Edinburgh Napier University

  This chapter explores the choices and decisions made during the redevelopment of a new Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching, aimed at new higher education academic staff. Drawing from two models of blended and online curriculum design (Staker and Horn, 2012; Twigg, 2008), the chapter sets out the rationale for the innovative design that aimed to strike a balance between offering a manageable work-based learning experience for students while meeting the demands of internal agendas and external accreditations.
Core to its design is the programme philosophy to support an authentic learning experience for colleagues as students in the pedagogic discipline of learning and teaching. Focusing on this programme, which constitutes one 60-credit Master’s level module, the chapter outlines the holistic approach taken toward redesign, delivery, and assessment. Well-established pedagogic tools such as learning contracts and patchwork texts are integrated with less familiar digital technology, and the advantages and challenges that this combination presents for participants is discussed. In recognising the unique position of new academic staff, the programme offers a logic for adopting technologies enabling flexibility of both learning route and assessment options to be woven into their own teaching and research practices.
Lastly, the chapter discusses the risks and vulnerabilities of innovative curriculum design for both staff and students. Staff face challenges when high levels of flexibility are offered, and students need to manage their decisions on a range of choices for both learning and assessment.

Academics are all committed to keeping abreast of the latest research and ideas in their discipline, but few of them have the opportunity to keep at the forefront of developments in how to teach their subject (Dearing 1997, p.31).