Teaching and Learning > DISCOURSE
Staff Expectations and Student Experience
Author: Paul Reid-Bowen and Catherine Robinson
Journal Title: Discourse
ISSN: 2040-3674
ISSN-L: 1741-4164
Volume: 8
Number: 1
Start page: 73
End page: 89
Return to vol. 8 no. 1 index page
The authors would like to thank those students who participated in the focus group for their contributions, which were invaluable in preparing this paper.
Bath Spa University describes itself as ‘a teaching-led university with an emphasis on teaching of the highest quality’.1
Its origins can be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century when the art school was founded, with teacher training dating from the late nineteenth century in respect of domestic science.2 It was in 1945 that the Newton Park estate, between Bath and Keynsham, was leased from the Duchy of Cornwall to serve as the site for a teacher training college delivering a wider variety of subjects.3 In 1975 the Bath Teacher Training College and what was then known as the Bath College of Domestic Science merged to create Bath College of Higher Education and in 1983 the Bath Academy of Art joined this merged institution.4 In 1989 Bath College of Higher Education became independent of local authority control.5 In 1992, it acquired taught degree awarding powers while, in 1997, it became Bath Spa University College and, in 2005, it attained University status.6
Study of Religions (previously Religious Studies) has a comparatively long history at Bath Spa University where (since at least the 1970s) it was taught for the first two years of a combined programme leading to a Bachelor of Education degree. In 1990, for instance, provision encompassed a general introduction to the subject, including a range of religious traditions and approaches to their study in year one and, in year two, a placement in a religious community combined with further study of Buddhism and some philosophy of religions including Marxist, Christian and Hindu perspectives as well as an independent project. In the early 1990s Study of Religions developed into a threeyear subject in the Combined Award and subsequently, in the mid 1990s, into a Single Honours subject with increased staffing and variety of provision. Typically, cohorts contain students with different backgrounds in the subject, both in terms of a faith commitment (if any) and previous study at A-level (where applicable).
Thus, in addition to the fact that Bath Spa University is not a religious foundation and has no denominational affiliations, Study of Religions has a heritage of offering a broad curriculum, recruiting students with diverse prior educational experience and including a multi-faith perspective on the philosophy of religions. This heritage continues to inform the culture and ethos of the Department as it seeks to enhance and renew its provision in the light of changing needs and expectations.
Insofar as the first year of any undergraduate programme is concerned, any enhancement and renewal of provision must take account of the daunting nature of this experience. It is by no means unusual for students to feel rather overwhelmed by the personal and academic challenges of the transition to university. A focus group spoke of various challenges associated with moving away from home, the ‘hurry up and wait’ experience of Freshers’Week with its combination of information overload and minimal subject input, the amount of self-directed time instead of a fully timetabled day and the requirement to move beyond reliance on a textbook as source material. Interestingly, given the theme of ‘Spoonfeeding versus Critical Thinking’, in the course of discussion it was volunteered that school was about spoonfeeding whereas university was supposed to be about independent learning, a contentious claim certainly but one that does point to a perception of a significant change between A-level and the first year of a degree.
In order to locate the most recent developments in teaching and learning in their appropriate context, it is necessary to set out what immediately preceded them. The Department offered one undergraduate programme, Study of Religions, that in the first year consisted of four introductory modules: two alternate compulsory modules covering the so-called ‘Big Six’ (Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism in one, Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the other) and integrating some theory and method as well as study skills; and two optional modules addressing contemporary spiritualities, that is New Age, Paganism, New Religious Movements and current trends in older religions, and contemporary issues, such as science, ecology and gender, respectively. However, a number of factors came together to prompt a series of changes. In brief, these factors included:
- A recognition that the compulsory modules were overloaded and that it was necessary to disaggregate the content in order to do justice to theory and method but also the religions;
- An increasing incidence of plagiarism despite warnings and advice, apparently committed without awareness of wrongdoing;
- A growing interest in philosophy and ethics evident at ‘A’ level in Religious Studies and among our own students, reflected in changes seen in other Higher Education Institutions.
