New Trends in T Teaching

Transcription

1 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Befre we start Think abut smene whm yu fund t be a gd teacher. What made their teaching particularly effective? Page 1 f 23

2 Sessin One: Starting Teaching: Hpes and Fears Any new undertaking brings with it a range f hpes and fears. In the fllwing tasks we will explre yur current feelings abut teaching. In additin t sharing yur expectatins, we will discuss hw yu can maximise the pprtunity f them being realised. In sharing yur fears, yu are likely nt nly t realise yu are nt alne in having such cncerns, but als identify practical steps t minimise them. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Task 1. Wrking by yurself Use the feedback table verleaf t list things: yu like r are lking frward t in teaching; and yu are apprehensive abut in teaching. Yu have 5 minutes t brainstrm yur list. Task 2. Wrking in small grups Share yur list with yur small grup. Assemble a cmpsite list. Yu will have abut 15 minutes t d this. Task 3. Reprting back Reprt back t the whle grup and discuss the pints raised. Page 2 f 23

3 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Feedback Issues Ntes (include slutins and ther issues yur grup discusses) Things yu like r are lking frward t in teaching Things yu are apprehensive abut in teaching Page 3 f 23

4 Sessin Tw: Perceptins f Teaching We all carry with us cllectins f ideas abut persnal and scial phenmena. With reference t teaching, these ideas are synthesised frm ur experiences f having been taught, and f being teachers, and are underpinned by general understandings frm the scieties we have lived in r experienced. These ideas are s clse t us that they ften seem t be natural r bvius, and thus t sme extent un-cntestable. Hwever, these ideas structure the way we apprach ur teaching. We understand urselves better by lking at the nature f ur wn precnceptins, and in s ding we make it pssible t enlarge ur stck f ideas and see things in different ways. The exercise belw is a chance t lk at ur precnceptins bth individually and as a grup. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Imagine yu are ging int the first meeting with a grup, and yu re wearing a T-shirt that has a slgan n the frnt telling the grup what they can expect frm yur teaching, r what they can expect t get ut f the class. What wuld yur slgan be? Use this space t jt dwn ther slgans yu wuld (r perhaps wuld nt) cnsider using. Page 4 f 23

5 Sessin Three: Teaching in Practice 1: Ingredients f Effective Large-grup Teaching Lecturing t large grups represents a particularly sharp challenge fr many new teachers and many quite experienced nes! The range f matters t be cnsidered in lecturing effectively is very wide. We tend t think f ur cmmand ver the material first, but there are ther imprtant issues t cnsider. It is these issues ther than cntent that we are cnsidering tday. Let s start frm what yu already knw abut gd and bad lecturing. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Task 4. Characteristics f a bad lecture Yu have all sat thrugh enugh bad lectures. What is it that makes them dull and/r ineffective? Make sme ntes belw, then discuss in small grups. Ntes If we re asking hw we can plan t deliver gd lectures, ur first respnse can be d the ppsite t the practices identified abve! Page 5 f 23

6 Hwever we can g further and lk at sme grund rules fr starting t take cntrl f the lecture. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin 1. Take cntrl f the space Establish yur base, and lay the material ut where it is easily t hand. Wrk ut what yu are ging t say t start the prceedings. Dn t just stand behind the desk: where pssible get up int the audience. Mve arund withut being hyperactive! 2. Organise yurself Intrduce yurself. Say what yu re ging t cver. Say what yu want the students t d, bth in the lecture and as the result f the lecture. Shw hw the lecture will be structured. Prepare activities fr the students befrehand. 3. See students as individuals as well as a grup Try t lk t all areas f the rm dn t get yur eyes lcked in ne psitin. Yu dn t need deep eye cntact, just a sense that yu are lking in their directin. Learn sme names and, if pssible, faces t! An additinal tactic is t greet students as they cme int the rm. Invlve yurself in the lecture. Fr example, say what yu find interesting r challenging; describe hw yu vercame prblems t d with the cntent; shw yu recgnise hw they will be struggling with certain elements. Avid seeing the students as a single, undifferentiated rganism. Page 6 f 23

7 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin 4. Familiarise yurself with AV machinery and teaching aids Cnsider which AV resurces yu ll need and bk them! If necessary, rehearse using the machinery. Have vide/cd/dvd set up and ready t g. Open all files/websites befre yu start. Page 7 f 23

8 Sessin Fur: Teaching, Academic Practice and Yur Career Yu have nw jined a Higher Educatin institutin n anther stage in yur academic career. Yu have achieved this psitin as a result f yur engagement with yur discipline. In prfessing this subject yu will be invlved in a number f activities which will tgether make up what has becme knwn as academic practice. Our first exercise lks t decnstruct this term, and cnsider the relatinships between its cmpnent parts. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Cmpnents f academic practice The jbs f academic staff are widely understd t have three cmpnents. What are these? Mdes f schlarship Schlarship f discvery (research). Schlarship f integratin; - cnducting r interpreting research n margins r interdisciplinary cntexts. Schlarship f applicatin; - using learning and research in and fr the wider cmmunity. Schlarship f teaching; - disseminating, transfrming and extending knwledge. Frm Byer, E. (1990) Schlarship Recnsidered Princetn, NJ, Carnegie Fundatin fr the Advancement f Teaching Byer s case is that all the mdes f schlarship are necessary fr prfessinal practice, and it rests n the recgnitin that knwledge is acquired thrugh: Research; Synthesis; Practice; and Teaching Page 8 f 23

