competence in English to
be acquired and assessed. Other providers assume the importance of
skills. Whilst almost all English providers include preparation for
employment in their aims, in practice such aims are seldom
articulated in the form of specific learning objectives. Frequently,
their latent employment value is understated, when in practice the
students of English almost invariably acquire abilities to enquire,
make sound judgements, write clearly and succinctly and meet tight
deadlines.
12. In addition to undergraduate programmes, more than 80 per
cent of the institutions offer postgraduate taught courses, or are
developing them. In all but a few cases the curricula are well
designed to fulfil the stated aims and objectives. The assessors
often commented favourably on the quality of the curricula for
postgraduate courses, particularly in terms of the high level of
satisfaction expressed by most students of its relevance to their
needs.
Student Learning Experience
13. Students of English experience a wide variety of teaching and
learning methods. Lectures and seminars remain the most frequently
employed means of organised group teaching. They are generally most
successful when supplemented by student presentations that are often
explicitly linked to the development of skills as well as to the
evolution of discipline-specific knowledge. The assessors identified
some excellent video and other material produced by the students, as
well as some exciting experimentation with carefully designed
distance-learning or similar resource-pack materials. There is,
however, little direct evidence that the means of developing and
supporting independent learning are being fully addressed by most
providers that set out to achieve it. Although a few institutions
retain one-to-one or small group tutorials, the existence of this
method of teaching is reported to be under pressure because of
increased student numbers and a declining unit of resource.
Individual tutorials are, however, common, and contribute to the
students' confidence that they are making academic progress.
14. During each visit a substantial, representative proportion of
classes was observed. In all, about 40 per cent were judged to be
excellent, approximately 55 per cent satisfactory, and some 5 per
cent unsatisfactory. In institutions where the assessors judged the
overall quality of education to be excellent, the proportion of
classes rated excellent averaged approximately 50 per cent and was
sometimes as high as 70 per cent.
15. Excellence in teaching and learning was characterised by:
careful planning and formulation of well-defined objectives for the
session; the clear exposition of new material; an innovative
selection of challenging texts or data, in many cases drawing on up-
to-date scholarly material or the teacher's own research; well-
focused elicitation, based on careful listening; students displaying
confidence and self-expression, often associated with a critique of
the product of self-directed work; the fostering of genuinely open
debate about the nature of the subject and current debates within it;
and the setting of well- judged recommendations for further reading
or follow-up assignments. Flair, enthusiasm and the lecturers'
ability to inspire students also featured strongly.
16. A notable strength of English teaching is the effective match
between the student learning experience and the expressed aims and
objectives. Other features of excellence include the links between
the particular class and the curriculum as a whole. In one-third of
providers, the assessors recorded the beneficial impact of
scholarship and research on the quality of the students' learning
experience. Exceptionally, also highlighted was the students' quality
of experience in undertaking studies with a high degree of
independence, supported by excellent tutorial guidance and well-
designed course materials.
17. In the classes judged by the assessors to be satisfactory,
most sessions included some elements of good practice, and generally
employed a wide range of learning materials and supporting documents.
They also displayed aspects deserving improvement. The main recurring
need was to articulate more clearly to students the particular part
the class played in meeting the course objectives.
18. Other aspects in observed classes judged to require
improvement included a lack of rigour and intellectual challenge, an
absence of overall structure or a failure to clarify key points of
learning, or a tendency for some students to lose interest. Some
lecturers and tutors appeared to have difficulty making the most of
two and three-hour blocks of classwork, failing to vary teaching
methods and duration of activity. In a number of observed seminars,
students were given too few opportunities to contribute, and were
consequently encouraged to become relatively passive. Generally, such
classes also failed to stimulate appropriate expectations of further
progression in other parts of the course.
19. In the providers judged to be excellent, the English teaching
teams were generally developing a shared understanding of the nature
of excellence in learning and teaching within the stated aims.
However, few providers have fully in place the means of identifying
and disseminating good practice. Whereas the direct observation of
teaching in English presented on the whole a very positive picture,
it is nevertheless clear that there is a need for academic staff to
do more systematically to identify and discuss good practice.
20. Much care is taken to ensure that methods of assessment are
effective, fair and appropriate to aims and objectives. Within these
parameters there are many examples of willingness to experiment both
with innovative methods of assessment and with the weighting between
unseen examination and course work, though excessive reliance on
either method elicited critical comments from the assessors. Some
methods reported as highly effective when they match the expressed
educational objectives include: setting challenging examination
questions requiring of the students careful research and analysis;
dissertations; projects; portfolios of work; presentations;
independent study and self-directed work; oral examinations; original
writing; book and drama reviews; drama production plans;
bibliographic exercises; and video production. In contrast, a number
of providers were criticised for: an over-dependence on traditional
written examinations that neglect the assessment of student
achievement of some stated objectives related to skills in, for
example, creative writing or the use of IT; uncertainty about marking
criteria; and the absence of double-marking to confirm attainment.
Overall, the evidence indicates that while there is much that is
lively and innovative in the assessment of English, there is a need
to develop a closer match between modes of assessment and the stated
objectives, building upon the instances of good practice.
21. Most reports of assessment visits comment favourably on the
quality of student support systems. Good practice, encountered in all
those providers judged to be excellent and in approximately one-third
of those judged to be satisfactory, involves the application of
academic and personal support for students and offering them regular
and comprehensive feedback. Personal tutors are backed up by the
institution's central support services, which include counselling.
Handbooks, brochures and module guides provide valuable information.
In addition, these effective systems operate alongside a commitment
to return marked assignments on time.
22. Students, past and present, frequently commented on the
quality of support from English staff. Pastoral and academic support
take many forms, including year-group tutors, supervisors and
personal tutors, though rising pressures on staff time are making it
increasingly difficult to maintain one-to-one tutorial systems. Where
the development of independent study and thought is included in the
stated aims, almost half the providers are successful in this.
Factors include better tutorial support in the first stages, special
attention to the identified needs of non-standard entrants and mature
students, and increasing, controlled, progression to independent
study. By far the most frequent criticism by students of providers
judged overall to be satisfactory or unsatisfactory was the slow
turnaround time for marked assignments. Other criticisms concerned
the extent and usefulness of written feedback, the problems of making
informed decisions about which courses to select within recently
introduced modular schemes, and the difficulties that students
transferring from franchised colleges experience in adjusting to the
challenge of HE environments. With some notable exceptions, MA
students were less satisfied than undergraduates with the range and
quality of support provided. In almost half the assessment visits,
the arrangements within the postgraduate programmes for teaching
research methods and marking and returning students' written work
attracted repeated criticism from students and the visiting
assessors.
23. The overall quality of available teaching accommodation is
good, but can be variable, and some departments suffer from noisy or
overcrowded facilities. Disadvantages for students are particularly
evident when the increase in student numbers has not resulted in a
review and improvement in the quality of accommodation available.
24. In general, students and staff are benefiting from recent
investments in IT facilities. Where these are most effective, staff
and students have access to networks, and IT is fully integrated into
the English curriculum. A significant number of institutions now have
plans for the larger-scale introduction of computer-assisted
learning, use of Hypertext and other multimedia initiatives, but many
providers are still not meeting their aims and objectives in this
area.
25. In all the institutions judged to be providing an excellent
education in English and in a few of those judged to be satisfactory,
library facilities are excellent and well matched to the curriculum.
In some cases, libraries have developed a wide range of facilities to
support learning and have been reorganised as learning resource
centres with a clear brief to support and encourage independent study
by students. Close liaison between the library and the department to
arrange, for example, flexible lending and opening hours, and a focus
upon texts and services that serve the stated learning objectives,
offer important ways of securing suitable facilities without
necessarily possessing the finest collections of literature. Students
in some institutions are offered a range of departmental, university
and college collections, and inter-library loans and external
database services are commonly used. Approximately 50 per cent of
Quality Assessment Reports, on the other hand, consider library
facilities inadequate for the courses they support. The most common
criticisms made by the assessors, in over 40 per cent of Reports, are
a shortage of reading spaces and of texts. The assessors note the
efforts of some staff to compensate by issuing extracts and other
photocopied notes, and are generally critical of the disadvantage
this brings to the students who wish to read widely and cultivate a
love of literature. In a few cases, insufficient care has been taken
to make library facilities consistently available to all students
across a number of sites.
26. English in higher education is taught by committed and
scholarly groups of people. Many English teachers are actively
publishing, make professional contributions to the subject nationally
and internationally, and also attend, contribute to, and organise
conferences. Participation in such conferences contributes to the
debate about the nature of the discipline, and is in turn gradually
reflected in curricula and quality of teaching. Students in final
undergraduate stages and in postgraduate programmes generally benefit
from the inclusion of current scholarly and research interests in
optional courses. However, where staff have in the past done little
research and their institutions have sought to increase research
activity by teachers, some tension is evident and academic staff are
not always able to give proper attention to sustaining scholarship
and improving the quality of education. In a few cases, the inclusion
in the curriculum of specific courses linked to staff interests
without a clear rationale has led to a less coherent overall student
learning experience.
