Teaching and learning

The University of Nottingham strives to maintain the highest academic standards, experiences and outcomes in all learning and teaching activities. A key part of this is the value that the University places on research-led teaching and learning that enables students to creatively engage with new and exciting ideas.

A major part of the University’s mission is to:

• promote scholarship
• provide students with opportunities to develop a wide range of skills that help them with the transition from University to employment
• encourage a lifelong approach to learning
• employ the highest quality staff to undertake teaching and learning support

The University has an international reputation for innovation and teaching and learning excellence and continually looks for innovative ways to enhance and promote the teaching and learning experience of its staff and its students.

Highlighted below are some of the teaching and learning resources provided centrally by the University.

Find out more about technology enhanced learning.

Pathways

The University of Nottingham’s Pathways website is designed to give students general study skills guidance and support. It enables students to think about how to study, learn and what to expect and prepare for their time at university. 

Pathways offers invaluable advice in key areas including:

•  what to expect in lectures, lab and practical classes
• preparing and giving presentations
• preparing for exams
• improving skills in creative thinking, essay and report writing and time management

The Pathways website also provides Infocasts. These are multi-media resources and tutorials to introduce you to library and information resources. Start to prepare for your time at university by visiting the Pathways website.

Pathway to Nottingham

Pathway 2 Nottingham is an online resource for international students considering coming to the UK to study at The University of Nottingham. It provides students from abroad with practical advice and information about what steps they will need to take to study in the UK and hopes to answer some of the common questions that students may have.

In order to make the transition to the UK and university life run as smoothly as possible the following topics are explored.

• Immigration and visa information
• How to open a bank account
• Accommodation options
• Registering for university
• Welcome programmes
• Studying: what to expect

Visit the Pathway 2 Nottingham website and start preparing for your study at The University of Nottingham.

U-Now is The University of Nottingham’s dedicated Open CourseWare (OCW) initiative, and is part of the Open CourseWare Consortium. Open CourseWare are collections of educational materials freely available, usually via the internet. It is a process of:

• sharing knowledge and expertise
• making aspects of an institution’s approach to teaching available to other academics
• making teaching materials and resources available to anyone with an interest in learning without the need to undertake any formal qualifications

The resources available show a range of teaching and learning activities from across the University that are drawn from a large number of the degree programmes offered. 

Take a look at the learning resources on offer by visiting the University’s U-Now website.

Promoting Enhanced Student Learning (PESL)

PESL – Promoting Enhanced Student Learning - is The University of Nottingham’s teaching and learning resource. It aims to spread good and innovative learning and teaching practice across the University, throughout the UK and beyond.

The University has a number of useful PESL teaching and learning websites for academics and lecturers:

• Teaching at Nottingham – staff perspectives on practice from across the University
• TeachTube – peer-reviewed teaching practice videos
• PGCHE – Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education for new lecturers
• Thinking about dyslexia – a staff resource for developing practice
• ePioneers – taking ownership of e-learning
• Video :: interactions – teaching and learning events using video

To find out more visit the PESL website.

Lord Dearing Awards

The Lord Dearing Award Scheme is a highly valued annual award which recognises the outstanding achievements of University of Nottingham staff in enhancing the student learning experience.

Each year up to twenty awards are made to individuals or teams who are nominated by students and/or Schools and Departments. Since the Award Scheme began in 1999 more than 100 members of staff have proudly received the Lord Dearing Award.

Learn more about the Lord Dearing Award Scheme.

The Hub

The Hub is The University of Nottingham’s learning and teaching newsletter. It is published each semester and aims to be the focal point for the learning and teaching community at Nottingham and promote the development and sharing of good practice.

Download a PDF of the August 2009 edition of The Hub and view previous editions on The Hub website.

University Plan 2007-2010

To read more about The University of Nottingham’s teaching and learning strategy download a PDF of The University Plan 2007-2010.