LDC Newsletter 2012-13 – May 2013

 

Welcome to the LDC Newsletter for May 2013.

 

Included this month:

  • 5th Annual Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013 – Registration now open – book your place today!
  • Backchannel Communication Workshop – using online tools to engage in conferences
  • Researchers’ Symposium – Tuesday 26th June
  • Learning at City Journal – Vol. 3, No. 1 published
  • Dates for your Diary

 

5th Annual Learning at City Conference – Register now!

City’s fifth annual higher education conference: Thursday 6th June


 

The Learning Development Centre is proud to announce that registration is now open for the Learning at City Conference and Exhibition 2013.

This is the University’s fifth annual higher education conference and this year’s theme will be: “Innovation and creativity in higher education.”

Colleagues from across the University will share their research, innovation and practice in this area, providing an opportunity for you to listen to others, share good practice and explore transferability between different disciplines.

The conference will focus on the following sub-themes:

  • Innovation and creativity in curriculum design;
  • Being creative in assessment design;
  • Innovative approaches to giving feedback;
  • Creative teaching and learning; and
  • An innovative and creative learning experience.

Colleagues will present posters, exhibitions and papers and workshops relating to the conference’s themes. Furthermore, there will be a keynote presentation from Professor Diana Laurillard, student-led activities and a prize-giving presentation by our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Curran.

If you would like more information on the event, please visit our website, or contact us at ldc@city.ac.uk

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Backchannel Communication Workshop

Title: No Talking at the Back: An Introduction to using Twitter to participate in ‘backchannel communication’ during live events such as conferences.

Description: Online communication around live events such as conferences is on the increase.  It is known as backchannel communication and involves both delegates and non-delegates using tools such as Twitter for reporting, commenting, questioning, sharing resources, chatting and so on. Participating in a conference backchannel can be a rewarding experience that enhances conference attendance.

This practical workshop will include hands-on activities enabling participants to get to grips with using Twitter and understand how it can be used effectively during live events such as academic conferences.  It is primarily aimed at staff who are attending the Learning@City Conference on 6th June. The workshop will use iPads which will be provided but staff are welcome to bring their own internet-connected tablets or smartphones. There will also be a limited number of iPads available for loan during the conference itself.

Pre-requisites: No prior knowledge is needed but participants will be required to create a Twitter account in advance to the workshop. Full instructions & assistance will be provided.

Location: MILL, Goswell Road

Dates/Time: 1) Thursday 30th May, 10:30-12:00 2) Wednesday 5th June, 14:00-15:30

Registration: Please use the main Conference booking form and ensure you tick the relevant box to reserve your place on this session.

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Researchers’ Symposium – Tuesday 26th June

Join the Learning Development Centre for this one day event which sees over 20 doctoral students from a range of subjects presenting their research to staff and students.

The research symposium offers a unique insight into some of the work being undertaken by research students in the University and is a great opportunity to celebrate and explore the groundbreaking research undertaken at City University London.

The registration form will be opened very soon, so keep an eye on our webpage to book your place.

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Learning at City Journal – Volume 3 Number 1 published

The next edition of the Learning at City Journal has now been published and is available in print form.

This edition contains articles covering a wide range of subjects related to teaching & learning in HE, including -

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  • Climbing the Great Wall: Linking Teacher Beliefs and Learning Styles in Cross-Cultural Teaching – Observations from cross-cultural teaching in Mainland China
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  • Addressing the needs of international postgraduate students: the role of social capital
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  • What influences student participation in asynchronous online discussions
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  • Developments in information technology and their implications for psychological research: Disruptive or diffusive change?
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  • Exploring the relationship between sustainability and university curricula: a small-scale study
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  • Using mirror and other internal surveys in order to improve student experience
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  • Flexible Learning Spaces Evaluation Report
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  • Interim Project Report: Teaching Excellence: what is this and how can we assess and recognise this

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You can request a copy of the journal by contacting us at ldc@city.ac.uk, and the articles will be made available online via the Digital Repository in due course. In the meantime, you can search through the archive of Learning at City Journal articles on the repository here.

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Dates for your Diary

Backchannel Communication Workshops – Thursday 30th May/Wednesday 5th June 2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

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LDC Newsletter 2012-13 – April 2013

Welcome to the LDC Newsletter for April 2013.

Included this month:

 

  • Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April – Last chance to book a place
  • Researchers’ Symposium – Call for Abstracts closes 18th April
  • 5th Annual Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013
  • How to make your presentations more interactive
  • Dates for your Diary

 

Spring Research Development Day – Tuesday 16th April – Limited places still available – reserve yours now!

 

The second of this year’s researchers’ development days will take place next week on Tuesday 16th April 2013. There are a few places left for attendees to the event, so if you’re interested, book your place using the online form.

These one day events are targeted at researchers studying and working at City University London and the next one offers a range of sessions around the theme of: What to do with your data and findings.

When?       Tuesday April 16th            10am – 6.30pm

Where?      Drysdale Building, City University, London

The success of previous Researcher-focused events has led to the creation of a dedicated Moodle page where selected content from sessions can be accessed. Read more about this here.

 

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Researchers’ Symposium – Wednesday 26th June – Click here to submit your abstract before the 18th April 2013.

