Monday 17 November 2008

Supporting Teaching and Learning

We've always provided support for teaching and learning by providing student computing rooms, software and more recently as a partner in the Information Commons. However, the climate in which we now provide support is changing rapidly. The emergence of Web 2.0 technologies, providing new ways to collaborate and publish user generated content means that we have to take a serious look at our role. We need to become facilitators, supporting the use of new technology and embracing the different ways teaching space might be used.

In the light of this, we have produced a strategy for the support of teaching, learning and assessment which will provide a framework for how we provide our services over the next few years. The aim of the document is to align those CiCS objectives that affect the student experience with those of the University and to ensure that CiCS plays its part in achieving the University’s aspiration ‘to ensure that the highest standards of excellence are maintained within the student learning experience’ .

The strategy outlines our direction in three different areas - physical spaces, technology and support. One of our objectives is to enable students to develop their own use of technology to support both their learning as well as their development of skills for life, and our Student Learning Community project is an example of how we are aiming to deliver this.

As part of developing this strategy, and looking at how we might work collaboratively with other support departments to provide the most appropriate support for learning and teaching, we're having a forward look at what technology changes are on the horizon and what effect they might have. Web 5.0 anyone?

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