Welcome to the December update for the LDC Blog.
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.
In the blog this month:
Learning Spaces Forum 
Piloting Innovative and Excellent Teaching & Learning Spaces
LDC in consultation with the Learning Spaces Group(LSG) has recently had a Business Case approved to review rooms that are under-utilised within the campus. The LDC will be leading on redesigning a number of rooms in College Building, Northampton Square Campus to create spaces for students and staff which promote active and highly interactive learning To find out more about learning space design please click here
We have engaged all groups and most importantly the students, and have now got their views and input via interviews and the Forum. We now intend to act on these in setting up these two pilot spaces.
This whole project is about innovation and the emergence of innovative and indeed excellent Teaching & Learning Spaces at City University London.
If you are keen on being involved in teaching in these rooms or have students in your programme that may need spaces to conduct project/teamwork then please contact us.
Please do get involved at the earliest opportunity! Contact the LDC for more information.
SmartWisdom – Free Workshop
We have an exciting opportunity for you to learn a revolutionary new technique for note-taking and planning, and it’s free to all City staff members.
Please find below details of the next opportunity to access the demonstration and training in the SmartWisdom advanced note-taking and planning technique.
This is an excellent chance for you to attend a highly useful and practical demonstration and workshop which has also been delivered to companies such as Citi, BT, Exxon Mobil, PwC, DLA Piper, Berwin Leighton Paisner and Henley Management College.
SmartWisdom is an innovative non-linear method for taking notes at meetings and seminars, which can help you make huge improvements in many aspects of your knowledge management. For example it enables you to:
– improve ‘real time’ comprehension in demanding meetings and lectures by up to 20% for experienced users,
– record up to 50% less than you would do normally
– simultaneously listen, analyse, understand, question and record at speaking speed.
It also helps with lectures, revision, writing reports and exams and gives you a competitive edge in any professional context.
The next chance to learn this technique straight from its creator, Jonathan Kemp.
1-SmartWisdom demonstration
You can sign up for the demonstration which will be at Northampton Square campus.
This will be on Tuesday 13th December in AG03, College Building from 12:00 until 13:30.
Lunch will be provided.
2-SmartWisdom training
You can also sign up directly for the two day training programme (it is not necessary to attend the demonstration) This will be at Northampton Square campus.
Day 1 – Advanced note-taking – Tuesday 24th January 9am to 5pm
Day 2 – Advanced planning – Tuesday 7th February 9am to 5pm
The course is to be funded by the LDC.
You can find out more about the SmartWisdom Knowledge Management system and what advantages it can bring to your professional or academic life, by visiting the website here – http://www.smartwisdom.com/.
Please e-mail ldc@city.ac.uk<mailto:ldc@city.ac.uk> to book your place at these sessions, or if you have any questions.
Academic Practice Modules
Is there a module you would like to do for professional development?
The modules from the MA Academic Practice can be undertaken as optional modules as well and there are three starting after Christmas that still have spaces on them.
The Student support and personal tutoring module will help you explore a range of support techniques for students and to help you in your role. It will examine current literature and practice around student support and personal tutoring and encourage you to reflect on your practice. The dates this modules runs are 18th & 19th January and 22nd and 23rd February.
The Technology Enabled Academic Practice module provides an examination of how technology can be used to develop all aspects of academic practice. It provides an opportunity to experience and develop expertise in online and blended learning and will enable you to be an effective user. The dates for face to face sessions for the module are 25th and 26th January and 31st May.
The Research Supervision module is a must for those of you who wish to develop skills of supervising particularly PhD students. The module will examine different approaches to supervision, issues of student completion and factors that impact on this, how to ensure you maintain appropriate records of supervision and the different stages of a PhD. The module runs on 8th February, 23rd May and 27th & 28th June.
Please do complete an application for any of these modules by visiting the website http://www.city.ac.uk/about/education/ldc/academic-practice-and-phd-programme/how-to-apply and then send your application to MA Administrator Maap@city.ac.uk
E-Tutoring Workshops
On 15 Sept 2011, Neal Sumner of the LDC provided an afternoon workshop for the group of external, visiting lecturer ‘e-tutors’ from the BSc Health Sciences online programme.
Neal’s brilliant, engaging workshop helped the group to:
– explore their current practice in terms of engaging distant and diverse learners and developing online communities;
– think through the different aspects of the e-tutor role;
– and identify new ways to engage students.
Specific ideas included identifying and setting expectations at the start of the course, encouraging students to find study partners, creating activities to exploit some of the new and different web 2.0 technologies available within and outside Moodle. Particularly useful, according to Dr. Emma-Jane Berridge of SHS was the support in brainstorming “alternative assessment ideas for formative and summative assessment of learning”.
If you would like to arrange a similar workshop or discuss e-tutoring with Neal please e-mail ldc@city.ac.uk and we will provide more details.
Dates for your diary
LDC Research & Journal Club – Tuesday 13th December 2011
LDC Research & Journal Club – Tuesday 17th January 2012
Learning Development Showcase – Wednesday 1st February 2012