These minutes are for information only. Any corrections to the minutes will be recorded in the minutes of the subsequent meeting of the committee. SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES LANGUAGES AND CULTURES FACULTY LEARNING AND TEACHING COMMITTEE MINUTES Wednesday 22 April, 2009 The Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching Dr Lutz Marten (Chair) Dr Whitney Cox Mr Mark Edmonds* Dr Bernhard Fuehrer Ms Gao Wanli* Professor Drew Gerstle Dr Griseldis Kirsch Dr Defeng Li* Dr Kwadwo Osei-Nyame* Mr Mohammad Said Professor Colin Shindler Dr David Smyth Dr George Zhang* PG Student Representative (not yet elected)* In attendance: Ms Lisa McSweeney, Mr Nicholas Page, Ms Jo Eastlake, Mr Yousef Omar. Those members whose names are marked with an asterisk were unable to be present. 34. Minutes The minutes of the previous meeting were APPROVED. 35. Matters arising Minute 26. The FAQ s for students entering Year 2 of their degree will be ready for May s meeting. Minute 27. The Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (Masters) is putting together a list of 6 topics for MA students on language acquisition courses. This should be ready for the May meeting. 36. Proposals for New Programmes and Programme Amendments Certificate in Armenian (new) The committee welcomed this new certificate proposal. It is a new initiative at SOAS and it has been made possible by a very generous grant from an outside benefactor. Two specialists in Armenian Studies have been employed to teach on this certificate and they have been instrumental, along with the Head of Department (NME) in putting this certificate together. The committee scrutinised Part 1 and Part 2 of this proposal. A few items required were missing namely: 1
written comment and academic assessment of the programme from outside SOAS written approval and the name of the course(s) available for this certificate from SSEES missing information on a number of questions to be completed by the Head of Department. The committee did NOT APPROVE this proposal but looked forward to seeing the complete programme proposal at the May meeting. Japanese Studies Programme (amendment) It was pointed out by the member from Registry that the version that was worked on by the department was not the final agreed version of the Japanese Studies programme passed by LTQC and held by Registry, highlighting again the need for a programme proposal tracking system and final version implementation. This would need to be brought to the attention of the LTQC secretary. However this problem did not affect the request for the change and this was APPROVED by the committee. Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy (Masters) (amendment) The programme convenor was concerned about the GTA training that FLTC recommended as a requirement for students of this programme from September 2009. The convenor has the opinion that the programme and course named above will be sufficient training for the MA students to teach under supervision, to SOAS undergraduates. However, the committee withheld its earlier decision to ensure that the GTA training is taken by all part-time teachers teaching on courses at SOAS, and the proposed amendment was NOT APPROVED. The committee did agree that the convenor of the above programme should discuss with the LTU and staff development the content of this programme. If staff development found this course to be as proficient as the GTA training then perhaps an exemption could be make for students on this course, provided that a clear explanation was available to FLTC which aspects of the MA programme constitute the substitution for the GTA training, and at what point in their studies students would have completed these aspects. Another concern was that of timetabling for the GTA course. It was the opinion of the committee that the SOAS GTA course could be taking as a pre-sessional training course, or one offered early in the academic year, to ensure that requisite training had been completed before any of the students in the MA would undertake teaching. The committee agreed to consider this again in 2010. The second part of this programme for amendments to the pathways was APPROVED. Postgraduate Certificate by Portfolio in Teaching Languages of the Wider World This programme proposal was welcomed by the committee and discussed at length. Since this programme proposal was submitted various changes have incorporated into the document. The updated version of this programme, free of clerical and orthographic mistakes, should be submitted to the FLTC secretary for file and the amended Part 1 version should be sent to Faculty Board for consideration. It was agreed that the two courses should be set at postgraduate level. The committee asked for further clarification with regard to the weighting of the two courses of the programme for the purpose of degree classification, and recommended that candidates should achieve the relevant result in both courses. The committee also recommended that the proposers provide a short statement on how the different comments from external recommendations have been addressed. The committee APPROVED this programme subject to 2
