Teaching and learning lexicon

P

Participant Response System (PRS) or ‘Classroom Clickers’ is a teaching technology supplied by TurningPoint which enables increased student engagement within learning, particularly within face-to-face teaching.

Partnership refers to all arrangements where a provider works with others to design and/or deliver courses and/or to award qualifications. These can include validation and subcontracting (or franchising) arrangements, work-based learning arrangements and collaboration with employers (including to deliver apprenticeships), transnational education (TNE) arrangements, and international partnerships and collaborations. The processes that providers will need to follow in order to assure high quality will vary considerably depending on the type of partnership concerned, and the risks involved (QAA, 2023).   

Pass is the term used to denote a student has achieved the intended learning outcomes at course unit level and has been awarded the credit, without compensation. Also used to classify Masters degrees with a weighted average of less than 60%.

Past Papers are past examination papers which have previously been sat by students which are available to students to assist with their revision.

Pathway is a formally approved, structured route through a programme, enabling specialisation within the overall aims and learning outcomes of that programme, and should be identified as BA/BSc/MA/MSc in Programme title (pathway title).

Pedagogy is the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept.

Peer Assessment is a review of work undertaken which is reviewed by those working at the same level e.g.  when students of the same class swap assignments and comment or grade other students work.

Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) these schemes involve higher year students facilitating group learning in an informal environment. Find out more about Peer Assisted Study Sessions.

Peer Mentor Schemes involve second or third year undergraduate students who are available to provide advice and information on aspects of study and student life to first year undergraduate students. Read more about Peer Mentoring.

Peer Review the observation and review by colleagues of one’s teaching performance. It is designed to provide an objective overview of staff performance to teachers from their peers, so that performance can be modified and its effectiveness and efficiency improved.

Peer Review College a limited number of staff in each School who are trained to assess teaching fairly across the range of disciplines within their School and to provide thoughtful and sensitive feedback to reviewees.

Performance Development Review (PDR) is an annual review process designed to connect individual’s contribution and career aspirations to the achievement of the Manchester vision. It is intended to help individuals reflect constructively, but critically, upon their performance, to set mutual objectives that guide and balance their contribution and identify any development needs.

Periodic Review is an internal review of a School’s taught provision, conducted by the relevant Faculty on behalf of the University’s Teaching and Learning Support Office (TLSO). It is a part of the University’s quality framework – a set of processes that support the approval, monitoring and review of taught programmes, including those offered collaboratively with other institutions. It is a review of practice over a period of time, usually 6 years. Periodic review is developmental and based on a dialogue between peers. It is organised by the Faculty, and includes at least one external specialist. The resulting School-level report is produced by Faculty for consideration by the School, Faculty and Vice-President (Teaching and Learning).

Personal Development Planning (PDP) is a structured and supported process undertaken by a learner to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. 

Placement Learning is learning that is an integral part of a programme of study, which contributes to the programme’s learning outcomes but which normally takes place outside the University. Placements may be a compulsory or optional part of a programme but must be planned and contribute to the learning outcomes.

Plagiarism is the presentation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, work or words of other people without proper, clear and unambiguous acknowledgement. It includes the copying of the work of any other person, including another student, and the submission, in whole or in part, of a student’s own work - self-plagiarism - where, for example, such work may have been previously submitted for a different assessment. Read more about plagiarism in the document: Academic Malpractice: Procedure for the Handling of Cases.

Planning and Accountability Cycle is designed to lead the University through a process of continual improvement towards the goals of the University's Strategic Plan. 

Planning operates across all areas of the University, and includes the following key elements:

• long term planning (for example, the Our future strategic plan; the capital plan)
• existing commitments that are refreshed annually (for example, the 5 year financial plan)
• planning inputs that are refreshed periodically (for example, the People and OD strategy)

Student numbers, tuition fees, research income, costs, allocation of resources, project priorities and performance against non-financial measures of success are all then assessed within the annual planning and budgeting process. 

Podcasts are recordings of lectures or other teaching and learning activities which are made available to students registered on units associated with such activities (also known as ‘Lecture Capture’). The University of Manchester has its own podcasting system. 

Policy is a statement of principles that staff, students and other applicable personnel must follow.

Portfolio is the name for a set of work created by students intended to demonstrate their abilities.

Positive Destination is a term used to describe the location of a student post-graduation such as in employment or further education.

Post Date is the date in Turnitin when grades and marks become available for students to view.

Postgraduate Certificate is a postgraduate (exit) award of 60 credits, at least 40 of which are at the level of the award (FHEQ 7).

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is a postgraduate award of 60 credits, at least 40 of which are at the level of the award (FHEQ 7).

Postgraduate Diploma is a postgraduate (exit) award of 120 credits, at least 90 of which are at the level of the award (FHEQ 7).

