Professional Practice Innovation
Department
Computing
Title
Variable Rate Progression: Shaping your future at your chosen pace
Summary
Variable Rate Progression is a generic model and suite of software tools used to underpin the design and delivery of a flexible degree. VRP empowers students to become their own course designer, deriving personal pathways that embeds flexibility to enhance career prospects and balance needs of both home and work. This personalisation is not available within traditional 'Years' based course design. On a VRP degree, these personal pathways inherently exist and so do not have to be controlled or predefined by course teams.
VRP evolved during preparations for the 2017 revalidation of BSc Computing Systems; the largest undergraduate part-time course in the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, comprising approximately 250 students. Approval for VRP was sought during this period and was endorsed by the Faculty, Academic Office and PVC Education, at Ulster University.
Feedback from students and apprenticeship partner has been hugely encouraging, crediting the novelty and innovation of VRP. Software, developed to automate VRP, was shortlisted as a Finalist for ‘Best Use of Educational Technology / ICT Initiative of the Year’ at the Education Awards 2020.