There’s less than a week before the abstract proposal process closes for this year’s Researchers’ Symposium.

This event is an ideal opportunity for new and continuing PhD students at the University to present their research to a supportive platform either in poster or oral presentation format.

Papers:

This is an ideal opportunity approach for students who have undertaken some data collection and analysis and would value some feedback as well as a chance to present in a conference environment.

Each paper will be a 15 minute presentation and will be grouped into a one hour session with other papers.

Posters:

This is an ideal approach for students who are not yet collecting data but have undertaken their literature review, identified their question and aims and their methodology. Feedback can be gained from peers and it is an opportunity to prepare a poster for a conference.

Posters will be displayed at the Symposium throughout the day and there will be an opportunity during refreshment breaks for people to ask you about your poster.

If you have initial findings from your PhD and would like the opportunity to present them in a supportive atmosphere, then you still have a chance to submit your abstract. The online form will remain open until Thursday 18th April.

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Learning At City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

On Thursday 6th June, City University hosts its fifth annual Learning at City Conference and Exhibition, with the theme of Innovation and Creativity in Higher Education. We are very pleased to announce that our keynote speaker for this year will be Professor Diana Laurillard of the Institute of Education.

This is an excellent opportunity to share with others good practice and to explore interdisciplinary practices and transferability to different disciplines. The event has always been well received, garnering positive feedback from participants such as those displayed below.

It is open to all staff and the booking form will be taking registrations very soon. Keep an eye on our webpage about the conference for updates.

Some feedback received from
previous Learning at City Conferences

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How to make your presentations more interactiveOne hour sessions on getting the most out of educational tools

The LDC will be running a number of short one hour sessions for all staff beginning this term. These will focus on making your presentations more interactive. These sessions may be of interest for staff who would like to make good use of all the teaching equipment across the university. You will be able to come away with a greater awareness of the range of educational tools available to use at the university as well as take away strategies of enhancing your presentations to create more active engagement.  If you’d like to book for these sessions, please visit this link. If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Rae Bowdler.

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Dates for your Diary

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April  2013

Research Symposium Proposal deadline – Thursday 18th April 2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

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LDC Newsletter 2012-13 – March 2013

Welcome to the LDC Newsletter for March 2013.

Included this month:

  • Spring Research Development Day – Tuesday 16th April – Book your place now!
  • Moodle 2 updates
  • Researchers’ Symposium – Call for Abstracts open
  • Report on Digital Researcher Workshop – Wednesday 27th February
  • Dates for your Diary

 

Spring Research Development Day – Tuesday 16th April – Book  your place now!

The LDC is pleased to announce that booking is now open for the second of this year’s researchers’ development days which will take place on Tuesday 16th April 2013.  This one day event is targeted at researchers studying and working at City University London and offers a range of sessions around the theme of: What to do with your data and findings.

When? Tuesday April 16th            10am – 6.30pm

Where? Drysdale Building, City University, London

The success of previous Researcher-focused events has led to the creation of a dedicated Moodle page where selected content from sessions can be accessed. Read more about this here.

 

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Educational Vignettes – Moodle 2

 

 

 

 

LDC Consultant Rae Bowdler has been looking into different aspects of Moodle 2, soon to become Moodle’s much anticipated upgrade.  Take a look at two vignette posts looking at Moodle 2, and it’s improved integration with SITS.

 

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Researchers’ Symposium – Wednesday 26th June – Click here to submit your abstract before the 18th April 2013.

This event is an ideal opportunity for new and continuing PhD students at the University to present their research to a supportive platform either in poster or oral presentation format.

Papers:

This is an ideal opportunity approach for students who have undertaken some data collection and analysis and would value some feedback as well as a chance to present in a conference environment.

Each paper will be a 15 minute presentation and will be grouped into a one hour session with other papers.

Posters:

This is an ideal approach for students who are not yet collecting data but have undertaken their literature review, identified their question and aims and their methodology. Feedback can be gained from peers and it is an opportunity to prepare a poster for a conference.

Posters will be displayed at the Symposium throughout the day and there will be an opportunity during refreshment breaks for people to ask you about your poster.

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Report on Digital Researcher Workshop – Wednesday 27th February

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 We held the third of our Digital Researcher Workshops on 27th February in our new MILL office space in Goswell Place. These workshops developed out of the presentations given at the LDC organised Researcher Development Days and offer attendees the opportunity to get support in developing their confidence and skills in using a range of digital tools to support their research work.

As well as introducing researchers to tools which can help to grow their digital reputation, such as Linked-in, academia.edu  and more discipline specific networks such as the Social Science Research Network, the workshop offered a hands-on introduction to the use of Twitter, blogs and social bookmarking tools such as Diigo and Mendeley. If you would like to see the presentation which framed the workshop please click here.

Feedback on the session was uniformly positive  – all of the participants said they would implement some of the ideas and tools in their research practice and many wanted more sessions on a wider range of tools. If you would like to register an interest in attending any future sessions on this theme please contact ldc@city.ac.uk

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Dates for your Diary

Learning at City Conference Proposal deadline – Tuesday 2nd April 2013

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April  2013

Research Symposium Proposal deadline – Thursday 18th April 2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

LDC Newsletter 2012-13 – February 2013

Welcome to the LDC Newsletter for February 2013.

