Effective Learning Framework

ELF FAQs

What is the Effective Learning Framework?

The Effective Learning Framework, ELF, is a model that attempts to frame personal development planning (PDP) in relation to effective learning. The Framework does this by encouraging all those who take part to reflect upon the student experience in higher education, from student, to teaching unit and institution.

What are the core features of the ELF?

The core features of ELF are:

  1. The ability to undergo 'self-audit', i.e. reflect upon experiences and put into place action plans that enable the student or institutional staff to deal with issues and expand on strengths.
  2. The mechanism that drives the self-audit process is the Focused Learner Questions (FLQs). FLQs are a series of prompts or questions that aim to help students and institutions reflect and review their progress.
  3. FLQs (and the self audit process) should work across and draw together all aspects of the student experience in higher education. To help conceptualise this, ELF considers the student experience to be split into three domains: Personal experience; Careers aspirations and Academic learning experience. This is presented diagrammatically below.
  4. FLQs and their uses, should be firmly embedded into the existing teaching and learning structures and the academic curriculum, in other words. it should not be seen as a separate activity.
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What are Focused Learner Questions?

Focused Learner Questions (or FLQs) are designed to be the operational heart of the Effective Learner Framework, i.e. the process of devising and answering these questions help develop the ability of the learner to 'self-audit' or 'self-review' themselves and their experiences.

Some generalised examples of FLQs are given below. FLQs are designed to work across and between the three different domains of the student experience. They are also designed to help students bring together experiences from different domains i.e. use experiences in one domain to help with challenges in another. For example, students may obtain experiences while working with clubs and societies (Personal domain) that might help with improving their employability (Career domain)

It is also probable that students will use FLQs from a particular domain at particular times in their time in higher education. For example, questions surrounding a student's learning (Academic domain) may exercise a student more at the beginning of their studies and near assessment times, whereas employability issues (Career domain) may come to the fore towards the end of their studies.

The FLQ project aims to develop and refine the concept of FLQs further.

Example FLQs

Personal/Academic/Career

Where am I now?
Where am I going?
How am I going to get there?

Personal

What am I good at?
What are my weaknesses?
How can I get better at... ?
What do I like?
What do I value?
What skills do I have?
What qualities do I have?

Personal/Career

What skills/values do I need to be an ... ?
What skills/values do I have that will help me to be an ... ?
How do I find out what I want to do?

Career/Academic

What do I want to achieve at University?
What do I want to achieve in life?
How will my chosen course help me to be an ... ?

Academic

What interests me?
What do I need to know?
What do I know/understand?
What are the gaps in my knowledge/understanding?
How will I demonstrate I have achieved the learning outcomes of my class/course/programme?

Academic/Personal

How do I prefer to learn?
How does that match to the approach to learning in my classes/programme?
Could I learn more effectively?
How would I know?

What is the difference between the ELF and PDP?

PDP is defined as: 'a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and /or achievement to plan for their personal, educational and career development.' (Dearing Report 1997) and it might be possible to use the ELF as a PDP method given appropriate development and refinement. However, the primary aim of the ELF is to facilitate discussion and thinking in institutions about their own approaches to PDP and what effective learning might mean in their own institutional context.

Does my institution have to implement ELF?

No. The ELF is not designed to replace institutions' existing plans for PDP, nor should it be considered a national model. It is designed to help institutions think about how their own PDP strategies might be developed and help the sector as a whole start to think about what effective learning for students might mean as PDP evolves in the future climate of the enhancement of the student learning experience.