the queries raised being addressed. 37. Proposals for New Courses and Course Amendments To approve: New Course proposals and course amendments Undergraduate Courses Proposals Elementary Western Armenian: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 18: Name(s) of the convenor/teacher Section 22: Should read 22 weeks Section 20: Should read NO Section 23: Committee recommended 70%/20%/10% assessment Introduction to Armenian History: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 7: Should read Year 1. Section 12: Delete Advanced Section 21: Should read NO Section 22: Feedback on distance learning element will be required at the end of the first year. Should be sent to A&H to note only. Introduction to Armenian Culture: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 7: Should read Year 1. Section 23 (d): Should read NO Introduction to Armenian Literature: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 1: Name(s) of the course should read Introduction to Armenian Literature in translation. Section 18: Name(s) of the convenor/teacher Section 23: Committee recommended 60%/30%/10% assessment Section 23 (d): Should read NO Section 24: Change wording Elementary Qur anic Arabic: This course was NOT APPROVED due to the Section 8: Cannot be core Section 15: Overlap query with Arabic 100 Intermediate Japanese 1: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 13: Should read supercedes Intermediate Japanese. Intermediate Japanese 2: This course was APPROVED. 3
ISP in Tibetan Language and Literature (using language sources): This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 11: Remove text ISP in Arabic Studies (using language sources): This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 6: Should include BA Arabic, BA Arabic and Islamic Studies Section 11: Text added The other Korea: North Korea since 1945: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 6: Floater Section 20: EAA query. This should be brought to the attention of the Faculty Management Board Section 21: Check quorum Section 23: Suggest 70%/30% as not a beginners course Section 25: Remove comments from the reading list Should be sent to A&H to note only. Thai Cultural Studies 1: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 14: No pre-requisites Section 21: No quorum The title of this course and the proposed Thai Cultural Studies 2 should be changed, as the two courses do not constitute a progression they are taken by different cohorts of students. Thai Cultural Studies 1 could be named Thai Cultural Studies and Thai Cultural Studies 2, for example, Thai Cultural Discourses, to make clear that the two courses belong to two different programmes. Thai Cultural Studies 2: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 21: Should read NO Section 23: Can this be done in Thai? Section 24: Query should be more Thai original script The title of this course and the proposed Thai Cultural Studies 1 should be changed, as the two courses do not constitute a progression they are taken by different cohorts of students. Thai Cultural Studies 1 could be named Thai Cultural Studies and Thai Cultural Studies 2, for example, Thai Cultural Discourses, to make clear that the two courses belong to two different programmes. Thai Cultural Texts: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 14: Thai Language 1 Section 21: Quorum should read NO. Section 23(g): Should read NO. 4
Section 25: Extra description of readings needed. Thai Language 1: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 21: Should read NO Section 8: Review of degrees delete BA SEA Studies Section 24: Learning outcome 3 not tested Add 3 to Paragraph 1 and 2 Thai Language 2: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 8: Review of degrees delete BA SEA Studies Section 23(c): Should read YES Thai Language 3: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 23(c): Should read YES Thai Language 4: This course was NOT APPROVED due to the Section 11: Learning outcomes should be more ambitious as this is a final year and a follow on course from Thai Language 3. Section 12: Should reflect 11 further advanced Section 23 (c): Should read YES Section 24: Double check and perhaps make it core for final year students. Extended Essay in Thai (A): This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 14: Title of pre-requesite Extended Essay in Thai (B): This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 14: Title of pre-requesite Indonesia on Screen: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 4: CATS level 3 Section 14: Clarify or remove Khmer (Cambodian) Language 1: This course was NOT APPROVED due to the Section 15: Does this course supercede BASIC KHMER? If not what is the rationale for keeping them both? Section 24: More evidence needed for section 11 and 23 Section 16: PG Version? Section 23: Query Language in SEA: This course was NOT APPROVED due to the 5