Included this month:

  • Spring Research Development Day – Tuesday 16th April
  • Learning At City Conference – Call for Abstracts open
  • Educational Vignettes Relaunched
  • Digital Researcher Workshop – Wednesday 27th February
  • Preparing PhD students for teaching duties
  • Dates for your Diary

 

 

Spring Research Development Day – Tuesday 16th April

RESEARCHERS’ DEVELOPMENT DAY

What to do with your data and findings

16th April 2013 – From 10.00am

The annual Researcher Development Programme has been designed in response to your feedback.

The programme aims to meet your needs at different stages in your research career. The programme has also been designed so that you will have the opportunity to interact with other research students across the university, with early career researchers who have completed their research degrees and with academic staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines.

The Sessions will offer you information and expert advice on the following:

  • Preparing abstracts and presenting papers and posters at conferences.
  • Networking
  • Qualitative and quantitative data analysis
  • How to get published in journals
  • Managing a research team and project
  • Viva’s – Preparation needed, the purpose and roles of those involved.
  • The research – teaching relationship

 

The event also provides an open forum for you to share interests and explore research issues with other researchers and academic staff.

For more information visit:

www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/events

Future events: Researchers’ Symposium – 26th June 2013

 

 

Learning At City Conference – Call for Proposal

On Thursday 6th June, City University hosts its fifth annual Learning at City Conference and Exhibition, with the theme of Innovation and Creativity in Higher Education.

The Learning Development Centre (LDC) is proud to announce the call for proposals for posters, exhibitions and papers /workshops.

The call is open to all academics, lecturers, Professional Services staff and research students who wish to share their practice, innovation and research that addresses this year’s theme.

This is an opportunity to share with others good practice and to explore interdisciplinary practices and transferability to different disciplines.

You will find information on the Learning at City Conference and Exhibition and on the process for submitting a proposal below.

Please submit your proposal using the eForm, by Tuesday 2nd April 2013.

Proposals are invited for posters, exhibitions and papers/workshops which relate to the overall theme: Innovation and Creativity in Higher Education.

The following sub-themes might help you focus your proposal but are not exhaustive:

• Innovation and creativity in curriculum design
• Being creative in assessment design
• Innovative approaches to giving feedback
• Creative teaching and learning
• An innovative and creative learning experience.

Discussion papers/workshops (these sessions are 50 minutes)
If you are providing a discussion paper you should plan to share your paper for no more than 25 minutes and then have 25 minutes for questions and discussions. You should have some questions prepared for discussion in case participants do not ask any.

If you are providing a workshop then try to keep your overview to 15 minutes and then have 30 minutes of activity including feedback and sharing. Please allow five minutes for questions at the end.

Exhibition (these sessions are 50 minutes)
If you are providing an exhibition you should plan to provide an overview of your activities/developments but ensure there is time for participants to ask questions and where possible gain some “hands on” experience.

Posters (the maximum size is A1)
Posters will be available for participants to view throughout the conference. However there will be two 15 minute slots in the timetable for you to present and discuss your poster with conference attendees. After the conference we will place photographs of the posters on the LDC website.

Submitting your proposal
Proposals should be submitted electronically using the proposal eForm, by Tuesday 2nd April 2013.

Criteria for acceptance of proposals
Each proposal will be reviewed for acceptance to the conference against the following criteria:

• Relevance to conference theme and sub-theme(s)
• Clarity and coherence of the proposal
• Evidence of relevance to others across the University
• Contribution to development, enhancement and scholarship related to the theme.

Feedback and Guidance
Once the proposals have been peer reviewed feedback will be sent to applicants and those who are accepted will receive further information on the presentation the week beginning Monday 22nd April 2013.

 

 

 

Educational Vignettes Relaunched

The Educational Vignettes has been relaunched. The LDC is proud to be working with so many of you to make the Educational Vignettes Blog a hub for education matters at City University London and beyond.

“The Educational Vignettes Blogs appeared to be a popular and well-maintained means of sharing good practice”

(QAA Institutional Review of City University London, 2013: p 21)

The Educational Vignettes is a success because of our authors and readers. With the new blog design and the fact that we are now hosted on City Blogs, we hope that the success of Educational Vignettes will continue.

The LDC is here to support City University London staff in becoming blog authors. We look forward to staff contacting us to contribute to Educational Vignettes. Just drop us a line at ldc@city.ac.uk and we will give you authorship rights.

If you are interested in setting up your own blog or using blogs with your students please look at the LSE’s 7 uses for blogs in Higher Education for some practical ideas about how to use blogs in Higher Education.

 

 

 

 

 

Digital Researcher Workshop – Wednesday 27th February

This introductory workshop aims to engage you with the uses of social media in supporting your research.

Date: Wednesday 27th February 2013

Time: 10:00am

Duration: 2 hours

Locations: The MILL at Goswell Place (See map)

The LDC in collaboration with Lawbore will be leading this workshop to support you in developing your digital researcher identity. Your facilitators for the day will be Neal Sumner, Emily Allbon and Ajmal Sultany.

This hands on session will give you the opportunity to learn more about the use of Twitter and blogging for your research; how to make use of social bookmarking and referencing tools to work more effectively; and the best practices for interacting in social networks such as Academia and Linkedin.

