Faculty of Business, Computing and Information Management
Learning and Teaching Plan
2005/06 – 07/08
Faculty Context
The Faculty of Business, Computing and Information Management (BCIM) was created in September 2003 from the merger of the South
Bank Business School and the School of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics. This is the second Learning and Teaching Plan
for BCIM and the cycle of planning is now linked with the production of the University Learning and Teaching Plan which was endorsed by
the University in January 2006.
The Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee has, since its inception, taken on the role of encouraging and facilitating the dissemination of
good practice in learning and teaching across the faculty and between the faculty and the rest of the university. It has also acted in an
advisory role for FASC and the Faculty Executive over areas of concern relating to teaching learning and assessment which might include
consideration of resources and staff development as well as pedagogy.
There has been a reorganisation of the university’s committee structure since the last plan was developed so that there is now a clear focus
for faculty learning and teaching activity through the newly established University Learning and Teaching Committee which reports to the
Quality and Standards Committee and, hence, to Academic Board. Faculty Learning and Teaching Plans will be endorsed by the University
Learning and Teaching Committee and the latter will monitor progress against activities in the faculty and departmental plans on a regular
basis as well as provide a forum for cross faculty dissemination of ideas and practice.
The LSBU Vision for Learning and Teaching
The LSBU vision incorporates the desire to develop and maintain London South Bank University as a dynamic inner city University serving
the needs of the Capital with a reputation for:

pedagogic innovation and expertise in work-related learning, practice-based experience and e-learning;
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
excellence in teaching;

an exemplary record for widening participation, student retention and graduate employment;

a successful track-record of working in partnership with local and regional employers, and other educational providers to meet the
Capital’s skill shortages and societal and individual development needs;

developing and sustaining confident and capable independent learners
This vision is congruent with, and reflects the Mission, Strategic Aims and Strategic Priorities identified in the University Corporate Plan
2006/07 – 2008/09. Each of the aims and objectives identified in the L&T Strategy is therefore cross-referenced to the relevant Strategic
Aims & Priorities in the Corporate Plan.
University Learning and Teaching Aims
To strengthen the link between the university and faculty plans, it is expected that faculty plans will reflect the university aims and
objectives1. The aims are stated as:
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1.
To provide a curriculum that meets students’ learning needs: a curriculum that is supportive and engaging, that uses inclusive
learning, teaching and assessment and that is vocationally relevant.
2.
To provide a top quality student learning experience in ways that meet student choice while maintaining resource efficiency.
3.
To support students on-course and on progression to employment and/or further study.
4.
To provide quality programmes which reflect the value of using continuous feedback from students, graduates and employers.
5.
To equip staff with the necessary skills and resources to support students in becoming successful learners.
London South Bank University, Learning and Teaching Strategy 2005/06 – 2007/08.
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These aims (and their corresponding objectives) will be reflected in the work undertaken within the faculty. This faculty plan is linked to the
university aims and objectives, although there may well be additional objectives which the faculty feels are appropriate to support particular
aspects of learning and teaching at the faculty level but which may not be applicable more widely.
Meetings
The Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee meets four times each year. Membership of the committee includes representation from all
academic departments within BCIM as well as representatives of the LIS, LRC and LDC. The full membership is:
Chair:
Minute Taker:
Faculty Director of Learning and Teaching
Student Support Officer
Members:
Faculty Director of Undergraduate Programmes
Faculty Director of Postgraduate Programmes
4 Programme Directors
Faculty ICT Champion
Heads of Department (or their nominee)
Faculty Readers/Professors in Educational Development
Ex Officio Members:
Pro Dean (Students and Quality)
Chair of FASC
Representatives from LIS, LRC and LDC.
Faculty Manager.
In preparing this plan, account has been taken of the university’s learning and teaching priorities, progress made against actions of the
previous faculty plan, and issues raised through the faculty’s annual programme monitoring reports.
Review of the BCIM Learning and Teaching Plan 03/04 – 04/05
In the previous plan there were a number of activities identified through which the learning and teaching plan was to be implemented. These
activities were:
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a) To improve retention and progression;
b) To improve the quality of assessment processes and, wherever possible, reduce the overall quantity of assessment on programmes;
c) To continue to promote the use of e-learning both to supplement face-to-face teaching and to increase flexibility in delivering the
curriculum;
d) To further develop the vocational relevance of our programmes;
e) To improve the quality of the teaching on our programmes and to enhance the standing of professional practice within the faculty.
