Department for Curriculum and Quality Enhancement

• Course approval

  The formal approval of academic provision offered by the University of Portsmouth (UoP) is an essential part of the University's quality strategy. The University has designed the process to ensure that the learning opportunities offered have the potential from the outset to meet defined academic standards. The procedures for the approval, modification and closure of courses at the University are designed to ensure that proposals and developments are compatible with the University's strategic aims, that appropriate resource planning is undertaken, that external requirements are met appropriately, that market and employer demand has been researched and considered and that there is no conflict with existing provision within the University. The University operates a staged procedure of course approval and has a number of policies to provide guidance for the approval of programmes.

  Core documents

  • University of Portsmouth Education Strategy 2012 - 2017 (.pdf, 114KB)
  • QAA codes of practice
  • Course approval

   

   

• Course and curriculum design

  When thinking of a new course, there are at least two stages to take note of in the preparation of the final product. The first involves design elements - identifying learning outcomes, deciding what to teach and how to teach it; the second involves delivery - the actual implementation and presentation of the selected material in the chosen format to students. There are, however, some questions that need to be asked when thinking about the overall design of a course:

  • How should I go about establishing that there is a demand for a new unit and/or programme?
  • What principles should I apply when designing a unit and/or programme?
  • What is outcomes-based planning?
  • How should I involve students/employers/professional bodies in course design?
  • What learning outcomes do you want your students to achieve?
  • How will the course help students to achieve these learning outcomes?
  • How will you know if the students have achieved these learning outcomes?
  • How will you know if, and how, your teaching has contributed to your students' learning outcomes?

  
  

  Core documents

  • Curricula framework document (.pdf, 449KB, UoP, November 2009, )
    The University of Portsmouth Curricula framework document is intended to provide an enabling infrastructure for curricula design and delivery.

  • Revised academic structure for 2012
    The 2012 Curriculum framework document sets out the University's requirements regarding the design and delivery of the new curriculum.

  • Curriculum framework document 2012 (.pdf, 405KB, Version 1, May 2010)
    The Curriculum framework document was approved by academic council and is to be used for the development of all courses which are being revised in preparation for a 2012 start, in line with the requirement of the revised academic structure.

  • Curriculum guidance briefing notes - revised academic structure for 2012
    

   

  Essential reading and useful information

  • Course design
    This web page on course design is written by The Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD). The OCSLD is one of the UK's largest and most established providers of staff and educational development for further and higher education.

  • Module design questionnaire
    This zip file from Phil Race's website contains a module design questionnaire.

  • Design and teach your course
    Careful planning at the course design stage not only makes teaching easier and more enjoyable, it also facilitates student learning. Eberly Center for teaching excellence - Carnegie Mellon University.

  • Course preparation and design
    The Center for teaching and learning (Stanford University) has a set of web pages to support in the design of a new course or in preparing to adopt a standardised curriculum.

   

   

• Writing learning outcomes

  A learning outcome is a written statement of what the successful student/learner is expected to be able to do at the end of the module/course unit, or qualification. Learning outcomes are therefore concerned with the achievements of the learner rather than the intentions of the teacher (expressed in the aims of a module or course). They can take many forms and can be broad or narrow in nature. There is no universally accepted way of writing learning outcomes in higher education. Many institutions are writing their own guidelines and interpreting the information from the QAA and various other sources slightly differently. At Portsmouth, the topic has been discussed at length and the guidelines represent our current understanding and interpretation of the topic as related to this University. They do however also draw heavily from How to use learning outcomes and assessment criteria (Gosling & Moon, 2001).

  Core documents

  • Guidance notes for writing unit and course aims and learning outcomes (.pdf, 563KB, Version 2, June 2010)
    This document has been prepared to support curriculum 2012 development. It replaces the previous version of these guidance notes that were included as an appendix in the Unit management handbook - December 2007.

  • Unit management handbook (.pdf, 172KB, UoP, December 2007)
    See Appendix D of the handbook (guidance notes for writing unit aims and learning outcomes; pages 17-26). These guidance notes have now been updated for 2012 (see above).

   

  Essential reading and useful information

  • UCE Birmingham guide to learning outcomes
    This web page, created by the Staff and student development department (UCE Birmingham), is designed to help you write appropriate learning outcomes when developing and revising your modules and programmes, and when devising assessment tasks.

  • How to use learning outcomes and assessment criteria
    This publication by Gosling and Moon (1st ed. 2001, 2nd/3rd ed. 2002. Revised Introduction 2009) is a practical guide designed to assist in writing and using learning outcomes and assessment criteria for teaching staff who are increasingly required to use them in course design and for quality assurance.

  • Writing and using learning outcomes: a practical guide (.pdf, 2KB)
    This article by Kennedy, Hyland, and Ryan presents a summary of developments in curriculum design in higher education in recent decades and, drawing on recent practical experience, suggests a user-friendly methodology for writing modules, courses and programmes in terms of learning outcomes.

  • Designing learning outcomes and linking them to assessment (.zip, 33KB)
    The authors Race, Brown, and Smith discuss strong and demonstrable links between intended learning outcomes and assessment processes and criteria that are central to the design of fit-for-purpose assessment - ensuring that assessment is constructively aligned. The article is available as a zip file.

