Following our successful launch event in July this year, LEADS (the Learning Enhancement and Academic Development Service) is delighted to announce a very full programme of CPD events for the upcoming year, writes Dr Matthew J. Williamson, Director, LEADS.

We have over 30 events scheduled for semester one, and many more planned for semester two. We’ve organised them around different themes, different ‘flavours’ of event, and we’ll also have monthly scholarship lunches.

We’ve designed these to support the changing needs of our University community, and we are pleased that Principal Anton Muscatelli recognises the role LEADS plays:

" ... it's our fantastic academics who really make the teaching experience here at Glasgow worthwhile, and [LEADS], through all the professional development that [they] offer ... play a crucial role in that."

Our CPD themes reflect the conversations we know you’re all currently having about teaching and learning at our University:

  • assessment and feedback
  • course design
  • internationalisation
  • scholarship
  • student engagement
  • teaching practice

Within these themes, our different ‘flavours’ of eventwill cater for different tastes:

•  Lightning Learning: Short talks by invited speakers on pre-arranged, topical themes
These will help you to find out how others approach learning and teaching, and give ideas to inspire you.

• Practical Practitioners: More practical events and workshops
Delivered by expert facilitators, these will give you hands-on experience that you can use in your own teaching.

• Reading Reflections: Journal club with a difference
Do you want to engage with the scholarly literature, but find you don’t have the time? We’ll start by watching a short video and then have a no-pressure conversation. Pointers to further reading will be provided for anybody who wants to delve deeper into the literature.

• Recognising Excellence in Teaching (RET): Accreditation information workshops
Find out about the formal accreditation available for all staff and GTAs at the University of Glasgow, and about how LEADS can support your application for Fellowship or Associate Fellowship.

• Sharing Solutions: Learn from the experience of colleagues
Do you often wonder how other practitioners approach designing novel assessments, satisfying student demands for feedback and the like? Do you have questions that you can’t find and answer for? Come along to our early morning sessions, grab a hot drink from our and chat to others interested in talking through these issues.

• Teaching Talks: Research seminars
If you enjoy engaging with the theoretical issues underpinning your teaching, come along each month to hear our invited speaker present their research and discuss topical issues.

If you want to engage in scholarship, either for the first time or as an experienced writer, LEADS staff will also be holding monthly scholarship lunches:

  • Bring your lunch and join us to talk about the various issues involved with conducting ethical scholarship, from writing an initial proposal through to disseminating the results and using scholarship for your promotion application.

Professor Frank Coton, Vice Principal (Academic & Educational Innovation), says of these LEADS events: “It is important that we provide the kind of support that staff want and need to develop their practice. This year, the CPD programme has more sessions and covers a wider range of topics than ever before.  I would strongly encourage you to look at what is on offer, identify what is right for you, and get involved.  Apart from the obvious developmental aspect, it is a great opportunity for you to meet and share experience and challenges with like-minded colleagues”

Have a look at the full programme and sign up.
If you’d like to see a particular event included, or if you’d like to offer to help LEADS to deliver a session, contact our Good Practice Adviser, Sarah Honeychurch

First published: 5 September 2017

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