Learning and Teaching Committee

Subject: Teaching Centre - Progress Report for Learning and Teaching Commmittee

1. Establishment
The Centre came into being on 1 August 2008, in accordance with the University’s Strategic Plan “Toward 2016”. The Centre’s primary remit is to support colleagues in their teaching roles.

2. Governance
The Director of the Centre reports to the PVC(T). An Advisory Board and Management Group have been established. Membership and Terms of Reference for both have been agreed.

3. Budget
Still not fully confirmed at the time of writing, largely due to the complex transfer of funds from what was Professional Development. Additional difficulties have arisen by virtue of Agresso not recognising the Centre as an independent unit. Such teething problems were to be expected and are being tackled.

4. Website
The Centre’s new website was launched on 30 September. This has been a major undertaking. Jonathan Walters (Marketing and Communication) provided invaluable advice on design and development of the website.

5. Staffing

· Dr Maurice Fitzgerald will join the Centre at the start of Semester Two as the Quality Enhancement Officer for SSH. He has been appointed on a 12 month secondment, 0.8FTE, from the Department of Politics, International Relations and European Studies (PIRES). Thanks go to the ADT, Head of Department, Dean of Faculty and DVC for making the appointment possible.

· Jayne Spendlove commences work on 3 November as Deputy Centre Administrator (0.6FTE). This brings our administrative resource up to full capacity (1.0).

· Debra Lilley, maternity cover for Sarah Bamforth as Pedagogical Research Associate (Eng), leaves on 18 November. Sarah is due back in early 2009, on reduced hours (0.6 FTE) and working as before on a split basis between the Centre and the EngCETL.

· Interviews take place on 5 November for the vacant Teaching and Learning Officer post (0.5FTE).

6. Recently completed work

· Project report on Internationalisation and the Curriculum has been very well received by senior University colleagues. Discussions are ongoing about wider distribution.

· Qualitative analysis of 2007-08 NSS results made available to PQ Team, NSS Working Group and Learning and Teaching Coordinators for each Department

· First ever meeting of Departmental Learning and Teaching Coordinators held on 25 September, involving PVC(T), ADTs, Senior Assistant Registrar and Director of Teaching Centre. Very well attended, the meeting considered and endorsed a draft Development Plan for the Centre.

· Module Feedback Form reworked to include mandatory questions, supported by a newly developed bank of optional statements. New forms to be used this academic year, with pilots of e-versions going on in three Departments (Civil and Building Engineering, PIRES, Chemistry).

· Evaluation of New Lecturer’s Route (NLR) based on feedback from recent completers. Results broadly positive.

· Newly devised promotions criteria for teaching practice element within revised procedures went to HRWG on 27 October. Generally well received, minor amendments needed, new arrangements to be introduced 2009-10.

7. Forthcoming work

· Joint dissemination event with EngCETL on Academic Practice Awards/Mini projects scheduled for November

· Major revision of NLR to be undertaken, leading to reaccreditation in summer 2009. Revised programme will incorporate greater use of e-learning, a stronger discipline-based element and streamlined assessment procedures.

· Programme of bespoke work with Departments to be developed, starting with work in Chemical Engineering on good practice in admissions interviews, commissioned by Dr Gilbert Shama and to involve Professor Kevin Daniels and Howard Jones.

· CPD provision to be developed, to include this year support for researchers, new programme directors (in Economics) and probationary advisers.

· Second run of Communicate project (for teaching staff whose first language is not English) started earlier this month. Director of Centre to meet with JISC representative and Head of e-learning to explore possible funding to develop e-learning resources in support of the project.

Jan Tennant
Director of Teaching Centre
27 October 2008