LDHEN symposium 2008

Association for Learning Development in Higher Education

5th LDHEN Symposium: University of Bradford
"Learning Development: Who Needs It?"
17^th and 18^th March 2008

Keynote Address | Final Programme | Session Details

Once again, the LDHEN symposium was an enjoyable and stimulating event, with some 130 delegates enjoying the excellent facilities and hospitality provided by the University of Bradford. A full report of the conference will appear on this page in due course

Keynote Address - Professor Ray Land

Professor of Higher Education and Director of the Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement at the University of Strathclyde. Ray’s research interests include the theory and practice of educational development, threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge, and theoretical aspects of digital learning.

The 2008 LDHEN Symposium

Since the establishment of the LDHEN network in 2003 the phrase ‘learning development’ has entered the vocabulary of UK Universities, and is now represented in service descriptions, job roles, research projects and publications. This raised profile is in part due to the success of LDHEN members in their various academic and strategic initiatives, including the establishment of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning “LearnHigher”.

The distinctive approach of those adopting the term ‘learning development’ revolves around concerns to demystify academic practices and to work alongside students, helping them make sense of, and getting the best from, their learning. So we now ask the provocative question - does anyone ‘need’ learning development or learning developers? If so what is it that they really need? Students, university managers, academics and those outside HE are likely to have varying views about what this work should be. Notions such as study skills, personal tutoring, learning resources, mentoring and facilitation are all relevant, but this network has served to raise broader questions about how students learn - promoting inclusive and accessible practices in teaching and assessment, and an HE culture which encourages students to take part in and be empowered by their learning experiences, rather than be subjected to them.

Final Programme

Monday 17 March
Mid-morning onwards	Registration
12:30	Lunch
13:30	Keynote address: Ray Land
14:30	Parallel Sessions 1 (see details below)
15:15	Refreshments
15:30	Parallel Sessions 2 (see details below)
16:15	Parallel Sessions 3 (see details below)
17:00	Drinks Reception and ALDinHE AGM
19:30	Coach departs for Mumtaz
20:00	Conference Dinner at Mumtaz
Tuesday 18 March
9:00	Show and Tell Session / Poster parade (see details below)
10:00	Parallel Sessions 4 (see details below)
10:45	Parallel Sessions 5 (see details below)
11:30	Refreshments
11:45	Closing Plenary - with Liz Shrives, co-chair of SEDA
12:45	Lunch and Depart

Session Details

Day 1

Strand A:
Student Experience 1: Theoretical orientations

Strand B:
Student Experience 2: Practice orientations

Strand C:
Practitioner Development 1: Approaches

Strand D:
Practitioner Development 2: Institutional and Strategic Issues

Strand E:
Toolkits 1 -Student Engagement

Strand F:
Toolkits 2 - Contexts

1:30 - 2:30

Keynote Speech:
Professor Ray Land: Threshold Concepts and Learning Development

2.30 - 3.15

ALYSSA PHILLIPS,
JOHN ACKROYD
& ANN BARLOW

(University of Manchester)

Historical and philosophical approaches to university study and learning development