By Invitation: Dr D R Green, Mr W P J Maunder, Dr R B Wilcockson
In Attendance: Mr J S Wilcox
The minutes of the twelfth meeting held on 20 May 1998 were confirmed and signed.
The Sub-Committee received tabled papers to confirm the consultation processes required for this and the next three proposals had been completed. The Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a new programme in Electronic and Electrical Engineering to Teaching and Learning, the first intake to be in autumn 2000.
The Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a new programme in Electronic and Electrical Engineering to Teaching and Learning, the first intake to be in autumn 2000.
Having NOTED that the Department of Computer Studies objected to the use of "Software Engineering", the Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a new programme in Electronic and Electrical Engineering to Teaching and Learning, the first intake to be in autumn 2000.
The Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a new programme in Electronic and Electrical Engineering to Teaching and Learning, the first intake to be in autumn 2000. Regarding this proposal and the previous three, the Sub-Committee noted and commented: the proposal to carry out part D teaching in two week blocks had still to be developed; the M Eng variants should perhaps incorporate higher progression requirements than the B Eng variants; the programme objectives might usefully separate knowledge from skills.
The Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a revised version of an existing programme (Information and Library Studies) in Information and Library Studies to Teaching and Learning, effective autumn 1999. It was AGREED that specifications for new modules referred to in the proposal should be scrutinised by the Chair.
The Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a revised version of an existing programme (Information and Management) in Information and Library Studies to Teaching and Learning, effective autumn 1999.
Having received a tabled modification to the draft programme regulations published in the agenda papers, the Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a revised version of an existing programme (Information and Publishing Studies) in Information and Library Studies to Teaching and Learning, effective autumn 1999.
The Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a revised version of an existing programme (Information and Computing) in Information and Library Studies to Teaching and Learning, effective autumn 1999. Regarding this proposal and the previous three, the Sub-Committee was informed that the title changes would be introduced as a rolling change. It would be necessary for the department to introduce measures to deal with students who fell behind their admission cohort for any reason. The department would also need to have a policy for minimising any problems that students might experience in coping with a new-style final year curriculum following an old-style second year curriculum. It was NOTED that three further programmes in the department (Information Studies, Information Studies and English, Information and Library Studies and English) would be discontinued at the same time. It was AGREED to suggest that Teaching and Learning might usefully consider the provision of general advice to departments concerning the phased introduction of revised programmes.
The Sub-Committee NOTED proposals for significantly revised versions of the four existing programmes in Social Sciences, effective autumn 1999. These were still in strategic phase; the Sub-Committee would consider the proposals once they were brought forward in operational phase.
The Sub-Committee considered the proposal for a new programme in Civil and Building Engineering to Teaching and Learning, with the first intake to be in autumn 1999 (by means of changed course offers). A number of issues were identified: might it be possible for other design-related departments to offer modules in the programme; was the proposed programme title appropriate; was it acceptable for an engineering subject to contain no mathematics modules within it; would students cope with the programme if they entered without mathematical skills; would those teaching the modules adapt their reaching styles to assist students with limited quantitative skills to cope with the material.
It was AGREED that Professor Feather should inquire further into these matters and, if satisfied, recommend the proposal to Teaching and Learning on behalf of the Sub-Committee.
The Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend to Teaching and Learning the proposal that with immediate effect the industrial training award associated with Mathematics and Management should be DPS rather than DIS.
The Sub-Committee APPROVED the proposed scaling of the Engineering Management programme to the 180 tariff.
The Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend the proposal for a new variant of the Professional Diploma in Management to Teaching and Learning, the first intake to be in 1999. The Sub-Committee requested changes to the programme regulations and module specifications in accordance with University standard presentation.
The Sub-Committee considered the Secretary's proposals for modifications to the procedures used to approve immediate effect changes to both module specifications and programme regulations. These proposals were APPROVED.
The Sub-Committee discussed the present state of module specifications. It was AGREED to make a report to Teaching and Learning, conveying the following suggestions. The short field called Timetabling should be discontinued. Usage of the reading list section appeared to have moved away from its original intent and efforts should be made to return it to the function of providing no more than three titles in a standard format which could serve as an introduction to the module syllabus. Departments ought to be making use of quite different procedures for publishing their detailed reading lists and the Library provided a service to support that process. Any books which were deemed to be essential purchases could be mentioned in the module specification as an additional cost. The Associate Deans (Teaching) should be allowed to set their own standards for reading list styles. Consideration should be given to the publication of a model module specification incorporating standard approaches to each of the items. The next development in module specifications should be a requirement to state clearly the expected use of student time. It was suggested that a distinction might be made between study time that could take place in any location and that which was linked to being in a particular place. Also, specifications might indicate time that should be spent in supporting tutorial sessions and time that should be spent in achieving coursework targets.
The Secretary would explore the possibility of linking web-displayed module specifications to departmental web pages displaying reading lists. The Associate Deans (Teaching) would undertake surveys to ascertain the present state of departmental reading list information.
The Membership and Terms of Reference of the Sub-Committee were NOTED.
A note from Teaching and Learning Steering Group was RECEIVED.
Author - Mr J S Wilcox
Date - October 1998
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