John Stratford explained that the Learning Media Unit operates, alongside the Teaching and Learning Support Unit, within the Academic Division of the University which is headed by Dr. John O'Donovan.

It had grown out of the amalgamation of the former Television Unit (with its emphasis on production services), the Distance Learning Unit, and the Teaching & Learning Development Group (with their emphasis on advisory services) following the reorganisation of University governance carried out by the Registrar in October 1999.  The unit was originally called the Learning and Teaching Development Unit but this was changed to better reflect the unit's true capabilities.  However, the unit has been continually evolving, and with the addition of an educational adviser it is now able to offer the kind of services associated with a learning and teaching development unit.

LeMU sees its mission as facilitating the effective use of Communications and Information Technology (C&IT) in learning, but it is not myopic in its view, and acknowledges that student learning occurs in many ways.  LeMU also takes a broad view of C&IT to encompass the whole area of software applications, learning environments, sound, video, stills, and electronically generated graphics and animation that can be used to aid student learning.  Above all LeMU is concerned to ensure that the applications of C&IT is always informed by pedagogical considerations.  In other words technology is seen as a means to an end.

LeMU has recently recruited a programmer and an educational adviser and aims to provide an integrated service to individual University departments and individual members of staff.  The service operates at different levels:

• Immediate, over-the-counter advice is available to anyone who cares to ask for it.  The range of services can be seen on the website (http://www.shef.ac.uk/learningmedia).  LeMU would be prepared to offer advice with evaluation strategies, even if there was no technology involved. 

• Support projects.  Guide-lines exist for the support of small scale projects.  LeMU is centrally funded and if the Unit agrees to support a project its time and equipment is provided free to departments.  Departments can secure support for projects that don't quite meet the guide-lines by paying for LeMU to buy in outside services to work alongside LeMU staff and facilities.  This allows projects to be completed at a much smaller cost than if everything was bought from an outside supplier.

• Institutional projects.  The  Learning and Teaching Support Unit regularly invites bids to the University's Learning & Teaching Development Fund.  Not only does this process allocate money to the successful projects (for instance, allowing staff time to be bought out thus freeing academics from teaching duties) but it also allocates significant amounts of LeMU's time and resources to the development of the projects.  Once allocated this time is awarded highest priority by LeMU.  In the run-up to the bids LeMU provides advice to members of staff in the preparation of their bids, and then works in close partnership with all those who are successful.  Bids for the most recent round were submitted at the beginning of December 2001. [Results on the LeMU website ]

In answer to questions John Stratford made the following points:

• LeMU was prepared to offer advice on learning and teaching matters that had nothing to do with technology, but he pointed out that IT occupied an important place in the University's Learning & Teaching Strategy and that the use of C&IT in learning remained LeMU's main focus.

• LeMU was very happy to give the most elementary advice and, in fact, preferred enquiries to start from zero.  The Unit has an overview, could help generate ideas and could put enquirers in touch with people with similar problems and interests from other departments.

• LeMU would be prepared to offer advice with regard to research projects, though its remit is firmly linked with teaching, and enquirers might have to make some payment for the use of equipment.

• LeMU would help and advise with very modest projects where its involvement and use of technology could enhance the students' learning experience.  A recent project which involved producing an animated demonstration of the circulation of the blood through the kidney (for teaching) had had very positive consequences for the member of staff and his students.

• LeMU was also involved with the production of videos for promotional purposes through a mechanism that involved the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Phil Jones.

John Stratford was thanked for his illuminating talk.  The audience had not been aware of the range of services offered by the Learning Media Unit.

Tony Trippett