The poster describes the T-SPARC project undertaken by Birmingham City University within the JISC Curriculum Design Transformation programme.

1. Technology-Supported Processes for Agile and
Responsive Curricula
Core Aim 1 Core Aim 2 Core Aim 3 Core Aim 4
Redesign of the ICT Electronic representation
Informing programme infrastructure which Electronic support for of programmes and
design activity through underpins the workflow of course team dialogue underpinning evidence at
the enhanced provision the curriculum design and during their programme (and leading up to) the
of pertinent information programme approval design activity point of approval
processes
= Moodle = Mahara = SharePoint
The Ladder of Engagement
Since we are using technologies already adopted by the University, we can concentrate on supporting the use of these technologies in new modes
to support new workflows. This means that ‘stakeholder engagement’ is our highest priority; we are using the model below as a template for this
engagement – it guides our communication plans and defines the type of activity needed to achieve a particular level of ‘buy-in’:
Notify Inform Consult Involve Collaborate Empower
Stakeholders may encounter Stakeholders are regularly Project staff obtain views Project staff work with All aspects of decision Stakeholders set agendas
engagement
project publicity. and reliably informed, of stakeholders. stakeholders through making processes are for change. Self
Level of
made aware of their rights Stakeholders receive full decision making processes undertaken in partnership organisation and
and ways of participating feedback on decisions to ensure views are with stakeholders. responsibility over
in the project. taken. understood and taken into management is held by
account. stakeholders.
Stakeholders as passive Stakeholders as passive Stakeholders as Stakeholders as project Stakeholders as Stakeholders as
Stakeholder roles
recipients of recipients of broadly respondents. Designated team members. collaborators. Stakeholders (independent) designers.
uncontextualised contextualised consultation time/space in Stakeholder appointment on management Distributed decision
information. Dialogue with information. Dialogue meetings. Feedback/right on project boards. committees. Stakeholder making. Stakeholder
project staff is not expected. with project staff is of reply strategies. Some Stakeholders supported in shaped policy making. managers. Stakeholder
implicitly welcomed but dialogue with project staff their involvement through Stakeholder interest/action ‘ownership’ of resources,
not explicitly invited. is expected. training. groups. events, policies and
learning.
Occasional newsletters. Briefings. Regular blogs. Comment/opinion polls. Workshops. Voting. Active Stakeholder led Stakeholder managed
Engagement tools
Access to minutes and Targeted letters. Focus groups focus groups. Joint-lead consultations. Interviews consultation activities and
documents. Static website. (stakeholders as consultations. Interviews open / closed (stakeholder tools development.
respondents). Project staff (open). directed). Open forums.
led consultation Rich picture activities.
workshops. Project staff Away days with
led questionnaires and stakeholders and project
interviews. teams.
Potential for peripheral Potential for informed, Widespread verifiable Emergent reaction data is Agendas emerge only from New mechanisms are
Anticipated
general awareness. contextualised awareness. contextualised awareness. not framed exclusively by collaborative activity with established which are
Effect
Emergence of reaction project staff. Stakeholder stakeholders. stakeholder owned. Project
data. agendas are collected and is self-sustainable with no
recognised. expectation of project
team intervention.
Adapted from Rudd et al (2006)
Scope Activity
Because the focus of the T-SPARC project is Committee and working group activities include:
curriculum design, it necessarily touches upon • Learning and Teaching Committee
a whole raft of University work-streams. As • Working group for the redesign of the review
such, the Project Team advance the aims of and approval mechanisms
the T-SPARC project through working with all • Working group for the Learning Community
of the themes shown in the Wordle graphic to initiative (student engagement)
the right (centre bottom) through existing • RoLEx (Redesign of the Learning Experience)
University working groups and committees. Project Board