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Building a Learning and Teaching Strategy

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It has been a busy couple of weeks.  The year started with an institutional learning and teaching day to focus the development of the learning and teaching strategy required by HEFCW (Higher Education Funding Council for Wales) later this summer.  As the university has recently merged (taking in University of Wales, Lampeter and Trinity College, Carmarthen) and has announced it will merge again with Swansea Metropolitan University in 2012 the development of the learning and teaching strategy is an essential building block for the new institution.  Following two Keynotes, in-house presentations and a lively discussion, colleagues agreed the strategy should:

  • Have the learners voice and experiences at the centre
  • Communicate the core aims of the university mission
  • Be developed though a process of consultation

Have you heard of a MOOC?

The process will be interesting and educative to follow.

This weekend I joined my first MOOC (massive open online course).  I had never heard about this form of learning before, having Googled I can see there are mixed reactions to it.  The course I have joined is a 12 week course on Connectivism and Connective Knowledge 2011.  It has as one would expect readings, but it also has video casts and open discussions with over 1000 participants across the world (that’s a lot of people!).

I think I am going to enjoy this short course.  It will be insightful both from a course design perspective and knowledge perspective, so connecting my own research and study to my practical day job that requires me to think about and advice on learning design.  I will see if some of the sceptics are right when they question this style/design of learning, not least motivation.  It will be an interesting few weeks.

Read more articles about Education, Learning Technology, Teaching & Learning

Written by Kathryn James

I am currently the learning enhancement officer at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, a small university in West Wales. The area and discourse of learning enhancement is relatively new in universities and it is not uncontested. Some people see the role and its association with technology as under researched and merely extending the hand of management into the classroom. Others say the role is an essential part of the requirements of a modern university, where learners are increasingly being seen as customers, and the profile of academic teachers should be on par with academic researchers. My day to day job is to support colleagues with their teaching across the university, this includes the use of educational technology but not exclusively. As it is a small (and recently merged) university my role also includes supporting the development of strategies related to learning and teaching. In addition to my job I have recently started an EdD at University of Nottingham., for those who are not familiar; an EdD is a professional doctorate with its focus on education. So, like many people studying part time (or is that spare time) I work full time.

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