The workshop will provide an introduction and hands on support in using a range of digital tools to support the research process, and provides an opportunity to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of developing a digital presence for your research.

Bring your own device

We would like to request that you bring your own preferred digital device to the session, which can include (though is not limited to) smart phone, tablet, or laptop.

Register

Register your attendance by filling out the short registration form. You will be contacted with a confirmation and further details.

Suggestions

If there are particular aspects or questions you would like to cover in the workshop then please send them to our twitter account at @CityLDC. Alternatively, you can contact Ajmal at ajmal@city.ac.uk

Limited Spaces

Please note that places will be limited to 20, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

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Preparing PhD students for teaching duties

The most common words given as feedback on the Workshop

On Tuesday 29th January the Learning Development Centre provided a three hour seminar for over 20 PhD Students from the School of Informatics to help prepare them for teaching duties they are expected to undertake this term. The session covered planning and running tutorials, classroom management, dealing with disruptive behaviour, formative and summative feedback, feed forward, varieties of learning style and assessments.

The session was very well received and many students expressed a wish for longer sessions. Among the comments made by participants were the following:

by far, the best workshop (most useful) I attended so far

this tutorial was very useful and I managed to gain some important techniques for teaching

 

 

Dates for your Diary

 

Digital Researchers Workshop – Wednesday 27th February 2013

Teaching Excellence Workshop – Monday 4th March 2013

Learning at City Conference Proposal deadline – Tuesday 2nd April 2013

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April  2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

 

LDC Newsletter 2012-13 – January 2013

Welcome to the LDC Newsletter for January 2013.

Included this month:

  • SLE Investment Updates from the Educational Vignettes Blog
  • Recognising Teaching Excellence
  • Research Supervision & Mentoring Modules – Places left for Spring 2013
  • Learning at City Journal, Vol. 3 – Call for articles
  • Dates for your Diary

 

 

SLE Investment Updates from the Educational Vignettes Blog

 

 

 

 

Three new posts on the LDC’s Educational Vignettes Blog explain details of the coming investment in the Strategic Learning Environment at City.

Firstly, Annemarie Cancienne details the changes expected during the coming upgrade to Moodle 2.0 scheduled for spring 2013. The system is planned to be made available to all students for the start of the 2013-14 academic year, and Annemarie gives an overview of what’s new. To read the article click here.

Rae Bowdler then goes into greater detail about the way in which the Moodle system will work, especially how the file management system will change. Rae introduces the Moodle 2.0 File Picker and explains the key improvements it will offer. Read more here.

The third post is also by Rae Bowdler, although in this article we leave Moodle behind and explore the use of multimedia in education, from external research to the latest tools available at City. Find out how you can use multimedia in your teaching and who can help you get the most out of it, here.

 

Recognising Teaching Excellence

What makes a good teacher?

As part of the change academy project focused on recognising teaching excellence a range of activities will be taking place over the next year which you can participate in. The next activity we will be hosting is a workshop for both student programme representatives and Learning Development Fellows to explore teaching excellence at City University London on Monday 4th March. This will be facilitated by Julie Hall who is the Head of Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit at Roehampton University and co-chair of SEDA. Watch out for further details.

We have a blog for this project to provide up to date information about activities and our findings. On the blog we have posted some questions so if you wish to contribute then follow this link and provide us with your thoughts – http://blogs.city.ac.uk/teachingexcellence/ . We are also interested in interviewing staff and students to collect your thoughts about what teaching excellence is and examples of this. If you are willing to be interviewed then contact Dr Pam Parker via e-mail P.M.Parker@city.ac.uk

 

Learning at City Journal, Vol. 3 – Call for articles

Have you undertaken some development or a small scale study focused on learning and teaching that you could share with others across the University? If you have, why not write an article for the next edition of the Learning at City Journal due out in April? You need to submit your article by Friday 15th February so that it can be peer reviewed prior to submission.

Send your article to Dr Pam Parker via e-mail P.M.Parker@city.ac.uk

Follow this link for guidance on format for the article http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/resources/learning-at-city-journal

 

 

 

 

Research Supervision Module – Places left for February 2013

The research supervision module starts in February and there are places available. The module focuses on approaches and processes for supervision, issues that impact on progress and supporting research students. Whilst the module focuses on PhD supervision most of the content can be applied to Masters students as well. If you are new to supervising, then this module will help you understand your role.

The module has three taught days from 10.00 – 16.00 on 19th February, 20th March and 17th April with some online content between these days. The assessment for the module is an essay but on a topic you negotiate. To book a place e-mail maap@city.ac.uk

MA Academic Practice, Mentoring module – Places left for April 2013

We are pleased to announce that there are some places left for the Mentoring module, a 15 credit, M level module which forms part of the MA Academic Practice programme. This module addresses mentoring theory and practice, and introduces coaching and other related activities. It should be of value to anyone who has some form of mentoring or related role. Learners can undertake an assessment which involves drawing up a mentoring plan and writing a short, specialised literature review.

Teaching comprises two full days and two half days, running on April and May 2013. For further details and / or to apply, please email: ldc@city.ac.uk. To raise any enquiries about the content of the module, please contact Patrick Baughan, the Module Leader, on: p.baughan@city.ac.uk.