Specific progress by the faculty in each of these five areas is detailed in Appendix 1. In summary, progress has been made in each of these
areas and all of them continue to be relevant to future plans. Within the lifetime of the previous plan there were two QAA subject reviews
(in Accounting and in Computing). Under the ‘Quality of Learning Opportunities’, teaching and learning was approved in the Accounting
review and was commended in the Computing review where the reviewers commented that “teaching is sound in strategy and delivery and
includes some initiatives in online learning and academic support”.2 Much of the ethos of the previous BCIM plan remains relevant and
underpins much of the content of this plan.
As a consequence of staffing changes within the faculty, it is expected that the Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee will take on an
enhanced role in identifying and monitoring staff development activities within the faculty particularly, of course, those staff development
activities relating to learning and teaching. This is reflected in the plan.
Learning and Teaching Plan 2005/06 – 2007/08
The Faculty Learning and Teaching Plan takes as its core the University Learning and Teaching Plan so that the faculty’s objectives are
structured according to the universities core aims and links between the faculties objectives and the university objectives are shown within
the plan. The key targets identified within the university plan are represented at faculty level together with additional key targets more
specifically relating to faculty level activity. In some instances these serve to link the university target with specific faculty activities and in
other instances the faculty targets are additional. The responsibility for overseeing progress towards the targets rests with key staff as
indicated in the plan and these are:

2
Pro Dean for Students and Quality
The QAA Subject Review of Computing, Final Report, Page 10.
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



Heads of Department
Faculty Director for Undergraduate Studies
Faculty Director for Postgraduate Studies
Faculty Director for Learning and Teaching
Monitoring
Monitoring of progress towards these targets will be the responsibility of the Faculty Director of Learning and Teaching who will report
progress to the Faculty Executive, Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee and the University Learning and Teaching Committee on an
annual basis.
Resources
Funding for the Learning and Teaching Plan is derived from a central allocation of university funds to each faculty (Stream A) plus any other
money that the faculty may make available to departments for staff development and associated activities in keeping with its desire to
encourage colleagues to engage with events that will contribute to the enhancement of their professional practice (Stream B). Other
developmental and monitoring activities are established as part of specific roles within the faculty management structure and are resourced
accordingly by the faculty (Stream C). It is possible for other external funding to be sought through academic development of, for example,
Foundation Degrees. In keeping with the last faculty plan, it is intended to spread any specific learning and teaching funds available to cover
cross faculty initiatives, departmental activities and individual projects relating to professional practice and pedagogic research.
Faculty Learning and Teaching Plan 2005/06-2007/08
Key Staff: PDSQ
FDLT
PD
HoD
LTEU
FASC
FL&TC
Pro Dean (Students and Quality)
Faculty Director for Learning and Teaching
Programme Director
Head of Department
Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit
Faculty Academic Standards Committee
Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee
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University Aims
University L&T
Objectives
Links to
Corporate Plan
Key Performance
Indicators
1. To provide a
curriculum that meets
students’ learning needs:
a curriculum that is
supportive and engaging,
that uses inclusive
learning, teaching and
assessment and that is
vocationally relevant.
1.1 Ensure the course
portfolio utilises
multiple media
including new learning
technologies.
Strategic Aims: 1
&2
Year-on-year increase in the
number of students
successfully completing their
programme of study and
securing graduate
employment
1.2 Ensure the
curriculum for the first
semester on every
programme of study
prepares the student for
success.
Strategic Priorities:
1, 2
Student recruitment,
progression & retention
Student satisfaction with all
aspects of the learning,
teaching and assessment on
their programmes of study
External and internal reviews
LSBU graduate salaries
Improvement trends in DLHE
Report
Faculty Action
Required (Resource
Stream)
Faculty Action
Overseen By
Organisation of learning
and teaching seminar
series (A).
FDLT
(Annual Review)
Publication of faculty
pedagogic activity profile
(A).
FDLT
(Annual Review)
Review the operation of
faculty assessment
protocols and implement
revisions (C).
FASC, PDSQ,
FDLT
(Annual Review)
Annual listing and
description of units
containing significant
research input (C).