Hence the following decisions were made:
- Write a new compulsory module to concentrate upon theory and method and free up the religion modules while also responding to university initiatives including key skills and employability;
- Re-focus on study skills throughout the first year programme and trial different strategies;
- Introduce Philosophy and Ethics as a separate subject including ‘Eastern’ as well as ‘Western’ thought, though not defined in terms of philosophy of religions.
We will discuss each of these decisions in turn.
The New Compulsory Module
The creation of this core first year module was very much directed towards introducing methodological issues in study of religions and embedding employability and key skills in a more focused manner than had been previously attempted. Indeed, departmentally, we were particularly concerned with exploring ways by which the development of skills could be integrated more effectively with the assessment and teaching methods utilised in our year one modules. This was a move that was in sympathy with what Biggs had characterised as a constructive alignment approach to curriculum design.7 It also, potentially at least, seemed to be an approach that was able to address certain transitional problems between ‘A’ level and University. As such, some commentary and explanation of constructive alignment and our efforts at applying it is required.
Biggs defines constructive alignment as an integrated system wherein ‘all aspects of teaching and assessment are tuned to support high level learning’.8 More expansively, he explains that: The “constructive” aspect refers to what the learner does, which is to construct meaning through relevant learning exercises. The “alignment” aspect refers to what the teacher does, which is to set up a learning environment that supports the learning activities appropriate to achieving the desired learning outcomes.9
These points seem eminently reasonable, indeed don’t we all aspire to them? However, it needs to be considered, explored and specified how students can most effectively acquire the range of key and subject skills outlined in the learning outcomes. Arguably there are far more diverse and effective learning events, exercises and tasks than simply lectures, essays and unseen examinations available.
Biggs is more explicit about the content of constructive alignment when he asserts that:
The key is that the components in the teaching system, especially the teaching methods used and the assessment tasks, are aligned to the learning activities assumed in the intended outcomes. The learner is in a sense ‘trapped’, and finds it difficult to escape without learning what is intended should be learned.10
This, essentially, became the aim of the new compulsory first year module. Moving away from the relatively standard Study of Religions’ level one model of two pieces of written coursework (essays) and a pass/fail seminar presentation, the new module aimed to have students demonstrate, or rather perform, their understanding of the core modules’ learning outcomes through some more diverse, experimental and, arguably, appropriately aligned assessment tasks.
Biggs had noted that ‘[p]roblem-based learning is a very good example of aligned teaching’;11 moreover, context-based learning is frequently lauded as one of the most effective means of developing employability and key skills in HE. With this in mind, the new compulsory module introduced a group project based on a hypothetical research problem. In groups, ideally of five, students were set the problem of making a research bid. This was comprised of a rationale for the composition of a ‘fictive’ research team and a research strategy that would best solve the outlined problem and deliver valuable results. The group rationale and strategy was then presented to a committee, composed of staff and fellow students in the final four to five weeks of the module, and was subjected to cross-examination and questioning. The delivery of a good group performance inevitably required that the students had effectively synthesised the diverse methodological issues and concepts they encountered in the module, in addition to demonstrating competence with a range of employability and key skills, including group-working and verbal, written and ICT presentation skills.
The module assessment was further based upon the submission of a seminar portfolio. This incorporated reflective commentaries on the group presentation and a selection of the module’s seminars, and also an introductory 1,500 word essay. The assessment weighting was apportioned at 50% for the essay, 25% for the project and 25% for the portfolio. However, since acquiring a greater understanding of the principles of constructive alignment, there is a strong argument for placing far greater weight on the group project than is currently allocated. As Ramsden asserts, ‘the assessment is the curriculum, as far as the students are concerned. They’ll learn what they think they’ll be assessed on, not what’s in the curriculum, or what’s been “covered” in class’.12 The new compulsory module constitutes a concerted effort on our part to make sure that the assessment tasks mirror what we intend the students to learn.
