Anthony Turjansky : Learning and Teaching Fellowship Profile

Background/professional and/or academic origins

I manage the operation of the University’s Academic Quality Unit which develops and operates Institutional processes for the planning, approval and monitoring of all taught provision. This involves working closely with Faculties, academic departments and academic-related services to ensure that academic standards are being met and that the quality of students’ learning opportunities are maintained and enhanced.

I have worked in higher education since 1999 and was a senior lecturer and programme leader in Edge Hill’s Department of Media until 2005. From 1997 to 1999 I was a lecturer in the FE sector and between 1978 and 1997 I worked for the BBC in a variety of roles including sound technician, television director, radio presenter and producer and latterly, as manager of the BBC’s radio service for Western Europe.

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Member of the Council of Validating Universities National Executive and a Director of the Northern Universities Consortium for Credit Accumulation and Transfer. I am also a member of the Association of University Administrators and the National Union of Journalists.

Academic and research interests

I have collaborated with colleagues in Teaching and Learning Development and the Academic Quality Unit on a number of journal papers and conference presentations on the broad themes of curriculum development, assessment and quality enhancement. I am currently working on a conference presentation around the commodification of higher education and the impact of the Browne Review of HE funding on students’ expectations of quality.

Fellowship foci for 2010-11

The professional network of the Fellowship provides opportunities and scope for academic research and publication that lie outwith my substantive role. It also enables me to evaluate the impact of academic quality systems on front-line teaching which in turn helps inform the future development of Edge Hill’s quality management strategy.

During 2010/11 I shall build on the work I have already done in setting up a web-based Directory of Good Practice to align it with the creation of a repository of teaching support materials being developed by Teaching and Learning Development in connection with the University’s Undergraduate Degree Framework. I also intend to continue my ongoing research into assessment practice, focussing in particular on the correlation between level, learning outcomes and assessment criteria in measuring student learning.

Other 'Academic' Information

During 2010-11 I shall be working with colleagues on a Higher Education Academy-sponsored programme (EQUIP) related to achieving quality improvement in teaching and learning. I have also provided ongoing consultancy to the University of Johannesburg, SA.

Contact:

E:  turjana@edgehill.ac.uk
T:  01695 584375