Officer of Learning Support

The primary responsibility of the Officer of Learning Support is to provide the practical support that enables students to learn effectively and to make full use of the learning opportunities offered by their programmes. The post holder is the Campus’s day-to-day point of contact for students who need help to reach learning resources, learning technology and agreed learning support arrangements, and works alongside Discipline Leaders, module convenors and teaching staff across all disciplines and at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

The post is responsible for the learning support that surrounds the academic programmes: the learning environment, students’ study skills, learning adjustments, and support for students who are at risk of falling behind. It does not maintain the student record, the timetable or academic data, and it does not administer assessment, examinations or results.

The Officer of Learning Support will achieve this by activities which may include:

•   Coordinating and administering the Campus’s learning support provision, so that it runs to schedule and students can reach it easily;

•   Maintaining the learning environment and learning resources on which students and teaching staff depend day to day;

•   Using attendance, engagement and progression information to identify students who need support, and drawing concerns promptly to the attention of academic colleagues;

•   Coordinating the learning support arrangements agreed for individual students, and tracking them to completion;

•   Acting as a first point of contact for students on learning support matters;

•   Contributing to the continuing improvement of the Campus’s learning support provision.

‍

MAIN DUTIES

Learning Support Provision

•   Coordinate the Campus’s programme of study skills and learning development activity: scheduling sessions, booking rooms through the Campus’s timetabling process, arranging online access, managing bookings, issuing invitations and reminders, and recording attendance. Sessions are delivered by academic colleagues or by appointed specialists.

•   Act as the first point of contact for students seeking learning support: establish what is needed, and direct the student to the appropriate resource, session, colleague or service.

•   Maintain a current directory of the learning support available to students, and make sure students know what exists and how to reach it.

•   Compile, format and publish learning support materials prepared by academic colleagues, and keep the collection current, accessible and well organised.

•   Support induction and orientation by arranging the learning support elements and by registering new students for the learning systems and resources they will use.

•   Gather student feedback on the learning support provision and report it to the Head of Academics.

‍

Learning Environment and Learning Technology

•   Build and maintain module pages in Moodle, the Campus’s virtual learning environment, to the agreed template and to the Birkbeck Baseline: Minimum Moodle Standards, publishing materials, reading lists and information supplied by academic staff.

•   Administer student and staff access to Moodle and to associated learning tools, including enrolments, groups and permissions.

•   Provide first line support to students and teaching staff on the day-to-day use of Moodle and associated learning tools, resolving routine queries and referring technical faults and system configuration matters for technical resolution.

•   Set up and support online learning activities and events, including scheduling, access arrangements, recording and publication, as directed by academic staff.

•   Check that the learning environment is ready ahead of each term, and report any gaps to the relevant module convenor and to the Head of Academics.

•   Support students and colleagues in the use of assistive and inclusive learning technologies.

‍

Student Engagement and Progression Support

•   Draw on the Campus’s attendance, engagement and progression information to produce learning support reports for Discipline Leaders, personal tutors and the Head of Academics.

•   Identify students whose attendance or engagement has fallen away, and bring them to the attention of the relevant personal tutor or Discipline Leader without delay.

•   Undertake follow-up contact with students as directed by academic colleagues, and record the outcome.

•   Administer student support plans agreed by academic colleagues, and track the agreed actions through to completion.

•   Maintain accurate and confidential records of learning support contacts, interventions and outcomes.

‍

Inclusive Learning and Individual Arrangements

•   Coordinate requests for learning support adjustments: gather the information required, prepare a recommendation, and submit it to the Head of Academics for decision. This post does not determine whether an adjustment is granted.

•   Administer the practical arrangements for adjustments once agreed, including accessible formats, assistive technology, and note-taking or recording arrangements, and track them to completion.

•   Ensure that any agreed adjustment affecting examination arrangements is notified in writing, in good time before the relevant assessment period, and that confirmation it has been put in place is recorded.

•   Support colleagues in making learning materials accessible, so that students have an equality of experience across the Campus.

‍

Support to Academic Colleagues

•   Provide administrative support to the personal tutoring system operated by academic staff, including scheduling, briefing packs, record keeping and follow-up.

•   Attend programme committees, progress meetings and other meetings as required, and supply learning support information to them.

•   Contribute to the induction of new teaching staff on the Campus’s learning support arrangements and learning systems.

‍

Quality, Records and Improvement

•   Supply learning support information to the Campus’s programme monitoring and quality assurance processes.

•   Contribute to the annual review of the learning support provision, and propose practical improvements for the following academic year.

•   Handle all student information in line with the Campus’s data protection and confidentiality requirements.

•   Contribute to strategies to enhance the overall student experience.

‍

Scope of the post

This is a single post at launch, supporting the launch portfolio of programmes and the first cohort of students. Where duties compete, particularly in the weeks around the start of each term, priorities are set by the Head of Academics. The scope and staffing of the learning support function will be reviewed as student and module numbers grow, and further posts may be established as the Campus scales.

The above list of duties is not exhaustive and is subject to change. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties within the scope and grading of this post, and will also undertake such other duties in this area of work as may be advised by the Provost from time to time, including duties not listed in this document.

‍

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND CONTACTS

•   Report to the Provost initially, and to the Head of Academics once that post is appointed, on all matters relating to this post.

•   Work daily with Discipline Leaders, module convenors and teaching staff to establish what learning support each module and programme requires, and how and when it will be provided.

•   Work with colleagues across the Campus’s academic administration, examinations, student services, information technology and library functions, keeping within the scope of this post and passing matters on promptly where they belong elsewhere.

•   Build approachable and trusted working relationships with students across all programmes and year groups, so that those who need help are willing to ask for it.

•   Act as a responsible team member and develop productive working relationships with other members of staff.

•   Liaise with external suppliers of learning resources, learning systems and assistive technology, as directed.

•   Manage own workload and administrative activities, with guidance if required, and agree priorities with the line manager when demands compete.

‍

STUDENT CONTACT AND REFERRAL

•   Use listening, interpersonal and pastoral care skills when dealing with students who are anxious or struggling, and respond in a way that is patient, practical and confidential.

•   Pass enquiries that fall outside learning support, including those about timetabling, programme records, assessment, examinations and results, promptly to the relevant colleague, and tell the student where the enquiry has gone.

•   Refer students to alternative sources and services for providing further help as appropriate, including wellbeing, disability, financial and immigration support.

•   Escalate any concern about a student’s welfare or safety immediately, in line with Campus procedures.

•   Recognise the limits of the post: it does not provide counselling, academic advice, teaching or assessment.

PERSON SPECIFICATION