Category: Teaching

Supporting Learners’ Digital Needs: Content-led Pedagogy – by Dr Victoria Goodyear (School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences)

Digital technologies have been heralded as providing new opportunities to transform education, learning and teaching. For example, education can be delivered at mass scale, boosting recruitment, income generation and international reach; learning can be more mobile, accessible and personalised; autonomous and self-motivated forms of learning can be promoted; and digital and online learning are cost-effective … Continue reading “Supporting Learners’ Digital Needs: Content-led Pedagogy – by Dr Victoria Goodyear (School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences)”

Supporting students with vision impairment in higher education – by Rachel Hewett (School of Education)

Since 2010, researchers at Vision Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research in DISN, School of Education have been following the post-16 transition experiences of a group of 80 young people with vision impairment. The study has focused in particular detail on the experiences of over 30 participants who made the transition into higher education. Some … Continue reading “Supporting students with vision impairment in higher education – by Rachel Hewett (School of Education)”

What is an inclusive approach to the development of academic literacy? By Gale Dawson (Learning Enhancement Team, Library Services)

The Library’s Learning Enhancement Team is currently discussing what constitutes an inclusive approach to the development of academic literacy. Wingate (2015) describes academic literacy as ‘the ability to communicate competently in an academic discourse community.’ So, how do our students learn what constitutes good academic practice? Is this something we can leave students to learn … Continue reading “What is an inclusive approach to the development of academic literacy? By Gale Dawson (Learning Enhancement Team, Library Services)”

Providing an inclusive environment for learning – by Lesley Batty

The notion of inclusivity is not new, despite the rather dramatic increase in its use within the past few years. Human beings have always had the desire to ‘belong’ and we see that in all parts of life, whether that be following a particular football team or within a family unit.  It is not just … Continue reading “Providing an inclusive environment for learning – by Lesley Batty”

Accessible equations – by Dave Smith, School of Mathematics

There is a divide in the academic world between those for whom equations and mathematical expressions are their primary tools, and everyone else! Pure and applied mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists and many computational biologists (for the purposes of this blog post I will refer to all of us as mathematicians for short) typically find that … Continue reading “Accessible equations – by Dave Smith, School of Mathematics”

Beyond good intentions: sensitivity to students’ diverse backgrounds in the hard sciences – by Dave Smith (School of Mathematics)

The importance of cultural and racial sensitivity in subjects such as English, History, Politics, Law, and Fine Art seems obvious – they have culture and human life at their centre. But what about in the cold, hard world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)? When preparing, delivering and assessing our courses can we simply … Continue reading “Beyond good intentions: sensitivity to students’ diverse backgrounds in the hard sciences – by Dave Smith (School of Mathematics)”

Inclusive practice must first begin in the classroom. By Kalwant Bhopal

There is a plethora of research evidence to suggest that Black and minority ethnic students remain disadvantaged in education; this takes place at all levels. Black pupils are more likely to be excluded in schools and when making the transition to higher education they are less likely to attend elite and Russell Group universities, less … Continue reading “Inclusive practice must first begin in the classroom. By Kalwant Bhopal”

What is Teaching Excellence in Higher Education?

Teaching Excellence in Higher Education Dear Colleagues, I thought you might be interested in this Blog that I wrote for the HEA’s discussion about ‘Teaching Excellence for Student Success’. I have pasted the Bolg below and, as you will see, I have commented on ‘research-intensive teaching/learning’, and I have shared the work we are doing … Continue reading “What is Teaching Excellence in Higher Education?”

Defining and Delivering ‘Research-Intensive Learning and Teaching’ at the University of Birmingham. (Kathy Armour)

Defining and delivering ‘Research-Intensive Learning and Teaching’ at the University of Birmingham. On Monday 23rd October 2017, we are reopening the Big Conversation for dialogue across the University on the topic of our distinctive ‘value proposition’ for students. By any international measure, UK Higher Education is extraordinarily successful. Yet, despite that success on the global stage, … Continue reading “Defining and Delivering ‘Research-Intensive Learning and Teaching’ at the University of Birmingham. (Kathy Armour)”