Publications

New Subject Centre eBulletin

This eBulletin is now sent to all members of the English Subject Centre JISCmail list twice a year. If you would like to receive it go to.

Subject Centre eBulletin no.1 March 2006

Welcome to our new e-bulletin. In this issue you will find the following items:

RENEWALS: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

2007 UPCOMING EVENTS

• Teaching Romanticism (London, 17-18 March)
• Employability and the Curriculum (Glasgow, 30 March)
• The Sound of English (London, 26 April)
• The Bologna Process (London, 12 May)
• Teaching Medieval Romance (Bangor, 13 May)
• Humanities Librarians Meeting (London, 17 May)
• Online Discussion Forums (Wolverhampton, 25 May)
• The Pedagogy of the Text (Gloucestershire, 26 May)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

• Miniprojects
• Study of Taught MAs
• Case Studies
• Teaching Sessions at Research Conferences
• Student Societies

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT

• Shakespeare survey-win a case of wine!
• T3: Teaching Topics and Texts
• 'Why Study English?' - Website Design

OTHER NEWS

• Staff Changes at the Subject Centre
• Teaching the New English (Palgrave Macmillan)
• DVD 'What Do You Do All Day?'

Renewals: Refiguring University English in the 21st Century

The Subject Centre's second international conference will be held at Royal Holloway, University of London, on 5-7 July 2007, with participants to include Alan Liu, Andrew Motion and Elaine Showalter. 'Renewals' will address English through performance, writing, rehearsal, technologies, pedagogy-all the ways in which students and scholars 'do' their subject. The deadline for proposals is 31 March 2006. Details of the conference are at http://www.english.heacademy.ac.uk/renewals/.

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Upcoming Subject Centre Events

• Teaching Romanticism (London, 17-18 March 06)
  This two-day event will explore the ways in which Romanticism is taught in Higher Education Institutions in the UK, both in papers given at the event and through an analysis of fthe results of a questionnaire sent to convenors of Romanticism modules throughout the country.
• Employability and the Curriculum: A Discussion for the 'Non-Vocational' Disciplines (Glasgow, 30 March 06)
  The notion of 'employability' is of increasing importance to students, to academic faculty, to HE institutions, and to their careers services. The purpose of this meeting is to bring together representatives of all these different groups to review ideas and practices, to talk through hesitations and uncertainties, and to create a forum for future discussion.
• The Sound of English (London, 26 April 06)
  This event will address the problems of getting students to talk and write confidently and knowledgeably about sound. The day will include an introduction to the teaching and research resources in the National Sound Archive as well as workshops led by Derek Attridge, Mick Short and the performance poet Zena Edwards.
• The Academic Implications of the Bologna Process (London, 12 May 06)
  This seminar will report on the latest developments in the Bologna Process and will explore some of the key issues relating to credit transfer, quality assurance and learning outcomes in the UK and across Europe. The event will focus on the Humanities.
• Teaching Medieval Romance (Bangor, 13 May 06)
  Courses on English medieval romance are often very popular with students and the genre itself enjoys a high profile-at least, in its chivalric, Arthurian manifestations-outside academia. This day conference will provide an opportunity to exchange ideas about the best ways to build on these advantages and to develop new teaching strategies.
• Networking Day for Humanities Librarians (London, 17 May 06)
  The second annual meeting for HE/FE librarians with an interest in the Humanities, organised in association with other Humanities Subject Centres. The meeting will provide a forum for Humanities librarians to discuss any issues of common concern and to share experience.
• Creating and Assessing Online Discussion Forums in English Studies (Wolverhampton, 25 May 06)
  This day conference will be an opportunity for English lecturers to demonstrate the diversity of current usage of online discussion forums within the HE English community. If you are interested in telling colleagues what you are doing or facilitating a session on a particular topic please contact Brett Lucas or Rosie Miles .
• The Pedagogy of the Text: A Symposium (Gloucestershire, 26 May 06)
  This symposium will consider the various ways in which we, as teachers of literature, present to our students the texts which we require them to read, juxtaposing different pedagogic models in an exploratory, practical, and open-ended way. Participants will include Simon Dentith, Bill Hutchings, Ben Knights and Philip Martin.

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Funding Opportunities

• A New Round of Mini-Project Funding (Deadline: 26 April 2006)
  We have opened a new round of funding to support departmental projects. Up to £5,000 is available for each successful project linked to one of the specified teaching and learning themes.
• Funding for a Study of Taught MAs (Deadline: 24 March 2006)
  We are seeking to commission a study of the provision of taught postgraduate programmes from any person or organisation with appropriate knowledge and experience. Up to £5,000 is available.
• £150 for Case Studies
  The Subject Centre will pay £150 each for 1,500-word 'case studies' describing innovative work by HE English teachers.
• Teaching Sessions at Research Conferences
  The Subject Centre can pay the expenses of speakers at teaching-related sessions within Research conferences. Contact Jonathan Gibson.
• Student Societies
  The Subject Centre can provide your department with a small amount of money to help fund English-related student societies and social activities. Contact Jonathan Gibson.

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Opportunities for Involvement

• Tell us about your Shakespeare teaching and win a mixed case of 12 bottles of wine!
  We are conducting a survey into Shakespeare teaching at undergraduate level. The survey will form the basis of a report and will provide the starting point for a conference to be held on 14-15 September 2006 at Stratford-upon-Avon. Everyone responding before the deadline of 31 March will be able to enter our prize draw to win a mixed case of 12 bottles of wine worth £100. The survey can be completed online. If you have any questions about the survey please contact Neil Thew.
• T3: Teaching Topics and Texts
  T3, our new interactive library of pithy teaching ideas, has been especially designed for hard-pressed lecturers. Subject Centre staff have contributed T3 entries on selected texts by Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Graham Swift and others. You are invited to submit entries of your own.
• Do you know of an English student or graduate who can create a website and would like to earn £1,000 over the summer?
  We looking for an English Literature/Language student or recent English graduate who can create a website to convey the benefits of studying English, to support the Subject Centre's popular leaflet 'Why Study English?' The website would be aimed at potential students and their families.

Other News

• Staff Changes at the Subject Centre
  Andrew Maunder, Academic Co-ordinator has now left the Subject Centre to return full-time to his post at the University of Hertfordshire. We welcome Nicole King who will be joining us as a full-time Academic Co-ordinator in April. Her most recent post was at the University of California San Diego.
  
  We are delighted to announce that Christie Carson has rejoined the Subject Centre to work as CETL (Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning) Liaison Officer. Christie has been charged with developing the Subject Centre's relationship with four CETLs that address ways in which students can engage with creative practice.
• Teaching the New English (Palgrave Macmillan)
  The English Subject Centre, in conjunction with Palgrave Macmillan, is publishing a new series of books devoted to the teaching of English at degree level. Each volume with focus on a single curriculum area and explore recent developments. The series will be formally launched on 28 April at the AGM of the Council for College and University English (CCUE) at St. Anne's College, Oxford. If you would like to attend the launch, please email. For details about the first three books in the series go to the New English page.
• DVD 'What Do You Do All Day?'
  A DVD showing a day in the life of a first-year English student has been produced by an English Subject Centre-funded project based at Bangor and led by Ceri Sullivan. Copies of the DVD have been sent to all English Departments. Extra copies may be ordered by emailing. You can read more about the rationale behind the DVD and view video clips on the project webpage.

If you have any questions about the contents of this e-bulletin or would like further information about the Subject Centre and its activities, please email Jonathan Gibson.

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