 

Dates for your Diary

Journal Article Submission Deadline – Friday 15th February 2013

Research Supervision Module – Tuesday 19th February 2013

Teaching Excellence Workshop – Monday 4th March 2013

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April  2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

 

LDC Blog 2012-13 – December 2012


Welcome to the LDC Blog update for December 2012.

In the blog this month:

  • Learning Development Projects
  • AG24 Evaluation: Open House Drop-in – Wednesday 5th December
  • Leading Change in Higher Education – Places Available
  • Autumn Researchers’ Development Day Report

 

Do you have a small project you would like some funding for?

For 2012-2013 the Learning Development Projects provide an opportunity for staff and students to focus on a project for any aspect of education that will lead to an enhancement of the student experience and that you feel passionate about. This includes undertaking a development activity such as implementing a new assessment tool or small scale research on an area to evaluate new practice or lead to new practice. This call invites both staff and students to apply for these projects. The LDC will provide a mentor for each project.

Staff: If the project is staff led we expect there to be evidence of student engagement for the duration of the project which could be in terms of consultation and feedback or could be with them as members of the project team. Student: If the project is student led we expect there to be support and engagement from an academic so that any initiative or outcome from the project has a champion for its implementation.
If you are thinking of applying do have a chat to the Associate Dean for Education in each School to see if the project fits with the School focus.

Timeline

Projects will run from January –July 2013.

The timetable for the projects will be:

  • January and February – you will need to make any revisions to your plan so you can send this back to us so we can publish it on the LDC website. See link for previous projects http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/staffdevelopment/ldp
  • April  – you will need to write a short report on progress for submission in April. Again we will publish this on the website.
  • May – July – your will be completing your report and identify the outcome of your project and future plans for your findings. A final report outlining the complete project is required for submission at the end of July which will also be published on the website.

Funding

There is a fund of up to £10,000 for each project. We expect all project holder(s) to present their project at the Learning at City conference and /or publish in the Learning @City Journal although you might write your final report in a version that could be published rather than provide an additional article.

Funds may be used to employ students/temps to undertake data collection and write draft reports. You may also use this to run workshops and provide some catering for these or pay for travel and attendance at external conferences. NB no funding can be carried beyond July.

How to Apply

If you are interested in being involved please draft an outline of your proposed project making clear how this will enhance the student experience, what you plan to do, who is involved in the project and how a budget outlining how you plan to spend the money. This should not be longer than 1000 words. Please e-mail both these to ldc@city.ac.uk by 21st December 2012. The Learning Advisory Board will then review all applications and agree projects which will be funded.  If you have any questions please contact Pam Parker by e-mail on p.m.parker@city.ac.uk

AG24 Evaluation: Open House Drop-In

 

Leading Change in Higher Education. You can still sign up

This course focuses on thinking about all aspects of leadership and managing change. This can be related to a small scale or departmental project. You can hear from others how their role developed and consider spaces and how these impact on views of work and learning. You will explore some of the theories surrounding leadership and change and learn from each others experiences. The module has four face to face days with two in December on Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th and then two in February on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th. The assessment of the module is a presentation in class and three blog postings.  Think about something new you want to share with colleagues sign up for the module.

You can find out more information, download an application form and contact the Programme Team from our website here – http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/academic-practice-and-phd-programme

Or send any questions you may have to maap@city.ac.uk

 

 

Report from the Autumn Researchers’ Development Day – Nov 7th 2012

The first of this years’ Researchers’ Development Days run by the Learning Development Centre, took place on Wednesday 7th November in the Northampton Suite at City University.

This day was an opportunity for researchers at City to come together and attend a variety of sessions around the theme of “Planning for Successful Research” attendees ranged from students at the start of their doctorate through to post doctoral and experienced researchers.

The day consisted of four lots of three concurrent sessions, each lasting fifty minutes.   Each session was run by a guest speaker from within the University and covered a range of topics aimed at helping delegates develop their research practice.

The day began with an introduction and welcome by Professor Kenneth Grattan, Dean of The City Graduate School. He explained that the aim of the newly opened graduate school was to enhance the experience of research students at City University. He stressed how important it was to look at the issues around developing research and researchers and went on to highlight the usefulness of the Researchers’ Development Days in addressing these issues and offering researchers new techniques and tips.

During lunch there was a chance for attendees to meet and network with their fellow researchers and to chat to staff from various departments at City about the services and help available to them. These included staff running the MA in Academic practice and staff from London City Incubator and City Spark.

After lunch, a Student Panel Discussion took place, giving attendees an opportunity to hear from and question some of their fellow students currently at various stages in their Doctoral research.

The event was attended by over one hundred researchers and was very well received.

Fantastic day; thoroughly enjoyed it – thanks!

Enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with other PhD students in the Uni.

Great to have all the sessions on one day – very helpful day. Thank you!

A series of slides and videos from the sessions are available on  moodle.

 

 

2012-13 LDC Events Schedule

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April  2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

LDC Blog 2012-13 – November 2012

Welcome to the LDC Blog update for November 2012.

