Teaching and Learning Development Fund

---

Linda France
Development Officer, TLDU

Bids are now invited for the next round of the University's Teaching and Learning Development Fund (TLDF). The deadline for bids is Friday 15 December.

The TLDF provides pump-priming funding for improvements and innovations in curriculum design; teaching, learning and assessment methods; skills development; etc. It gives priority to projects that involve a number of individuals and/or aim to secure collaboration between University units and/or other institutions. The Fund also assists subject groups addressing areas for improvement that have been identified in the Learning and Teaching Strategy, Periodic Review and Subject Review reports.

Funds are available to release staff from their normal duties to undertake development work, and to cover incidentals. On a small scale, the TLDF can help to purchase or produce innovative learning resources, and to buy in necessary specialist staff and equipment. Academic and support units must provide matching funding.

When preparing bids, please consult either myself on ext. 8714, email L.France@sussex.ac.uk (general enquiries) or Richard Inskip, ext. 8579, email R.F.Inskip@sussex.ac.uk (multimedia enquiries), at least one week before the deadline. We will be able to indicate whether your project meets the TLDF criteria, and also advise on specific elements that should be covered in your proposal.

The Teaching and Learning Development Unit (TLDU) holds copies of all previous TLDF bids and you are welcome to consult these when preparing your proposal. Summaries of recent approved projects can be found at www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/TLDU/, along with full guidelines for bidding to the TLDF. A paper version of the guidelines is also available on request from the TLDU.

Final proposals should be submitted to Linda France in TLDU, Arts D421 by 15 December.

Should students log their learning?

The TLDU and Career Development Unit (CDU) have been funded by the TLDF to evaluate the use of Academic and Personal Learning Logs (APLL) in encouraging students to reflect upon and record their skills and experiences.

A forum to launch the project will take place on Thursday 9 November, 9.30am-2.00pm. Colleagues will be given the opportunity to find out about national developments in this area and to explore the value of introducing APLLs to Sussex programmes. All welcome.

For further details, email me on L.France@sussex.ac.uk.

Student learning journals

Phyllis Creme
Research Officer, CCS

'Learning journals' and other 'non traditional forms' of writing are increasingly used as a teaching and learning tool in the University. The Developing Student Writing for Learning project focuses on writing as a process that can help students to understand and use course ideas, as well as to become more effective writers.

A guide for Sussex tutors on student learning journals, Writing for Learning, is available from TLDU. Contact me on p.creme@sussex.ac.uk for ideas on how you can develop new forms of student writing for learning on your courses.

Student Writing Forum

The Student Writing Forum is a series of discussion-workshops to explore ways of developing student writing in the University.

There will be two meetings this term: 'Helping students to redraft and edit their essays', on Tuesday 21 November, and 'What do we mean by "creativity" in student writing?' on Tuesday 5 December. Both meetings take place in Arts D 410, from 12.30pm to 1.55pm - sandwiches provided.

Please contact Rebecca Powell-Tuck on ext. 2165 by the previous Friday.