  • Making learning outcomes work (.zip, 201KB)
    Phil Race argues that "learning outcomes are for students. They need to know what they're supposed to become able to do, so they can set their sights on some definite targets and work purposefully towards being able to show that they've achieved these". The article is available as a zip file.

  • Assessment (OCSLD)
    This web page on assessment is written by the Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD). The OCSLD is one of the UK's largest and most established providers of staff and educational development for further and higher education.

  • Assessment and feedback (HEA)
    This is a web page of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). HEA's work on assessment and feedback aims to support learning and teaching in the higher education sector by advising on policy and strategy, producing resources, and coordinating a series of activities to help share and recognise effective practice. The HEA works with institutions and their students to improve their approaches to assessment, including setting criteria, feedback and stressing the importance of assessment for learning.

  • About assessment (TEDI)
    The University of Queensland's Teaching and Educational Development Institute (TEDI) seeks to achieve broad impact on teaching and learning quality. These activities generate ideas and practices that can be applied and adapted and enhance teaching practice. They have an extensive website regarding assessment.

   

   

• Assessment

  How we assess students has a profound effect on what they learn and the ways in which they learn. The assessment of students is above all about understanding the process and outcomes of student learning, and understanding the students who have done the learning. In the application of these understandings, we aim to make both student learning and our teaching better. The principles for the assessment of students at the University of Portsmouth should seek to ensure that assessment will be:

  • Valid in relation to its form, quantity, level, content and learning outcomes whilst avoiding assessment overload.
  • Facilitative and support and promote student learning by the provision of appropriate feedback on students' performance.
  • Explicit with all parts of the assessment process being made clear to students, staff, and external examiners.
  • Reliable, consistent and reproducible in the judgments made.
  • Equitable with all students being assessed fairly on their own individual merit and ability.
  • Just with clearly documented procedures to support this.
  • Monitored and reviewed regularly.

  
  

  Core documents

  • Policy for the assessment of students 2012 (.pdf, 1.16MB, Version 2, June 2010)
    For curriculum development for 2012 delivery and beyond. Version 2 of this document includes revisions approved by academic council in response to the recommendations associated with the curriculum for 2012 which were proposed as part of the revised academic year structure. Please note version 2.1 will be released in 2011 and will contain revised grade criteria.

  • Code of practice for the assessment of students (.pdf, 146KB, UoP, June 2009)

   

  Essential reading and useful information

  • Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education
    (QAA, September 2006)
    This document, section 6 of which is entitled 'Assessment of students', is the second edition of a code of practice for the assessment of students in UK higher education institutions. It is one of a suite of interrelated documents which forms an overall code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education.

  • Credit level Descriptors 2010 for HE (revised from 2004)
    Descriptors define the level of complexity, relative demand and autonomy expected of a learner on completion of a unit or programme of learning. They provide a description of levels of learning through a hierarchy of knowledge and skills.

  • Assessment examples and tools
    A compendium of reflections and tools of assessment values and goals in particular disciplines - Eberly center for Teaching Excellence - Carnegie Mellon University.

  • Assessment @ Kent
    The curriculum and education development team at the University of Kent have produced this extensive Top ten tips guide of assessment resources. The resources are grouped under specific headings.

  • Phil race - popular downloads
    Phil Race is a renowned author and workshop facilitator on assessment, learning and teaching in higher and further education. His passion is about 'making learning happen'. The following links are zip files; each file contains a compendium of extracts of Phil's writings - one on Assessment (.zip, 921KB) and one on Feedback (.zip, 472KB)

  • Assessment (OCSLD)
    This web page on assessment is written by the Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD). The OCSLD is one of the UK's largest and most established providers of staff and educational development for further and higher education.

  • Assessment (HEA)
    This is a web page of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). HEA's work on assessment and feedback aims to support learning and teaching in the higher education sector by advising on policy and strategy, producing resources, and coordinating a series of activities to help share and recognise effective practice. The HEA works with institutions and their students to improve their approaches to assessment, including setting criteria, feedback and stressing the importance of assessment for learning.

  • Effective feedback to students
    The HEA has a number of subject areas that support the development and enhancement of learning and teaching in higher education. This web page is from the HEA's UK Centre for Bioscience.

  • About assessment
    he University of Queensland's Teaching and Educational Development Institute (TEDI) seeks to achieve broad impact on teaching and learning quality. These activities generate ideas and practices that can be applied and adapted and enhance teaching practice. They have an extensive website regarding assessment.

  • Referencing @ Portsmouth
    A University of Portsmouth interactive referencing guide.

   

  Useful media resources

  • Video resources - assessment
    The University of Kent's assessment resource for tutors delivering staff or student workshops.

  • Assessment, feedback and plagiarism
    From this HEA web page you can find links to a selection of videos looking at the views of staff and students on different areas of assessment, marking, feedback and plagiarism.

  • Podcasts for educators
    This UK directory of podcasts for educational use contains many that are ideal for teaching and learning activities, including assessment.

  • Effective use of VLEs: e-Assessment
    JISC infoNet aims to promote the effective implementation and management of information and learning technology. Their online resources promote good practice and highlight innovation in the use of ICT within the higher education sector and can help one improve the support for, and quality of, learning and teaching in one's institution.