In the blog this month:

  • Autumn Researchers’ Development Day – 7th November 2012
  • RISES Programme Launched
  • Report from the ECER Conference 2012 – Patrick Baughan
  • MILL News – Webinar on Best Practice in Educational Video 22nd November 2012
  • MILL News – Are still cameras taking over movie making? Read Steve McCombe’s blog post
  • Dates for your Diary

 

 Autumn Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012

PhD Student? Just starting your career in research?    We can help.

There are just a few more days left to book your place at the Researchers’ Development Day. It’s shaping up to be a great day, packed with sessions in which experienced researchers give their insights and tips on a wide range of subjects, issues and questions that affect the ever-changing world of research.

Topics covered include -

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  • Using questionnaires, interviews or experiments in your research
  • Ethical approval
  • Literature reviews
  • Research funding sources
  • The Research Excellence Framework and what it will mean for you
  • Dates for your Diary

To sign up for the event, you simply need to complete the short registration form, available online here – https://webapps.city.ac.uk/forms/19209

For more details, please visit the LDC website here -http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/events/rdd, or contact us at LDC@city.ac.uk

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RISES Programme Launched

Recognising Individual Senior Education Staff

The Learning Development Centre has gained accreditation for the above programme through the Higher Education Academy. This provides an opportunity for staff on completion to gain Senior Fellowship with the HEA as well as Senior Learning Development Fellowship using the portfolio route.

If you are an experienced member of staff who can demonstrate leading, managing, influencing and impact in the area of learning and teaching within your school and/or the University then consider being recognised through this programme.

If you would like to apply and want to find out more then contact Dr Pam Parker via e-mail P.M.Parker@city.ac.uk by Friday 23rd November 2012 to register your interest. A workshop will then be organised for all who have registered an interest to discuss the process and provide guidance.

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Report from the ECER Conference 201,2 Cadiz, Spain – Patrick Baughan

In September 2012, I attended the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) for the second year in succession, having had a very positive experience of ECER 2011 (Berlin).

As its title indicates, ECER is a European conference, attracting speakers and delegates from all over Europe. It is organised by the European Research Association (ERA), whilst both the organisation and the conference address all tiers of educational research (primary, secondary, tertiary, further, higher). It is also a large event, attracting over 2,000 delegates per annum.

Again, I had an excellent experience of this event. I delivered a paper based on a PhD project I have undertaken which links learning outcomes to theories of knowledge – this received a genuinely very good response and follow up enquiries; it was also well attended. I myself attended various other papers throughout the four day event, the focus of which varied from familiar topics (assessment) to what we might interpret to be more novel topics (sports pedagogy – though in fact, sports pedagogy was a popular stream). Another positive attribute of this conference is that it addresses education-workplace links, an area which I am interested in and which my own paper related to. However, with such a large number of parallel sessions taking place at any one time, it is only possible to attend a relatively small number of them. However, I also attended several sessions on sustainability as this is related to my own current research.

On balance, this was a relevant, valuable and enjoyable conference, which others may wish to consider attending in future. It has already proved to be an ideal vehicle for me to disseminate different PhD projects that I have undertaken, and, on this basis, I will be making a submission for ECER in 2013 as well, to present my own sustainability research (based on current HEFCE sustainability policy). The omens for this are good as there are currently calls for ERA to set up a new sustainability network.

For more information about this conference, please contact me on: p.baughan@city.ac.uk.

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MILL News – Webinar on Best Practice in Educational Video 22nd November 2012

Best practice in educational video – a special interest group – invites you to grab a coffee and share best practice at our first webinar.

Online – on Thursday November 22nd 2012,  1pm – 1.30pm

  • Introduction -  Mo Pamplin
  • School of Law – Scenario-based learning video portfolios – Sophie Paluch
  • Cass Business School – Dubai MBA student research presentations – Luis Balseca
  • School of Health Science – Blood pressure self-assessment videos – Natasa Perovic
  • Moderators on the day, Stef Smith and Steve McCombe at the MILL

To find out more about the event and how to join the webinar, please visit the blog:   http://educationalvignettes.wordpress.com/

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MILL News – Are still cameras taking over movie making? Read Steve McCombe’s blog post

What’s new in the world of cameras?  Read Steve McCombes (of the Media and Innovation Learning Lab – MILL) recent Educational Vignette article on using a still camera for film making.

Here Steve outlines the pros and cons and showcases the quality you can achieve using the latest Canon camera in the MILL. He includes a short  video where you can see the difference for yourself!

http://educationalvignettes.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/the-rise-of-the-still-camera-for-film-making/

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Dates for your Diary

Autumn Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012

Educational Video Best Practice Webinar – Thursday 22nd November 2012 – 13:00-13:30

RISES Deadline for Registering Interest – Friday 23rd November 2012

2012-13 LDC Events Schedule

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April  2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

LDC Blog 2012-13 – October 2012

Welcome to the LDC Blog update for October 2012.

In the blog this month:

 

  • LDC Interactive Tour tool
  • Book your place for the Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012
  • Learning Development Projects – Call for 2012-13 now open
  • Call for the National Teaching Fellowship Development Scheme
  • Communications for the Strategic Learning Environment
  • Publication of the Learning at City Journal – Volume 2, Number 2
  • iTunes University News – Autumn 2012
  • Learning, Teaching & Assessment – Spring term module
  • Dates for your diary

The Learning Development Centre uses the blog to announce events and development opportunities that we run; to inform staff of initiatives, projects and changes, and to celebrate the successes of staff from across City University London. Bookmark this page and keep a look out for updates in the first week of each month.

