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SCALA

Content on to these pages aims to support you to transition your teaching material to a hybrid delivery of student education. This approach will ensure that all UG and PGT students will receive the University's commitment to a:  

Student-centred active learning approach to deliver high-quality research-based education in a hybrid mode, as part of a supportive, enriching and community-focused experience.  

This approach to student education can be described as:  

  • Student-centred: Supportive, inclusive, flexible, accessible and community building curricula.  
  • ​Active learning: Cognitively involved students, who are engaged with diverse content and media, and have opportunities to collaborate & participate.  

In this video, Professor James Pickering, Student Education Academic Lead, introduces SCALA and how it can guide you in delivering hybrid learning. James describes each of the four strands in SCALA framework: Learning Journey, Content Delivery, Assessment and Feedback, and Student Support.

He also explains how the Module Delivery Template can help you in defining and recording your approach to delivering hybrid learning.

The SCALA booklet is available to download for you to read recommendations for each strand of the approach. 

The links below provide tangible recommendations to ensure all students are clear of their learning journey throughout the course; that content is delivered through engaging and diverse media; assessment and feedback mechanisms remain agile, flexible and inclusive; and appropriate mechanisms are in place for student support.  

Learning Journey

Content Delivery

Assessment and Feedback

Student Support

Guidance for physical teaching

Multi-mode Teaching Facilities Pilot – FAQs

We will continue to provide, update and produce a range of guidance resources to support you in transitioning your modules and programmes to hybrid delivery. This package of support will provide you with several opportunities to engage with, utilise and become informed on appropriate and relevant pedagogical approaches that are aligned to student-centred active learning. 

Module Delivery Template

A module delivery template is available to utilise as you transition to hybrid education. This template is designed to facilitate the module’s development and provide a framework for you and your module and programme teams to use in delivering your content in a student-centred active learning approach.  

Information from this completed template can be used to directly populate the Information Area of the module’s Minerva page and provide students with a detailed summary of how the module is going to be delivered. Programme Leaders may wish to utilise this tool to obtain a holistic and detailed view of their programme’s delivery ensuring gaps and areas of overlap are identified. 

Download the Module Delivery Template.

Self-paced Minerva course

The Adapt Your Teaching for Online Delivery course on Minerva is an exciting opportunity for staff to explore new ways of designing and delivering learning materials for hybrid delivery and connecting with students.  

Access the course in Minerva 

ABC Method

OD&PL have developed an online tool to support you in effectively redesigning your module for hybrid student-centred active learning as part of a team-based approach.  

Access the ABC Method planning tool in Sway 

Practitioner interviews

In this series of interview James Pickering interviews practitioners from across the University to understand their perspectives and experiences in implementing and working with SCALA.

SCALA interview: Biological Sciences

James Pickering discusses aspects of SCALA with Dr Chris Randall, Dr Sue Whittle and Dr David Lewis from the Faculty of Biological Sciences. Topics covered:

  • Ways to support students in understanding their journey through the first year
  • Approaches between redesigning modules from first principles compared to transitioning established modules for hybrid delivery.
  • The need to build partnership with students, setting expectations and gaining feedback from students to maintain a dialogue with students

SCALA interview: Engineering and Physical Sciences 

James Pickering discusses approaches to hybrid learning with Dr Duncan Borman and Dr Nimesh Mistry from Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Topics covered:

  • Importance of a clear and consistent Minerva structure across modules within a programme and of communicating with students to reinforce the message of their Learning Journey
  • Developing and support student engagement by setting expectations, using polls and interactive technology, and using formative assessments
  • Opportunities to develop and evolve approaches to assessment in the transition to hybrid delivery

SCALA interview: Social Sciences and Arts, Humanities and Cultures

James Pickering discusses different examples of SCALA and hybrid delivery with Dr Nina Wardleworth (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures) and Dr Jackie Salter (Faculty of Social Sciences). Topics covered:

  • Need to understand the demographic and diverse composition of a cohort when planning and designing a Learning Journey
  • Approaches to formative assessment for hybrid delivery in social sciences and arts and humanities, such as source analysis peer-feedback activities and groupwork
  • Value of having an open and clear discussion with students to explain the rationale behind a Learning Journey to support student engagement

SCALA interview: Inclusive Learning and Teaching 

James Pickering discusses strategies for applying baseline standards for inclusive learning and teaching in the context of hybrid delivery with Jenny Brady (Project Lead for Inclusive Learning and Teaching at LITE).

See the University of Leeds Inclusive Baseline Standards.