Direction of Studies a College view

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Direction of Studies - a College view

• Nigel Seaton
• Ex-Dean of Undergraduate Studies
• for Nick Hulton, Dean of Learning and Teaching

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Topics

• The role of the DoS
• The DoS and student learning
• Learning and Teaching Strategy
• College support for DoSs
• Changes
• mainstreaming of direction of studies
• Euclid

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What a DoS does

• Source of advice on the curriculum
• but the students may need specialised advice from
  others
• Source of advice on study skills and personal
  development
• but some students should make use of specialist
  help (e.g. TLA Centre)
• First point of contact for problems
• sometimes as a preliminary to more specialised
  help.

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What a DoS does (contd.)

• Encourage the student to take responsibility for
  his or her own learning.
• Responsible for entering some information into
  Wisard, e.g. change of programme.

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The DoS should not

• Record routine information provided by a student
  (e.g. about illness)
• Prepare standard references (e.g. in connection
  with accommodation)
• Provide routine information to a student, or
  engage in routine communications with the
  students
• Carry out any other activity that could more
  effectively be carried out by clerical staff
• It is College policy that these activities be
  carried out by Teaching Organisations.

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Learning and Teaching Strategy

• The College of Science and Engineering adheres to
  the following Principles.
• 1. The Scholarship of Teaching and LearningWe
  are committed to the scholarship of teaching and
  learning. As academics, we will learn how to
  develop our teaching approaches in order to
  achieve better learning by our students, and to
  help them to develop as effective and independent
  learners.
• 2. Learning with EnquiryWe are a scholarly
  community based on enquiry, and on generating
  knowledge. Students will be made familiar with
  the scientific method from the beginning of their
  studies there will be a strong strand of
  learning with enquiry (learning to ask the right
  questions) at all levels, integrated where
  possible with our research activities.

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• 3. Responsible LearningOur learning environment,
  and the requirements and expectations that we
  communicate to students, will be designed to
  ensure that they are given, and feel, a genuine
  responsibility for their own learning, seeing
  rewards and benefits from effectively managing
  their activities, and negative consequences from
  failing to do so.
• 4. Collaborative LearningCollaborative learning
  of an informal nature will be encouraged and
  study-support measures will be designed with that
  in mind. Where possible, our degree programmes
  will contain significant elements of formal
  collaborative learning, supported by academic
  staff and by flexible computer-based
  interactions.
• 5. Flexibility of Learning Styles
• Wherever possible, learning opportunities will
  respond to the variety of students
  circumstances, experience and aptitudes.

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• 6. Assessment for LearningIn pre-honours years,
  preparedness to progress to the next level and
  excellence will be assessed by separate elements
  of summative assessment. The extent of formal
  summative assessment will be the minimum required
  for these purposes. Students will monitor their
  own learning by self-assessment.In honours
  years, summative assessment will be the minimum
  required to assess the students achievement.
  Students will monitor their own learning by
  self-assessment.All assessment should be
  formative, in the sense that students receive
  feedback on (or can self-assess) their
  performance.

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Responsible learning and our interactions with
the students

• We do not expect them to attend lectures, or
  labs (unless attendance is required), and we do
  not tell them off if they do not attend.
• Instead, we rely upon creating a culture of
  responsibility, and empowerment, and on the
  opportunities for self-assessment, to allow the
  students to make their own choices.
• We nevertheless remain alert for evidence of
  serious pastoral problems.

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College support for DoSs

• Resources for Directors of Studies at
  http//www.scieng.ed.ac.uk/DOSNew/Resources.asp
• Role of the Director of Studies
• Matriculation
• Interviews with students and related issues
• Failure to make adequate progress
• Changes to a student's period / mode of study
• Changes to student's curriculum (concessions)
• Making amendments to the student's record
• Sickness and special circumstances
• International, Visiting and Exchange Students
• Contacts and Links
• Forms
• Finance

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College support for DoSs (contd.)

• Advice on regulations from David Williams, Head
  of Academic Affairs Section tel 507531
  David.Williams_at_ed.ac.uk
• Dean of Learning and Teaching Nick Hulton tel
  513476 Nick.Hulton_at_ed.ac.uk
• Dont forget support in your own School fellow
  DoSs (Senior DoS), School Curriculum Approval
  Officers, Directors of Teaching, TO
  Administrators

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Changes

• Mainstreaming of direction of studies
• now a representative work activity for
  academics at Grade 8 and above
• equal standing with teaching and research
• honorarium withdrawn
• DoS duties allocated more evenly, in some Schools
• Euclid the new student record
• self-registration for courses
• the DoS as an advisor, not as a clerical
  intermediary