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