The Learning Development team provides a wide variety of bespoke learning opportunities for students across Lancaster University, drawing on expertise in academic writing, English for academic study, maths and statistics, as well as discipline-specific awareness and sector-wide thinking. The success of the team rests on a deep commitment to collaborate and build trust; this is underpinned by the active nurturing of a safe space for team-members and their student partners to think, explore, take risks and innovate.
Strategic management has enabled Learning Development to expand in recent years, as the team has responded dynamically to university priorities and student needs. There are now 15 core members including the head, the administrator, three student representatives, three maths and statistics specialists, two English for Academic Purposes specialists and five faculty-based learning developers who provide contextualised writing and study support.
Members work with over 100 student partners employed in a range of mentoring and tutoring roles. From this base, the Learning Development team empowers students from all disciplines and levels to improve their writing, maths and language skills through programme-based teaching, open workshops, online resources, one-to-one appointments and four mentoring/tutoring schemes. The team has provided thousands of appointments for students via peer mentoring, have nurtured mentors to develop professionally, and have demonstrated agility and resilience in jointly and rapidly adapting teaching provision to online platforms. Engagement with learning development leads to high student satisfaction, improved grades and motivation and, in targeted areas, improved completion rates.
As well as empowering and working alongside students at all levels, team members work closely with academic colleagues and professional services staff in the UK and at Lancaster’s partner institutions around the world. This has led to positive impacts on student learning through proactive contributions to working groups, sharing innovative practice, and influencing policy to improve the learning experience of students. Recent successes include the creation of new guidance for students on academic integrity, the development of accessible maths and stats resources, innovative English language development opportunities, and scholarship leading to national recognition.