The Postgraduate Research Committee is responsible for the strategic and policy matters relating to PGR education. The group is chaired by the Associate Dean for Postgraduate Research, with membership from each of the School Postgraduate Research Directors. The Committee meets every six to eight weeks during term-time.

Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is a national survey. It collects feedback from postgraduate taught students on various aspects of their academic experience, with the results being used to inform enhancements to postgraduate provision. Unlike the NSS, the results are not used in league tables and each institution’s results are confidential, although aggregated data is available for internal use only (e.g. to enable comparison of University of Manchester results against the average for the Russell Group). 

Posthumous Award is awarded in the event of the death of a student prior to the completion of their degree.

POTG (Potential Graduate) report identifies students due to graduate and the process creates graduation data records for such students, in order to assign students to ceremonies. This task is carried out by members of the Professional Support Services, in Schools.

Practical classes and workshops are sessions involving the development and practical application of a particular skill or technique e.g. a laboratory class, recital, artefact handling/identification, language conversation, sports match etc.

Pre-Boards are optional but considered good practice. A Chair and member of PS support staff meet to review marks prior to a formal Board meeting taking place, in order toidentify any potential problem cases. 

Pre-requisite Course Units are defined within programme specifications and are course units that must be passed prior to taking subsequent course units further on in the programme. Pre-requisite course units contain essential knowledge required for the study of subsequent course units.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an approach to teaching driven by a question or problem, where students gain knowledge and skills by working to resolve or respond to a complex question, problem or challenge.

Professional Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) - External Bodies which accredit Professional programmes, who may require stricter rules and regulations in order to meet professional/clinical standards. This accreditation enables the professional status of students graduating from the programmes in question.

Professional Services (PS) is the term used for the different areas of administration in the University. Staff working in these areas are referred to as PS.

Professional Services Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee- The Group brings together representatives from across the Faculty to consider all matters relating to equality, diversity and inclusion for PS Staff. These meetings enable members to work together to promote an inclusive and diverse community and establish a culture that recognises, values and celebrates the benefits of diversity within the Faculty. Activities and initiatives are underpinned by a plan with 4 broad themes: BAME Recruitment and Progression; Respectful Behaviour; Disability, and Outreach. The plan contains objectives, targets and measures of success and members contribute to the activities in order for the Faculty to gain traction and make progress in the priority areas.The Group meets monthly throughout the academic year and reports to the University PS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group and the Faculty of Humanities Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (Academic). 

Programme - a cognate programme/ or course of study, made up of approved course units (compulsory or optional) with agreed intended learning outcomes, the details of which are contained with the programme specification and Programme Handbook, which define modes of delivery and agreed assessment methods. UG programmes are ‘usually’ 120 credits at FHEQ level 4, 5 & 6; and a further 120 credits at level 7 for Integrated Masters. A Masters programme is ‘usually’ 180 credits at FHEQ level 7.

Programme Amendment is an application to the Faculty to make changes to a programme of study. Read more about programme amendments and withdrawals.

Programme Approval is the term used for the process to seek approval for a new undergraduate or postgraduate programme of study that leads to a named award of The University.

Programme Specification summarises essential information about a programme in a single document. The QAA defines a programme specification as a ‘concise description of the intended outcomes of learning from a higher education programme, and the means by which these outcomes are achieved and demonstrated’.

Programme Suspension is the process for temporarily suspending admission to a programme of study. All proposals to suspend a programme of study must be approved by the Faculty. Read more about programme amendments and withdrawals.

Programme Withdrawal is the process for withdrawing the offering of a particular programme of study. All proposals to withdraw a programme must be approved by the Faculty. Read more about programme amendments and withdrawals.

Procedure - subsidiary to a Policy, is an official way of doing something which must be followed.

Profile relates to the attainment of a student over the period of their registration. A ‘profile’ might also include AP(E)L as well as compensated marks, which show an overall ‘picture’ of a student’s performance.

Progression - for undergraduate students this refers to the transition between FHEQ levels 4 to 5 & 5 to 6 for bachelor degrees; and 6 to 7 for Integrated Masters. The term can also be used to describe the process by which postgraduate students are able to reach appropriate attainment levels in ‘taught’ elements Masters programmes in order to commence ‘research’ elements.

Progression Boards consider marks of individual learners for the purposes of deciding upon progression (from Years 1 to 2 or 2 to 3 (UG) or 3 to 4 (Integrated Masters) and from Diploma to Dissertation stage for PGT learners). These would normally take place in the summer for UG years 1 and 2 or PGT, and in August for re-sits (referrals and deferrals). 

Project is an individual or collaborative enterprise which is planned to achieve a certain aim such as a research project, buildings project or University / Faculty policy.

PS (professional services) is the term used for administrative staff at the University of Manchester.

Project Supervision is used to refer to a meeting with a supervisor to discuss a particular piece of work; this could be individually or in a group.