HoDs
(Annual Review)
Review of issues raised in
programme monitoring
reports and by the Student
Support Centre, Chinese
Welfare Officer and
Programme Directors (C).
PDSQ, FDLT,
Support staff and
PDs.
(Annual Review)
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University Aims
2. To provide a top
quality student learning
experience in ways that
meet student choice
while maintaining
resource efficiency.
University L&T
Objectives
Links to
Corporate Plan
Key Performance
Indicators
Faculty Action
Required (Resource
Stream)
2.1 The implementation
of the E-Learning
action plan.
Strategic Aims:
2, 3, 4 & 5
See University E-Learning Plan
PDs and Unit
Leaders.
(2007)
2.2 Ensure the optimal
use of new learning
technologies in all
aspects of learning,
teaching and
assessment
Strategic Priorities:
1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
The majority of all
course units should be
equipped with a basic elearning infrastructure
with regard to
information , learning
and assessment (B/C).
Departments to identify
staff development
requirements in relation
to ICT use and elearning (B).
HoDs, FDLT.
(Annual Review)
Implementation of the
university e-Learning
Strategy (B/C).
PDSQ, FDLT,
PDs.
(Annual Review)
Review of issues raised
in programme
monitoring reports and
by the Student Support
Centre, Chinese Welfare
Officer and Programme
Directors (C).
PDSQ, FDLT,
Support staff and
PDs.
(Annual Review)
Take-up of VLE usage
Relevant financial ratios &
benchmarking data
External and internal reviews
2.3 All programmes
have identified elearning strategy
2.4 The restructuring of
student support and the
establishment of the
CLSD
2.5 The optimisation of
resources for learning,
human, physical and
virtual, appropriate to
the needs of students,
clients, partners and all
other stakeholders
Faculty Action
Overseen By
Re-structuring complete
Space utilisation data
Satisfaction ratings of students
and staff of:
 Learning Support
 Media resources
 Library services
 VLE
 Computer services
 Accommodation
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University Aims
3. To support students
on-course and on
progression to
employment and/or
further study.
University L&T
Objectives
Links to
Corporate Plan
Key Performance
Indicators
Faculty Action
Required (Resource
Stream)
3.1 All students provided
with a planned
programme of personal
development and
learning-to-learn
Strategic Aims:
1, 2 & 4
Increased number of
placement opportunities
Strategic Priorities:
1&2
Number of students on workrelated units
Monitoring of the
number of students
successfully completing
their programme of
study and securing
employment on
graduation (C).
Faculty Directors
for Undergraduate
and Postgraduate
Studies.
(Annual Review)
Review of personal
tutoring arrangements
for all faculty students
(C).
PDSQ, Faculty
Directors for
Undergraduate and
Postgraduate
Studies (2007)
HoDs to identify any
staff development
requirements relating to
their PDP provision (B).
HoDs, FDLT,
PDSQ
(Annual Review)
3.2 Extend opportunities
for learning through
work, including the
opportunity for direct
work experience.
3.3 Implementation of a
comprehensive and
effective system of
learning support for all
students
All programmes have
identified PDP opportunities
Faculty & programme
engagement with Careers
Service
Graduate employment rates &
DHLE Statistics
Student satisfaction with:
 Careers Service
 Personal tutoring
Faculty Action
Overseen By
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University Aims
4. To provide quality
programmes which
reflect the value of using
continuous feedback
from students, graduates
and employers.
University L&T
Objectives
Links to
Corporate Plan
Key Performance
Indicators
Faculty Action
Required (Resource
Stream)
4.1 The majority of
subject areas to have
developed vocational
routes of access and
progression - including
that of Foundation
Degrees – in partnership
with employers and other
educational providers
Strategic Aims:
1, 2, & 4
Programmes that demonstrate
they meet the Capital’s skill
shortages and societal and
individual development needs
Monitoring of new
course developments,
collaborative links and
professional body
liaison (C).
Strategic Priorities:
1&2
The number of programmes
with access and progression
pathway agreements
The number of Foundation
Degrees
4.2 Participation of
employers, professional
bodies and educational
providers in course
development, validation
& review processes
4.3 Consistent measures
of student evaluation of
programmes and units in
place
Demonstrable employer and
collaborative partner
involvement in curriculum
development
Number of successful
professional accreditations
Faculty Action
Overseen By
FDLT, L&TC
(Annual Review)
HoDs to report to L&TC HoDs & L&TC
on changes made to
Annual Review)
units as a result of
student and external
feedback (C).