In the October post you can find details of our new online tool that will be sent to all new staff at the University, to help familiarise themselves with the ways in which the LDC can support their roles. You will also find details of how to book your place at the forthcoming Researchers’ Development Day, and news about many other initiatives and projects we will be running.

 

LDC Interactive Tour Tool

Are you a new member of staff?

If so, you may have had a look at our interactive tour which outlines what the Learning Development Centre (LDC) can support you with. Even those who’re not new to the institution should take a moment to have a look through the tour. You may find there are ways we can help that you didn’t know about.

Just click on the image below to get started.

This tour has been developed at the Media Innovation Learning Lab (MILL) by Steve McCombe. Many thanks to Steve and the new staff support team for their work on this project. The MILL is available for staff to create multimedia content. Please contact the LDC for more information (link to ldc@city.ac.uk).

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Book your place for the Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012

The registration form for the Autumn Researchers’ Development Day is now open!

You can book your place by filling in the short online form available here – https://webapps.city.ac.uk/forms/19209

The Programme has been confirmed and you’ll be asked to choose the sessions you wish to attend on the day. You can find more details about the event on our website here – http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/events/rdd

Or contact us on ldc@city.ac.uk with any questions.

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Learning Development Projects – Call for 2012-13 now open

The call for the 2012-2013 round of projects is now open, and details are available on our website. Follow the link to find out about funding and what you need to do to apply. You will also be able to see what others have done before.

If you have questions that aren’t answered by the details online, please contact Dr Pam Parker.

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Call for the National Teaching Fellowship Development Scheme

Each year the Higher Education Academy publish a call for Universities to submit applications from staff who are felt to have made a sustained contribution to students experience through innovative, creativity and teaching excellence. This call is published in November of each year normally.

The Learning Development Centre will be running an annual development scheme to support those who would like to work towards being an applicant for the National Teaching Fellowship. This scheme will involve exploring what you do now, your impact in your department, school and within the University and beyond and what development you might need to support you meeting the criteria for a National Teaching Fellow.

If you would like to apply to join the scheme which will be preparing you for possible submission in 2013-2014 you will need to write an application of no more than 1000 words outlining your reasons for applying and providing some background to your possible claims for the National Teaching Fellowship. In addition you will need the Associate Dean for Education within your School to provide a supporting statement. These should both be sent to Dr Pam Parker via e-mail P.M.Parker@city.ac.uk by Friday 9th November 2012.

More information about the HEA National Teaching Fellowship Scheme is available at this website link http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/national-teaching-awards

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City Invests in Technology for Education

During the coming year, several projects aimed at boosting City’s educational technologies, as part of the University’s strategic plan and funding.  The projects are being run through the Learning Development Centre and Information Services, with all School educational technology teams represented on the working groups that feed into them. It is hoped that the positive effects from the projects will start to have impact before the next academic year.

Please see Annemarie Cancienne’s post about the projects on our Educational Vignettes Blog, for more details.



Publication of the Learning at City Journal – Volume 2, Number 2

The latest edition of the Learning at City Journal has now been published and was launched at the LDC offices in Goswell Place last week. You can order a copy by simply contacting us at ldc@city.ac.uk

Alternatively, you can view all the articles from this edition, as well as the full archive from previous volumes, on the City University Repository here – http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/view/divisions/UALDCN=5FLCJ/

 

 

 

 

 

iTunes University News – Autumn 2012

New for Autumn  2012,  the Learning at City Conference recordings are now a collection on City’s iTunes U channel. You can view all the recordings from last year’s event by clicking the image below.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/itunes-u/learning-at-city-conference/id567417480

 

 

Learning, Teaching & Assessment – Spring term module

The Learning, Teaching & Assessment module commenced this week with a full class. The module provides a comprehensive introduction to education theories and practice for any new academic staff, or PhD students beginning their teaching duties. For anyone who missed the start of the Autumn term module, it will be running again in the Spring, starting Wednesday 13th March.

You can find out more information, download an application form and contact the Programme Team from our website here – http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/academic-practice-and-phd-programme

Or send any questions you may have to maap@city.ac.uk_

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Dates for your Diary

Autumn Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012

 

2012-13 LDC Events Schedule

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April  2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

 

LDC Blog 2012-13 – September 2012

Welcome to the LDC Blog update for September 2012.

In the blog this month:

 

  • Autumn Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012
  • Academic Practice Programme 2012-13
  • Learning at City Journal Launch – Thursday 4th October 2012
  • Dates for your diary

The Learning Development Centre uses the blog to announce events and development opportunities that we run; to inform staff of initiatives, projects and changes, and to celebrate the successes of staff from across City University London. Bookmark this page and keep a look out for updates in the first week of each month.

As we all gear up to welcome new cohorts of students, it is time to look forward and plan for the academic year ahead.

In this first blog post of 2012-13, you can find the schedule of events which the LDC will run over the coming year, and some more detailed information about the first of these, the Winter Researchers’ Development Day. You will also find details of other opportunities you will be able to take advantage of in 2012-13, such as modules from the academic practice programme.

