Learning that matters.
King's Academy facilitates the continued development of excellence in teaching and learning at King’s. We do this by fostering a connected and collaborative approach to the design of the programmes of study on offer at King’s, through evidence-informed practices on curriculum, assessment and programme design.
We work extensively across curriculum design, assessment design, inclusive education and digital innovation, and connect these strands into a holistic experience so that programmes are intentionally designed to champion the students learning journey.
We start from the understanding that students engage with programmes as cohesive experiences rather than as isolated modules. The more coherent and connected the design of this learning journey for students, the more coherent the student experience and the potential for significant learning.
To do this, we foster a collaborative approach to programmes and curriculum, supporting educators across the University to design their courses with an ethos to create an impactful, cohesive and significant learning experience for King’s students.
We also seek to explore and embed modern technologies - such as AI and other digital innovations - alongside pressing societal priorities like inclusive education and sustainability, ensuring our approach to teaching and learning is both future-focused and socially responsible.
Curriculum
Designing programmes and modules for study
Curriculum design and review is a central aspect of academic practice. The curriculum is crucial to students’ experiences and outcomes as it informs the academic content which students work towards, the learning outcomes they will achieve during the studies as well as their participation in learning and assessment activities.
We have recently introduced ten Programme Design Principles to guide the design of our courses so students will engage in learning which matters to them now as well as for their professional futures.
Our principles highlight the importance of designing of the curriculum at the level of a study programme, ensuring that teaching, learning and assessment across modules and options cohere. We also foreground the role of student partnership as well as people-centred design thinking, promoting partnerships with students in the curriculum design process. Programmes are designed to be rigorous, adaptive and flexible so students develop the specialist knowledge, analytical skills and collaborative competencies to tackle important global issues and technological advancements within their fields.
King’s Academy supports programme teams with their programme and module design and review projects. Using our programme design principles as a starting point, we facilitate design workshops with academic teams at an early stage of the development process of new programmes. We work closely with other central teams of the University, such as Academic Regulations, Quality and Standards, King’s Digital, King’s Careers and Employability and Libraries and Collections.
Assessment design
Assessing with purpose
Assessment is inseparable from teaching - how we design and prepare students for assessment profoundly shapes both their outcomes and learning experiences. At King’s, assessment should be inclusive, fair, motivating, and prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
Supporting and developing educators in effective assessment practice is central to our work with staff at every level – from entry level to senior leadership. King’s Academy provides comprehensive support across all aspects of assessment, offering tailored one-to-one guidance, interactive workshops and a wide range of practical resources.
Our work covers everything from designing summative assessments at both module and programme levels to developing coherent assessment strategies across programmes. We also help educators integrate formative feedback opportunities into teaching, deliver high-quality and constructive feedback to students and make effective use of digital tools and AI in assessment design and delivery.
Additionally, we support quality assurance practices, such as rubric design and calibration and advise on undertaking scholarship and research projects focused on assessment.
Assessment Advisors
As part of our ongoing commitment to transforming assessment at King’s, each faculty has been assigned a dedicated Assessment Advisor from King’s Academy. These advisors work in partnership with colleagues to support faculty-specific priorities within the wider institutional strategy. They provide expert guidance, facilitate assessment-related project, and help share effective practice across disciplines.
By connecting University-level goals with local needs, Assessment Advisors play a vital role in enabling inclusive, high-quality and forward-thinking assessment design.
Transforming Assessment for Students at King’s (TASK)
Launched in June 2024, TASK is a University-wide initiative to enhance how both students and staff experience assessment. We recognise that assessment is a central component of teaching and learning, not an adjunct to it. Through TASK, we aim to ensure assessment at King’s is not only rigorous and meaningful, but also engaging, enjoyable, and genuinely enriching to the learning process.
AI & digital innovation
Innovation with integrity
King's Academy has taken a comprehensive approach to supporting the integration of Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI into teaching, assessment and student activities across King's. We recognise the transformative impact of AI and digital innovation on higher education.
This work is timely and crucial as it aims to balance institutional consistency and policy (existing and evolving) with the diverse and rapid development of AI and GenAI (in particular) across all disciplines.
The importance of this initiative lies in its ability to enable innovation and support the engagement strategy, foster digital literacy and critical thinking, and address key challenges such as responsible use, intellectual property rights, and the redefinition of authorship in the age of AI.
We have developed the extensive 'King's Guidance on generative AI for teaching, assessment and feedback' to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape. This comprehensive guidance aims to support the adoption and integration of generative AI at different institutional levels.
Beyond AI, we support digital tools that advance active, dialogic and critical pedagogic approaches. This includes new platforms like Mentimeter, the new student engagement and interaction tool and Cadmus, a platform that is currently being piloted in a number of departments to see how well it can support ongoing efforts to maintain assessment robustness and in-writing student support.