Section 7 and Section 8: What year is it core? Section 11: More needed Section 12: Typo Section 13: Typo Section 23(d): Student presentations how will these be timetabled to facilitate 16 students? Section 24: How does it address the learning outcomes? Postgraduate Courses Proposals Cultural Studies and the Studies of Asia and Africa: This course was APPROVED. Tibetan Linguistics and Language Pedagogy : This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 14: Week 7 Field Methods: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 13: ½ hour? Examining methods: Word count too high lower to maximum of 10,000 suggest reducing essay 1 4 to 1,500 and the final essay to 4,000. Translation Technology: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 7: Answer needed Section 16: Check that resources can be met by IT. Modern Palestinian Literature (postgraduate): This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 16: Remove name of student. Insert Stefan Sperl and EAA instead. Section 14: 50%/25%/25% or 60%/20%/20% Section 13: 2 + 1 The amount of Arabic language needed also needs clarification. MA Syntax: This course was NOT APPROVED due to the Section 1: The title should read Syntax (Masters) Section 5: Delete 1 Section 14: Clarify essay resubmission Section 4(a): Comp Change to syllabus will be needed to list this course. Chinese Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 13: Clearer workload description needed. Korean Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy: This course was APPROVED subject to 6
the It should have been submitted on an amendment form. Section 13: Clarify Teaching Languages of the Wider World: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 12: Delete Section 14: Dates to be more Section 4(a): po- delete Section 15: Model for other rationale Teacher as language learner: This course was APPROVED subject to the Section 1: Change of title The Teacher as language learner. Section 12: More specific details re the language learning component of the course: whether learning a language is part of the course, whether this needs to be an ab-initio language course, how many hours and weeks students spent in language acquisition classes (as learners), whether there are restrictions on the language learned, whether this is included in the course fees. Postgraduate Courses Amendment(s) Language Pedagogy: The amendment to this course was APPROVED. Undergraduate Courses Amendment(s) Morphology: The amendment to this course was APPROVED. Chinese 104: Introduction to Classical Chinese: The amendment to this course was APPROVED Sufism: Studies in the mystical dimensions of Islam: The amendment to this course was APPROVED Readings in Classical Arabic Historians: The amendment to this course was APPROVED. Perspectives on African Experience: The amendment to this course was APPROVED for the academic year 2008-09 only. The committee would like to see this amendment with the following changes for the academic year 2009-10. The Group needs more definite description. The overall assessment must be looked at for 2010 onwards Would like more essays/less on group presentation. Ready for next meeting to be held in May 2009. Option 1: 40% - 1 essay/ 25%/25% 1,500 2,500 word essays/group presentation 10%. (This will not be recorded as it is less than 10%). Modern Bengali Texts. The amendment to this course was APPROVED subject to the 7
Student signatures needed. Issues in post-war Japanese society: The amendment to this course was APPROVED. The committee noted that the number of degree programmes in SEA was exceedingly high, and that some programmes overlap in content. It was recommended that this was reviewed, and a model of Named Language for four-year degrees, and Studies for three-year degrees (with the exception of SEA Studies (including year abroad) degree) should be adopted., taking the programme offerings in South Asia as a model. The committee also noted that revised syllabi of the degrees affected by the new Thai course proposals need to be devised. The course proposals B33 to B80 will be discussed by a working group consisting of the ADLT, AD (Masters), Head of Registry, Secretary L&C FLTC. Chair s action will be taken on these proposals and reported back to this committee in the May meeting. 38. Programme Reviews Report To note: A report on UG programmes A report on annual programme reviews for UG programmes 2007/08 was presented to the committee by the Dean for Learning and Teaching. This report was NOTED. 39. Suspension of Regulations To note: A suspension of regulations with regard to student 232715 This suspension of regulation was reported to the committee and was duly NOTED. 40. Library Access for students interrupting studies To note: Guidance for student access to library A paper on library access for students interrupting their studies was presented to the committee. This paper was NOTED. 41. ISP Guidelines To approve draft guidelines on ISP referencing and citations The guidelines for faculty ISP s were presented to the committee and APPROVED. These guidelines should be printed in the faculty handbook and be made available on the website. It was agreed that a similar set of guidelines would be prepared for MA dissertations. The committee expressed it appreciation for the work undertaken by Dr Griseldis Kirsch who undertook this task. 42 Off site Health and Safety documents To note: Off site Health and Safety documents 43 AOB These documents were presented to the committee and were duly NOTED. 8