September 19, 2014, by Teaching at Nottingham

UNNC T&L newsletter 11

UNNC Teaching and Learning Newsletter

(Special Teacher’s Day Edition 2014).

Welcome to the newsletter relating to Teaching and Learning issues, Quality Assurance requirements and the Student Learning Experience.


Welcome from Vice Provost Teaching and Learning.

September 10th is Teachers Day in China and we would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the new academic year and to celebrate the work that you do for all our students here at UNNC.

This is an exciting time for the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Office. Maggie Yang and I are looking forward to welcoming some new members of the team very shortly: Wenzhou (Veronica) Chen starts as a new TLEO assistant on September 15th, Kexing (Daniel) Dai joins us from IS as the new Learning Technology Consultant in October and Brendan Kearney will be joining us from the UK in November as the Digital Education Development Officer. Daniel and Brendan will be coming out to meet with schools and departments during the semester to explore how we can help you deliver the very best technology-enabled learning as part of the Transforming Teaching Programme over the months ahead and you will see that we have also put this as our theme for the new Small Teaching and Learning Grants scheme this year which is announced below. We will also be launching a Peer Observation College here at UNNC for the first time so please watch this space for more information and please get involved.

Dr John Lowe from the School of Education joins the Faculty Director of Teaching team this year and, for the benefit of new staff joining us in particular, introductions to all of our FDoTs are included in this newsletter.

As part of work on Strategy 2020 here at UNNC the TLEO looks forward to hearing from you and your ideas, wishes, and hopes to make the teaching and learning experience here outstanding in every way.

Happy Teachers’ Day!

Julie

Professor Julie Sanders, Vice Provost (Teaching and Learning), UNNC

AB447


UNNC Teaching and Learning Development Grant 2014/15

The Small Teaching and Learning Grant Scheme invites proposals that support the enhancement of teaching and learning at UNNC. Priority will be given in 2014/15 to projects with an emphasis on technology-enabled learning.

Applications are invited from any full-time member of staff engaged in teaching and learning activities at UNNC. Proposals submitted under this scheme may request up to RMB 50,000 from the Teaching & Learning fund. Projects will normally run for twelve months and successful applicants will be asked to share the outcomes and ideas from their project with colleagues through dissemination workshops and events.

The application form and a list of current projects from 2013/14 funding cycle are available here: UNNC Small T&L Development Grant (UNNC only). If you would like to make an application the deadline is 5.00pm Monday 20 October 2014.

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Teaching and Learning Enhancement Office Team

Maggie Yang – Senior Manager (Teaching and Learning Excellence)

maggie-yang I have been working at UNNC for eight years. Before joining the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Office in 2012, I have worked in the UNNC Schools, Faculty and Academic Services Office. I am very keen to support colleagues on matters relating to student experience, from quality and standards, academic processes, to international study and local MoE practices. I look forward to working with you and wish you the very best of new semester.

Dr John Lowe, Faculty Director of Teaching, Arts and Education

john-lowe I have been teaching students for whom English is a second language for thirty seven years, in secondary schools and universities, and I bring this experience to the post – although always with careful reflection and no dogma. I am also well acquainted with the research literature in this area and have developed and taught postgraduate courses in curriculum development, learners and learning, and assessment. Students’ experiences of teaching and learning are the most significant influence on their satisfaction with their time at university and underpin their overall sense of personal success and development. I am keen to work with and support colleagues in ensuring that our students receive teaching and learning support of the highest possible standard.

Dr Peter Morgan, Faculty Director of Teaching, Social Sciences

peter-morgan Hi – my name is Peter Morgan and amongst other responsibilities I have here at UNNC, I am the Faculty Director of Teaching and Learning for the Faculty of Social Sciences. I have been here for two years, having previously worked on teaching and learning policy and strategy at a Business School in the UK for 16 years.
The role is a really important one: everything I do as a Faculty DoT is intended to improve the student experience here at UNNC, and across the University of Nottingham generally. Leading the teaching and learning at one of three faculties of a UK institution based in China takes a fair bit of time, so what do I do?
Broadly, three things. Firstly, attend committee meetings at the faculty, university (UNNC) and UK level – usually by Video Conference. These meetings are about dealing with real, live issues that are affecting FoSS students’ lives and their academic experience, and trying to enhance that experience. Secondly, act as a liaison between the learning co-ordinators at the schools of International Studies, Economics, the Business School and the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies and I do that through a Faculty Teaching Committee that I chair, and finally, leading on UNNC- and
University-wide initiatives such as policy on Student Evaluation of Teaching and the use of space to enhance student learning.
For those joining the Faculty of Social Sciences, I wish you a particularly warm welcome.

Dr Dariusz Wanatowski, Faculty Director of Teaching, Science and Engineering

dariusz-wanatowski The previous academic year was very important and exciting for the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Prof. Y.J Lin joined us as the new Dean of the Faculty and I took on the position of Director of Teaching. Furthermore, for the very first time, 4+0 engineering students have graduated from UNNC and have taken on new educational or professional ventures, which was very rewarding for all the staff in the Faculty.
With the new academic year 2014-15 around the corner, Faculty of Science and Engineering will be moving a few steps forward to enhance Teaching and Learning in Science and Engineering. Firstly, all engineering courses will be undergoing accreditation visits from various engineering bodies including Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Chemical Engineering, Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Secondly, new undergraduate and postgraduate courses will be developed. Thirdly, international student number will increase substantially. Finally, Faculty of Science and Engineering will introduce an Annual Teaching Award to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of our academic staff to teaching and learning in the Faculty. All of these developments planned for 2014-15 will bring even more excitement and challenge to my role. I am looking forward to it!

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Contact us:

If you have any feedback on this newsletter please contact:
Teaching and Learning Enhancement Office (AB447-1): teaching.learning@nottingham.edu.cn

Newsletter No 11
10 September 2014

Posted in FundingStrategy and policy