1 FDTL5ing: Opportunities, challenges and lessons Lesley Lawrence University of Bedfordshire FDTL Final Conference November 2009.

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FDTL5ing: FDTL5ing: Opportunities, Opportunities,

challenges and lessonschallenges and lessons

Lesley Lawrence Lesley Lawrence University of BedfordshireUniversity of Bedfordshire

FDTL Final Conference November 2009FDTL Final Conference November 2009

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FDTL5ingFDTL5ing

Involvement??Involvement?? Five and a half years.Five and a half years. Three projects from Sept 2003 – Feb 2009. Three projects from Sept 2003 – Feb 2009. £££££ - ranging from £150,000 to £££££ - ranging from £150,000 to

£249,715.£249,715.

Outcomes??Outcomes?? One completed project.One completed project. One re-profiled + completed project.One re-profiled + completed project. One failed project.One failed project.

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Varied roles and experiencesVaried roles and experiences

Why so much involvement?Why so much involvement? Differing roles in same institution.Differing roles in same institution. Love FDTL or glutton for punishment?Love FDTL or glutton for punishment?

Aim of presentationAim of presentation To share personal reflections and To share personal reflections and

project lessons.project lessons.

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Completed? Completed? Re-profiled + completed?Re-profiled + completed? Failed? Failed?

P

PDPMCSG

P

PDPMCSG

CSG

PD

PM

PProject A

Project B

Project C

C P

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Early FDTL5ing days – Early FDTL5ing days – enthusiasm and opportunitiesenthusiasm and opportunities

Had received funding from LTSN Subject Had received funding from LTSN Subject Centre for HLST 2001-02 on student Centre for HLST 2001-02 on student assessment strategies.assessment strategies.

FDTL5 invitation to bid – Stage One – 5FDTL5 invitation to bid – Stage One – 5thth December 2003 deadline – T and L role. December 2003 deadline – T and L role.

Attended LTSN subject centre events – Attended LTSN subject centre events – networking opportunities. networking opportunities.

Full of enthusiasm Full of enthusiasm Involved in two project bids Involved in two project bids (Stage (Stage One).One).

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PROJECT BPROJECT B

‘‘Optimising skills transfer by Optimising skills transfer by design: utilising experiential design: utilising experiential learning in the undergraduate learning in the undergraduate curriculum’. curriculum’.

Project met priority needs in Project met priority needs in ‘Business and Management’ + ‘Business and Management’ + ‘Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and ‘Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism’.Tourism’.

Sole applicant bid/role as project Sole applicant bid/role as project director.director.

PDPMCSG

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PROJECT B: ELIGIBILITY SAGAPROJECT B: ELIGIBILITY SAGA Bid prepared in good faithBid prepared in good faith – ‘The – ‘The

department … is eligible to bid’ (HEFCE, 1 department … is eligible to bid’ (HEFCE, 1 Oct 2003). ‘The University is eligible to Oct 2003). ‘The University is eligible to submit a bid as sole applicant’ (HEFCE, 17 submit a bid as sole applicant’ (HEFCE, 17 Oct 2003). Oct 2003).

Changed advice – ‘advice is not valid’ Changed advice – ‘advice is not valid’ (HEFCE, 26 Nov).(HEFCE, 26 Nov).

Senior Management directed project team Senior Management directed project team to submit bid for 5 Dec.to submit bid for 5 Dec.

Ineligible FDTL5 Stage 1 Ineligible FDTL5 Stage 1 application letter from HEFCEapplication letter from HEFCE (dated 23 Dec 2003) – nice Xmas (dated 23 Dec 2003) – nice Xmas present!present!

Failed Failed

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PROJECT A PROJECT A

‘‘Engaging Students with Engaging Students with Assessment Feedback’ (Stage Assessment Feedback’ (Stage Two bid successful).Two bid successful).

Project met priority needs in ‘Business Project met priority needs in ‘Business and Management’. and Management’. P

PDPMCSG

P

CP

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PROJECT A: ENJOYMENT AND PROJECT A: ENJOYMENT AND COMPLETIONCOMPLETION

Personally – best of both worlds: Personally – best of both worlds: FDTL5 involvement but no ‘lead’ FDTL5 involvement but no ‘lead’ responsibility.responsibility.

Partner liaison officer role - Partner liaison officer role - partnership seemed to work.partnership seemed to work.

Initiatives directly arising from project Initiatives directly arising from project involvement now implemented within involvement now implemented within own institution and ex-department.own institution and ex-department.

Enjoyable experience!Enjoyable experience!

CompletedCompleted

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PROJECT A:PROJECT A: TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIESTRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES

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PROJECT CPROJECT C‘‘Developing a teaching and learning Developing a teaching and learning resource to aid the non-specialist resource to aid the non-specialist when teaching biomechanics’.when teaching biomechanics’.

Project met priority needs in ‘HLST’.Project met priority needs in ‘HLST’.

P

PD CSG

P

PM

PDBID + START

END

PD

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PROJECT C: BOLT FROM THE PROJECT C: BOLT FROM THE BLUEBLUE

Inherited project - emerged when HEFCE froze Inherited project - emerged when HEFCE froze funding, coinciding with institutional merger.funding, coinciding with institutional merger.

