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International School of Sikh Studies | Single Staff Details

Staff Detailes

Teaching and Learning Strategy

1 Mission Statement – International School of Sikh Studies
2 Strategic Plan 2018-2020
3 HR Issues
4 Curriculum
5 Integrating Equal Opportunities
6 Quality
7 Aims and objectives of the Teaching and Learning Strategy
8 Implementation of the Strategy
* ISSS – International School of Sikh Studies

1 Mission Statement

• To achieve and sustain a reputation for teaching excellence that ensures a student intake in both quality and quantity

• To develop and sustain an image which reflects the quality of the teaching, facilities and environment of the College

• To support the above through efficient, cost-effective administrative structures.

2 Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan  sets out the broad agenda for the ISSS. The College Teaching and Learning Strategy highlights aims that underpin the vision set out in the Mission Statement. It covers all courses and programmes of study taught within the College.
This Strategy updates the  Teaching and Learning Strategy to include more recent developments in teaching and learning in higher education.

ISSS acknowledges that its location on Harrow provides many opportunities for:
• Developing diverse teaching strategies;
• Building multi-cultural learning environments;
• Forging links with vibrant local communities;
• Widening participation;

A distinctive feature of ISSS is its diverse student body. ISSS will work to ensure that the needs of students from all backgrounds are met and that they are encouraged to achieve their full educational potential. Likewise the College seeks to create a positive, inclusive atmosphere for students, based on respect for differences and is committed to preventing racism and discrimination.

The College’s diverse courses provide further scope to enhance the learning experience of students in most disciplines.

It is intended that each discipline in the College should implement the Teaching and Learning Strategy and develop their own action plans, taking account of the distinctive features of the discipline.

During the period covered by this strategy the College will respond to the national directive to widen participation in education and both institutional and local teaching and learning strategies will evolve to take account of a changing population of students with different types of experience and needs.

3 HR issues
The many changes necessary to fulfil the considered requirements for teaching and learning come through the recruitment and development of high quality staff and the admission of students able to do well and succeed in the College’s environment.

The College recognises that a sound and well allied programme of staff and educational development will be essential to underpin implementation of the strategy.

4 Curriculum issues
ISSS keeps under continuous review all its curriculum/courses to ensure that they are relevant to the needs of disciplines and to respond to market forces. The College encourages improvement and intends that its curriculum is kept up to date.

The requirements for accreditation and re-accreditation by professional bodies are also vital in shaping the model for the College to succeed.

Strategies that involve e-learning are actively encouraged where appropriate, through suitable channels approved by awarding Organisations and sanctioned by college for appropriateness.

During the period covered by this Strategy an important development will be the increased use of projector and laptop for the delivery of curricula in order to:
• promote flexibility in teaching and learning;
• widen access;
• provide alternative approaches to high quality learning by students.

One of the strengths of International School of Sikh Studies is the academic and pastoral support provided at course level through Course co-ordinators and the Student Welfare Officer. Local support and guidance is supplemented by a range of specialist central services which include personal counselling, welfare advice, and curriculum support in functional skills. A range of additional support websites are published in the student handbook.

5 Integrating Equal Opportunities

5.1 Excellence in Teaching and Learning

ISSS is committed to providing teaching and learning of the highest quality. The College has developed well proven course delivery assessed by awarding Organisations. In progressing this further the College will address race equality issues in teaching and learning through:
• Monitoring the development of progression routes into and through higher education, and into subsequent employment by ethnic group.
• Developing the race equality and diversity dimension of teaching and learning strategies and networking with other Institutions as part of improving quality.

5.2 Widening and Increasing Participation

ISSS aims to ensure that there is a more balanced social profile of students participating in higher education and that there is fair access. The College will further enhance its outreach activities to encourage and enable a wide range of students to enter higher education. In addition the College will aim to ensure that there is no racial inequality in access and there are no barriers to student progression in order to ensure students succeed.

6 Quality issues
ISSS quality assurance systems ensure the effectiveness of the Teaching and Learning Strategy. Policies are set out in the College Policies Handbook, which is revised annually and kept up to date.

7 Aims and Objectives of the Teaching and Learning Strategy
Promoting independent learning

7.1 To encourage students to become independent learners and to take responsibility for their own learning during their studies at ISSS and beyond as part of lifelong learning.

Through:
[a] Developing strategies for teaching and learning that cultivate approaches to learning.
[b] Promoting interactive learning with staff and collaborative learning with each other.
[c] Having access to resources that will support students as individual learners.
[d] Having appropriate and clearly defined learning objectives/outcomes.
[e] Recognising the role of the teacher as a facilitator of other people’s learning
Quality in educational provision

7.2 To achieve the highest possible quality in educational provision, as judged by the relevant internal and external performance indicators.

Through:
[a] Working within a quality framework that ensures that quality management is embedded as close to the point of delivery as possible.
Modern learning resources

7.3 To provide the best possible range of modern learning resources appropriate to the needs of students, staff and relevant to the programmes of study.
Through:
[a] Keeping under review all aspects of the teaching environment so as to provide the best possible teaching and learning to students.

Developing reflective practice and communication

7.4 To enhance in all students the development of powers of critical thought, reflection and the ability to express themselves orally and in writing.
Through:
[a] Enhancing the development of reflective practice as part of the learning process.
[b] Monitoring termly progress both formal and informal.
Developing student skills and employability

7.5 To encourage students to recognise and log the development of their own skills and be aware of the importance of these in the development of their academic and professional careers.
Through:
[a] Making the development of abilities and attributes connected with employability, otherwise known as key skills, more transparent to it students.
[b] Seeking to develop students by providing constructive feedback
Excellence in teaching

7.6 To deliver teaching by staff who have had access to initial training in the pedagogy of higher education, or previous experience, and thereafter opportunities for continuing professional development.
Through:
[a] Providing accredited training programmes for staff who teach students
Changing patterns of student participation

7.7 To be flexible so as to respond as and when is necessary to changing patterns of student need and student recruitment.
Through:
[a] Maintaining rigorous systems for course approval
[b] Reviewing the needs of potential students at various levels
[c] Responding to the current demands
[d] Encouraging new initiatives in academic departments which enhance the College through improved academic standards.
[e] Keeping the student recruitment strategy under review to ensure that all aspects of the College’s marketing, public relations meet the needs of academic disciplines.
Responding to the needs of stakeholders
7.8 To be sufficiently broad so that implementation can be appropriate to the needs of all stakeholders.
Through:
[a] Keeping under review the academic structure in the College which best fits education imperatives.
[b] Encouraging the active involvement of students in all aspects of the academic life of the College, particularly academic services (e.g. library and computing services).
[c] Updating policies on equal opportunities, complaints and harassment.
[d] Reviewing the fees charged for study at the College.

8 Implementation of the Strategy
Approval, monitoring and evaluation of the Action Plans to implement the strategy for the planning period will be the responsibility of the Academic Board.