Learning Centre re-positioning and Faculty integration at Sheffield Hallam University Peter Gledhill Faculty Information Specialist

Repositioning in the Learning Centre Schools to Faculties Ten Schools to Four Faculties – Faculty of Development & Society has 10,000 students – Divisions of Education & Humanities, Built Environment, Urban & Regional Studies/Social Science & Law Corporate Plan Remove barriers between schools – Enables the faculty to develop new courses, foster research, streamline administration

Role of Faculty teams in the Learning Centre Faculty focused Responsible for academic liaison Improve teaching and learning support Services for research and course development

Learning Centre Organisational Chart

Faculty team roles and how they have changed Faculty Information Specialist Building networks with staff at faculty executive and committee level Influencing faculty LTA policy and departmental annual plans Linking with other teams and departments Leading a team of Information Advisers Information Adviser Still developing/ role transition Develop services through project work Teaching role Networking with students and staff Consultancy/advice on information resources

Comments?

Examples of liaison with the Faculty 1. Information Literacy 2. Quality Committees 3. Heads of Division/Heads of Programmes 4. LTA committee 5. Teaching course 6. Research

Information Literacy LTA policy – Autonomous learners – Key skills teaching Planning teams Validation panels

Quality Committees Faculty quality committee – Information Specialist role Validation & re-validation role strengthened Planning role strengthened – Links to teaching support, joint teaching, consistent resources input Faculty Student Forum

Heads of Division/Heads of Programmes Link to the management of programmes, e.g., Primary and Secondary Education One of the main channels for promotion, communication of new & existing services Link to implementation of LTA policy, quality policies

Faculty Learning, Teaching & Assessment (LTA) Committee LTA co-ordinators, support departments LTA policy implementation – Academic staff development and guidance, e.g., away days, training events – Developing autonomous learners Opportunity to develop networks of academic staff who have a key role

Teaching course PG Cert. in Teaching & Learning Helpful in learning about assessment, learning theory, e-learning, university strategies, national context Academic staff contacts Understand tutor motivation, attitudes

Research Faculty research committees, e.g., Research Degrees Committee – Building contacts has lead to development of new research software – Dialogue for promoting information literacy programmes – Contribute to new developments, e.g., new research structure – RAE exercise given an opportunity for further developments

Summary Re-positioning changing focus Helped by welcoming academic staff driven by new work planning and awareness of our services Still changing, getting used to our roles, maintaining service levels Next change is a new department

Questions?

Contact Peter Gledhill Faculty Information Specialist Sheffield Hallam University Collegiate Learning Centre Collegiate Crescent Sheffield S10 2BP Tel: