This document provides an overview of a workshop on adopting the Viewpoints approach for curriculum design at one's own institution. It discusses the Viewpoints framework and resources, phases of the Viewpoints workshop process, tips for facilitation, and potential outputs. The workshop would guide participants through exploring design principles, mapping them to a learner timeline, selecting implementation ideas, and agreeing an action plan. Using Viewpoints is intended to help course teams put the learner perspective at the forefront and holistically consider curriculum through an informal process.

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2. Viewpoints – in your own institution? Things to consider in adopting / embedding Viewpoints approaches and resources in your own institution

3. Overview of afternoon session Quick recap / overview of Viewpoints project Activity – using principles to realised educationally led institutional “alignments” Overview of Viewpoints Workshop process Guide for Viewpoints facilitators Activity – approaches to adopting / embedding Viewpoints into your own institution Wrap up and questions

4. Viewpoints Overview The Viewpoints “approach” uses a card sorting metaphor with the resources providing semi structured prompts and suggestions with a learner centred timeline The tools use a learner timeline with established principles to help staff consider key interactions of the learning process (i.e. essence)

5. “Providing a simple yet comprehensive approach to the priorities of curriculum planning” “Actively – we created a supportive ‘spine’ which allowed us to challenge the students in a supportive environment” As a result of attending this workshop I intend to… “Think more creatively and innovatively”

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7. Flexible Format Social Informal Flexible Creative Collaborative “Fun” Formal Educational focus Problem solving Reflection Debate Experimentation

8. Capturing “essence” of workshops Important to promote awareness and uptake Pictures* Videos* User stories (audio / video) Sample outputs *: with permission (see p20 of handbook)

9. Interactional principles Reviewing progress and understanding (Assessment and Feedback) Discovery, consumption and creation of information (Information Skills) Who do they interact with, why and to what “benefit” (Learner Engagement) Framework can be extended to other sets of principles

10. Use of principles to facilitate educational alignment with other “initiatives” Activity - educational alignment of an institutional initiative (learning technologies) using the Assessment and Feedback principles.

11. Activity Feedback Questions

12. Review of Viewpoints Workshop

13. Value of the Viewpoints’ Process “Getting the team together to plan” “Comprehensive coverage of principles” “It is clear, thought provoking and engaging” “Flexibility and simplicity” “To start with a ‘blank sheet’ and to be more innovative in approach” It brought out different voices and ways of thinking” “It made the team look at the course from a different aspect” “Helps to keep the student perspective at the forefront of each decision made” (Radiographers, School of Health Sciences ….on a late Friday afternoon)

14. In less than two hours………

15. Inform – Inspire - Plan

16. Benefits of Viewpoints approach Outputs - valued by course teams But also Feedback – workshop process delivered a number of key benefits for course leaders / subject co-ordinators (social dimension) This social dimension – transformational

17. Learner Perspective “The workshop appears to put the ‘experience of the learner’ at the forefront of discussion which inherently drives the workshop along that perspective – a good trick when working with a room full of jaded and cynical lecturers who all too often think that, in the first instance, there is ‘always something wrong’ with the students”

19. Using the Viewpoints Resources effectively - creating an environment for change Full details in the provided handbook

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22. Phases of the Viewpoints approach Workshop preparation Workshop environment Workshop facilitation Workshop outputs Stakeholder engagement (close the cycle)

23. Overview of the Viewpoints handbook Chapter 1 – Viewpoints introduction Chapter 2 – Using the Viewpoints handbook Chapter 3 – Holding a workshop Chapter 4 – Themes for your workshop Chapter 5 – Follow-up to your workshop Chapter 6 – Acknowledgments Appendices Download pack – http://viewpoints.ulster.ac.uk/resources

25. Workshop purpose

26. Benefits for

27. Curriculum Development

28. Course teams

29. Students

31. Anyone involved in educational course design

32. What resources are included?

33. Links to printable cards, crib sheets, presentation templates etc.

34. All resources are free and reusable.

35. What do you want to do flowchart

37. Key tasks within workshops(module and course level) Consider key challenges and agree an objective/theme for the session Explore principles provided for the chosen theme and choose those that may help address the objective Map principles to timeline and prioritise theme Select possible implementation ideas that could support priority principles Review and annotate worksheet with a plan Agree any action points and final reflections Share plans

38. Some key elements to consider Context (formal or informal) Level (Course or Module) Duration (balance commitment with opportunity) Room Layout (informal – flat v vertical surfaces) Group size (smaller – less discussion, larger – allow more time for debate) Flexible resources (Provide additional resources such as pens and post-its)

39. Some hints and tips Ensure groups agree a well defined “challenge” Encourage creative use of resources Emphasise no right or wrong anwsers Don’t be a hostage to the agenda (be flexible) – Allow groups to work ahead of schedule Trust the Viewpoints structure and resources The storyboard structure encourages low risk conversations to develop naturally Resources prompt reflection and discussion allowing groups to experiment and find their own “oversights”

40. The resources help the facilitator “Easy tool – visually descriptive, illustrative” “…Resources excellent prompts” “Suggestion cards act as a good prompt” “Cards aided formulation of ideas” “Accessible and easy to use. Comprehensive and guiding.”

41. Workshop outputs Act as record of workshop discussions and agreed plan Diagrammatic strategy overview (why, what, when and how) for curriculum processes Diagrammatic representation of learner experience Conversation piece for further development / review

42. Typical course level workshop outputs

43. Alternative output formats Simple Word Table Annotated Image File N.B. Online tool in development in conjunction with Cambridge CourseTools project

44. Institutional embedding and engaging with key stakeholders

45. Institutional embedding exercise Menu du Jour activity Starter (process alignment) Main Course (stakeholders to target) Dessert (change agents / facilitators) Discuss in groups of 3 (or 4) the menu options provided. Your order will be taken in around 15 minutes time 

46. Questions / Discussion

47. Further information Viewpoints project blog: http://viewpoints.ulster.ac.uk Dr Alan Masson, Project Director - aj.masson@ulster.ac.uk Catherine O’Donnell, Academic E-Learning Consultant - c.odonnell@ulster.ac.uk Karen Virapen, Instructional Technologist - k.virapen@ulster.ac.uk Jill Harrison, Instructional Technologist - ja.harrison@ulster.ac.uk Dr Vilinda Ross, Research Fellow - v.ross@ulster.ac.uk