DR SARA MARSHAM, DR VANESSA ARMSTRONG & DR JC PENET ULTSEC INNOVATION FUND PROJECT 2014 The NUTS and Bolts of L&T: A staff-student partnership at Newcastle University

BACKGROUND TO NUTS  Newcastle University Teaching and Scholarship Forum  Opportunity for all colleagues interested in teaching and scholarship to meet  Share good practice across disciplines  Enhance communication and collaboration  Create a supportive community for T&S colleagues  Hold regular, informal meetings to discuss work related to teaching and scholarship activities  Colleagues to engage with Faculty Representatives

AIMS OF OUR INNOVATION FUND PROJECT Priority themes:  Strengthening the relationship between research and teaching  Diversifying our portfolio of programmes – CPD offer  Engage students as partners in informing SoTL  Allow NUTS forum to support colleagues in SoTL  Establish collaborations across disciplines and Faculties

WHY WAS IT INNOVATIVE?  Strengthened the relationship between research in L&T, and teaching  Asked students directly which issues in L&T staff should focus their pedagogical research on  By doing so, students will be partners in establishing a programme of workshops/research projects  As delivered through the NUTS Forum, the project was cross-Faculty and multidisciplinary  All three Faculties represented in project team and are involved in very different subject areas  NUTS Forum will develop from being principally staff-led to integrating students as partners in research in L&T by making their voices heard  Positive impact on the student experience - proactive approach should also help all Schools concerned improve their NSS results

WHAT DID WE DO?  Organised and hosted a workshop to discuss how students could get involved with teaching practices  Worked with SU: Representation and Democracy Coordinator, and Education Officer Structure of workshop  Dr Helen Walkington from Oxford Brookes: keynote on Students as Partners in SoTL  Short activity to ask participants what they considered to be ‘excellence in teaching’

HOW THE ULTSEC FUND CONTRIBUTED TO OUR PROJECT The ULTSEC Fund money we were awarded was used towards: & CATERING for the event (create nice atmosphere for students) KEYNOTE SPEAKER Contribution towards transport and expenses

WHAT NEXT? Dissemination Themed NUTS meetings Research projects

THANK YOU Any Questions?