Learning and Teaching Committee

LTC11-M1

Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 17 February 2011

Members: Morag Bell (in the Chair), Simon Austin, Ruth Kinna, Ray Dawson, Jane Horner, Robert Hamilton, Jennifer Nutkins, Jan Tennant, John Feather, Derek Stephens, Brian Jarvis, Steve Tarleton, Alice Swinscoe, Phil Richards, Alex Widdowson.

Apologies: Dulanjan Kaggodaarachchi

In attendance: Rob Pearson, Nigel Thomas, Jo Wilkins (for item 11/05)

The Chair welcomed new members to the committee.

11/01 Minutes

LTC10-M3

1. The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 4 November 2010 were confirmed.

11/02 Learning Spaces – Development and Use

Received: LTC11-P01

1. The relocation of an extra-time examination room currently in Edward Herbert Building was being discussed with Facilities Management.

11/03 Curriculum Sub-Committee – 27 January 2011

Received: LTC11-P02, annex A, annex B

1. Credit Values of the University’s awards

1. In order to ensure consistency across the University and with the HE sector, it was desirable that all programmes were in line with the University credit framework and / or with professional accreditation body requirements.

Action:

2. PQTP to review current awards that are outwith the University qualifications framework with a view to understanding criteria for exceptions and making a recommendation to LTC on actions to be taken.

2. Reassessment without Tuition

3. Policy on restrictions to reassessment without tuition would be best placed within the general University regulations, not within individual programme regulations.

Action:

4. PQTP to review current reassessment practice to consider how students would be affected by any change to the assessment regulations, and report back to LTC.

11/04 Condonement 2009/10

Received: LTC11-P03

1. Each Department was responsible for drawing up their own guidelines for the implementation of undergraduate condonement. The guidelines would have to be revised following the creation of the new Schools.

Action:

2. Ray Dawson to discuss the relatively high incidence of condonement in some Departments at the Science Faculty Directorate and report back to LTC.

3. The new School ADTs would be asked to oversee the production of School guidelines for the implementation of undergraduate condonement.

11/05 Student Feedback – Support Services 2009/10

Received: LTC11-P04

1. The committee welcomed the level of consideration given by the three central service providers to the issues identified in the report.

2. It was important that all Departments engaged with the University module feedback process, using the paper-based forms. It was noted that the forms and processing would benefit from a review to ensure they are fit for purpose.

3. Caroline Pepper was investigating appropriate mechanisms for collecting feedback from academic staff on the quality of teaching facilities. It was noted that any immediate concerns about facilities should be raised with the service provider.

Action:

4. Phil Richards, Anne Mumford and the Teaching Centre to make recommendations on an optimal paper-based evaluation system to a future LTC.

11/06 External Examiner reports 2009/10

Received: LTC11-P05

1. There was currently a national review underway of external examining arrangements in the UK, which was due to report within the coming months. It was agreed that any significant work on external examining arrangements identified in the report should be deferred until the outcomes of the national review are known.

Action:

2. The Programme Quality Team should consider the broader regulatory issues identified in the report and take steps to disseminate good practice.

11/07 BUE Validation Sub-Committee

Received: LTC11-P06

1. Robert Hamilton had been appointed as new AD(T) for the BUE.

2. The recent political upheaval in Egypt had led to a delay to the start of teaching in semester 2. The BUE was working with colleagues at Loughborough to take steps to mitigate against the effects of this delay.

3. A new Head of Department (Economics), with a UK academic background, had appointed from 1 January 2011.

4. The BUE had engaged an E- Learning advisor/consultant to build on existing BUE provision.

11/08 University Re-organisation: report from the Learning and Teaching Working Group

Received: LTC11-P07

1. The June meeting of LTC would be asked to approve changes to learning and teaching related policy and procedures that had arisen as a result of the University re-organisation.

11/09 2012 Tuition Fees and the University Access Agreement

1. The Office for Fair Access would shortly be publishing detailed guidance for institutions on the expected content of 2012/13 access agreements. It was anticipated that the agreements would be required to include details of tuition fees, a support package for students from under-represented groups, outreach activity and a set of targets for access against which the University’s performance would be evaluated.

11/10 Curriculum Sub-Committee – 27 January 2011

Received: LTC11-P08

1. It was agreed to recommend new programme proposals and other strategic changes to Senate on the advice of Curriculum Sub-Committee, as set out in the report.

11/11 Curriculum Sub-Committee – 27 January 2011

Received: LTC11-P09

11/12 E-Learning Advisory Group

Received: LTC11-P10

11/13 External Consultations:

1. The following national consultations were being considered by Programme Quality Team:

1. Public Information about Higher Education

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2010/10_31/

2. QAA review of the Academic Infrastructure

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/news/consultation/AI/

11/14 QAA Institutional Review

1. The University had been scheduled for QAA Institutional Review in 2011/12, with the review visit to take place between January and June 2012.

11/15 NSS 2011

Received: LTC11-P11

11/16 Dates of Meetings 2010/11

1. Date of remaining meeting:

Thursday 9 June 2010

to start at 9.30 am

Author – Rob Pearson

Date – February 2011