Faculty to support,
where possible, requests
for staff development
that enhance the
learning and teaching
capabilities of individual
or groups of staff (A/B).
FDLT, HoDs
(Annual Review)
Student evaluations of
programmes and units
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University Aims
5. To equip staff with
the necessary skills and
resources to support
students in becoming
successful learners.
University L&T
Objectives
Links to
Corporate Plan
Key Performance
Indicators
Faculty Action
Required (Resource
Stream)
5.1 A “focused” approach
to staff development to
fully engage staff in a
“community of practice”
and to celebrate the value
of teaching.
Strategic Aim:
2
Faculty, academic and
support departmental plans to
identify relevant staff
development objectives.
Annual reports on outcomes
of L&T staff development
Initiation of staff
development
programmes for initial
and advanced teaching
skills accredited by the
HE Academy, consistent
with the new National
Framework of
Professional Teaching
Standards and used with
a Personal Development
Plan for each member of
staff (B).
Pro Deans, HoDs,
LTEU, FDLT.
(2007)
Continued support for
the Faculty Fellowship
scheme and attendance
at internal and external
learning and teaching
events (A/B).
PDSQ, FDLT,
HoDs.
(Annual Review)
5.2 Maintain & develop
accredited Staff
Development
programmes for initial
and advanced teaching
skills
Strategic Priorities:
1, 2 & 3
PLTHE consistent with the
new National Framework of
Professional Teaching
Standards & HEA accredited
Number and take-up of
workshops and events
supporting learning &
teaching
5.3 All staff to have a
recorded Personal
Development Plan
Transparent PDP for staff
linked to appraisal process
and departmental L&T
objectives
Faculty Action
Overseen By
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Appendix A
Review of BCIM Learning and Teaching Plan 2003/04-04/05
Activity
Objective
Commentary on Progress Made
Improve retention &
progression
There is a need to support the transition
into HE and to ensure that the curriculum
explicitly develops the skills they need to
succeed on course.
Targets for the provision of special needs support and induction have been met while skills profiling
and improvements to induction are still ongoing.
There is also a need to make the
curriculum accessible to all students and
in particular to those students with
disabilities. This needs both a raising of
staff awareness concerning accessibility
issues and an investment in resources to
support delivery in an efficient and
consistent way.
Commentary: The faculty recognises the importance of the first semester after entry for many of
our students. Level 1 studies on all courses are specifically oriented towards supporting students and
enabling the transition to HE. For example, review of the Computing courses resulted in the
introduction of the Common First Year allowing flexibility in student progression and emphasising
continuous assessment and practical work to provide better feedback and support for students. In
addition to the prescribed curriculum at stage 1, students are offered support and guidance in both
mathematics and English. The faculty also realises that it is important that as well as supporting
weaker students, more able students are challenged by their work. Also, the interlinking of personal
tutoring with professional and personal skills development is felt to be of greater benefit to students
than the less articulated models used previously. Under this mechanism, all Common First Year
students are tutored via the professional skills unit with tutoring extended into the second semester
by allowing tutors time on their second semester timetable for tutoring purposes. Students new to
the University are invited to an induction session which for full-time students is held prior to the
start of the academic year. The faculty views student induction as a process which extends into the
semester 1 curriculum. Some introductory sessions (such as the use of the electronic library
catalogue and other learning resources) are blended into other stage 1 units such as Professional
Skills which also includes work on a ‘skills audit’ and personal planning for students.
Similar structures exist on other first year curricula within the faculty. Business Studies students are
supported with Business English for those who do not have English as a first language and
marketing students are offered a supportive double unit that builds the skills required by students to
study marketing as well as the transferable skills required by the industry. Units such as this (and
the Professional Skills unit taken by all Computing students) start the development of the student’s
personal development plan within the university environment.
The common themes for all undergraduate curricula in the first semester are the development of
relevant professional skills, quantitative literacy, English and basic IT skills together with experience
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of group working and peer support. Assessment in semester one is oriented firmly towards in-class
exercises and coursework with very few traditional unseen examinations taking place.
