Teaching/Taught curriculum development, Watt Institution and School of Arts, Edinburgh

Watt Institution and School of Arts, Edinburgh formerly School of Arts, Edinburgh

Teaching

Taught curriculum development

Directors

Lecturers

Students

Curriculum development was initially shaped by the lack of instruction for tradesmen and workers in the sciences that related to mechanical and technical professions. The aim was to provide this form of education and therefore increase the skill and knowledge of the mechanical trades. This first took shape in the form of a prospectus in 1821. The first lectures given were on Practical Mechanics, Practical Chemistry, and Mechanical and Architectural Drawing. Later in the first year classes were introduced in Veterinary art, Geography and Astronomy. Students also organised and taught classes themselves in Geometry and the higher branches of Arithmetic to enable them to follow lectures on Mechanics. This group became known as the Mathematical Academy of Tradesmen and later became an established class within the curriculum. Prior to the Watt Institution and School of Arts becoming Heriot-Watt College in 1885, 26 subjects were being taught in the established curriculum. Occasional lectures provided support for this teaching.

Annual reports of directors 1821-1884/1885 Ref: GB 0582 HWUA SA 1/1
 

Promotional poster 1835/1836 Ref: GB 0582 HWUA SA 10/1/1
 

Minute books of directors 1836-1850, 1869-1885 Ref: GB 0582 HWUA SA 1/3
 

Calendars 1875/1876-1876/1877, 1878/1879-1885/1886 Ref: GB 0582 HWUA SA 4
The calendars provide information on subjects of individual lectures, new subjects and subject areas covered by the curriculum and the date of institution of the subject area , and student involvement in the curriculum.

Title of function/activity taken from Elizabeth Parker's Function Activity Model (report compiled for JISC). Function and activity description compiled according to GASHE's Standard for Creating Function and Activity Descriptions.