Our broad remit from the Funding Councils is to improve the quality and efficiency of undergraduate teaching by encouraging the use of the new technologies in computer-aided learning materials. CAL make this an obvious innovative route to choose. The Consortium surveyed current syllabi and computer provision before deciding on the best means of carrying out our remit. We are producing a set of teaching resources which can be mix and matched by individual departments to suit their specific needs. The production of a set of high quality, flexible, interactive teaching resources Students and staff will not be expected to have any computing knowledge to use the material.
Modules have a common screen design and user-friendly interface.
Material should be suitable for introductory level in any given subject area. Modules should be capable of local modification, enabling insertion of text, images, datasets, and assessments relevant to the local syllabus. The teaching of transferable skills such as the use of spreadsheets and databases. It should be emphasised that we are not producing research tools or new computing programmes, but teaching and learning resources which will be accessible to all categories of student. Nor is the intention to replace lectures as a major method of teaching.