At postgraduate level, the picture is more varied since this will not be the first experience of HE for
many students. However, the faculty recognises that for some students starting their postgraduate
course may be their first experience of HE in the UK and they may have been away from HE for
some time. Some postgraduate teams are now working on introducing acclimatisation sessions and
cultural induction for overseas students and this work in ongoing. Other programs already have
similar provision – the MBA for example includes a residential as key in supporting MBA students
and similar residentials are used to support CM/DMS learners with an emphasis on more local
management needs. The experiential learning is driven by residential projects and associated skills
building activities. This experience also helps form the start of the reflection process which is so
important in personal development planning. Other postgraduate courses use the residential concept
including Masters courses in International Business, International Marketing and Human Resources.
However, the faculty recognises that it needs to give further consideration as to how best to support
those postgraduate students who are in transition to UK HE.
Programme monitoring reports highlight improvement to their induction arrangements (e.g. HRM
and BIT) and also gave examples of good practice (BIT and Marketing). Marketing run a one week
induction programme and undergraduate single Honours students and Combine Honours students
are inducted together. Continuing students also receive a half-day induction. Student feedback was
described as excellent. Accounting and Finance organised specific induction sessions for part-time
students. The programme monitoring reports give examples of successful support initiatives:
1.
The use of the BCIM Chinese Welfare Officer (undergraduate Accounting and Finance and
FGSP). The FGSP report referred to this office as providing useful support in areas such as
language, culture and visa extensions.
2.
The BCIM Student Support Centre was described as providing useful back- up to course
teams (undergraduate Accounting and Finance).
3.
The Computing report referred to good use of the LRC by Computing students. In addition
Computing students made use of LDC services: skills support (79 students), careers advice
(54) and disability support (26). The report suggests that fewer than expected Foundation
Year students used the LDC.
4.
On the MBA there is diagnostic testing of English language skills to support recruitment.
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Improve the quality of
assessment processes
and, wherever possible,
to reduce the overall
quantity of assessment
on programmes.
Reviewing the way in which outcomes
are assessed and improving the quality of
feedback will support progression and
stimulate reflection on professional
practice. Assessing more effectively and
less often will improve both the student
and the staff experience.
Targets relating to the definition of assessment protocols and the mechanism for their review have
been met. Staff development relating to assessment methods and good practice has been undertaken
and is ongoing.
To continue to promote
the use of e-learning both
to supplement face-toface teaching and to
increase flexibility in
delivering the
curriculum.
Developing both staff competence and
better quality e-learning resources will
provide a better student experience and
support both innovation and flexibility.
Where programmes are being developed
and/or delivered by partner institutions elearning can be used to access learning
resources to support students.
The target relating to staff development and ICT usage has been met with all Departments offering
BB support (see below) and staff development activities undertaken. Support for e-learning projects
is available and has been taken up. Course provision by e-learning is still ongoing.
Commentary: The faculty now has in place an agreed protocol covering assessment processes.
This protocol has been in operation for a full academic year now and is subject to annual review
with feedback from heads of Department. Following the QAA reviews of the Accounting and
Computing subject areas in 2003 the faculty has been careful to address the issue of assessment
loading and in 2004/05 no major issues concerning assessment loading were raised in the
programme monitoring reports. Furthermore, departments are continuing to address issues
surrounding assessment and assessment loading in which vein the Marketing report referred to the
on-going development of a departmental assessment strategy which it is suggested is good practice
and the Business report referred to the on-going production of assessment loading information and
the completion of curriculum maps. Although not specifically mentioned in other reports, issues of
assessment and assessment loading are under regular review. It was good to see that in programme
monitoring reports no major concerns were expressed regarding assessment processes and indeed the
Marketing External Examiners commended the quality of feedback to students.
Commentary: The faculty aims to provide students with extensive online support for their studies
not only at the unit level (via Blackboard) but also through a student intranet. This site provides
access to general information, regulations, forms, timetables and other materials that will support
students in academic and non-academic activities. Students also benefit from on-line class and
examination timetables and option registration. The faculty is an extensive user of Blackboard and
this is growing year by year. BCIM currently has some 500 active taught units and in 2003-04 just
over 50% had an associated Blackboard site. In 2004-05, however, this figure rose to 68% and it is
envisaged that there will be a further increase for 2005-06. Furthermore, the use of Blackboard sites
is fairly evenly spread across the academic departments within BCIM and is not confined mainly to
those associated with computing and IT. In terms of type of usage, the most common feature is to
provide students with access to course notes and other static information but nearly 50% of sites
incorporate other features such as using the site to provide other web links, communication,
discussion, assessment etc. The faculty is also a keen supporter of e-Learning and uses its students
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(those taking CIT-3-ITT) to help faculty staff develop their Blackboard sites (this activity is
coursework for the students concerned).
