Student success at college is not just achieving high grades The National Forum for Teaching and Learning defines student success as the process by which students fulfil their potential and flourish at college and in society. This is a broader activity than simply achieving high grades. Psychosocial competencies are core to the definition of student success: these are the ‘soft skills’ or ‘non-cognitive skills’ that enable students to cope well with learning challenges, engage deeply in learning, and develop their identities as learners and as active citizens. Transitions are a key issue within this priority area, with transitions such as the move from school to college presenting both challenges and opportunities for students.
Bold and Curious Teaching 2 – Academic Ethos and Assessment
About this initiative
This is a ‘seed-funding’ initiative that builds on work undertaken as part of SATLE 2019, and on work emerging from an SATLE 2020 initiative, ‘Ambitions For Practice’. As such, its purpose is to enable direct engagement by staff from across the College in establishing and delivering the strategic ambitions of the College through their practice. A key achievement under SATLE 2019 was establishing a ‘Shared Academic Ethos’, and an undertaking to test this at programme level. The Academic Ethos will be launched alongside a call for project-proposals that test and embed NCAD’s Academic Ethos: Within any aspect of NCAD’s Learning Environment, through partnership with students. Projects will be invited for delivery in Trimester 1 of 2021/22. A second call for project proposals, focused upon ‘Assessment’ will be issued during Trimester 1 of 2021/22 for delivery in Trimester 2 of 2021/22. This call will build upon awareness findings from the early stages of another SATLE 2020 project, ‘Foundations and Futures 2 – Ambitions for Practice’. That is, audit findings in respect of assessment ambitions and practice across the College will inform framing the call for project proposals. In respect of Assessment, it is anticipated this will build on Academic Ethos work under SATLE 2019 and invite projects that explore how assessment feedback can be harnessed for staff learning. In addition, it is anticipated that projects that explore peer- and self- assessment within undergraduate programmes in particular, will also be invited.