Evaluatively, I do not wish to suggest that Study of Religions at Bath Spa has been inattentive to these aspects of curriculum design in the past. The level two compulsory methodology module, Studying Religions, for example, has featured a week long placement with a religious community for each 2nd year student for over the past 35 years.
This placement requires that each student (1) engage in ethnographic field research—effectively, in Biggs’ terminology, ‘performing their knowledge’—and (2) produce a reflective journal. In this case there is a clearly a good degree of constructive alignment already taking place in the Study of Religions curriculum. However, there is arguably a need to exhibit far greater confidence when formulating assessment items that make sure that the students ‘cannot escape learning what is intended should be learned’, even when, paradoxically, this is independence of learning.
Somewhat awkwardly, student assessments of the new module and the project have been rather mixed to date. This may be a consequence of the nature of the hypothetical problem outlined. Set in the future, with a science fiction theme, the research problem is arguably too detached from a ‘real world’ context and requires an imaginative leap that some students have been unwilling or found difficult to make. Furthermore, there are a range of administrative and practical problems that seem to arise whenever more varied methods of assessment are introduced into a module. These largely structural problems mean that there is a greater capacity for, and also a greater occurrence of, nonsubmissions of assignments by students (e.g. students typically need to have completed more pieces of work and have attended more lectures and seminars than those modules which only require written assignments or exams). Additional layers of assessment complexity may be precisely what some first year students do not need, despite the fact that those selfsame assessment methods are being used to facilitate the academic transition between A-level and HE. Clearly there are ambiguities to be addressed here.
The success of the module may be best measured by the degree to which students are meeting the module learning outcomes and also acquiring the employability skills that we are seeking to embed and constructively align. More longitudinal data is required to assess this, though, and student module evaluations are not necessarily the best resource to consult in this regard. What may be required is far greater vigilance with regard to the implementation and collection of assignments during the first year, spoon-feeding if you will, while the assignments themselves can be effectively aligned to promote such learning outcomes as critical thinking.
Re-focusing on Study Skills
The new compulsory module provides an opportunity for study skills to be delivered to all Study of Religions students, supplementing generic guidance provided by the University through the Student Study Skills Centre and the Library and Information Services webpages and written subject guidance in the Study of Religions Undergraduate Handbook and Learning Guide. Study Skills have become a particular priority due to the incidence of plagiarism. Plagiarism is taken seriously by the University with a subcommittee that can impose a range of penalties appropriate to the severity of the offence taking into account its extent as well as the student’s motivation, record and response. However, this is an issue across the sector with news reports indicating a rise in plagiarism or, more positively, its detection.13 That plagiarism is of general concern is reflected in specialised media, notably the Times Higher Education Supplement which runs items on this subject on a regular basis. Recently, for example, there have been articles on cultural differences in views about the nature of knowledge and the ownership of ideas,14 a survey for the Higher Education Academy and Joint Information Systems Committee pointing to the significance of the sort of institution in respect of the prevalence of plagiarism and the procedures put in place to deal with it,15 and, in a more light-hearted vein, on a lecturer’s difficulty in coping with the burdens of marking, particularly plagiarism.16 The fact that plagiarism is a national problem does not, of course, abrogate the ‘local’ responsibility to understand and combat plagiarism.
Discussions with our own students reveal that what staff regard as ‘Unfair Practice’ is, in a number of instances, a continuation of what they have been accustomed to doing at A-level. While some students are used to providing bibliographies and at least to attributing quotations to authors, many explain that this is entirely new and some struggle to make the necessary adjustment at the start of their studies. Indeed, referencing has been mentioned by students as one of the most marked differences between A-level and undergraduate study.
