Teaching and Learning projects

Our strength

The University is dedicated to staying at the forefront of new initiatives and developments in teaching and learning and ensuring that our well-deserved reputation for excellence is maintained and enhanced.

Find out more about our current teaching and learning projects.

Universities are dynamic and evolving places. That applies to the content of what is taught, as much as to the way it is taught. Hence it is vital that our curriculum and its underpinning framework are kept under review if we are to fulfil one of our strategic ambitions - that our students should receive an education that prepares them for life in the 21st century.

The FLAIR (Facilitating Learning and Teaching Achievement and Individual Recognition) scheme

Teaching excellence is a key component in the quality of our programmes and the richness of the students’ experience at Reading. For this reason it is essential that our staff are valued and that their commitment and expertise is recognised within a supportive framework for professional development.

The FLAIR scheme was created to give professional teaching qualifications to staff in academic and related roles, at a level commensurate with their experience.

How does the FLAIR scheme work?

The FLAIR Framework has two pathways: the APP (Academic Practice Programme) and CPD (Continuing Professional Development). Both pathways are accredited by the Higher Education Academy (HEA), the national agency for the promotion of teaching excellence in higher education.

The APP is for staff at the beginning of their academic career or for those with relatively little teaching experience. The APP is the taught route and consists of two modules leading to Fellowship of the HEA.

The CPD route is a non-taught pathway and allows experienced staff with no teaching qualifications to gain professional recognition for the work they do in teaching or supporting learning. The scheme also allows existing Fellows to apply for the higher levels of HEA Fellowship.

How does the FLAIR scheme benefit you?

As well as ensuring the University workforce is better qualified, the FLAIR scheme benefits both students and staff.

As a student at the University you can ensure your teachers are engaged and enthused by their subject, and have appropriate qualifications.

As a member of staff you will see recognition for your work and receive a relevant teaching qualification.

Since the FLAIR Scheme began in January 2015, more than 120 members of staff have had their commitment and experience recognised by the HEA.

For more information on FLAIR, please visit our website.

If you have a specific question, please contact David Carter, Teaching and Learning Dean.

Read more about the FLAIR scheme

Not only has the FLAIR scheme enabled me to gain professional acknowledgement of my work in supporting teaching and learning within the University, but I personally found the application process to be a stimulating, intellectual challenge, and a valuable exercise in reflecting on my current practices and how I can take these forward in the future.

Students listening intently, at desks in classrooom

Assessment and Feedback

The Assessment and Feedback Project (A&F) was created to improve assessment and feedback across the University and, in turn, raise student satisfaction.

How do we intend to improve student satisfaction?

To help support schools and departments in achieving the targets set by the A&F project, the Centre for Quality Support and Development (CQSD) offer a range of sessions, showcases and events to enable staff to share good practice and develop appropriate actions for their own programmes.

In early 2016, schools and departments reviewed their own practices, highlighted areas for concern, suggested improvements and developed individual action plans. In addition to these actions, key areas for development this year include:

Student engagement
Assessment literacy.

Students are more satisfied when they are involved in their programme, and academic and administrative staff recognise that students have a valuable role in ensuring they can achieve their potential through the assessment activities.

Assessment literacy is the understanding of and competence in handling assessment, feedback and setting objectives. Assessment literacy is for both students and staff and is built through student engagement.

What does improved assessment and feedback mean for you?

The benefits of increased student engagement and assessment literacy can help ease anxieties and outline exactly what is required of the individual, whether a student or member of staff. Effective feedback and the setting of objectives makes the next steps in learning clearer to the student.

For more information on Assessment and Feedback, please contact Dr Elizabeth McCrum, Teaching and Learning Dean.

Students collaborating and gathering round a screen

Student and tutor working together on a laptop.

Student wearing headphones and working on a laptop

Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL)

We live in a digital age where technology is part of our everyday lives, including our education. Technology can be used in learning, teaching and assessment to create an engaging and effective learning environment and to support students’ studies.

The University is committed to digital learning and our enthusiastic and dedicated Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) team and IT are constantly developing and promoting the use of new technologies to enhance the Reading experience.

Why do we invest in TEL at the University?

As a University in the 21st century we want to keep to date and to innovate with new and emerging technologies and explore how they can be used to support and improve the learning experience.

How are we taking TEL forward?

We are continually developing and expanding our range of technologies for staff and students, including those which support digital communication and collaboration, the online delivery of teaching content and learning activities, and online assessment and feedback.

As part of the Curriculum Framework we are constantly developing the curriculum and degree courses, ensuring they incorporate all the opportunities that technology offers. Most recently we have introduced new tools and specialised professional development and training for staff which has led to the widespread use of online assessment, marking and feedback.

We have created a professional development programme to support staff and help them develop their digital skills, make the best use of technology, and apply innovative approaches to their teaching.

We have created high-quality online guides and support for our students enabling them to learn and study effectively in the digital environment

We are recognised as world leaders for our Open Online Courses project which provides learning opportunities to a global audience.

Benefits to staff and students

Staff can use a range of exciting technologies to teach, assess and provide feedback to students. They have the support of digital learning experts in developing their skills and the curriculum.

Student have a modern, innovative and varied learning experience, accompanied by excellent support and guidance to help them be successful learners.

Read the University’s vision for Technology Enhanced Learning.

Meet the Technology Enhanced Learning team.

For more information on TEL, please contact Vicki Holmes, Head of Technology Enhanced Learning.

EMA programme

The Electronic Management of Assessment (EMA) programme closed on 31 January 2020 having delivered against its three main objectives: to enable a consistently good student assessment experience; provide an improved and supported assessment experience for staff; and reduce the administrative burden of assessment for the University.

The EMA website still contains a broad range of information and will remain online for a short time, as a record of the work is undertaken. To learn more, please visit the EMA site itself.

Blackboard gets better every year. This year, the support from the TEL team is better than ever. Questions are answered promptly and helpfully. You have enabled me to do things I did not think possible! You always make useful suggestions, as well. I really appreciate what you do. Thank you.

The Learning Gain project

The University of Reading Learning Gain project is a three-year project to test and evaluate a range of methods to help in the measuring of learning gain.

Learning gain can best be described as the distance travelled by students during their studies, demonstrated by their improvement in knowledge, skills, work-readiness and personal development between two points in time.

What is the Learning Gain project?

Our Learning Gain project is part of a larger programme of work to investigate the different ways of capturing educational outcomes and understanding how students benefit from higher education. Results from this project, together with those from other pilot schemes, will feed into ongoing debates about the quality and impact of higher education, and how we measure its value.

We will use a range of systems and instruments to assess what is the right combination for the measurement of learning gain. Using degree results; student surveys, the UK Engagement Survey (UKES) for instance; and CLA+ (a standardised test developed in the USA for measuring critical thinking, analytical reasoning and written communication skills) we will measure elements like student attainment, student engagement, student satisfaction, student wellbeing, and critical thinking skills.

Why do we measure learning gain?

The project is seen to have benefits for both the University and the wider higher education community. Ultimately, we will have a better understanding of what students gain in knowledge, skills, work-readiness and personal development during their time in higher education. This information can then be used to inform on new programmes, teaching practices, and improving the student journey.

For more information on the Learning Gain project, please contact Dr Amanda Callaghan, Teaching and Learning Dean .

Contact us

To find out more about teaching and learning at the University of Reading, please contact:

The Centre for Quality Support and Development (CQSD)

Email: cqsd-tandl@reading.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0) 118 378 7097

You can also visit the CQSD homepage for more information.

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