Ho e Edinburgh Napier DLTE

Today we are exploring the wonderful DLTE here at Edinburgh Napier University. DLTE recently won the best team, Service or Department award at the ENSA Excellence Awards.

Who are DLTE?

The Department of Learning and Teaching Enhancement (DLTE) aims to inspire and support the development of learning and teaching practices across Edinburgh Napier to enhance the student learning experience, as well as ensure that our educational provision and regulation processes are laid out suitably to meet sector benchmarks.  To quote DLTE:

”We are scholarly in our mission, with particular interest in:

  • the application of scholarship in the support of high-quality learning and teaching
  • the study, support and promotion of partnerships with students in learning
  • the appropriate use of technology to complement and deepen learning.

We are committed to enabling staff and students to thrive and succeed in our University and in the future.”

DLTE organises ENU’s learning & teaching conference, The Gathering, which takes place each summer, and this year is on Tuesday 18th June at Craiglockhart. The Gathering is a chance for staff and students to come together and share their experiences and build relationships to take a running start on enhancement based on the work of others.

ENhance

Additionally, DLTE works to further Edinburgh Napier’s curriculum Enhancement Framework: ENhance. ENhance is designed to support curriculum design and enhancement through:

  • ​Providing a shared reference point and vocabulary.
  • Giving a clearer structure to curriculum design and enhancement work, and the support on offer for this.
  • Facilitating more systematic sharing of existing effective practice.
  • Make internal expertise in curriculum development, from academic and professional services colleagues, more accessible
  • Support and encourage external sharing of effective practice.

DLTE put on webinars under the Learning & Teaching ENssentials banner. You can find details of upcoming training events on the Napier calendar.

DLTE have worked with a range of departments to compile longitudinal induction resources to support students in adjusting to Edinburgh Napier University and UK Higher Education, and these can be embedded into programme and module Moodle sites to help students to settle in without being overwhelmed by an influx of information in week one.

 

DLTE and Staff at Edinburgh Napier:

Through teaching and peer recognition, DLTE supports the development of staff approaches to Learning, Teaching & Assessment. The PgCert in Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education guides colleagues who are new to teaching in Higher Education to develop their practice with consideration of relevant pedagogical literature and reflection on their own identity as an educator at ENU. Participants in the PgCert can achieve either Fellowship or Associate Fellowship of Advance HE through this programme, as well as through ENroute, our experiential pathway to all categories of Advance HE Fellowship. The content from this programme has been modified to give a foundation for Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) who teach.

In trimester 2 2023/24 Dr Louise Drumm introduced the ‘Beginner’s Guide to Generative AI short course’, which uses webinars, online discussions and tasks to develop an understanding of Generative AI, its capabilities, shortcomings and risks, and how it may fit into the lives and work of staff at the university. There are plans for a student-focused version of this in the new year. Louise has led 3 phases of the ChatGPT & Me research project which seeks students’ anonymous perspectives and experiences around generative AI in higher education, and has presented on GenAI in HE at various conferences, including the Networked Learning Conference.

 

DLTE and Students at Edinburgh Napier:

DLTE are strong proponent of student partnership, through funding of Strategic Enhancement Projects. And support of student voice through research, Student-Staff Liaison Committees and collaboration with ENSA Sabbatical Officers.  Home to the wonderful Academic Skills team. The Academic Skills team help students to understand how best to approach university studies. Approach at every level and programme of study, whatever their previous experience or aspirations. They advise on fundamental aspects of the university, work including paraphrasing, academic, integrity, active reading and note-taking; planning and drafting essays and reports; managing large projects, and critical analysis and argument. If you want, you can book one-to-one appointments, find drop-in sessions throughout the trimesters or  or attend integrated Academic Skills sessions within your programme. Additionally, you can check out their own blog, which contains resources to help you with your studies