Although members of staff do take a generous view in encouraging the full acknowledgement of sources of ideas and information and ensuring that this acknowledgement is presented in an approved format, some work that has been submitted is totally unsatisfactory. An over-dependence on the model answers prepared by teachers for wholly legitimate reasons may lead students to believe that reproducing a lecture as coursework is legitimate despite not constituting an independently written response to the question set. Certainly, a cut and paste approach to essays mainly from Internet sites, surely not encouraged by or acceptable to teachers, can not satisfy the criterion of independence and thus gives little evidence of the knowledge or understanding foundational to analysis and criticism. Moreover, there is evidence that plagiarism is a concern for teachers as witnessed by a poll conducted among members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in respect of students aged sixteen to eighteen years where over half of respondents indicated that plagiarism was an issue in their students’ work.17
It should go without saying that members of university staff want to do whatever they can to avoid students committing plagiarism since they are interested in students forming their own academic judgments based on the evaluation of evidence. There is also a pastoral concern about students being subject to the stress associated with an accusation of plagiarism, possibly leading to a breakdown in relations with staff, when, in the great majority of cases, the problem seems to be inexperience and incomprehension rather than the deliberate intention to deceive. At the same time, it is clearly vital to safeguard the value of the award for all students by maintaining the integrity and rigour of the assessment process, especially when assessment is carried out mainly through coursework. In striking the right balance between scholarly standards and student support, the instilling of good practice and the creation of a new ethos are far preferable to proving and then punishing plagiarism.
There are any number of books on study skills that undergraduate students may consult to gain an understanding of the academic project, some of which have a subject-specific character such as Scott Brown’s A Guide to Writing Academic Essays in Religious Studies that includes a section on how not to plagiarise alongside a valuable introduction to the discipline and its demands.18 A book with a wider remit, integrating study skills with a series of chapters on religion and religions and different approaches, is Dominic Corrywright and Peggy Morgan’s Get Set for Religious Studies written to ease the transition between school/college and university.19 This book has already been recommended to our students but, irrespective of its usefulness, it remains necessary to devote class time to the issue of plagiarism as an important part of study skills that, overall, should explain to students exactly what is required, principally their own thoughts though this entails adequate acknowledgement of others’ ideas and information, and thus empower them to succeed.
In the compulsory module, Beyond Belief, two sessions on Study Skills are scheduled. The former centres on the library and research, examining books, journals and information sources relevant to the subject and offering guidance on reading, note taking and time management. The latter centres on essay writing, including advice on structure, style, presentation and referencing but attaching a special emphasis to discussing plagiarism in terms of what it is and how it is to be avoided. The advantages of these dedicated sessions are obvious. They allow for concentrated coverage of key areas and, as stated above, they can be accessed by all students registered for Study of Religions. However, some students taking the subject in the modular scheme do so as an elective and may not take the compulsory module meaning that optional modules also need to include Study Skills. This became apparent during the first occurrence of the compulsory module when the optional modules did not foreground Study Skills and problems occurred, particularly among students for whom Study of Religions was an elective. Moreover, the optional modules allow for the employment of other, complementary, strategies. For example, in the module on Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism (called Gurus, Buddhas and Swamis) that runs alongside the compulsory module, a series of short (five to ten minute) sessions have been built into weekly seminars, based on short handouts (no more than one sheet of A4 and generally no more than one side) on specific themes distributed in lectures and also uploaded to the module’s Virtual Learning Environment site. The selection and order of these themes relate to the type and timing of assignments and, in addition to providing simplified instructions on when and how to reference, try to approach referencing from first principles. This leads us to begin with the nature and role of an academic essay that we define as being ‘to advance an argument, based upon reasoned reflection of a wide range of evidence’. Students are advised that an essay should enable a tutor ‘to assess how far you understand the question and the issues raised, the extent to which you have developed and expressed your own informed interpretation of these issues and the way in which you have engaged with a wide range of sources’. These and other points have been discussed with students and form the basis for later themes such as reading (making clear the number of sources we expect to be used in an essay and how they are to be selected) and note taking (stating that notes should be made in the students’ own words or else clearly indicated as quotations).
