Task groups

To develop proposals for the strategic direction of innovation in teaching and learning at the University, and to make recommendations to relevant Committees or other bodies to take forward specific programmes of action.

Review of Academic Year Structure Working Group

Remit

To evaluate options for changing the academic year, taking account of the implications for the student and staff experience, as well as other practical and resourcing implications;
To manage consultation and communication activities regarding the review;
To make recommendations to Senate Learning and Teaching Committee, which would then make recommendations to Senate and other relevant bodies, and consult Principal's Strategy Group and other bodies as appropriate.

Distance Education Task Group

Continued from 2014/15

Grade Point Averages Working Group

Continued from 2013/14

2014/15

Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes Review Working Group

The working group will review the Code of Practice to ensure that it is current, accurate, relevant and user-friendly. It will also review the Code to ensure consistency with current practice and process, and consider equality and diversity implications of the Code. The working group will ensure the Code is consistent with University regulations and with the QAA UK Quality Code Chapter B3: learning and teaching. The working group will complete the review of the Code of Practice by April 2015.

Convener: Gale Macleod

Distance Education Task Group

This is a new task group which will support and oversee the mainstreaming of distance education within the University of Edinburgh.

Convener: Erin Jackson

Grade Point Averages Working Group

Continued from 2013/14

MOOCs Task Group

Continued from 2013/14

2013/14

Grade Point Averages Working Group

In October 2013, it was announced that the University of Edinburgh was one of 20 universities chosen to participate in a Higher Education Academy (HEA) pilot to investigate Grade Point Averages (GPA, the keeping of a tally of assessment scores, always scaled to a fixed scale). It was agreed in November 2013 that a Grade Point Averages Working Group would be established to monitor developments in this area on behalf of the University.

Convener: Antony Maciocia

MOOCS Task Group

This Task Group was established in March 2013 under the auspices of Learning and Teaching Committee to provide evidence and make proposals for a way forward with MOOCs. Areas for discussion in 2013/14 will include awarding credit for MOOCs, the potential for adding MOOCs to the Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR), and approval mechanisms for MOOCs, with the eventual aim of mainstreaming all processes.

Convener: Antony Maciocia

Resits and Supplementary Assessment Working Group

This Working Group was established to consider options for reducing the numbers of resits, particularly in the August diet, and providing students with an opportunity to address failure in a more supported matter.

Convener: Ian Pirie

2012/13

MOOCs Task Group

MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are online courses aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. The world of MOOCs is a rapidly changing one, and there are a number of potential opportunities for their use. There are also dangers and risks involved with any level of involvement. The MOOCS Task Group was established in March 2013 under the auspices of Learning and Teaching Committee to provide evidence and make proposals for a way forward with MOOCs.

Convener: Antony Maciocia

Task Group on Tutoring and Demonstrating

This Task Group was established to consider current University regulation and practice around tutors and demonstrators and other similar part-time / HTBN staff, with broad reflection on how to move forward with the development and implementation of new policies and practices.

2011/12

Task Group on Tutoring and Demonstrating

2010/11

Assessment Futures

To consider how assessment practices and processes at Edinburgh could and should evolve over the coming decade if they are to continue to be fit for 21st-century purposes. Beginning with Exams and IT, where the key challenge is to consider how to bridge the gap which has opened up between examinations, where scripts are to a significant extent handwritten, and coursework assignments which are predominantly word-processed.

HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Record)

HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report) is an extended degree transcript which also includes information on students’ non-credit bearing activities. The Task Group will consider what activities the university could sanction and validate and the content and style of the record.

2009/10

Academic and Pastoral Support
Enhancing Feedback

These task groups produced their final reports to LTC during academic session 2009/10.

This article was published on 19 Sep, 2019