Activity-Led Learning development in Aerospace at Coventry University

The Aerospace team at Coventry University first reported on its initial delivery of Activity-Led Learning to the EE2008 conference with a paper entitled "Activity-Led Learning within Aerospace at Coventry University". (Lambert et al. 2008). That paper described how the Aerospace Systems Engineering course had developed and evolved into an experience that prepared students for the reality of industry and provided industry with valuable assets in those graduates. This assertion was supported by employability rates, feedback received from employers and feedback given by the graduates themselves. The challenge to the teaching team was to ensure that this progress was maintained and enhanced as this new methodology was integrated into the other Aerospace course (Aerospace Technology) and eventually incorporated into the specifically designed, new engineering building that EE2012 is being hosted in. This paper explores how this pedagogical approach has evolved institutionally since 2008, focusing on the implementation of a bespoke 6 week activity period for 1^st year aerospace students during the 2010/11 academic year. Although current institutional and national student satisfaction survey results suggest that the Aerospace teaching approach is seen extremely positively by the students, different interpretation of the ALL survey results would indicate that significant development and research is required in particular areas. This paper also discusses how a Faculty-wide ALL approach to teaching is supporting Aerospace subject group initiatives and enhancing existing good practice. This stance is particularly significant in the context of the provision of project-orientated learning spaces in the new Engineering and Computing building (operational for the 2012/2013 academic year).