Past Learning and Teaching Enhancement Themes and Case Studies
The University of Aberdeen’s Learning & Teaching Enhancement Programme (LTEP) was established in 2007 to encourage the introduction of enhancement activities in learning and teaching and to disseminate effective practice throughout the institution.
- Improving the Student Experience (2018-2019)
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The University of Aberdeen’s Learning & Teaching Enhancement Programme (LTEP) was established in 2007 to encourage the introduction of enhancement activities in learning and teaching and to disseminate effective practice throughout the Institution. This round of the LTEP concentrated on ‘Evidence for Enhancement’, which aligned with the Quality Assurance Agency Scotland’s sector-wide Enhancement Theme.
Colleagues were invited to apply for LTEP funding which focussed on how evidence (either qualitative or quantitative) might be used to improve the student experience. Applications were received from individuals and members of a discipline or School. Initiatives focused on making an identifiable difference to the student experience, and had the potential for wider impact and dissemination across the University.
Funding was used to evaluate initiatives which supported the undergraduate, taught postgraduate or research postgraduate learning experience. It was anticipated that there would be a further round of LTEP funding in the academic year 2019/20, which would support the further dissemination of these findings.
Following on from last year’s programme of funding there was particular interest in funding projects that addressed the following scholarship themes:- Assessment and Feedback
- Retention and Progression
- Positive Outcomes
- Student Transitions (2015-2017)
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2016/2017
Summer School for Engineering Articulating Students School of Engineering Alfred Akisanya Student transitions: the role of student support structures School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition Professor Jennifer Cleland Supporting students with Autism transition out of University Aberdeen University Students' Association Liam Fuller Survival Guide Aberdeen University Students' Association / Student Recruitment / Admissions Service Liam Fuller (with Donna Connelly & James Short) Online Professional Skills Course: evaluating, developing and disseminating
Click here for Poster.
Careers Service Tracey Innes A Comparative Study of Blended and Online Learning Virtual Optical Pedagogy School of Geosciences Dr David K Muirhead Telling Tales: Using student narratives to aid transition
School of Psychology Dr Emily Nordmann Contemplating Transition Metals: Supporting first year chemistry student transitions using contemplative inquiry into the metaphor of transition metals
Click here for Poster.
School of Natural and Computing Sciences Dr Silvia Wehmeier
2015/2016
Student Work Life Balance School of Biological Sciences Mrs Cath Dennis Improving student skills and attributes in the transitions for Year 3 to 4 and into employment through problem-oriented group work School of Social Sciences Dr Stuart Durkin Enhancing Students' Online Professionalism and Employability School of Psychology Dr Emily Nordmann Joining the dots between conversation, induction and retention Medical Sciences Dr Steve Tucker An investigation into how the peer assisted learning scheme promotes transitioning of students into teachers, professional and adult learners Medical Education Dr Asha Venkatesh Seismic Data from Outcrops School of Geosciences Professor John Howell - Developing & Supporting the Curriculum (2011-2013)
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2013/2014
Supporting Student Retention & Progression
The theme of this year’s Programme is Supporting Student Retention & Progression, which aligns with the current sector wide QAA Enhancement Theme ‘Developing and Supporting the Curriculum’. An award of up to £6000 was made available for this from the QAA funding.
Supported Projects
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John Barrow, Steve Tucker, Gordon McEwan, Alison Jenkinson and Derryck Shewan, School of Medical Science: School of Medical Science Skills Support Centre Project
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Lindsay Tibbetts, Business School: Supporting Accountancy Fundamentals
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Jackson Armstrong, Dictionary of Aberdonian Biography: Divinity, History & Philosophy
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Elizabeth Macknight, Aberdeen Workshops for Student-led Co-operative Enterprise: Divinity, History & Philosophy
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Karen Salt, The Big Read Book Groups: Divinity, History & Philosophy
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Edward Welch, Language and Literature: Critical Thinking and Continuing Induction at Level 1
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Morgiane Richard, Andrew Starkey & Sally Middleton, School of Engineering & Centre for Academic Development: Development of Online Diagnostic Tests for Engineering Maths Using
2012/2013
Maths Support for Non Maths Students
The focus was on identifying projects to support flexibly delivered, targeted, maths support in non-maths courses and an award of up to £5600 was made available for this from the QAA funding. Staff were encouraged to apply for funding to employ a student assistant for a 7 week period.