Indeed, referencing is not mentioned explicitly until after some guidance on planning an essay that includes looking at structure and content and stressing both analysis and evidence. Only then do we get into the technicalities of referencing when we work the most common examples (book, chapter in edited book, journal article and online source) in both systems accepted by the university. Our experience has been that students do find this difficult and take some time to get to grips with the format of referencing but we prioritise the frequency and appropriateness of referencing. Of course, Study Skills cannot be reduced to referencing and, as has already become evident, we do address other issues. For instance, in critiquing a draft, we suggest a number of questions that students should ask of their work as they read through it. These questions concern whether the draft answers the question, covers all its aspects, explains points clearly, cites evidence, avoids factual error, draws upon recommended reading, advances an argument and does so in coherent stages. Students are also directed to the generic marking criteria for the subject and the learning outcomes for the module and assignment; in other words, they have access to the way in which their work will be assessed and an opportunity to use this information to improve what they submit. Referencing is an integral part of this and so, however important it is, cannot be treated in isolation.
Perhaps, then, it is worth noting that a topic we deal with later in the module, writing academically, treats referencing as one of the characteristics of such writing along with a formal style, an argument grounded in evidence, the recognition of criticisms and limitations and consideration of the context and implications of an issue. It is hoped that this holistic approach enables students to understand why referencing is vital as it underwrites many of the other characteristics of academic writing—the evidence cited, the existence of other perspectives and the relationship with other work on the same or related topics. So far, judging by student responses, this strategy seems to be accepted, albeit less than enthusiastically since admittedly study skills is not the most exciting topic, as a complement to that provided in the compulsory module. While it would be premature to hail this as a success and the value of this strategy will need to be monitored, in semester 1 this year (2007-8), there seemed to be fewer cases of plagiarism and perhaps this was due in part to the stress on Study Skills.
Semester 2 optional modules also include Study Skills. For instance, Introduction to Contemporary Spiritualities incorporates a bespoke seminar session after the first essay has been marked to pick up on common errors. Students are offered a choice of activities. This year these were: revision on referencing by rewriting incorrect examples, including bibliographies; marking a deliberately inadequate, the anti-model, essay using the published marking criteria; and completing the Druid apostrophe exercise that involves applying punctuation rules set out on a worksheet. Or again, the remaining optional module, Children of Abraham, includes generic feedback in a lecture where similarly common errors (including referencing, though also structure, punctuation and grammar) are addressed and additional advice is offered. In both cases, referencing continues to be an area of concern both for members of staff and for students.
Even so, instances of plagiarism continued to come to light. The reason for this is not clear. It may be that Study Skills need to be accorded greater priority in semester 2 modules but it may also be that students did not benefit from the Study Skills sessions and materials available to them whether due to non-attendance or misplaced confidence. Certainly, we regard attendance as a major factor in our effectiveness in promoting good practice. Overall, we conclude that we should take every opportunity at the beginning of the first year to concentrate on orienting students to the demands of university study in such a way that they realise in what respects and, crucially, why they may need to change how they go about doing their work.
Philosophy and Ethics
In 2006 a new subject pathway in Philosophy and Ethics was introduced at Bath Spa in response to both the increasing popularity of Philosophy at A-level and based on research nationally and with existing and prospective students. Between 2003 and 2005 there had been a dramatic increase in the number of A-level candidates taking Philosophy (42% AQA) and the increases in entries at AS level taking Critical Thinking had been nothing short of exponential. Furthermore there was an emerging demand amongst employers for students with such skills as ‘ethical literacy’ and ‘value literacy’, and the teaching of the newly introduced subject of Citizenship in schools could clearly benefit from teachers with a background in Philosophy and Ethics. Usefully, two of the Study of Religions teaching staff in at Bath Spa are philosophers by training and a third is an international expert on Buddhism and the ethics of war. There was an opportunity to launch a new subject pathway and also provide a unique route for many students into the subject. But what is it that is distinctive about Philosophy and Ethics at Bath Spa, and how precisely does this relate to progression in Religious Studies between A-level and first year university?