27. In many institutions, recent staff recruitment has led to an
increase in young staff with innovative ideas and a preference for
team approaches, working alongside more experienced staff in English.
The overall gender balance remains weighted towards males. In the
best practice, new staff receive induction and also benefit from
being attached to a mentor. Some recently appointed staff are obliged
to undertake a Certificate in Teaching and Learning. The increasing
use of part-time tutors and graduate students is most effective when
they are included in these aspects of training and are able to
participate fully in departmental life. This, however, is not always
the case.
28. Many English subject groups are exploring ways of enhancing
their teaching skills. Examples of team teaching, peer review of
teaching within the classroom and student evaluation of teaching are,
usually, significant factors in excellence. A few institutions have
established the quality of teaching as a prominent criterion for
promotion. Appraisal systems are generally in operation, and in the
most effective providers the outcomes contribute to the
identification of staff development needs. However, a common feature
of departments and schools providing a satisfactory quality of
English is that academic staff tend not to participate greatly in
institutionally-devised programmes of staff development, particularly
in relation to improvements in teaching methods and approaches.
29. Sensitive but vigorous academic leadership is often found to
be crucial to the effective provision of English and to the quality
of the student learning experience. Such leadership enables clear
policies and procedures to be applied and reviewed, and contributes
to a sense of common purpose in a period of widespread change and
expansion. Where effective management is less in evidence, problems
relating to administration occur at times, particularly in the area
of taught MA programmes, and the sometimes hasty introduction of
modular schemes. The assessors were also concerned in some instances
that the growth of a network of franchised courses deserved closer
management.
30. Almost all English subject groups operate explicit processes
of quality assurance and control within an institutional framework,
but these are fully applied to improving the quality of English in
only half of the institutions visited. Most departments regularly
seek student opinion through questionnaires. Where there is
excellence, the response to identified needs and issues is swift and
the results of action are communicated explicitly to students. For
example, where opinion from students, external examiners and others
is collected, analysed, considered and acted upon as part of a robust
annual or biennial monitoring exercise, the nature of quality and the
means to improve it are better understood. However, where there is
less systematic commitment to quality assurance, a reliance on
informal channels of communication does not always protect or enhance
the quality of provision. A high number of providers have systems
that are only partially understood by staff and students;
documentation and information on quality assurance processes often
need improvement.
31. The external examiner's role in quality assurance is valued
by providers, particularly in relation to the moderation of academic
standards at a time of rapid changes in curricula and the size and
nature of the student body. A few institutions have relied
excessively on one individual. Where the external examiner has
participated actively in course development and assessment, the
majority of institutions respond positively and comprehensively to
the reports.
Student Achievement
32. Student numbers in English have increased considerably over
recent years and recruitment is generally buoyant, with a significant
minority of institutions attracting over 20 applications per place.
Standard entrants are very well qualified overall, with nearly 40 per
cent of institutions attracting students with average GCE A-Level
scores of over 20 points. The student profile in English is now very
diverse. The majority of English programmes in almost all
institutions are attracting proportions of mature students in excess
of 30 per cent.
33. Most institutions have sought to widen access to English
courses. Some of the departments in those institutions that are
committed to widening access are much more successful than others in
attracting non-standard and mature entrants; an important factor is
the introduction of appropriate, proactive admissions strategies.
Just over a third of institutions have specific links with access
courses or franchise operations, and the proportion of local students
has increased. Few institutions have formal arrangements for the
accreditation of prior learning. Students from ethnic minorities are
rare, except in a few isolated cases. About two-thirds of the
students are female. English programmes attract significant numbers
of international students in many institutions.
34. Progression and completion rates in English are high in
almost all courses and programmes, with some 40 per cent of
institutions demonstrating overall cohort wastage of less than 10 per
cent for full-time undergraduates. Retention rates lower than 80 per
cent are rare in full-time undergraduate programmes. Retention rates
are, however, generally lower on taught postgraduate programmes and
even lower on part-time routes. Departments providing English are
generally well informed about the reasons for student withdrawal or
transfer, and there are encouraging instances of causes being
examined and remedied. Within modular schemes, where students
exercise choice over moving into and out of subjects each year,
English generally proves to be popular with students and gains from
internal transfers between study programmes.
35. The proportion of First and Upper Second class honours
degrees is increasing in most institutions, and ranges from a low of
33 per cent to a high of 88 per cent. High proportions of Firsts and
Upper Seconds are sometimes found in providers judged to be
satisfactory overall. A low percentage of Firsts was occasionally
commented on by the assessors. A number of institutions award no
Third class degrees or fails. Postgraduate achievements are very
good, with outstanding work often mentioned by the assessors.
