Our next #LTHEchat of the new academic year takes place on Wednesday 20th September at 8pm BST and is led by Sam Grogan (@SamGrogan) and Graham Holden (@GrahamJHolden).  It will look at “Most excellent – recognising, incentivising, and championing teaching excellence in all its forms”. Sam and Graham are the Directors of the Teaching Excellence Alliance Programme which has been established by the University Alliance mission group. This #LTHEchat follows their recent ‘sandpit’ activity in which 60 staff from across University Alliance universities came together to explore, demonstrate and celebrate the characteristics of professional and technical teaching at Alliance universities (#TEASandpit). This #LTHEChat is part of series of activities which are intended to explore, define and celebrate the unique identity of teaching in Alliance universities.

Their topic is drawn from Sam’s WonkHE article on this work:

‘It would be a sad, narrow world in which there was only one way to do things well – just one road to excellence. Students are diverse, and there are many ways to help them learn and succeed. Whatever your view on the current components of the Teaching Excellence Framework, there are few who would disagree that it is right to recognise, incentivise, and champion teaching excellence in all its forms. How do we understand what these diverse forms are, what are their defining features, and what makes them excellent?’

Sam joined University of Salford as Dean of Students in May 2014 and then moved into the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Experience in September 2016. Sam’s role at Salford combines executive responsibility for assurance of the quality and standards of the institutional academic portfolio and its strategic direction and characteristics, alongside leadership and enhancement of the wider student experience towards a holistic sustainable student success which prepares students for life. This exciting creative role sees him work with students and colleagues across the University and its partners to strategically enhance pedagogical practices, supporting structures, processes and systems aligned to a positive student experience and wider success.

Graham is Director of Learning and Teaching at Sheffield Hallam University and is responsible for matters relating to quality assurance, teaching quality and technology enhanced learning. Graham’s responsibilities include the university’s Inspirational Teaching Awards, co-ordinating the University’s response to the TEF and leadership of a number of institutional enhancement initiatives, including the University’s Digital Learning Project. His current interests include flexible learning and promoting and supporting teaching.

Together Graham and Sam are responsible for leading the Teaching Excellence Alliance Programme for the University Alliance. You can read more about this work here: http://www.unialliance.ac.uk/tea

The storify will be added here following the chat: Storify LTHE chat 90

See you Wednesday 20th September, same time, same place. 8-9PM (BST) 

The LTHEchat team