For institutions where the policy is set and the workflow is designed, but the change has not yet landed in daily practice.
Outcome: a role-aware adoption plan with workshops, professional learning materials and guidance staff can use.
Written for academic development teams, digital education and learning technology colleagues, quality and registry teams introducing new processes, and project teams moving from recommendations into rollout.
Adoption is part of the work
Universities can have a strong assessment strategy, a carefully designed workflow, a useful platform and a clear policy position, yet still struggle when the change reaches staff and students.
Adoption is not a final step added at the end of a project. It is part of the work itself.
Staff need to understand what is changing, why it matters, what they are expected to do differently, and how the new process will work in real assessment conditions. Students also need clear guidance, especially where AI use, evidence of learning, feedback, process evidence or platform workflows are changing.
This support helps universities design the guidance, professional learning and adoption conditions that make assessment change usable.
Who this is for
This support is useful for:
-
digital education teams supporting assessment or platform change;
-
academic development teams designing staff development around AI-era assessment;
-
learning technology teams supporting Moodle or platform workflow change;
-
assessment, quality or registry teams introducing new processes;
-
departments preparing staff for assessment redesign or pilot activity.
What you get
Depending on scope:
-
staff adoption planning for assessment, feedback, AI or platform change;
-
role-specific guidance for academic staff, professional services and support teams;
-
workshop design and facilitation, with training materials, examples and templates;
-
professional development course design (online, blended or self-paced);
-
staff and student guidance, with adoption review and feedback collection after rollout.
Professional learning and PD course design
Some changes need more than a briefing note or one-off workshop. Where staff need time to build confidence, understand the rationale, practise a new approach, or connect policy to local teaching and assessment decisions, professional learning is the better route.
This can include short online courses, blended professional development, workshop sequences, self-paced learning materials, reflective prompts, implementation guides and role-based learning pathways. The aim is to make professional learning practical, focused and relevant to the work staff are actually doing.
For assessment change, that might mean helping staff understand:
-
what the assessment is trying to evidence;
-
how AI changes student guidance or evidence of learning;
-
how to use Moodle or another platform in a revised workflow;
-
how marking, moderation or feedback processes have changed;
-
how to support students with clearer expectations;
-
where to go when something does not fit the standard process.
What good adoption support looks like
Good adoption support is practical and role-aware.
It does not assume that every stakeholder needs the same message or the same training. Academic leads, markers, moderators, administrators, learning technologists, registry colleagues, students and project teams often need different kinds of support.
It also recognises that confidence builds over time. People may understand the policy but still need examples. They may attend training but need guidance when the first live assessment runs. They may accept the principle of change but need reassurance that the workflow will not create unmanageable extra work.
The strongest adoption support connects the educational purpose, the workflow, the platform and the people using it.
Typical outputs
-
Staff adoption plan and role-specific guidance.
-
Workshop design and facilitation materials.
-
Professional development course design, online or blended.
-
Staff and student communication and quick-reference guides.
-
Adoption review and recommendations for ongoing support.
When this fits
This is a good fit when a university has already identified a change that needs to land in practice.
It is often useful when:
-
staff need support to use a revised assessment or feedback workflow;
-
a new Moodle or platform process is being piloted or rolled out;
-
departments are refining assessment for the AI era;
-
staff need guidance on AI use, student expectations or evidence of learning;
-
a pilot needs communication, support and evaluation materials;
-
a change programme needs professional learning rather than a single training session;
-
previous guidance has existed on paper but has not translated clearly into practice.
What this is not
This is not a one-off training booking and it is not policy authorship.
It is the practical work of helping a change land in the rooms, departments and platforms where assessment is actually done.
Related work
See also:
Book a scoping conversation
If your institution is planning assessment, feedback, AI or platform change and needs support with staff adoption, guidance or professional learning, I’d be glad to hear more.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as staff training?
Not exactly. Training may be part of the work, but adoption support is broader. It can include guidance, workshops, communication, professional learning design, role-specific resources, pilot support and follow-up after implementation.
Can this include professional development course design?
Yes. Where staff need more than a one-off workshop, this can include online or blended professional development course design, self-paced materials, reflective prompts, examples and implementation guidance.
What kinds of change does this support?
This support is most relevant to assessment and feedback change, AI-era assessment design, Moodle and platform workflow changes, pilot activity, staff guidance and implementation.
Why is staff adoption important in assessment change?
Assessment change depends on what people do in practice. Staff need to understand the purpose of the change, how the workflow operates, what judgement they still need to exercise, and where to find support when real assessment situations do not fit the ideal process.