student learningexperience

enhancing the Higher Education

The Higher EducationAcademy and SubjectNetwork

Who we areESCalate is part of the Higher Education Academy. As theUK subject centre for Education we are working toenhance the experience for students following HEeducation programmes throughout the UK. We workdirectly with those staff in universities and colleges whoprovide courses in education studies, continuing and adulteducation, teacher education and lifelong learning. Working in Collaboration

ESCalate collaborates in different ways with a rangeof organisations. We maintain close links withprofessional bodies such as the Universities Councilfor the Education of Teachers (UCET); The Forumfor the Advancement of Continuing Education(FACE); British Education Studies Association(BESA); Society for Research into Higher Education(SRHE); the European Educational ResearchAssociation (EERA) and the International Society forthe Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL).Strong partnerships exist with The Fund for theDevelopment of Teaching and Learning, phase 5(FDTL5), FDTL5 project teams, Centres forExcellence (CETL) and National Teaching Fellows.

www.escalate.ac.uk

“Subject centres occupy aunique position in theeducation landscape. Ourindependent and pedagogicallyinformed role makes us avaluable and trusted source ofideas and resources foreducation practitioners.”Dr Tony Brown, ESCalate Director

ESCalate University of Bristol, Graduate School of Education

What we doESCalate provides:� A regularly updated web site with a wide range of

downloadable resources and online event registration

� A wide range of education based book reviews on ourwebsite

� A focus on the student experience and ondepartmental needs

� An inclusive approach to collaboration with colleagues

� Publications, resources and events to supportdevelopments in education programmes

� A registration area for easy event booking and accessto further resources including the External Examinerregister

� Opportunities for networking with like-mindedcolleagues

The student experienceESCalate supports departments andstaff groups to offer the best possibleHE experience to their students. Wegive advice and support based oncurrent knowledge and understanding. We provide practicalinformation for departments and individual staff to use in thedevelopment of teaching and learning. We also provide a widerange of resources dedicated to students – a dynamic area on ourwebsite, publications and grants to help with research.

Curriculum DevelopmentWe provide articles and discussion papers on a range of topics tosupport teaching, learning and pedagogic development. You canfind information on recently published books through the bookreview section of our website. National, regional anddepartmental events are offered each year across the UK tosupport curriculum development especially through learningtechnologies. We respond to requests from staff-groups anddepartments for specialist in-house events.

Research and EvaluationESCalate promotes a scholarly approach to teaching, learning,curriculum development and the research-teaching relationship.We provide links to current research and evaluation projects andcommissioned research activity.

ESCalate Grant FundingEach year ESCalate funds three types of grant, Development Grants(up to £5K), aimed at supporting smaller projects focusing on awide range of curriculum based teaching and learning. ResearchGrants (up to £10K), for groups working to a given themed topic ineducation. Student Grants (up to £2k) to help students to kick starttheir research, enable completion of a project or extend learningopportunities. Dissemination of practical resources produced byand for the community is paramount. Ideally these includeworkshops, web based resources and scholarly publications. Allstaff and students in HE including those in FEC’s can apply for grantfunding.

www.escalate.ac.uk

Selected Links / URLs:� Initial Teacher Education

http://escalate.ac.uk/ite

� Education for SustainableDevelopmenthttp://esd.escalate.ac.uk/

� Grant Fundinghttp://escalate.ac.uk/projects

� Student Pagehttp://escalate.ac.uk/students

� ICS-HEhttp://icshe.escalate.ac.uk/

� HE in FEhttp://escalate.ac.uk/heinfe

� Publicationshttp://escalate.ac.uk/publications

� Resourceshttp://escalate.ac.uk/index.cfm?action=resources.home

Get involvedIt’s easy to get involved with ESCalate. You could:

� Register to receive bi-monthly bulletins, termlynewsletters and ESCalate publications.

� Attend an event

� Write a book review

� Suggest a short article on a topical issue for ournewsletter, bulletin or publication on the web

� Offer an example of good practice in teaching, learning,assessment or curriculum development

� Apply for funding through our project grants. We welcome applications from colleagues with limitedresearch experience

� Become a grant application evaluator

� Offer your services on the External Examiner Register orthe Expertise Exchange

� Invite us into your institution as part of your developmentactivities in teaching and learning

� Set up a SIG (special interest group) for online discussion

� Offer to moderate an online discussion of the month.

Check the website and click on “Get Involved” www.escalate.ac.uk

The Higher Education Academy

Uniquely, we:

� provide national leadership in developingand disseminating evidence informed practiceabout enhancing the student learning experience

� operate as an independent broker, enablingexpertise to be shared across institutions andsubject areas

� work at multiple levels – with individualacademics, subject communities, departments,faculties and institutions – because the bestavailable evidence shows that this is the mosteffective way to bring about sustainable change

� work across the four nations, recognising thedistinctive policy contexts and priorities in Englandand each of the devolved administrations inScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but alsoproviding opportunities to share expertiseamong them.

Higher education in the United Kingdom is renowned worldwide for itsexcellent teaching and research. The Academy’s distinctive role is to workwith the sector to enhance the quality of students’ learning experiences.

Our mission is to support the sectorin providing the best possible learningexperience for all students.Our strategic aims are to:

1. Identify, develop and disseminate evidence-informedapproaches

2. Broker and encourage the sharing of effectivepractice

3. Support universities and colleges in bringing aboutstrategic change

4. Inform, influence and interpret policy

5. Raise the status of teaching

www.heacademy.ac.uk

By the student learning experience, we mean everything to do with the quality of higher education from theperspective of the student – teaching, assessment, the curriculum and co-curriculum – together with aspects ofstudent support, management and infrastructure that bear directly on quality.

Email: heacademy-escalate@bristol.ac.uk Tel: 0117 331 4291

www.escalate.ac.ukWe invite you to participate in shaping ESCalate’s future direction and activity. Please contact us at: