Director of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate)

Role and Responsibilities

The Director of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate) will have delegated responsibility for the undergraduate affairs of the School and will play a central strategic role with regard to both existing and new teaching programmes.

In addition to interacting with the Head of School and the School Executive, the Director will work through programme co-ordinators and heads of discipline. Where there are significant resource implications, final responsibility must lie with the Head of School. Nonetheless, most operational decision-making will be delegated to the Director and he/she will in turn delegate detailed functions to the programme co-ordinators and heads of discipline.

Broadly, three main areas of responsibility are identified for the Director of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate):

• General management of the undergraduate teaching programmes.
• Promotion of best practice and innovation in accordance with the Report of the Working Party on Teaching and Learning (February 2003).
• Development of overall policy with regard to both existing teaching programmes and proposed new programmes.

General Management

1. Undergraduate Student Body - to have responsibility for course promotion, abridged entry, and advising the Senior Lecturer on the admission of non-standard applicants; to articulate the position of the School in student cases.
2. Programme Organization - to co-ordinate the timetabling process, including the confirmation where appropriate of core and optional modules; to appoint year/stream/laboratory co-ordinators; to ensure the production of course handbooks.
3. Programme Delivery - together with the Head of School and Heads of Discipline, to assign teaching duties and tutorial support; to ensure adequate teaching infrastructure.
4. Co-ordination of inter-School programmes - to have particular responsibility for the co-ordination of inter-School programmes, through participation in co-ordinating committees, liaison with Directors of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate) in participating Schools. Particular cognisance needs to be taken, in relation to inter-school programmes, of resource implications and the management of programmes.
5. Examinations - to take overall charge of all School examination activities including the submission of papers, nomination of and liaison with external examiners, scheduling of meetings of the Court of Examiners, publication of results; and representing the School at the Faculty Court of Appeal.
6. General administration - responding to requests for information from central College offices.

Academic Practice

7. Quality - to have responsibility for liaising with other School Officers in the preparation of the self-assessment and supporting material for quality reviews, and to have particular responsibility for undergraduate elements; to co-ordinate the representation of undergraduate activity in the context of quality review processes; to co-ordinate student course evaluations and ensure the provision of appropriate feedback; to ensure a system of structured student-staff meetings to deal with particular issues.
8. Teaching - to promote a scholarly approach to teaching including the development and use of teaching portfolios; the implementation of appropriate mentoring schemes for academic staff; the provision of advice and guidance to staff on these matters; and liaison with the Centre for Academic Practice and Student Learning regarding teaching and learning development.
9. Accreditation - overseeing the process of undergraduate professional accreditation as appropriate.

Strategic Planning

10. School Academic Policy - in consultation with the Head of School and the School Executive, to draft statements of curriculum/programme philosophy, balances between generic skills and specialist knowledge, and teaching and learning philosophy.
11. Programme review - to undertake a periodic critical analysis of the programmes offered by the School and make recommendations to the School Executive regarding appropriate action.
12. Programme Development - to co-ordinate the development of the School's undergraduate activity, in the context of the School's strategic plans. To assess proposals for new programmes or major curriculum extensions and to present proposals in this regard to the School Executive for consideration.
13. Liaison with internal and external stakeholders - to liaise with stakeholders including those in cognate Schools and in Schools involved in joint courses, graduate employers, State, semi-State and commercial agencies, and professional bodies.

Appointment

The Director of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate) will be nominated for appointment by, and will report to, the Head of School. The term of appointment will normally be two years, renewable for a further two, and commencing on the day following the end of Trinity Term of the relevant year. The Director will be a full-time member of the academic staff of the School and will be appointed from among those on the Associate Professor grade1 or above. Nomination for this appointment should be submitted to Council and Board for approval in the normal way. The Director will be an ex-officio member of the Undergraduate Studies Committee and the School Executive.

1Candidates above the merit bar on the Assistant Professor scale will be considered in exceptional circumstances.