The Learning Support Environment theme of the St Mary's Learning and Teaching Strategy focuses on:
- Empowering our students: greater involvement in evaluation and enhancement of programmes at all levels, including Foundation Year, Undergraduate, Masters and Postgraduate research students.
- Empowering our academic and learning support staff: through enhanced continued professional development, bespoke training on digital topics, access to digital content, and alignment with career pathways and promotions processes.
- Exceptional student learning support: improved central support for students, and enhanced training so they can leverage maximum value from key digital tools and platforms.
- Inclusivity: Providing inclusive access and increased options for students to gain professional experience both inside and outside the University.
- Learning spaces: Transformation of our learning spaces so that they support greater flexibility in delivery and more inclusive pedagogies.
- Student mentoring: Creation of ‘student mentoring hub’ and diversification of mentoring schemes/opportunities for all students, including Foundation Year, Undergraduate, Masters and Post-graduate research students.
- Wellbeing: Enhanced support for student mental wellbeing ad for students with disabilities.
Some of the key areas of work with the Learning Support Environment theme include:
- A new ‘One stop shop’ or HUB for students seeking advice or guidance on any issue.
- A new online Mentoring Hub and Mentoring Strategy.
- Expansion of the St Mary’s Award with students able to evidence achievement of our Graduate Attributes.
- Investment in additional Learning Development Lecturers, Programme Liaison Officers and dedicated tutors to support students who have English as a second Language.
- More opportunities for students to co-create and shape their own learning experience.
- A robust appraisal process that empowers our staff to focus on CPD via enhancing opportunities for professional development and ensuring that innovation and excellence are recognised, celebrated and rewarded.
- Improved learning spaces that support greater flexibility in learning (e.g. Hyflex teaching, Linked-In Learning).
- Improved student support for mental wellbeing, and for students with disabilities. Development of our post-graduate research student community.
- Continued investment to support digital equality.
- New ‘Study Abroad Outward Mobility Fund’.
A full copy of the St Mary's Learning and Teaching Strategy detailing further information about the Learning Support Environment theme can be viewed here: Learning and Teaching Strategy.
Alternatively, each section is available here: Secton 1, Section 2, Section 3, Section 4 and Section 5