   

   

• Feedback

  There is no such thing as good teaching without good feedback. At the University of Portsmouth feedback, both formative and summative, is an important aid to student learning. In particular, formative feedback supports student learning by providing students with opportunities to improve their work, prior to submission. Feedback may be given in a variety of ways: written (individual and group), oral (individual and group) and a variety of electronic means (individual and group) including audio files. Feedback should provide an indication of the extent to which the work has met the learning outcomes of the assessment. Phil Race advises that feedback to students should be:

  • Timely - the sooner the better
  • Personal and individual
  • Articulate - students should not struggle to make sense of their feedback
  • Empowering - feedback should strengthen and consolidate learning
  • Manageable - too much feedback reduces the opportunity to benefit from it
  • Developmental - motivate students to move forward and focus their efforts towards bringing the experience from their past work to bear on making their next work better

  
  

  Core documents

  • Policy for the assessment of students 2012 (.pdf, 1.16MB, Version 2, June 2010, )
    For curriculum development for 2012 delivery and beyond. Version 2 of this document includes revisions approved by academic council in response to the recommendations associated with the curriculum for 2012 which were proposed as part of the revised academic year structure. Please note version 2.1 will be released in 2011 and will contain revised grade criteria.

  • Code of practice for the assessment of students (.pdf, 146KB, UoP, June 2009)

   

  Essential reading and useful information

  • Giving and receiving feedback
    The Oxford Learning Institute supports excellence in learning, teaching and research at the University of Oxford. This page discusses some ideas involving feedback.

  • Effective feedback to students
    The Higher Education Academy (HEA) has a number of subject areas that support the development and enhancement of learning and teaching in HE. The resources from the UK Centre for Bioscience contains links to a presentation at a conference held at the London Knowledge Lab on effective student feedback.

  • Developing assessment feedback
    ESCalate is the HEA's Education Subject Centre concerned with advancing learning and teaching in education. The author of this webpage shares some ideas on assessment and feedback in higher education.

   

  Useful media resources

  • Assessment feedback and plagiarism
    This page from the HEA website has links to a selection of videos looking at the views of staff and students on different areas of assessment, marking, feedback and plagiarism.

   

   

• Evaluation

  Evaluation is an essential part of the educational process. The focus of evaluation is on local quality improvement but the value of evaluation is much greater than the provision of simple audit information. It provides evidence of how well students' learning outcomes are being achieved and whether teaching standards are being maintained. Importantly, it also enables the curriculum to evolve. The curriculum and course design should constantly develop in response to the needs of the University of Portsmouth, its students as well as the society. Evaluation can check that the curriculum is evolving in the desired way. It should be viewed positively and the purpose of evaluation should be to:

  • Ensure teaching is meeting students' learning needs
  • Identify areas where teaching can be improved
  • Inform the allocation of faculty resources
  • Provide feedback and encouragement for teachers
  • Support applications for promotion by teachers
  • Facilitate development of the curriculum

  
  

  Essential reading and useful information

  • Dimensions of evaluation
    David Jaques is an independent consultant and trainer in academic staff development in HE. In this Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD) webpage, he describes a number of dimensions of evaluation.

    • Quantitative vs qualitative evaluation
    • Hypothesis testing vs goal free evaluation
    • Teacher-centred vs learner-centred
    • Own perspective vs others' perspective
    • Monitoring fixed courses vs exploring responsive courses
    • Collective responsibility vs individual responsibility
    • General issues vs specific issues
    • Outcome vs process
    • Political (demonstration) vs personal (learning)

  • Evaluation and assessment in higher education
    This is part of the Higher Education Empirical Research (HEER) database, which comprises summaries of evidence-based published research on a range of topics related to higher education.

   

  Useful media resources

  • Internet resources for higher education outcomes assessment
    This website from North Carolina State University continuously updates, looking for new resources and lists of links, as well as for new pages on individual institutions' assessment programs.

   

   

• Student learning and learning theories

  Lecturers are generally primarily interested in what we want our students to learn, how students learn and what students actually accomplish. A substantial body of evidence on learning theories and models, learning styles, student understanding and approaches to study has influenced the way in which we understand these processes, but there is still no easy way to translate this knowledge into practical implications for teaching.

  Learning theories and models - essential reading and useful information

  • Learning theories
    This emTech emerging technologies database contains brief summaries of 50 major theories of learning and instruction.

  • Theories of learning
    The Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD) website highlights the following learning theories. It is useful to consider their application to how your students learn and also how you teach in educational programs.

  Sensory stimulation theory Reinforcement theory Cognitive-Gestalt approaches Holistic learning theory Facilitation theory

  Experiential learning Action learning Adult learning (Andragogy) Why consider learning theories? References

  • Moving from andragogy to heutagogy (.pdf, 40KB)
    This paper by Hase and Kenyon suggests there is a need to move from Andragogy towards truly self-determined learning. The concept of truly self-determined learning, called Heutagogy, builds on humanistic theory and approaches to learning.

  • Angles on learning
    This site by James Atherton focuses on different angles on learning, more particularly 'What is learning?' and 'Theories of learning' and provides a substantial list of references.

