Page 55 - Faculty Handbook 2021-22

12.11. E-support for Faculty

To support learning by its students and provide better communication by its faculty, DU provides
two helpful e-platforms, DU SIS and Moodle, both of which are accessible through the DU Website
(www.du.edu.om).

12.11.1. DU SIS
Student Information System (SIS) is an online application to enable instructors to view their
teaching schedule, access the overall course timetable offered by DU, access and communicate

with the students and upload their attendance as well as assessment grades. It also provides,
among others, access to all advisees’ list. This application allows faculty to send direct messages
to their students and advisees on their academic status and progress. New faculty get their new
DU SIS accounts once their joining formalities are complete.

12.11.2. Moodle:

Moodle is an online interactive platform that equip instructors with class support and control
tools. Through Moodle, instructors are able to upload their teaching and supplementary material,
conduct tests, quizzes and assignment and grade them and announce them online among other
important functions. A new Moodle account is created once a new faculty completes her/his
joining formalities.

12.12. Center for Teaching and Learning

DU has a Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), which is responsible for conducting all in-house
professional development activities for academic staff. CTL prepares an annual schedule for

professional development activities, based on the areas for professional development identified
and communicated to it by the College Deans and the FP Director. This schedule is discussed and
approved in the UAC in the first week of September. Once approved, the schedule is published
on the DU website and circulated to all faculty members.

College Deans and FP Director identify, on the basis of annual performance appraisal results,
faculty members who need professional development to improve their performance. They also
identify, the specific areas in which the identified faculty members need professional development.
Areas for professional development are also identified through the end semester feedback
collected from students about instructor. These identified areas for professional development are
communicated by them to the Director of CTL.

For conducting professional development activities, CTL seeks help from the Department of
Research and the Community Service & Continuous Education and Centre (CSCEC). CTL also seeks
help from external training providers and expertise of DU senior faculty.

It is mandatory for the academic staff identified by the College Deans and the FP Director to
attend the relevant professional development programs organised by CTL or attend external
professional development programs on their own.

Dhofar University Faculty Handbook (2021-22) Page 51