About TaLIC

Learning and teaching support centres, such as TaLIC, constitute a hybrid between an academic department and a support service.

We do provide a more standard service in the sense of helping to solve technical issues related to Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL). However, we pass on the more complicated infrastructure development and support to IT&IS. For the most part, we provide a service in somewhat the same sense as lecturers do to students.

Lecturers do not teach for their own benefit, so they do offer a kind of service. However, they do not just passively deliver knowledge to students. Lecturers and students form a partnership in which both must play an active role to be successful.

The relationship between TaLIC and our non-TaLIC colleagues must also constitute one of partnership to be effective. Hence, TaLIC’s mission is to work in partnership with Goldsmiths' staff, lending our support and expertise to the shared goal of excellence in teaching and learning.

TaLIC’s Core Activities

An important part of TaLIC’s role is to act as a conduit helping to bring together people from across the College to share insights and best practice in teaching and learning. We have four main areas of core activity:

Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy

We support the implementation of Goldsmiths Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy 2017-2021 by contributing to the development and implementation of college-wide policies and projects.

For example, we have co-hosted interdepartmental workshops on The Student Voice and Sharing Good Practice in Assessment and Feedback. We also took the lead in consulting on and drafting a revised Assessment Feedback Policy (PDF).

Continued Professional Development

We provide Continued Professional Development (CPD) in teaching.

For example, we run a 60-credit, M-level PG Cert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, a 30-credit M-Level Academic Practice Award (in collaboration with the Graduate School), a series of Graduate Tutor Training Days, and an Experiential Route to Higher Education Academy (HEA) Fellowships.

We also co-host with Media, Communications and Cultural Studies the Annual John Beacham Teaching Conference and organise one-off talks, workshops, focus groups and small group discussions such as the weekly (during term time) Lunchtime Conversations.

Finally, through the TaLIC Teaching Grants scheme we offer up to £2,500 for small scale and £5,000 for larger scale teaching and learning projects.

Technology Enhanced Learning

We provide support and guidance to staff in Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), particularly with respect to Goldsmiths’ Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), learn.gold.

For example, we run and coordinate essential maintenance and upgrades, offer help guides, workshops and drop-in sessions.

We also work in partnership with staff on projects to develop new digital functions such as online feedback pro forma (Sociology and Politics), online anonymous peer assessment forms (Psychology) and an online module evaluation form (STaCS).

Decolonising

We provide support and guidance on academic decolonisation, developing decolonized and pluriversal curricula, and anti-racist and inclusive pedagogies.

We aim to increase co-production with students and inclusion of student’s voices in decision-making, as well as increased collaboration with academic departments and staff, understanding decolonization as ongoing, collaborative and reparative work to advance social justice, academic rigour and fairness towards our Black, PoC and ethnic minority students and staff.

If you are interested to know any more about our activities or you have any other general enquiries, please contact decolonizinggoldsmiths (@gold.ac.uk).