  • McMaster University Centre for Leadership in Learning (CLL) inquiry resources
    McMaster University has been involved in teaching Inquiry - a largely question driven form of self-directed learning - for over twenty years in elite programs and professional schools. It is now being offered to all first year students with a growing number of follow-up courses offered in subsequent years. Inquiry follows the four basic stages defining self-directed learning where students take more responsibility for:

    • Determining what they need to learn
    • Identifying resources and how best to learn from them
    • Using resources and reporting their learning
    • Assessing their progress in learning

  • Problem-based learning, especially in the context of large classes
    Problem-based learning (PBL) is any learning environment in which the problem drives the learning. That is, before students 'learn' some knowledge they are given a problem. The problem is posed so that the students discover that they need to learn some new knowledge before they can solve the problem. This site, from McMaster University, contains several PBL-related resources.

  • Collaborative learning: small group learning page
    Collaborative learning (CL) encourages active student participation in the learning process. It encompasses a set of approaches to education, sometimes also called cooperative learning or small group learning. CL creates an environment that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing. This page contains various resources on CL.

  • Enhancing deep learning
    Lessons from the introduction of learning teams in a graduate degree program. This paper, by Borredon, Deffayet, Baker and Kolb, discusses issues surrounding deep learning and teams.

  • Major categories in the taxonomy of educational objectives (Bloom, 1956)
    The work of Bloom and his colleagues has had a major influence on how we think and what we do in education. This site provides categories in the cognitive domain with outcome-illustrating verbs and links to other internet resources on Bloom's work.

  • Beyond Bloom (A new version of the cognitive taxonomy)
    This taxonomy, by Anderson and Krathwohl, is a more recent adaptation and has redefined the original work of Bloom and his colleagues. The major differences in the updated version is in the more useful and comprehensive additions of how the taxonomy intersects and acts upon different types and levels of knowledge - factual, conceptual, procedural and metacognitive.

  • Race's 'Ripples' model of learning
    Phil Race presents a new and radically different model of learning based on the premise that the most effective form of learning is learning by doing (experiential learning).

  • Students' learning styles vs. professors' teaching styles
    What happens when students' learning styles do not match professors' teaching styles? Being able to answer this question is what differentiates this model from all the others. Dick Wirz provides an interpretation of Felder and Soloman's Index of learning styles.

  • CAEL - Linking learning and work
    CAEL¿s research and publications help universities and Colleges understand how to improve the way they serve their adult students. This section contains extensive data on adult learners and degree attainment, as well as in-depth research and guidance on Prior Learning Assessment and its effectiveness.

   

  Student learning - essential reading and useful information

  • Learning and teaching resources and support
    The Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD) provides a compendium of resources to support student learning. From this site you can follow links to resources on:

    • Learning
    • Teaching
    • Course design
    • Assessment
    • Links to podcasts

  • The Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative
    The Carl Wieman* Science Education Initiative (CWSEI) is a five-year, $12M project at the University of British Columbia aimed at dramatically improving undergraduate science education. The CWSEI helps departments take a four-step, scientific approach to teaching:

    • Establish what students should learn
    • Scientifically measure what students are actually learning
    • Adapt instructional methods and curriculum and incorporate effective use of technology and pedagogical research to achieve desired learning outcomes
    • Disseminate and adopt what works

    (*Carl Wieman received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2001)

  • James atherton learning resources pages
    Three linked sites exploring learning and teaching in HE.

  • Deliberations on Learning and teaching in HE
    Deliberations is an international website on issues of learning and teaching for the higher education community. It is a resource for academic and all other staff supporting learning and teaching in higher education around the world and an interactive forum for participants to discuss and develop ideas, and identify resources that will develop their practice.

  • Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching and Technology
    This is an e-book created by Michael Orey from the department of educational psychology and instructional technology, University of Georgia, USA. The book is listed as an official publication of the Association for educational communications and technology.

  • A Berkeley Compendium of suggestions for teaching with excellence
    This compendium, from the University of California, Berkeley was first published in 1983 and many of the suggestions may be out of date. It is still on the Web as a service and recommends that you check more contemporary sources, too. The ideas in the Compendium have been expanded and incorporated into a book by Barbara Gross Davis, Tools for Teaching, published by Jossey-Bass.

  • Teaching effectively, evaluating students and student-teacher interactions
    This is a newly-revised handbook of the Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Georgia that supports lecturers in their teaching-related endeavours. The following are direct links to:

    • Teaching effectively
    • Evaluating students
    • Student-teacher interactions

   

  Useful media resources

  • Resources for tutors delivering students workshops
    This series of resources uses video in an innovative way to capture the embodied expertise developed by LearnHigher partners during the four years of the CETL. Each resource provides immediate, engaging and research-informed guidance on teaching a specific aspect.

  • Finding, making and using images and videos materials
    A resource base for finding, making and using images and video materials, developed by the LearnHigher CETL.

   

   

• Teaching

  There are increasing pressures on lecturers to teach better and smarter and to be more efficient and effective. Improvement in teaching requires intervention at several levels. It can be argued that professional teachers in higher education need to possess a broad range of specialist teaching skills and that they should understand that teaching is about making it possible for students to learn by:

  • Keeping focus on their goals for student learning
  • Listening to and learning from their students
  • Constantly evaluating their own performance
  • Understanding that teaching is not only a scholarly activity, but an art
  • That good teaching encourages high-quality student learning

  Teaching skilfully may be less time consuming than teaching badly. The question that needs to be asked, however, is, 'Are my students actively learning?'

