Programme Description
Principles of delivery:
- Mutual peer learning
- Face-to-Face Teaching
- Practical application of newly acquired skills to own project
- Ongoing support to develop and apply learning
Participants are asked to bring with them an outline of an integrated service development project concerning the use of information. During the programme, they will be supported to apply their newly acquired skills to develop this project.
Programme design:
The Programme is organised in three separate but interlinked modules, which help students progressively build knowledge and skills needed at different stages of project development. Each module encourages students to addresses the three themes of 'integration', knowledge and tools for development in different contexts and in increasing depth. Each module involves an assessed written assignment.
- Project planning: what can be achieved, how and in collaboration with whom (Assignment: a written Project Plan)
- Continuous project evaluation and monitoring: important questions to ask of specific projects, how to answer them to inform project progress. (Assignment; an ongoing monitoring report)
- Reporting project learning: Formulating key lessons and disseminating learning through the organisation. (Assignment: an oral presentation and a written report about the project, its progress, key lessons learned and dissemination strategies)
Each module carries 20 Credit Points.
The Programme is delivered through 8 seminars over one year, with structured exercises and assignments to be completed between seminars. Tutor support is available throughout.
Programme timetable
Introductory seminars
Seminar 1: 25th September, in Edinburgh:
- Overview of Programme. Introduction to the main themes: Knowledge, Integration and Tools. Group-work to share project ideas and start planning
Seminar 2: 6th and 7th November, Edinburgh:
- Day one: Principles of information use in integrated service development. Group-work to apply concepts and theory to students' projects
- Day two: Principles in Practice. Tools and strategies to plan and execute projects in a changing environment. Groupwork to develop students' projects.
Follow-up seminars
Follow-up seminar 1: December 2008 (date tbc with students): Project planning and writing skills: clarity of aims, objectives and outcomes.
Assigment 1: Project Plan, 19th december 2008.
Follow-up seminars 2 and 3: February and March 2009 (date tbc with students): Evaluation in project planning: principles and practice. Writing for practice.
Assignment 2: Evaluation Plan 30th April 2009 .
Follow-up seminar 4, 5,6: May, June, August 2009 (date tbc with students): How to formulate and disseminate lessons from project. Writing for impact. Presenting results.
Assignment 3: Oral presentation: Agust seminar. Written project report: 30th September 2008
Requirements
Participants must negotiate and agree their project with their organisation(s).
Education: Degree level qualifications and/or equivalent work experience required.
Assessment
The assessments will be based on participants' design, execution and evaluation of their own integrated service development projects. Assignments are not assessed by absolute standards of 'project success', but on how students demonstrate application of acquired learning and skills to their specific situation.
Assignment 1: Written project plan: (20 Credit points) Context, student's role in project and aim and objectives of the project which will be done for the Programme, anticipated outcomes, proposed change management approach taken, initial strategies for use of information.
Assignment 2: Ongoing monitoring of project (20 Credit points): Information used to steer project and how it is used, lessons learned and adjustments made.
Assignment 3: Lessons learned and how to disseminate them (20 Credit points). Oral presentation and written Final report: (20 Credit Points): Findings from evaluation. Key lessons learned for self and organisation. Strategy for dissemination.
Awarding
Successful completion of the programme will be awarded with a 60 Credit Post Graduate Certificate from the University of Edinburgh.