36. Given the wide range of academic attainment by students at
the point of entry, the overall record of academic achievement
indicates considerable academic progression by many students. Just
over a quarter of the Quality Assessment Reports specifically
acknowledge academic progress, sometimes referred to in self-
assessment documents as `value-added', in line with stated aims. Some
providers now monitor very closely the relationship between results
and entry qualifications, supporting the record of significant
personal academic progress. Enthusiastic comments by students, past
and present, confirm the value of English courses, giving as
instances `life enhancement', `career enhancement' and the
achievement of good-to-excellent results by non-standard entrants and
those with relatively modest entry qualifications.
37. The Quality Assessment Reports convey a strong sense of the
acquisition of a solid body of knowledge, and the picture of skills
acquired by students is also positive. Those frequently highlighted
are: the ability to read critically, and to analyse problems,
language, and writing; the ability to evaluate and make independent
judgements, to give confident oral and written presentations, and to
work as a member of a team; and the increased ability to master
exceptionally heavy workloads. Reservations expressed in a minority
of cases include: poor language use; poor presentation; inadequate
referencing; unthinking response; and insufficient attention to
theoretical issues. The acquisition of IT skills is commonly noted as
a successful outcome of a course of study, but it is more often
mentioned as being an area in need of development. In line with
degree results, the quality of students' work in almost all the
providers is at least satisfactory and is frequently very good, as
confirmed by positive reports from the external examiners.
38. The quality of information about the careers pursued by
English graduates is inadequate in most departments. Proportions of
1993 graduates in English reported to have found employment range
from two-thirds to about one-fifth. Almost half the Quality
Assessment Reports note the increasing numbers of students proceeding
to further studies. The few employers of English graduates who were
invited to meet the assessors valued highly the skills acquired by
students.
Conclusions
39. The overall picture that emerges from the assessment process
is of a lively, expanding English provision. There is a healthy
diversity in expressed aims between institutions and between courses
and programmes, and students can select from a variety of curricula
and learning approaches, confident of finding a programme of study
which suits their needs. Almost half of the providers visited were
judged to be excellent overall, and all those judged to be
satisfactory contained some elements that were excellent. Excellence
was identified across a variety of programmes, institutions and
approaches to the delivery and assessment of the curriculum. Positive
features were noted by the assessors. However, a number of elements
of the provision of English offer opportunities for further
improvement.
The following features are the most prominent:
a. Students have a wide selection of alternative approaches to
English, reflecting a vigour in the curricula and the continuing
debate concerning the nature of English. In selecting courses,
students need to check the stated aims.
b. All providers judged to be excellent offer curricula which
relate clearly to well-focused aims for English and which often
display considerable overall coherence at the same time as offering
depth and choice.
c. Many institutions have successfully widened access whilst
maintaining quality, responding to increasingly diverse student
profiles with choice and variety in the curricula.
d. English attracts capable, enthusiastic students. Retention
rates are very high and student achievements in general reflect
considerable intellectual challenge and academic progress.
e. There are indications of a convergence of views that students
should acquire a range of skills through the study of English.
Students are generally successful in developing valuable skills
together with knowledge and understanding of the subject.
f. Comments expressed by students, past and present, are almost
unanimously positive about the quality of their learning experience.
This is closely allied to the excellent staff-student relations which
exist almost everywhere in English.
g. In about half the providers visited, the quality assurance
processes make insufficient impact on the quality of the teaching of
English and should be improved.
h. Many providers could improve the integration of IT within the
curriculum, in line with stated aims and objectives.
i. Many providers need to articulate more clearly for the benefit
of students the relationship between subject aims, methods of
learning, criteria and methods of assessment, and intended learning
objectives.
j. Over half the observed classes could have been excellent with
the application of greater intellectual rigour, a more effective
application of the chosen methods of teaching, or by considering more
carefully the part played by students in small groups.
k. In almost half the postgraduate programmes, improvements in
the support provided for students in research methods and in marking
and returning work are called for.
l. In approximately half of the providers visited library
provision was considered barely adequate for the courses provided.
m. Whilst almost all English providers include preparation for
employment in their aims and objectives, in practice such aims are
seldom articulated in the form of specific learning objectives, and
their value is frequently understated. In addition, the quality of
information about the careers pursued by English graduates is
inadequate in most institutions.
n. All providers could further improve the quality of the overall
provision in English by taking up more of the available opportunities
for staff to identify and develop more consistently the existing good
practice in teaching, learning and assessment.