  Essential reading and useful information

  • The top ten requirements of good teaching
    Good teaching: the top ten requirements by Richard Leblanc, York University, Ontario. This article appeared in The Teaching Professor after Professor Leblanc won a Seymous Schulich Award for Teaching Excellence including a $10,000 cash reward. This site also provides a link to an extensive Teaching Tips Index.

  • Higher education teaching and learning
    BUBL Link is a catalogue of selected internet resources covering all academic subject areas in higher education teaching and learning.

  • How to Teach
    This site by James Atherton focuses on different angles on how to teach, more particularly on evaluation, class management, planning, methods, using the group and media.

  • Just-in-time teaching
    Just-in-time teaching is a pedagogical strategy that integrates web-based materials with classroom instruction for an optimized in-class out-of-class learning environment.

  • Linking teaching and research in the disciplines
    The Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) site links to two publications from this project:

    Jenkins, A. and Zetter, R. (2003). Linking teaching and research in departments. LTSN Generic Centre: York.
    Jenkins, A. J. (2002). Designing a curriculum that values a research-based approach to learning. LTSN Generic Centre:York.

  • Teaching large classes
    Actively engaging students in large classes is not easy. This site, from the Schreyer institute for teaching excellence at Penn State University, has some strategies that will allow you to break up your lecture, assess your students' understanding, and engage them in learning. The site also provides resources to a few of the techniques that have been used by other faculty teaching large classes at Penn State University.

  • Teaching methods
    These pages from Flinders University contain sets of resources exploring aspects such as: lectures, groupwork, tutoring, teaching first-year students, PBL, and work integrated learning.

  • Making your teaching inclusive
    This site from the Open University has practical advice about teaching inclusively and how to meet the requirements of the disability discrimination act. It gives an insight into what study is like for disabled students, and what you can do to make a difference.

  • Phil Race: Assessment, learning and teaching in higher education
    Race's work is about assessment, feedback, learning and teaching in higher education. Several of the pages on his website contain downloads (often as zip files) related to these themes, which he allows others to share. In particular, you might want to look at:

    Smarter lectures Small-group teaching Workshops that work

    Making learning happen Archived downloads Publications

  • Small group teaching by David Jaques
    Small group discussion fulfils several important goals of higher education. It encourages students to organise their thinking by comparing ideas and interpretations with each other and to give expression to their understanding of a subject. Jaques, on this Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD) website, argues that small group teaching is immensely important as a vehicle for learning and that small group discussion has extrinsic value too.

   

  Useful media resources

  • Teaching and learning online: some resources
    These pages from OCSLD contain annotated sets of resources for lecturers wishing to explore the pedagogy of teaching and learning online. The focus is on higher education.

  • Podcast links
    This page from the OCSLD website contains links to several podcasts on issues in higher education.

  • Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative resources
    The Carl Wieman* Science Education Initiative (CWSEI) is a five-year, $12M project at the University of British Columbia aimed at dramatically improving undergraduate science education. The CWSEI helps departments take a four-step, scientific approach to teaching. Under the resources section of this site you will find:

    • Guidance to help instructors apply pedagogically-effective techniques and technology
    • Resources to help instructors use clickers (personal response systems) effectively in a classroom
    • Learning goals - how to develop them, and examples of good learning goals
    • Video resources
    • Student guidance developed to provide practical advice for learning more in university courses

    (*Carl Wieman received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2001.)

   

   

• Development and support

  A number of associations and groups provide useful information for the support and development of learning and teaching

  • Faculty Development Associates - Online Resources
    The Faculty development associates website provides an extensive list of links to online resources:

  • LearnHigher: Excellence in learning development
    The LearnHigher Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) is a partnership of 16 universities, led by Liverpool Hope University, committed to improving student learning by providing excellent resources to support students' learning development, and through practice-led research to inform the effective use of those resources. The pages link to resources in 20 Learning Areas and are freely available to all.

  • Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA)
    SEDA is the professional association for staff and educational developers in the UK, promoting innovation and good practice in higher education.

  • International staff
    The International staff website provides helpful advice on how to make the smooth transition to living in the UK and working in the UK higher education system.

  • The Higher Education Academy (HEA)
    The HEA works with individual academics to give them access to professional recognition, advice and support, as well as networking and development opportunities to enhance their teaching. The HEA has a number of discipline-based subject areas that provide a range of services to subject specific resources, events and workshops. From the main site you will find information on and links to:

    • Discipline-based services
    • Supporting new academic staff
    • Associate and fellow of the HEA

  • Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)
    JISC helps universities and colleges to develop flexible and creative curricula that harness the benefits of modern digital technologies. They aim to ensure that teachers are confident in using these new technologies and are able to make effective use of them in all aspects of course design, development and delivery.

  • Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
    HEFCE distributes public money for teaching and research to universities and colleges. In doing so, it aims to promote high-quality education and research, within a financially healthy sector. The Council also plays a key role in ensuring accountability and promoting good practice. From the main website you can find the following useful publications:

    • A guide to UK higher education (Sept. 2009)
    • Supporting higher education in further education colleges: a guide for tutors and lecturers (April 2003)

  • All Ireland Society for Higher Education (AISHE)
    'Emerging Issues in the Practice of University Learning and Teaching' is a collection of papers published by AISHE (a professional society whose goal is to bring together and support those people who are concerned with advancing higher education in Ireland). The original idea for producing this series of papers came about as the result of a conversation focusing on the difficulties, obstacles, problems and challenges associated with academic writing, as well as the importance of many of the interconnected themes in the area of educational development.

  • Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE)
    SRHE is a UK-based international learned society concerned with advancing understanding of higher education, especially through the insights, perspectives and knowledge offered by systematic research and scholarship. The Society aims to be the leading international society in the field, as to both the support and the dissemination of research.

  • The International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (ISSOTL)
    ISSOTL serves faculty members, staff, and students who care about teaching and learning as serious intellectual work. The goal of the Society is to foster inquiry and disseminate findings about what improves and articulates post-secondary learning and teaching. The ISSOTL resource page provides links to a number of international societies, publications and online tools and outlets.

   

• Journals

  The University of Portsmouth (UoP) Library provides access to a wide range of electronic resources, including journals.

  Access for Collaborative Partners to e-journals from the University of Portsmouth Library is easy and straight-forward. Collaborative Partner Associate Lecturers (PALS) may request a password from elibrary@port.ac.uk to access them in order to support students on UoP courses. From the Library homepage www.port.ac.uk/library take the link to 'e-journal titles' and either search for your favourite title or browse by subject. You will be able to link to where you can read the journals online, subject to entering your UoP login details.

  Initiatives
  Initiatives is an online publication of DCQE's Academic Development section. The aim of the publication is to support the enhancement of learning and teaching across the University and its Collaborative Partner institutions through providing an inclusive forum for staff and students to discuss a wide range of issues of concern and to act as both a stimulus for creativity in learning and teaching and an effective and inclusive vehicle for the dissemination of good practice.

  Innovations in Education & Teaching International

  Innovations in Education & Teaching International (IETI) is an official, peer-reviewed journal of the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) published by the Taylor and Francis group. IETI concentrates mainly on papers and reviews concerned with a range of teaching and learning issues, from innovative teaching and learning strategies to developments in computer-aided education and training. With contributions from around the world, IETI aims to stay at the cutting edge of the full range of educational technology and classroom-based developments.

  International Journal of Teaching and Learning In Higher Education

  The International Journal of Teaching and Learning In Higher Education (IJTLHE) provides a forum for higher education faculty staff, administrators, researchers, and students who are interested in improving post-secondary instruction. IJTLHE is a peer-reviewed publication of the International Society for Exploring Teaching and Learning (ISETL).

  Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

  Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (LATHE) is an interdisciplinary, refereed journal providing an accessible international forum for scholarly debate related to learning, teaching and assessment in higher education. LATHE aims to serve as an effective dissemination mechanism for pedagogic research and development through the publication of scholarly articles, book reviews and case studies of effective practice.

  Teaching in Higher Education

  Teaching in Higher Education is an international, peer-reviewed journal. The journal addresses the roles of teaching, learning and the curriculum in higher education in order to explore and clarify the intellectual challenges that they present. The journal is interdisciplinary and aims to open up discussion across subject areas by involving all those who share an enthusiasm for learning and teaching.

  Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education

  Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education is an established international, peer-reviewed journal, which publishes papers and reports on all aspects of assessment and evaluation within higher education. Its purpose is to advance understanding of assessment and evaluation practices and processes, particularly the contribution that these make to student learning and to course, staff and institutional development.

  Journal of Online Learning and Teaching

  The Journal of Online Learning and Teaching (JOLT) is a free resource designed primarily for faculty and students of higher education. JOLT is a peer-reviewed, open access, online publication addressing the scholarly use of multimedia resources in online education.

  Active Learning in Higher Education

  Active Learning in Higher Education is an international, refereed publication for all those who teach and support learning in higher education and those who undertake or use research into effective learning, teaching and assessment in universities and colleges. The journal has an objective of improving the status of teaching and learning support as a professional activity and embraces academic practice across all curriculum areas in higher education.

  Higher Education

  The Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education Research, according to the publisher, is recognised as the leading international journal on higher education studies. This publication examines educational developments throughout the world in universities, polytechnics, colleges, and vocational and education institutions. It reports on developments in both public and private higher education sectors.

  International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

  The International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (IJ-SoTL) is an open, peer-reviewed, international electronic journal published twice a year by the Center for Excellence in Teaching at Georgia Southern University. It is intended to be an international vehicle for articles, essays, and discussions about the scholarship of teaching and learning and its applications in higher/tertiary education today. All submissions undergo a double-blind peer-review process.

  Studies in Higher Education

  The journal Studies in Higher Education - a publication of the Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE) - has a wide-ranging interest in higher education and the social and institutional contexts within which it takes place, but gives particular emphasis to education as practice, with a view to influencing its development.

  Higher Education Quarterly

  Higher Education Quarterly publishes articles concerned with policy, strategic management and ideas in higher education. A substantial part of its contents is concerned with reporting research findings in ways that bring out their relevance to senior managers and policy makers at institutional and national levels, and to academics who are not necessarily specialists in the academic study of higher education.

  Research into Higher Education Abstracts

  Research into Higher Education Abstracts exists to propagate knowledge about, and encourage discussion of, significant research into higher education. Published by Routledge on behalf of the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE), it provides a regular survey of international periodicals relevant to the theory and practice of higher education and also offers a selective coverage of books and monographs. More than 600 abstracts are produced each year.

  Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education

  The Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education (JLDHE) is a peer-reviewed journal published by the Association for learning development in higher education (ALDinHE), which has a commitment to the development of student learning and the provision of opportunities for students to develop their skills for study and their awareness of academic practices.

  Brookes Ejournal of Learning and Teaching

  The Brookes Ejournal of Learning and Teaching is a peer-reviewed journal which aims to promote, enhance and disseminate research, good practice, development and innovation in all aspects of learning, teaching and assessment in higher education to its primary audience, which includes teachers, support staff, researchers and those who make or influence policy and practice, both within the university and externally.

  Virginia Tech Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

  The Virginia Tech Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching website provides a comprehensive list of journals in higher education.

   

• Recommended reading

  The recommended reading in this section is by no means an all inclusive list. It aims to provide insight into, and at the same contribute to, the debate and exploration of the realities of:

  • Why we teach
  • How we teach

  The Academic Development team always welcomes suggestions for new and relevant reading resources.

  Contact Dr. André Van der Westhuizen.

  Why we teach

  • Albom, M. (1997). Tuesdays with Morrie: An old man, a young man and life's greatest lesson. New York: Doubleday.
  • Barnett, R. (2007). A will to learn: Being a student in an age of uncertainty. Maidenhead, SRHE/Open University Press.
  • Boyer, E. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Brookfield, S. (2006). The skilful teacher (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Brookfield, S. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity. Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. New York. Harper Collins.
  • Gardner, H., Kornhaber, M., & Wake, W. (1996). Intelligence: Multiple perspectives. Florida: Harcourt Brace.
  • Illeris, K. (2009). (ed.) Contemporary theories of learning: Learning theorists...in their own words. London: Routledge.
  • Illich, I. (1971). Deschooling society. London: Calder and Boyars.
  • Knowles, M.S., Holton, E., & Swanson, R. (2005). The adult learner (6th ed.). Woburn: Butterworth-Heinemann.
  • Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
  • Laurillard, D. (2002). Rethinking university teaching: A framework for the effective use of educational technology (2nd ed.). London; RoutledgeFalmer.
  • Posner, G. (2004). Analyzing the curriculum (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Rogers, C.R., & Freiberg, H.J. (1994). Freedom to learn (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill/Macmillan.
  • Rogers, C.R. (1980). A way of being. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Reprinted in 1995).
  • Rogers, C.R. (1969). Freedom to learn. Columbus, OH: Merrill.
  • Rowland, S. (2006). The enquiring university. Maidenhead, McGraw Hill.
  • Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner. London: Temple Smith.
  • Thomas, K. (1990). Gender and subject in higher education. Buckingham: SRHE/Open University Press.
  • Tight, M. (2009). The development of higher education in the United Kingdom since 1945. Maidenhead, SRHE/Open University.
  • Walker, M. (2006). Higher education pedagogies. Maidenhead, SRHE/Open University Press.

   

  How we teach

  • Bain, K. (2004). What the best college teachers do. Boston: Harvard University Press.
  • Barnett, R., & Coate, K. (2005). Engaging the curriculum in higher education. Maidenhead, SRHE/Open University Press.
  • Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for quality learning at university (3rd ed.). Buckingham: SRHE/Open University Press.
  • Bloxham, S., & Boyd, P. (2007). Developing effective assessment in higher education: A practical guide. Maidenhead: McGraw Hill and Open University Press.
  • Bolton, G. (2006). Reflective practice: Writing and professional development. London: Sage.
  • Brookfield, S. (2004). The power of critical theory: Liberating adult learning and teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Brookfield, S., & Preskill, S. (2005). Discussion as a way of teaching: Tools and techniques for democratic classrooms (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Brown, S., Race, P., & Smith, B. (1996). 500 tips on assessment. London: Kogan Page.
  • Butcher, C., Davies, C., & Highton, M. (2006). Designing learning: From module outline to effective teaching. London: Routledge.
  • Cowan, J. (2006). On becoming an innovative university teacher: Reflection in Action (2nd ed.). Buckingham: SRHE/ Open University Press.
  • Donald, J. (2002). Learning to think: Disciplinary perspectives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Exley, K., & Dennick, R. (2009). Giving a lecture: From presenting to teaching (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Exley, K., & Dennick, R. (2004). Small group teaching: Seminars, tutorials and beyond. London: Routledge.
  • Finkelstein, J. (2006). Learning in real time: Synchronous teaching and learning online. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Fry, H., Ketteridge, S., & Marshall, S. (2002) A handbook for teaching and learning in higher education (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Gibbs, G., & Habeshaw, T. (1989). Preparing to teach. Bristol: Technical and Educational Services Ltd.
  • Gibbs, G., Habeshaw, S., & Habeshaw, T. (1988). 53 interesting things to do in your lectures. Bristol: Technical and Educational Services Ltd.
  • Grace, S., & Gravestock, P. (2009). Inclusion and diversity: Meeting the needs of all students. London: Routledge.
  • Illeris, K. (2010). Fundamentals of workplace learning: Understanding how people learn in working life. London: Routledge.
  • Illeris, K. (2004). Adult education and adult learning. Florida: Krieger Publishing Company/Roskilde University Press.
  • Jackson, N., Oliver M., Shaw, M., & Wisdom, J. (Eds.). (2006). Developing creativity in higher education. London: Routledge.
  • Jaques, D., & Salmon, G. (2007). Learning in groups: A handbook of face-to-face and online environments (4th ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Knight, P. (2002). Being a teacher in higher education. Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press.
  • Ko, S., & Rossen, S. (2008). Teaching online: A practical guide (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Light, G., & Cox, R. (2001). Learning and teaching in higher education: The reflective professional. London: Paul Chapman/Sage.
  • McNiff, J., & Whitehead, J. (2009). Doing and writing action research. London: Sage.
  • Morss, K., & Murray, R. (2005). Teaching at university: A guide for postgraduates and researchers. London: Sage.
  • Newble, D., & Cannon, R. (2005). A handbook for teachers in universities and colleges (4th ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Nygaard, C., Courtney, N., & Frick, L. (2011). Postgraduate education: Form and function. Faringdon: Libri Publishing.
  • Nygaard, C., Courtney, N., & Holtham, C. (2010). Teaching creativity: Creativity in teaching. Faringdon: Libri Publishing.
  • Pastoll, G. (1992). Tutorials that work. Cape Town: Arrow Publishers.
  • Petty, G. (2004). Teaching today (3rd ed.). Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes.
  • Race, P. (2010). Making learning happen (2nd ed.). London: Sage.
  • Race, P. (2006). The lecturer's toolkit (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Race, P. (2007). 2000 tips for lecturers (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Race, P., & Pickford, R. (2008). Making teaching work. London: Sage.
  • Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Salmon, G. (2000). E-Moderating: The key to teaching and learning online. London: Kogan Page.
  • Shulman, L. S. (2004). The wisdom of practice: Essays on teaching, learning, and learning to teach. (S. Wilson, ed.) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.
  • Svinicki, M., & McKeachie, W. (2007). Teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (13th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
  • The Johns Hopkins University. (2006). The Johns Hopkins University digital portfolio and guide: Documenting your professional growth. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall.