To further develop the
vocational relevance of
our programmes.
Reviewing and strengthening links with
employers and professional bodies to
inform design as well as benchmarking
current programmes will help to ensure
the currency and vocational relevance of
the curriculum.
Target to include PDP in all programmes now met. The development of Foundation Degrees with
Partner Institutions and local enterprise continues. Staff development target not yet met but will
continue. Departments have not produced individual L&T plans but continue to operate within the
broader faculty plan.
Commentary: The faculty of BCIM is acutely aware of the need to develop curricula which are
vocationally relevant, which meet the needs of our students and engage them at appropriate levels.
Curriculum development is an ongoing process and the recent successful QAA subject reviews of
Computing and Accounting testify to our success in achieving this objective. There are many
examples from within the Faculty of excellent practice.
On the computing side, the use of common stage 1 units on undergraduate programmes enhances
student choice by allowing changes of programme after the first semester and changes of course at
the end of the first year; the courses offered within the provision support the diverse needs of our
student community by offering a variety of entry points (from extended degree foundation year to
MSc) and types of provision including those offering traditional academic development (BSc,
specialist MSc), a technician orientation (HND) or a skills orientation (FdSc). Where appropriate,
courses are accredited by the British Computer Society.
On the Business Programme, HND Business and BABA/BABS degree courses are clearly
vocationally relevant with good progression from HND to BABA/S, a part-time offering for those
mature students who are working and vocational links that are being further strengthened by
allowing full-time students on placement to acquire the Chartered Management Institute CPD
certificate. The Marketing Programme allows students to develop their skills in line with the
vocational mission of LSBU and students are able to learn and practice through the teaching and
learning process a range of skills demanded by the marketing industry. As an example, many units
use exhibitions as a form of assessment while other units develop presentation skills. To
complement this type of assessment, individual written reports and essays are used to help develop
appropriate writing styles. The marketing curriculum provides opportunities for students to
undertake museum visits, listen to a range of guest speakers and to become involved in ‘live’ case
studies, some of which are delivered by company representatives in class and used for seminar work
and discussion.
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Accounting and Finance undergraduate courses are closely linked to one professional body (the
Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA)) with a link to another pending (the
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)) and produce graduates who are also part
qualified accountants. The part time Accounting and Finance undergraduate courses attract students
already working in accounting who are seeking to enhance their career prospects by gaining a
professional qualification. In addition two foundation degree courses have been established in
conjunction with local FE colleges, which lead to professional body recognition.
At the postgraduate level the same requirements are made of curriculum design as at undergraduate
level. The faculty is sensitive to the needs of the market so that, for example, the Certificate in
Personnel Practice allows an entry route into HE and the profession for HR administrators who
cannot yet apply for postgraduate qualifications and entry to the MSc HR for those without a first
degree but with work experience is possible through a non-standard entry route – and experience
shows that these entrants perform as well as degree level entrants. On the MBA Programme the
curriculum has evolved to make international/contemporary management more central to the
learning and teaching of management and this now helps to drive the direction of personal
development within the MBA and helps to reflect management in a global context. Again,
professional bodies confirm the vocational relevance of curricula at postgraduate level, in the
examples given the appropriate bodies being the CIPD and the CMI. A further example is provided
by the Department of Accounting and Finance which has established a portfolio of degrees that both
build upon previous professional qualifications, e.g. MSc Accounting with Finance, and enable
students to gain exemption from the examined element of a professional body qualification, e.g.
MSc Corporate Governance offers full exemption from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators qualification.
Personal Development Planning is now embedded within all courses at each level (although this was
already the case for many courses). Much of the curriculum is embedded with learning that supports
student progression to employment or further study. There are a number of ways in which
employers interact with our courses and so confirm the quality of the provision and enrich the
curriculum and its delivery. Of particular importance are staff research and consultancy (a strength
of the faculty), engagement with organisations providing placements for students or
project/dissertation opportunities, involvement in course design and review and as employers of our
graduates. First destination statistics indicate that a high proportion of our students move on to
employment or further study thus strengthening our belief in the vocational and academic strength of
the courses. The faculty is prioritising student placements and work experience and a further
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To improve the quality
of the teaching on our
programmes and to
enhance the standing of
professional practice
within the faculty.
