Nan Renée Augland

Webdesign - årsstudium

Carlos Vicient-Monllaó

The one-year programme in Web design (referred as ÅRWEB) has the same programme and topics as the first year of the bachelor's degree in web development (referred as BWU). Therefore, the statements written in the BWU study program report are also valid here.

It is unclear what the social relevance of the programme is and whether it should be replaced by an EVU programme or not.We do not have clear evidence of the reasons why students chose this one-year study programme, and we observe students come from totally different academic backgrounds and apply to the programme for very different reasons. These are some of the cases stated by students enrolled in ÅRWEB: <ul><li>Candidates with a bachelor's degree who want to strengthen their web skills but will not necessarily work as web developers</li><li>Candidates that were not admitted to their first option and must wait one year until they can apply again</li><li>Candidates who are unsure about studying at the university and want to gain experience first</li><li>Unemployed candidates who decide to resume their education.</li></ul>&nbsp;&nbsp;We can also observe that the gender distribution of primary applicants is better than in BWU (51% female applicants in 2020- figure1.png) and that the number of applicants per year of admission grows in 2020 (figure2.png). This programme also represents a source of replenishment to compensate for dropouts in the first year of the bachelor's degree in web development.

NTNU:TIA:REST

Fakultet for arkitektur og design

Faculty of Architecture and Design

The study plan is review and modified. The course EXPH0100 is turn into an elective.The study programme page is revised, and it will be updated next academic year.

<h2>Admission and start of studies</h2>The number of primary applicants (antall primærsøkere) increases at a growth rate of 92% from 2017 to 2020 (figure1-primary.png). However, in 2021, it can also be observed a negative growth of -6% compared to the previous year (going from 49 primary applicants in 2020 down to 46 in 2021). It is worth noting that in 2020 the number of total applicants in Norway increased at a 9% growth rate respect previous year (figure2-national-primary.png).&nbsp;&nbsp;The percentage of female primary applicants grows for fourth consecutive year going from 42% in 2017 to 70% in 2021 (see attachment – figure3-gender.png). Therefore, facilitating and promoting the internal transfer of graduated students from the 1-year programme (ARWEB) to the bachelor programme in Web development (BWU) should be prioritised.&nbsp;The recruitment and promotion of the study programme is not handled at a department level. The study programme page has been revised and some changes will be recommended. The same additional measures considered to promote the BWU study internally (department of design) should be reused for ARWEB. It would also be desirable to ask the students how they learn about our study programmes during the application process. <h2>Learning environment (physical, psychosocial, organizational, digital, pedagogical)</h2>ARWEB study plan significantly overlaps with the first year in BWU. Since the 1-year programme does not have access to any official survey with student feedback, the student survey (Studiebarometeret) answered by BWU students in considered. The student was carried by NOKUT in the FALL 2021 and it was answered by 67% of the BWU2020 students. The answers show the quality of the study programme perceived as better than other years (see studieprogramevaluering rapport 2021 for more details). <h2>Context and progression</h2>The total number of candidates graduating in 2021 decreases abruptly compared to other years. Only 14% of the students complete their studies in 2021, 43% of them are still active and the remaining 43% dropped out (see figure4.png). Some of the students report in informal conversations that they applied to the programme for different reasons. Some of them planned to complete the study in several years while working. Other students explained they needed some preparation for applying to bachelor programmes the year after and, therefore, were not planning to finish all the courses. Other students explained they already had previous education (Bachelor) and that wanted to complement it with knowledge in the web design field. <h2>Relevance</h2>The relevance of the study programme’s working life is communicated to the students in the lectures as well as in the meetings with the SPL. Collaboration with industry happens in the form of guest lectures.&nbsp;