   

  IPROF specific

  • Bloxham, S., & Boyd, P. (2007). Developing effective assessment in higher education: A practical guide. Maidenhead: McGraw Hill and Open University Press.
    In particular Chapters 5-7 on marking and feedback (E-Book)
    
  • Butcher, C., Davies, C., & Highton, M. (2006). Designing learning: From module outline to effective teaching. London: Routledge.
    In particular Chapter 5 on selecting appropriate teaching and learning methods and session planning (E-Book)
    
  • Exley, K., & Dennick, R. (2009). Giving a lecture: From presenting to teaching (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Exley, K., & Dennick, R. (2004). Small group teaching: Seminars, tutorials and beyond. London: Routledge.
  • Fry, H., Ketteridge, S., & Marshall, S. (2009). A handbook for teaching and learning in higher education (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.
    In particular Chapters 5 & 6 on large and small group teaching
  • Grace, S., & Gravestock, P. (2009). Inclusion and diversity: Meeting the needs of all students. London: Routledge. (E-Book)
  • Jaques, D., & Salmon, G. (2007). Learning in groups: A handbook of face-to-face and online environments (4th ed.). London: Routledge.
    Excellent book, full of practical ideas as well as underpinning theory (E-Book)
    
  • Knight, P. (2002). Being a teacher in higher education. London: Routledge.
  • Light, G., Cox, R., & Calkins, S. (2009). Learning and teaching in higher education: The reflective professional (2nd ed.). London: Paul Chapman/Sage.
  • Race, P. (2010). Making learning happen (2nd ed.).London: Sage.
    Particularly helpful for new lecturers, as are many other books by this author e.g. 2000 Tips for Lecturers, The Lecturer’s Handbook.
  • Race, P., & Pickford, R. (2007). Making teaching work. London: Sage. (E-Book)

   

  GPROF specific

  Essential

  • Albom, M. (1997). Tuesdays with Morrie: An old man, a young man and life's greatest lesson. New York: Doubleday.
  • Morss, K., & Murray, R. (2005). Teaching at university: A guide for postgraduates and researchers. London: Sage.
  • Race, P. (2010). Making learning happen (2nd ed.). London: Sage.
  • Race, P. (2006). The lecturer's toolkit (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Race, P. (2007). 2000 tips for lecturers (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Race, P., & Pickford, R. (2008). Making teaching work. London: Sage.
  • Svinicki, M., & McKeachie, W. (2007). Teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (13th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

  Additional

  • Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for quality learning at university (3rd ed.). Buckingham: SRHE/ Open University Press.
  • Cowan, J. (2006). On becoming an innovative university teacher: Reflection in action (2nd ed.). Buckingham: SRHE/ Open University Press.
  • Fry, H., Ketteridge, S., & Marshall, S. (2002). A handbook for teaching and learning in higher education (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Knight, P. (2002). Being a teacher in higher education. Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press.
  • Light, G., & Cox, R. (2001). Learning and teaching in higher education: The reflective professional. London: Paul Chapman/Sage.
  • Newble, D., & Cannon, R. (2005). A handbook for teachers in universities and colleges (4th ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Petty, G. (2004). Teaching today (3rd ed.). Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes.
  • Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.

   

   

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