Currently, Philosophy and Ethics at Bath Spa University operates as a Major, Joint or Minor subject pathway that will be entering its first level three year of teaching in the coming academic year (2008-9). In terms of the curriculum, it is important to note that Philosophy and Ethics at Bath Spa is not attempting to compete directly with established analytic philosophy departments in the UK. We are: (1) concerned to address student interests in the subject that are fostered within the A-level context; (2) we do not assume any specific knowledge of philosophy or ethics upon entry; and (3) we are committed to developing a capacity amongst our students for philosophical and ethical enquiry in a global context, encompassing a range of non-Western approaches and perspectives. Towards this end, in year one we have two modules that serve as introductions to questions and topics in Epistemology, Metaphysics and Ethics. These have proved to be popular elective options amongst students and are accessible thematic gateways into the subject. They encourage anyone with an interest in philosophy or ethics to get involved in the debates and do not advantage those who have taken philosophy at ‘A’ level with regard to content. Student evaluations suggest that the breadth of content and thematic approach is welcomed, particularly amongst those who have done ‘A’ level philosophy.
In the interests of encouraging students to develop core philosophical skills, such as an ability to argue effectively and responsively, a significant component of the first year module’s assessment is based upon presentations. These require students to develop and defend responses to philosophical questions in a formal seminar setting. While essays are retained throughout the Philosophy and Ethics programme, the use of more diverse assessment tasks encourages the development of the kind of critical, dialectical and self-reflective attributes that philosophy degrees are understood to foster and which are also valued by employers in the marketplace. The aim is that our students will be able to demonstrate and perform their philosophy in different and challenging contexts. They must be able to apply their analytical and argumentative skills creatively and flexibly, and certainly not simply in written form. The use of assessment methods such as discussion fora and individual student presentations have also been implemented in current year two Philosophy and Ethics modules, such as Indian Visions: Philosophy in Indian Traditions, and these are complemented by applied projects and timed critical analyses in year three. Again, the principles of constructive alignment are being applied to guarantee that, not simply are learning outcomes and benchmarking statements met, but that the transition between ‘A’ level and university level is a relatively smooth one.
Challenges and Opportunities
A trend that has become increasingly evident is the narrowing of subjects studied at A-level where, alongside the rise in popularity of philosophy and ethics, relatively few have studied religions other than Christianity. Figures for students entering Bath Spa University in academic year 2006-7 and taking Study of Religions (including as an elective) reveal that twenty-two of sixty-seven had A-levels in Religious Studies. Of these, fifteen mentioned having studied philosophy of religion and eleven ethics, ten Christianity and one Church history. In addition to one student mentioning the Sociology of Religion, seven mentioned Buddhism, four Islam and one Judaism. Indeed, given how the Department positions itself as providing a broad curriculum with a focus on living religions including alternative spiritualities and perhaps also the particular reputation it has for teaching Buddhism attributable to our Head of Department Denise Cush’s A-level textbook on Buddhism,20 it may even be that our intake is more varied than some. Without excluding the possibility that some students choose Bath Spa to broaden their education, when dealing with so much that is new it is understandable that students may decide to stick with what they know or, if venturing further afield, to prefer the really new. Thus, however well evaluated the modules on what might be called the major religions, such modules may be at a distinct disadvantage but the Department wants to encourage students to consider taking such modules in order for them to benefit fully from the range of learning opportunities provided at advanced levels. Throughout, notwithstanding some assumptions to the contrary perhaps arising out of overly descriptive treatments of religions, we believe that to study religions empathetically and experientially does not entail the absence of critical thinking.
In the future, we aim to continue to develop Philosophy and Ethics along the distinctive lines that we have laid out for ourselves. Namely, we are approaching philosophical and ethical enquiry in a global context, rather, that is, than through a purely Western, Greek and analytic framework. Towards this end, we are likely to introduce Chinese philosophy, for which there is considerable student demand, along with a range of other non-Western modes of reasoning and argument. However, clearly there are staffing issues to be considered in this regard. More specifically, though, we aim to provide assessment items and learning opportunities that will encourage students to develop critical thinking skills and an ability to argue effectively and persuasively. This emphasis on skills is, we note, is something that is still somewhat lacking in many other philosophy degrees nationally. We are also likely to continue to focus on applied and contemporary philosophical and ethical issues, which are convergent with both staff research interests and student demand, while also maintaining a close engagement with existentialist topics such as the meaning of life.