Annex
Institutions Submitting a Self-assessment in English
Institution Assessment Quality
Outcome Assessment
Report
Anglia Polytechnic University Excellent Q89/95
Aston University Satisfactory Q7/95
Bath College of Higher Education Excellent Q4/95
Bedford College of Higher Education Satisfactory
(Now part of De Montfort University)
University of Birmingham Excellent Q135/95
Bolton Institute of Higher Education Satisfactory
Bretton Hall Satisfactory
University of Bristol Excellent Q165/95
University of Cambridge Excellent Q140/95
Canterbury Christ Church College Satisfactory Q61/95
University of Central England in Satisfactory Q97/95
Birmingham
University of Central Lancashire Satisfactory Q214/95
Cheltenham & Gloucester College of Satisfactory
Higher Education
Chester College of Higher Education Excellent Q62/95
Chichester Institute of Higher Education Unsatisfactory Q167/95
(Formerly West Sussex Institute of Higher Education)
De Montfort University Satisfactory Q195/95
University of Derby Satisfactory
Doncaster College Satisfactory
University of Durham Excellent Q20/95
University of East Anglia Satisfactory Q228/95
University of East London Excellent Q255/94
Edge Hill College of Higher Education Satisfactory
University of Essex Satisfactory Q163/95
University of Exeter (undergraduate) Satisfactory
(postgraduate) Unsatisfactory Q161/95
University of Greenwich Satisfactory Q151/95
University of Hertfordshire Satisfactory
University of Huddersfield Satisfactory Q120/95
University of Hull Satisfactory Q57/95
Keele University Satisfactory *
University of Kent at Canterbury Satisfactory Q117/95
King Alfred's College, Winchester Satisfactory Q126/95
Kingston University Excellent Q156/95
La Sainte Union College of Higher Satisfactory
Education
Lancaster University Excellent Q88/95
University of Leeds Excellent Q54/95
University of Leicester Excellent Q39/95
University of Liverpool Excellent Q3/95
Liverpool Institute of Higher Education Satisfactory
Liverpool John Moores University Satisfactory
University of London
Birkbeck College Excellent Q130/95
Goldsmiths College Satisfactory
King's College London Satisfactory Q45/95
Queen Mary and Westfield College Excellent Q254/94
Royal Holloway, University of London Satisfactory Q249/95
University College London Excellent Q21/95
Loughborough University of Technology Satisfactory
University of Luton Satisfactory Q222/95
University of Manchester Satisfactory Q86/95
Manchester Metropolitan University Satisfactory Q8/95
Middlesex University Satisfactory
Nene College Satisfactory
University of Newcastle upon Tyne Excellent Q178/95
University of North London Excellent Q147/95
North Riding College Satisfactory Q131/95
University of Northumbria at Newcastle Excellent Q70/95
University of Nottingham Excellent Q30/95
The Nottingham Trent University Satisfactory Q235/95
The Open University Satisfactory
University of Oxford Excellent *
Oxford Brookes University Excellent Q141/95
University of Plymouth Satisfactory
University of Portsmouth Satisfactory Q226/95
The Queen's University of Belfast Excellent Q213/95
University of Reading Satisfactory Q237/95
The College of Ripon & York St John Satisfactory
Roehampton Institute Satisfactory
S. Martin's College Satisfactory
College of St Mark & St John Satisfactory Q185/95
St Mary's College Satisfactory Q148/95
University of Salford Satisfactory
University of Sheffield Excellent Q170/95
Sheffield Hallam University Excellent Q28/95
University of Southampton Excellent Q246/95
Staffordshire University Satisfactory Q233/95
University of Sunderland Satisfactory Q44/95
University of Sussex Excellent Q41/95
University of Teesside Unsatisfactory Q206/95
Trinity and All Saints Satisfactory Q203/95
Thames Valley University Satisfactory
University of Ulster Satisfactory
University of Warwick Excellent Q29/95
University of the West of England, Bristol Excellent Q26/95
West London Institute of Higher Education Satisfactory
(Now part of Brunel University)
University of Westminster Satisfactory Q221/95
University of Wolverhampton Satisfactory Q152/95
Worcester College of Higher Education Satisfactory Q78/95
University of York Excellent Q5/95
* Quality Assessment Report not yet published.
Copies of these Reports, price 2.00 pounds, are available from:
Quality Assessment Division
HEFCE
Northavon House
Coldharbour Lane
BRISTOL BS16 1QD.