Funding frozen after two years: non-delivery, Funding frozen after two years: non-delivery, under-spend, lacking direction etc.under-spend, lacking direction etc.

HEA – set several conditions for continuation.HEA – set several conditions for continuation.

One condition - new project director – who? ‘In One condition - new project director – who? ‘In the wrong place at the wrong time’ – LL?? the wrong place at the wrong time’ – LL??

Why continue project? Saving grace –resource Why continue project? Saving grace –resource needed in the biomechanics community.needed in the biomechanics community.

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Difficulties prior to funding Difficulties prior to funding freeze: summary of freeze: summary of

contributory factors (1)contributory factors (1) Partnership arrangement rationale unclear Partnership arrangement rationale unclear

and no partnership agreement signed.and no partnership agreement signed.

Lead institution depended on partner to Lead institution depended on partner to deliver resource – not in original deliver resource – not in original specification.specification.

Personnel problems e.g. early loss of Personnel problems e.g. early loss of project director/originator and others project director/originator and others shaping bid.shaping bid.

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Difficulties prior to funding Difficulties prior to funding freeze: summary of freeze: summary of

contributory factors (2)contributory factors (2) Key ingredients missing e.g. no project Key ingredients missing e.g. no project

manager for 1manager for 11/21/2 years/no steering years/no steering group for 2 years).group for 2 years).

Technological platform used to Technological platform used to construct resources not feasible and construct resources not feasible and resource format changed.resource format changed.

Change in lead institution during Change in lead institution during merger – opportunity not taken to merger – opportunity not taken to reinforce focus and timeframe.reinforce focus and timeframe.(External evaluator report, 2008).(External evaluator report, 2008).

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PROJECT C: TROUBLES CONTINUE PROJECT C: TROUBLES CONTINUE …… Rescue plan – meeting of project team Rescue plan – meeting of project team

with HEA in York (Feb 2006). with HEA in York (Feb 2006). Report accepted with revised targets Report accepted with revised targets

and an extension (May).and an extension (May). Advisory Group, internal monitoring, Advisory Group, internal monitoring,

external advisor in place etc..external advisor in place etc.. Promising signs in first few months Promising signs in first few months

BUTBUTby mid-year report (Sep), HEA major by mid-year report (Sep), HEA major milestone not met: delivery of milestone not met: delivery of resource in agreed format and resource in agreed format and quantity.quantity.

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PROJECT C: BRINGING THINGS PROJECT C: BRINGING THINGS TO A CONCLUSIONTO A CONCLUSION

Partnership dissolved.Partnership dissolved. Project re-profiled and continued with lead Project re-profiled and continued with lead

institution and an additional strand in institution and an additional strand in place. place.

Re-profiled outcomes met.Re-profiled outcomes met. Final Report submitted – phew! Final Report submitted – phew! Financial report submitted - 9 tables Financial report submitted - 9 tables

created to account for shifts and created to account for shifts and complexities.complexities.

Re-profiled + completed Re-profiled + completed

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PROJECT C: COLLABORATIVE PROJECT C: COLLABORATIVE WORKING LESSONSWORKING LESSONS

‘‘The experience of the Project has itself The experience of the Project has itself served to raise issues concerned with served to raise issues concerned with collaborative working, and particularly what collaborative working, and particularly what might be seen as the presumption that might be seen as the presumption that partnership is always a good thing’.partnership is always a good thing’.

‘‘More explicit attention should be given to the More explicit attention should be given to the extent to which any partnership is a result of extent to which any partnership is a result of previous (successful) collaborative activity, as previous (successful) collaborative activity, as opposed to a new partnership seeking opposed to a new partnership seeking funding for the first time’. funding for the first time’.

‘‘The lead institution in partnership Projects The lead institution in partnership Projects should throughout provide the necessary should throughout provide the necessary expertise which enables them to undertake expertise which enables them to undertake the subject leadership role’.the subject leadership role’.(External evaluator, 2008).(External evaluator, 2008).

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PROJECT C: IMPLICATIONS OF PROJECT C: IMPLICATIONS OF CHANGE IN PERSONNEL CHANGE IN PERSONNEL

‘‘A clear revisiting and clarification of A clear revisiting and clarification of the aims, objectives, expectations and the aims, objectives, expectations and timescales should be undertaken at an timescales should be undertaken at an early stage where changes in key early stage where changes in key Project personnel take place’. Project personnel take place’. (External evaluator, 2008).(External evaluator, 2008).

Being the 4Being the 4thth project director – not an project director – not an easy role to suddenly take on! easy role to suddenly take on! (4(4thth Project director, 2009).Project director, 2009).

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FDTL5ing: FINAL REFLECTIONSFDTL5ing: FINAL REFLECTIONS

It’s only a job!!

Balance between +ve’s

and –ve’s??

Why get involved in FDTL5ing?

What else could I have

been doing?Would I do the same

again knowing what I now know??

Ranking … A, B, C – should I have said NO to C??

Scary thought -

10% of my life

FDTL5ing!

How much, + what have I

learned??