Although Philosophy and Ethics has emerged from within Bath Spa’s Study of Religions department, there is, we should emphasise, actually remarkably little Philosophy of Religion(s) taught in the subject pathway. The emphasis is rather on the diversity of philosophical and ethical thought globally, the promotion of philosophical attributes, skills and virtues and sustained reflection on applied and existential philosophical problems. While there are certain affinities with the Study of Religions as a subject, the Philosophy and Ethics programme is complementary to, rather than coextensive with, its departmental counterpart. Study of Religions for its part remains committed to the study of living religions with a contemporary focus, whether in terms of theories, issues or trends. It looks towards enhancing its existing international links, maintaining its inclusive curriculum while developing its distinctive interests in non-Western and alternative traditions and building upon its expertise in religion and education, both academic and professional.
However, one of the most significant issues for the future is the revalidation of the modular scheme that will mean each subject has to produce a compulsory 40 credit double module at each level. In addition, modules will be offered on a year-long rather than semesterised basis. This change in teaching pattern has obvious consequences for Study Skills as well as for the balance of compulsory and optional elements in Study of Religions and (at least in the second and third years) Philosophy and Ethics. Looking forward, we are committed to underpinning teaching and learning with a clear pedagogic rationale that is responsive to students’ needs and interests in terms of providing introductions to the discipline(s), including study skills and offering a diverse curriculum. This must involve consideration of our students’ prior knowledge and experience as we strive to develop their critical thinking skills. These are skills that both subjects value, albeit inflected differently, whether at A-level or at University.
Endnotes
1 Bath Spa University (BSU), About Us: Introduction, http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/about/ accessed 15/07/08.
2 Bath Spa University, Celebrating our History and Looking to Our Future (Bath: Bath Spa University, 2005) 32pp, p. 4.
3 Ibid., p.5.
4 Ibid., p. 7.
5 Ibid., p. 8.
6 Ibid., p. 9.
7 See Biggs, J., Teaching for Quality Learning at University 2nd ed. (Maidenhead: Oxford University Press, 2003), pp. 11-33 and Biggs, J., Aligning Teaching and Assessment to Curriculum Objectives: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/resourcedatabase/ id154_aligning_teaching_and_assessment.rtf (originally published September 2003) accessed 08/09/08.
8 Biggs, J., Aligning Teaching and Assessment to Curriculum Objectives, http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/resourcedatabase/ id154_aligning_teaching_and_assessment.rtf (originally published September 2003) accessed 08/09/08, p. 1.
9 Ibid., p. 2.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid., p. 4.
13 See for example, Hooper, Dickon, ‘Students Turn to Web Plagiarism’, http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/7370922.stm (originally published 29/04/08) accessed 09/07/08.
14 Gill, John, ‘Cultural Insight can Tackle Plagiarism’, http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=4015647sectioncode=26 (originally published 24/04/08) accessed 16/07/08.
15 Attwood, Rachel, ‘143 Students Expelled for Plagiarism’, http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=4023517sec tioncode=26 (originally published 12/06/08) accessed 16/07/08.
16 Monday, Gloria, ‘Missing the Mark for Originality’, http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=4018447sectioncode=26 (originally published 16/07/08) accessed 16/07/08.
17 Precey, Matt, ‘Study Shows “Plagiarism Epidemic”’, http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/fr/-/1/hi/england/7194850.stm (originally published 17/01/08) accessed 09/07/08.
18 Brown, S.G., A Guide to Writing Academic Essays in Religious Studies (London & New York: Continuum, 2008), xii+107pp, pp. 26-27.
19 Corrywright, D. & Morgan, P., Get Set for Religious Studies (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006), vi+196pp.
20 Cush, D., Buddhism, A Student’s Approach to World Religions Series. (Sevenoaks: Hodder & Stoughton, 1994), 172pp.
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This page was originally on the website of The Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies. It was transfered here following the closure of the Subject Centre at the end of 2011.