Supported Projects
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Prof. Randell Stephenson & Dr David Healy, School of Geosciences: Maths Support for Level 2 Geoscience Students
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Prof. Heather Wallace & Dr Steven Tucker, School of Medical Sciences & School of Medicine and Dentistry: Supporting the acquisition of pharmacokinetic principles through the use of mathematically-based spread sheet models
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Dr Paul Bishop & Dr David Sutherland, School of Psychology: Enhancing Numeracy in Level 1 Psychology students
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Drs Steven Tucker, Derryck Shewan, & Alison Jenkinson, School of Medical Sciences: SMS Maths Support Proposal
2011/2012
The Centre for Academic Development offered funding to support small-scale projects and case studies that would enhance learning & teaching. Members of staff were invited to explore the ways in which they as an individual, or as a member of a discipline, School or College, might develop innovative approaches and/or enhance support for existing or future curricula at either undergraduate or taught postgraduate level.
Supported Projects
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Dr Ian Heywood, Business School: Simulating Distibuted Leadership
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Drs Elizabeth Welsh & Lucy Hyde, Medicine & Dentistry: Investigation into the use of Genelyn as a new embalming techinique to improve authenticity of anatomical preparations for undergraduate study. The results of this project can be discussed with the project awardee by emailing l.e.hyde@abdn.ac.uk
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Drs Nicola Cousins, Martin Barker & Lindsay McPherson, Biological Sciences: Response to personalised learning opportunities by first-year students in biological sciences.
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Dr Nir Oren, Natural & Computing Sciences: Improved Automated Marking of Student Programming Assessments.
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- Work Placements and Work-Related Learning (2011)
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'Work Placements and Work-Related Learning' was launched in September 2011 and, in line with the latest Equality and Diversity legislation, encouraged staff to consider and assess the positive contribution which a diverse student body could make to their degree programmes or courses.
Four applications were received for this round of funding and three projects are being supported financially
- Equality and Diversity in the Curriculum (2011)
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'Equality and Diversity in the Curriculum' was launched in January 2011 and, in line with the latest Equality and Diversity legislation, encouraged staff to consider and assess the positive contribution which a diverse student body could make to their degree programmes or courses.
The projects currently being supported include:
- Dr Anja Finger, Divinity History & Philosophy: Queering Religion and Its Study: The Experience of LGBTIQ Students
- Dr Shi Min How & Dr Mark Whittington, Business School: Understanding the perceptions and attitudes to learning of international postgraduate business students
- Dr Debbi Marais, Population Health: Reflection on Self-Assessment Skills Audit to improve Employability for Postgraduate Taught Students
A brief synopsis of these projects can be found here
- Evaluating Graduate Attributes (2010)
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This round of Learning and teaching enhancement programme, entitled Evaluating Graduate Attributes was launched in June 2010 and invited staff to evaluate how successful the embedding of Graduate Attributes in their courses or programmes has been.
There were seven applications for this round of funding, and three were identified for support, although since then one of these has been withdrawn. The projects being supported are:
- Dr Sarah Dalrymple, Dr Nicola King & Dr Martin Barker, School of Biological Sciences: Assessing the development of two Graduate Attributes within a new tutorial based course for Level 1 students in Biological Sciences
- Ms Sue Heard, School of Geosciences: Integrated Coastal Management
- Graduates for the 21st Century (2009)
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A Learning and Teaching Enhancement Programme based on the Enhancement Theme of Graduates for the Twenty-First Century was launched in 2009 and applications were received up until December. The successful projects were among those which offered the possibility of embedding the skills, knowledge and attributes of 'Graduates for the 21st Century' in undergraduate curricula.
As a result of this, the Centre for Learning and Teaching supported six projects from across the University of Aberdeen. These include:
- 'Communicating abstract ideas through exhibitions',
- 'Co-operation across cultures:
- enterprise and entrepreneurship in the curriculum',
- 'Exploration of International Development Activity for proposed cross-school course on Political Economy',
- 'Imaging Exhibitions',
- 'What keeps you awake at night?
- A manager's view of operations' and
- 'Artificial Intelligence via Computer Games'.