 

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Autumn Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012

The LDC Research Development Programme will start 2012-13 with the first of our Researchers’ Development Days, to be held on Wednesday 7th November 2012. All staff and PhD students working at City University London are invited to attend.  This one day conference will explore a range of issues related to the theme of Planning for Successful Research.

The Researchers’ Development Days are a unique opportunity for researchers from across City University to come together and learn new skills.  If you would like more information, or to be added to our research email list please email ldc@city.ac.uk.

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Academic Practice Programme 2012-13

The LDC held an informal introduction to the Academic Practice Programme on the 5th September, where current students spoke about their experiences. This was recorded and the video will be made available shortly on our website. Afterwards the module tutors were on hand to answer questions and discuss the course content with new students and interested colleagues.

The official deadline for applications to the full programme has now passed, but we are still considering applications for individual modules and parts of the programme where spaces are available. If you would like to know more then please get in touch at maap@city.ac.uk, or on 0207 040 3107.

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Learning at City Journal Launch – Thursday 4th October 2012 – 5:00pm – LDC Office, Goswell Place

The next edition of the Learning at City Journal will soon be published and to celebrate we’ll be opening the new LDC offices in Goswell Place at 5:00 on Thursday October 4th.

We’ll be inviting all those who contributed articles to the most recent edition, but anyone who is interested is welcome to come along. There’ll be some refreshments available and the first print run of the new edition of the Journal will be ready for distribution.

It will be an informal atmosphere and there’s no need to formally register for the event, though please send a short e-mail to ldc@city.ac.uk if you wish to attend so that we can keep track of numbers for catering. Just come along to Goswell Place at 5:00pm to take a look around the new office, have a glass of wine, and pick up your new copy of the Journal. Print copies will be limited, but if you are too late to get one, just leave your name and we’ll send a copy out to you in due course.

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Dates for your Diary

 

Learning at CityJournal Launch – Thursday 4th October 2012

Autumn Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012

2012-13 LDC Events Schedule

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Tuesday 16th April  2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013

LDC Blog 2011-12 – August

Welcome to the August update for the LDC Blog.

In the blog this month:

  • The LDC has moved: New offices in Goswell Place
  • Academic Practice Programme Open Evening – Wednesday 5th September
  • Learning at City Journal – Open for submissions
  • Dates for your diary

We use the blog to announce events and development opportunities that we run; to inform staff of initiatives, projects and changes, and to celebrate the successes of staff from across City University London. Bookmark this page and keep a look out for updates in the first week of each month.

 

The LDC has moved: New offices in Goswell Place

The LDC is now unpacked and settled in the new offices in Goswell Place. The main office is on the 1st floor of the building and we also have a new coffee machine, so  please feel free to drop in for a chat, a cup of coffee, or simply to say hello!

Over the coming month, we will also be moving the MILL facilities into the ground floor of Goswell Place, so you will be still be able to access all the regular services offered by the MILL team. Just come over to Goswell Place and we will be glad to help. We will be publishing updates on the move of the MILL, so make sure you check the blog to stay informed.

For anyone who is unsure how to get to Goswell Place, just leave Northampton square via either Ashby St. or Sebastian St. The entrance to Goswell Place is on Goswell Road, in between Ashby and Sebastian streets. Please see the map available here for more detail.

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Academic Practice Programme Open Evening – Wednesday 5th September

The Academic Practice Programme is now accepting applications for 2012-13, but if you’d like to find out a little more about the course first, then come along to the Open Evening event that we will be holding next month. It will start at 4:00pm on Wednesday 5th September in the Northampton Suite.

Around 4:30pm there will be a short introduction to the course by Programme Director, Dr Pam Parker and then you will have the opportunity to listen to three of our current students speak about their experiences. The students are at differing stages of the programme, and come from a range of disciplinary backgrounds. Once they have given their talks, there will be a chance to ask questions before refreshments are served.

The module tutors, as well as current students and alumni will be on hand for questions and informal chats over nibbles and a glass of wine until 6:30pm.

If you would like to attend, registering for the event is quick and easy. Please just complete the short online form available here.

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Learning at City Journal – Open for submissions

Following the Learning at City Conference we are now putting together the next edition of the learning at City Journal for launch on 1st October. The theme is on the topic of assessment and feedback. If any of you would like to submit an article on your developments or research around this topic for this journal please do.

Here is the link to the March 2012 version on line http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/resources and the guidance for submission is available here – http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/resources/learning-at-city-journal.

To be included in the October edition and to allow for review please submit your article to Pam Parker by Friday 31st August 2012

 

 

Dates for your Diary

 

Learning at City Journal Submission Deadline – Friday 31st August 2012

MAAP Induction and Open Evening – Wednesday 5th September 2012

MAAP Application deadline – Sunday 9th September 2012

2012-13 LDC Events Schedule

Learning at City Journal Launch – Thursday 4th October 2012

Winter Researchers’ Development Day – Wednesday 7th November 2012

Spring Researchers’ Development Day – Thursday 21st March 2013

Learning at City Conference – Thursday 6th June 2013

Research Symposium – Wednesday 26th June 2013