The one-year programme in Web design (referred as ÅRWEB) has the same programme and topics as the first year of the bachelor's degree in web development (referred as BWU). Therefore, the statements written in the BWU study program report are also valid here.&nbsp;The year's study is intended as an additional education for other studies, or as a preliminary study where students can assess if they want to invest further in web development (BWU) - though other programmes such as interaction design (BIXD) and graphic design (BMED) can also be considered.&nbsp;The learning outcomes of the study program are updated and relevant; the courses and the connection between them contribute to the students achieving the learning outcomes.&nbsp;The students applying to the programme come from different background and have different goals and expectations. The benefits for the students in the programme vary depending on their goals and backgrounds.&nbsp;Students using the programme as additional education&nbsp;The programme is relevant and useful, and it provides students with necessary knowledge and terminology to understand the field of web design that they can use to complement their current field.&nbsp;Students using the programme as a preliminary study&nbsp;The programme is relevant and useful for them. Students benefit from the programme when they continue their education with the bachelor in Web development (BWU). Students interested in continuing their education with the bachelors in interaction design (BIXD) and graphic design (BMED) still benefit from the study but to a lower degree.&nbsp;Students using the programme as a main form of education or professionals in the web industry trying to expand their knowledge within the field&nbsp;The one-year programme is not design for this target group and the programme pages should clarify this.&nbsp;However, with society's rapid technological development, in today's labour market, skills are becoming obsolete faster and faster.&nbsp;The department of design should consider the possibility of creating a new study programme for this target group.&nbsp;Several attempts to discuss the creation of a new Lifelong Learning flexible study programme (EVU - Etter og videreutdanning) for this target group have been made unsuccessfully. Large consultancy companies also expressed their desire to collaborate creating and teaching such new programme.

Same comments as the ones stated in the study program evaluation report (studieprogramevaluering rapport 2021)

<h1>Admission and start of studies</h1>The number of primary applicants (antall primærsøkere) exhibits a growth rate of 38% from 2017 to 2023 (figure1-primary.png). However, it's worth highlighting that in 2023, there is a decrease in the number of applicants, with a negative growth rate of 33% since 2020, which marked the year with the highest number of applicants.Additionally, it's worth noting that in 2020, the total number of applicants in Norway experienced a 9% growth rate compared to the previous year. In contrast, in 2023, the national number of applicants declined at a negative rate of 12% compared to the previous year (figure2-national-primary.png).The percentage of female primary applicants declined in both 2022 and 2023, marking the first decrease since 2017 after five consecutive years of growth (figure3-gender.png). It's worth noting that since 2020, the number of female candidates has exceeded the number of male candidates. Consequently, there's a need to prioritise and promote the internal transfer of students who have completed the 1-year program (ARWEB) to the bachelor program in Web Development (BWU), especially considering that male candidates currently dominate the latter.Recruitment and promotion of the study program do not fall within the scope of the department. The study program's webpage was updated with some modifications. The same supplementary measures used to promote the BWU program within the Department of Design were applied to ARWEB. Additionally, it would be beneficial to inquire about how students become aware of our study programs during the application process. <h1>Learning environment (physical, psychosocial, organizational, digital, pedagogical)</h1>The ARWEB study plan substantially aligns with the first year of the BWU program. Since the 1-year program lacks access to an official survey for student feedback, we rely on the student survey (Studiebarometeret) completed by BWU students. This survey was conducted by NOKUT in the fall of 2022 and was answered by 78,3% of the BWU2021 students. Their responses indicate that the quality of the study program is perceived as better compared to previous years (for more details, refer to the Studieprogramevaluering rapport 2022). <h1>Context and progression</h1>The exact total number of candidates graduating in 2022 is not available in BEVISST. Nevertheless, it consistently remains below 50%, typically hovering at approximately 15%-20%. In informal conversations, some students have cited various reasons for applying to the program. Some planned to complete their studies over several years while working, while others indicated that they needed preparation for applying to bachelor programs in the subsequent year, implying that they might not intend to complete all the courses. Furthermore, some students already possessed previous education (a bachelor's degree) and aimed to complement it with knowledge in the field of web design. Lastly, the cumulative number of candidates promoted through internal recruitment stands at 17 in total from 2017 to 2021 (figure5-rekruttering.png).Lastly, it's worth highlighting that between 2019 and 2023, a total of 24 ARWEB students successfully transferred to other bachelor programs at NTNU (figure6-rekruttering-all.png). Among these, 9 students transferred to BWU, 3 to BMED, 3 to BIXD, and 2 to BPROG. The remaining candidates found placements in various technical study programs, such as BDIGSEC, BGEOG, BIELEKTRO, BITSEC, and BITEKD. Additionally, two students pursued bachelor programs unrelated to programming or design, specifically BFI and MGLU1-7. <h1>Relevance</h1>The relevance of the study programme’s working life is communicated to the students in the lectures as well as in the meetings with the SPL. Collaboration with industry happens in the form of guest lectures.&nbsp;

<h2>Expected learning outcomes for the students, and the study program's content and relevance</h2>The one-year program in Web Design (referred to as ÅRWEB) shares the same curriculum and subject matter as the first year of the Bachelor's degree in Web Development (referred to as BWU). Therefore, the statements outlined in the BWU study program report are equally applicable here.&nbsp;This one-year program is designed to serve as supplementary education for students with other backgrounds, or as an introductory course where students can evaluate their interest in further pursuing web development (BWU). Alternatives such as Interaction Design (BIXD) and Graphic Design (BMED) can also be considered.&nbsp;The learning outcomes of the study program have been updated and remain relevant; the courses and their interconnections contribute to students achieving these learning outcomes.&nbsp;Students who apply to this program come from diverse backgrounds and have varying goals and expectations. The program's benefits for students differ based on their unique objectives and prior experiences.&nbsp;Students using the program as supplementary education&nbsp;The programme is both relevant and beneficial, providing students with essential knowledge and terminology to comprehend the field of web design. This knowledge can be employed to complement their existing expertise.&nbsp;Students using the program as a preliminary study&nbsp;The programme remains pertinent and valuable, particularly for students planning to continue their education in the Bachelor's in Web Development (BWU). While students interested in pursuing Interaction Design (BIXD) and Graphic Design (BMED) can still derive some benefit from the program, it may be of a somewhat lesser degree.&nbsp;Students using the programme as their primary form of education or professionals in the web industry seeking to expand their knowledge in the field&nbsp;The one-year program is not designed for this target group, and the program pages were revised to convey this explicitly. However, given the rapid technological advancements in today's job market, skills are becoming obsolete at an accelerating pace. As a result, the Department of Design should explore the possibility of creating a new program tailored to this specific target group.&nbsp;Efforts to initiate discussions about establishing a new Lifelong Learning flexible study program (EVU - Etter og videreutdanning) for this target group have regrettably yielded no results yet. However, several prominent consultancy companies and also some popular online learning platform have expressed their interest in collaborating to create and teach such a new programme.

Several challenges and issues persist since the last revision, and addressing them may require collaboration at the faculty level. These include:<ul><li>Academic Integrity: The number of suspected cases of cheating and plagiarism has increased since the onset of the pandemic. Handling these cases places a burden on course responsibles, and differences in routines between Gjøvik and Trondheim can complicate the process.</li><li>AI and Generative Tools: The use of AI and generative tools introduces additional challenges in assessing students' work, necessitating consideration and adaptation.</li><li>Exam Office Practices: The practices and routines involving external examiners and grade appeals are complex and challenging. Unfortunately, these processes are primarily geared towards safeguarding students' rights and have not been utilised as self-reflection tools to enhance our grading criteria.</li><li>IT Support and Industry Tools: Insufficient IT support and limited access to industry-relevant services and tools hinder the department and students from showcasing their work. This not only impacts student learning outcomes but also restricts the department and study program's promotional capabilities.</li></ul>

Webdesign - årsstudium - ÅRWEB