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Faculty Projects

The CETL is working very closely with all four faculties of the university on large scale faculty-wide projects. These two and a half-year projects are now underway, and are being developed by the faculties in areas where engaging with learner autonomy will have a significant impact on students' learning experience. The project teams have a designated project leader, who is responsible for managing initiatives that typically involve a complete degree programme or a substantial part of one. The projects' rationales are underpinned by an existing theoretical framework informed by principles of learner autonomy, and will contribute to each Faculty's strategic LTA development.

Faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering and Sciences
"Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) - Developing and Embedding Effective Practice in ACES"
Project Leaders:
Prof Allan Norcliffe and Justin Lewis


This project builds on the recognition of EBL as a means of enabling students to become more autonomous in their own learning. The aim of the project is to identify relevant areas of provision where EBL could be introduced and embedded at module and course level within Art, Design, Communication, Media, combined with courses in Engineering and Computing. In particular, key to the EBL project will be identifying opportunities for students to work with those from another discipline with an EBL approach to learning and teaching. As part of a coherent and aligned strategy for LTA development, the EBL project will provide resources and support for programme leaders, course leaders and module leaders to introduce elements of EBL in the curriculum.

Posters produced by the faculty can be found here

Faculty of Development and Society
"Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) - Developing and Embedding Effective Practice in D&S"
Project Leader:
Phil Askham

The project focuses on using EBL as a vehicle of introducing and embedding elements of learner autonomy at module and course level. Case studies in key areas of provision are utilised to produce guidelines and recommendations on how good practice developed on a small scale can be expanded to encompass the faculty as a whole, providing resources and support for programme leaders, course leaders and module leaders to introduce elements of EBL in the curriculum. While the focus of the project remains on the learner, the project will also address staff experience in relation to learner autonomy. To this end, the establishment of the Learning Common Room is an essential part of embedding practices which support the development of learner autonomy.

Posters produced by the faculty can be found here

Faculty of Health and Wellbeing
"Encouraging and Enhancing Learner Autonomy"
Project Leaders:
Claire Craig and Karen Booth

The overall aim of this project is to develop a 'toolkit' for staff which will support teaching and learning strategies for promoting learner autonomy. An initial literature review will identify skill and attributes of autonomous learners and an action research approach will be used to identify how these are being supported within the Faculty, using six courses as the primary focus. Working with the staff and students, areas/strategies related to good practice in learner autonomy will be identified and these will be evaluated. Findings will then be embedded within an overarching framework to inform and develop an appropriate LTA strategy around learner autonomy.

Posters produced by the faculty can be found here

Sheffield Business School
(formerly Faculty of Organisation and Management)

"Developing and Embedding Learner Autonomy within the Postgraduate Curriculum to Enhance Learning and Professional Development"
Project Leader:
Godfrey Craik

The project will focus on the development of module activities and assessment within the Sheffield Business School's Business and Management programme in order to maximise the input of students in their learning through, for example, the negotiation of learning outcomes, and the opportunity to choose or design activities and/or assessment tasks including assessment criteria, working collaboratively with peers without or in partnership with tutor(s). These developments will be closely integrated at course level with a rolling induction and a PDP process, and support the development of skills and attributes that define an autonomous learner.

Posters produced by the faculty can be found here

Case Studies : Faculty Projects Book Download