LSBU appoints new Director to develop research informed teaching
London South Bank University appoints Saranne Weller as new Director of Research Informed Teaching and Marc Griffith as Head of Digitally Enhanced LearningDr Saranne Weller has been appointed by London South Bank University (LSBU) as Director of Research Informed Teaching, while Marc Griffith will join the University as Head of Digitally Enhanced Learning. Both will work towards research informed teaching and learning at the University, which will provide students with the critical skills to impact their chosen industries.
Dr Weller will join LSBU to establish and lead an innovative new Centre for Research Informed Teaching to enhance teaching practices and pedagogic research as part of staff’s continuing professional development. The Centre will also develop students as researchers, equipping them with critical graduate-level skills to contribute to developments in their industries or disciplines.
Currently serving as Associate Dean for Learning, Teaching and Enhancement at University of the Arts London (UAL), Dr Weller has extensive expertise and experience in academic development, teaching enhancement and student engagement. She previously worked at the University of Surrey and King’s College London, where she was a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education and Assistant Director (Accredited Programmes) of King’s Learning Institute.
In 2008, she was awarded the Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE) Newer Researchers Award to undertake a study on teaching observation. She is also the author of Academic Practice: Developing as a Professional in Higher Education, which was published last year.
As Head of Digitally Enhanced Learning, Marc Griffiths will lead the strategic development of LSBU’s IBM-delivered infrastructure to maximise its educational benefits for students. LSBU is seeking to improve its use of data on students’ learning behaviour to help them achieve academic success.
Marc has a range of experience in e-learning development, education management, and system development at UAL and the universities of Birmingham and Surrey. He currently serves as Head of Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement at the University of Derby.
Professor Shân Wareing, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience, comments: “LSBU is committed to providing a dynamic and supportive educational environment for students and staff. We want to develop institutional self-awareness and evidence-informed decision making to drive systemic change and enhancement to nurture our students to succeed as leaders in their industries.
“I am delighted to have Dr Saranne Weller and Marc Griffith come on board to help us maximise the potential of our digital learning infrastructure, and make better use of institutional and pedagogic research to inform our work in transforming lives.”