UWL Staff sat down clapping at the Festival of Learning and Teaching event
UWL Staff sat down clapping at the Festival of Learning and Teaching event

UWL and academic partner staff gather for Festival of Learning and Teaching to share best practice around assessment

Intro

Two hundred and twenty one members of staff from across UWL and 48 colleagues from academic partner institutions gathered for the annual Festival of Learning and Teaching on Thursday 6 July.

Main body

Two attendees at the Festival of Learning and Teaching event socialising.

The theme of the festival was ‘Effective Assessment for Learner Success,’ providing a space to discuss current challenges and share best practice. It also celebrated innovations and achievements in developing assessments and providing feedback to enhance student learning and experience.  

Attendees were welcomed by Dr Charmagne Barnes, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare (CNMH) who has executive leadership for UWL’s Centre for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT).  

Dr Barnes said:  

As schools we are committed to making sure that people who come and work at UWL feel empowered to be able to deliver on learning and teaching,”

Mette Anwar-Westander and Dr Jessica Frye at the Festival of Learning and Teaching

Dr Jessica Frye, Interim Head of Teaching Excellence and of CELT, introduced keynote speaker, founding director and CEO of Disabled Students UK, Mette Anwar-Westander. Dr Frye explained why Mette had been invited to share their experience and expertise in accessible assessments and the work carried out by Disabled Students UK.

Dr Frye said:

One of the areas that we have been discussing for some time is making assessment more inclusive. Our students have Individual Support Plans (ISPs), but we want to get to a place where our courses are inclusive by design.” 

Mette who is a master’s student at Birkbeck, said:

After leaving one university due to inaccessibility I then went to another. I chose a course that offered online attendance and allowed me to be assessed without timed exams and I have received a first in every module. By making assessments inclusive we can even the playing field and give all students the same opportunities in society.” 

The festival then gave the opportunity to 39 UWL staff to share contributions relating to assessment practice via 21 papers, 6 workshops, and 11 poster presentations, plus there was a further keynote address from Jamal El-Kalawy from the Students’ Union on student wellbeing at the time of assessment.  

The event celebrated the 62 Advance HE Fellowship awards made over the last 12 months, two at associate fellowship, 47 at fellowship, and 13 at senior fellowship level, presented by the Chair of the Board of Governors, Jennifer Bernard, recognising effective and high-quality teaching practice across UWL and partner institutions.

One attendee said:

The festival was informative and interesting. The series of papers and workshops on artificial intelligence will be very relevant moving forward.” 

Related news