Learning and Teaching Strategy 2009-2013
Enable staff innovation and excellence
The key projects to support our objectives are:
- Develop and validate Masters-level modules to accredit continuing
professional development of new and experienced academic, support and
research staff at the University and amongst our collaborative partners. Share best practice with similar Masters-level continuing professional development modules, aimed at supporting the professions of teachers, health professionals, and the children's workforce.
- Encourage and support relevant staff to meet the appropriate
standard of the UK Professional Standards Framework in Teaching and
Supporting Learning in Higher Education, e.g. through under
CHEP.
- Reinforce recognition of teaching achievements in institutional human
resources policies for review, reward and career progression.
- Recognise and reward innovation and excellence by funding
initiatives through the Teaching and Learning Innovation Fund (TALIF)
and the Essex Excellence in Teaching Award (ETA).
- Secure funding from the Higher Education Academy's National Teaching
Fellowship Scheme (NTFS).
- Expand the sharing of good practice and teaching approaches through
staff development events, online guides and publications and external
collaboration.
In the Learning and Teaching Unit we are always looking for new ways to
propagate good practice. Over the past couple of years we have
undertaken a series of information-gathering exercises and dissemination
initiatives which have included an institutional review of academic- and
careers-related good practice (the
Thematic Review), a
Good Practice Database for staff, an
Innovations Video Library, and a series of
Smart Guides on priority areas for learning and
teaching which showcase ideas and practices from departments. We have
also built more dissemination activities into projects that are funded
by TALIF (the Teaching and Learning Innovation Fund) and have improved
the searchable
TALIF Database. These developments are in addition
to the staple of the Unit's activity: running professional development
programmes for different groups of staff. These include
academic staff,
Graduate Teaching Assistants and Demonstrators, and
research staff. We have also recently introduced the
Learning and Teaching Series, a programme of
shorter sessions for internal presentations which often link
thematically with the lectures and workshops run by external presenters.
Over the next few years we will be expanding these activities and
identifying new and effective channels for dissemination. Richard
Yates, Learning and Teaching Officer.