ILT chief urges the learning technology experts to join

Learning technologists will be able to join the Institute for Learning and Teaching with the same status as lecturers, writes Tony Durham.

Addressing the Association for Learning Technology conference in Bristol last week, ILT chief executive Paul Clark said that criteria for membership would include responsibility and experience, including experience as a learning technologist.

Experience in planning, developing and teaching with electronic learning materials or with communication technologies, such as computer conferencing, will be recognised. There will be no separate membership category for learning technologists.

Experienced staff will be able to apply for ILT membership on the basis of a 1,500 to 3,000-word submission and two references. This entry route will be closed off in two years time.

"We feel we need to gravitate over time to a standard method of application for everybody," Dr Clark said.

The ILT's Learning and Teaching Support Network of 24 subject centres will be much better funded than the Computers and Teaching Initiative that it replaces. "It will probably have three times the funding," Dr Clark said. "The subject centres need to engage in all aspects of the pedagogical process in that subject."

More than 100 applications were received for the post of LTSN programme director by yesterday's deadline.