Integrating the activities specified in the
Faculty plan into the management of
Divisions will facilitate ownership of the
plan and support the delivery of its targets
in all areas.
example of the faculty’s linkage with local employers is the Lambeth Business Ambassador Scheme
(a collaborative venture between the faculty and the Widening Participation Unit) through which
students from the faculty work with local small businesses to provide advice and assistance on a
variety of business related problems. The faculty is keen to develop more and stronger links with
local employers and with the relevant Sector Skills Councils and extending engagement with
employers and the local community is to be a focus or our activity over the coming years.
Departments have not produced specific L&T plans but operate within the structure of the faculty
L&T committee. Targets relating to the provision of staff development and support in pedagogic
activity have been met and will continue. The L&T website is still under development.
Commentary: In addition to the university wide mechanisms for the enhancement of professional
practice (peer observation and appraisal schemes, engagement with the CLTHE course etc.) the
faculty has prioritised Faculty Fellowships over the last academic year. The Fellowship projects
have spanned the range of faculty priorities and examples here have included ‘The Development of
Non-Subject Specific Employability Skills for Accounting Graduates’, ‘Understanding and
Development of the Assessment Process for a Large Level 1 unit’ and ‘Developing On-Line
Systems for Postgraduate Dissertations’ which is seeking to extend BCIM good practice for the
management of undergraduate projects and detection of academic misconduct. The faculty sees
these Fellowships as a means of engaging staff with pedagogic research and encouraging reflection
on their teaching activity. In addition, at least one project is being used to seed further high level
research and this is to be encouraged since it allows staff to begin developing the portfolio of
pedagogic activity that can lead to promotion to Reader/Professor of Educational Development.
Work on the projects feeds directly into faculty activity via the courses and units (see example 2
above) or by enhancing faculty QME processes (see the third example above). Furthermore, a
member of academic staff in Accounting and Finance has recently been awarded a HE Funding
Council Fellowship to work with Prof Ronald Barnett of the Institute of Education on issues relevant
to curriculum development within that subject area.
In order to promote and disseminate learning and teaching experience and good practice (including
work carried out under the Fellowship scheme described above) the faculty has initiated a seminar
series in which speakers from among faculty staff and from outside are invited to lunchtime
seminars. These have been well attended and can be seen as a way of starting to initiate a dialogue
within the faculty relating to learning and teaching issues. Although this is relatively new, it is
hoped that it might lead to the development of a community of practice in learning and teaching
which would be an important development for the faculty. In addition, the faculty has started
publishing a collection of articles and research papers related to teaching and learning produced by
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BCIM members. This was well received at the recent QAA subject review of computing and will be
continued on a wider faculty basis.
The faculty learning and teaching budget funds expenditure for staff attendance at relevant external
events and conferences. For example, this year there has been a good deal of faculty interest in
employer links and work based learning related to foundation degrees. Attendance at these events is
informing new course design and enhancing the work of the faculty (and the university via the
Change Academy project group on employability).
The learning and teaching budget also funds a stream of activity running through the faculty staff
development plan. This funds activities hosted by individual departments or programme teams as
well individual staff development needs when they are identified. For example, this year
departments have held sessions relating to developing assessment good practice and programme
teams have held sessions relating PDP and PDP case writing and the supervision of postgraduate
dissertations. These are often facilitated by outside speakers. Assessment and student support are
clear priorities for both the university and the faculty and the faculty wishes to encourage more of
these departmental and group events as a way of encouraging wider staff engagement with learning
and teaching issues. A further example is provided by the Department of Accounting and Finance
who, in order to facilitate the teaching of International Accounting Standards across all courses
offered by Accounting and Finance, invited the Committee of Heads of Accounting to host their
professional updating course on this topic at LSBU. A large number of LSBU academic accounting
staff were able to attend.
The overall picture presented by the programme reports is one of student satisfaction with the
quality of teaching received and in fact the reports identified many positive features e.g. relevant
and up to date curricula (Marketing) and innovative assessment methods (HRM).
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