A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Enhancing academic and Practice

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Glossary
L2 (of language teaching) A second or foreign language, learnt either in the classroom
or naturalistically in the country concerned.
Laboratory/practical class A type of teaching session, usually included in curricula in
experimental sciences, biomedical sciences and engineering disciplines, which is
broadly intended to offer training in techniques and learning how to carry out
experimental investigations.
Learning and Teaching Strategy What an institution, or parts of it, wishes to achieve
with regard to learning and teaching; how it will achieve it and how it will know when
it has succeeded.
Learning centre A centre to which students may go to gain support for their learning
(e.g. via computer-aided applications).
Learning agreement/contract A contract drawn up between teacher and learner,
whereby each agrees to take on certain roles and responsibilities (e.g. the learner to
hand in work on time and the teacher to return corrected work within a specified period
of time). May specifically concern setting out the learning outcomes the learner
undertakes to achieve.
Learning cycle Theory describing the stages of learning from concrete experience
through reflection and generalisation to experiment towards new experience, often
attributed to David Kolb.
Learning objectives See objectives.
Learning outcomes (Intended learning outcomes (ILOs)) Statements which define the
learning students are expected to have acquired on completion of a session, course,
programme, module or unit of study.
Learning style Used to describe how learners differ in their tendencies or preferences
to learn. Recognises learning differences; a mix of personality and cognitive processes.
Level (of award)/level descriptor Used to describe a hierarchy of learning outcomes
across all domains, usually L1, 2, 3, M and D. Most commonly follows classification
from QAA (Framework of Higher Education Qualifications – see web).
Licensing A term often used synonymously with accreditation, especially in Europe.
May also relate to a ‘licence to practise’.
Lifelong learning Learning from the cradle to the grave. The modern world requires
continuing professional development, constant updating and so on, irrespective of age.
Universities need to consider implications for credit, flexible programmes and so on.
Mathematica A computer algebra system.
MCQ Multiple choice question.
Mentor Apeer who supports and advises a new student or member of staff, helping him
or her adapt to institutional culture, acting as a sounding-board for ideas and
encouraging reflection on practice.
Mixed skills teaching/testing The integration of the four language skills (listening,
speaking, reading and writing) in tasks which replicate real-life language use (e.g.
relaying written stimuli orally, making a written note of a spoken message).
Module A discrete unit of study, credit-rated, assessed, and part of a larger awardbearing
programme of study.