9 Sessin Five: Teaching in Practice 2: Ingredients f Effective On-line Teaching Ten years ag e-learning was almst synnymus with distance learning, and e-learning was definitely cntrasted with face-t-face learning and teaching. Since then, hwever, the tw have cme tgether, and n-line tls fr teaching and curse administratin are cmmnplace right acrss Higher Educatin. We (and ur students) nw access jurnals n-line, we cmmunicate with ur students thrugh and use web pages in ur reference lists. Amng the mst imprtant innvatins has been the spread f Virtual Learning Envirnments (VLEs) t supprt the teaching and administratin f mdules and prgrammes. This sessin is intended t: intrduce Virtual Learning Envirnments; explre different appraches t the 'blend' f supprt fr learners. A VLE is: a single access pint n the web fr e-learning resurces; - easy availability f materials (passwrd prtected); - cmmunicatin tls; - assessments and surveys using multiple-chice questins; - mapping and tracking f student interactins. used t supprt all mdules; available t supprt yur curse. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Page 9 f 23

10 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin A VLE prvides an integrated envirnment that enables: curse materials, such as handbks, lecture handuts, slides, reading lists and web links t be published in a curse site facilitating easy access by students; nline cmmunicatins such as; asynchrnus nline cmmunicatin between students and tutrs using discussin bards; nline synchrnus classes, such as presentatins and tutrials, with students and tutrs lgged int a virtual classrm; the creatin f grup areas t supprt grup tasks such as nline discussin and file exchange; setting and taking f nline assessments with autmatic marking and feedback facilities. A VLE can als be used fr administrative tasks such as: displaying annuncements n a curse site and sending s t students enrlled n a particular curse; scheduling tasks and curse deadlines in an nline calendar; tracking students nline activities; submissin and autmatic receipting f electrnic cursewrk submissin; administratin f nline surveys, such as mdule questinnaires; and facilitating prject and knwledge management between grups f staff. Page 10 f 23

11 Sessin Six: Teaching in Practice 3: Ingredients f Effective Small-grup Teaching List and utline the elements that yu feel are vital ingredients fr successful small-grup teaching. Expand n these within yur grup. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Ntes Page 11 f 23

12 Getting things right frm (and at) the start 1. Set up rules and rutines at the beginning f the curse/mdule. Establish an infrmal cntract with the students; Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin agree n what is acceptable behaviur (respect, deadlines, attendance, preparatin); set ut what yur respnsibilities are and what their respnsibilities are. Maintain and review arrangements. 2. Dn t leave things t chance. Prepare a sessin plan; dn t just have a list f questins t ask but think hw the different elements will fit tgether; think abut hw transitins will wrk and hw t start new sectins (will yu always lead new discussins r will yu invlve the students?); have cntingency plans: e.g. if discussin f a questin falls flat, what ther activity/discussin have yu gt? 3. Check rms befrehand. This is especially imprtant befre the first sessin in a rm. 4. Have all apprpriate resurces t hand (handuts, etc.). In the sessin 1. Wrk at creating and maintaining a gd atmsphere. Mtivatin; yu can nly be partly respnsible fr this! at sme pint the students have t take respnsibility fr their wn cnduct and their wn learning. Pitching at crrect level; lk at the srt f exam and assignment questins asked, t gauge the level f task the students will be expected t meet. Gd rapprt with and amngst students; but remember yu are their teacher, nt their chum. 2. Mnitr, evaluate and review prgress and respnses. Page 12 f 23

13 3. Get everyne invlved (nt nly t mtivate students but als t let diversity shw itself). 4. Get and use feedback frm the students. 5. Skills. Listening (withut interrupting!). Respnding (building n what is said). Explaining (saying things again in different ways). Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Use beginning and end t frame the learning 1. Intrductin. State cntent, purpse and utcmes f sessin. Recap n previus wrk; get students t d this? Prbe fr student s existing knwledge f/views n tpic. 2. Cnclusin. Summarise what shuld have been learnt in this sessin. State what yu are expecting students t d befre next sessin. Indicate tpic fr next sessin. Page 13 f 23

14 Sessin Seven: Student Learning Hw d students learn? In rder t ensure that yur teaching is effective it is first necessary t cnsider hw students learn. We will shw yu a number f statements cncerned with student learning. Yu shuld: recrd yur individual views abut each statement; discuss them in yur small grups and see if yu can cme t a grup cnsensus. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Statement The subject knwledge f the teacher is the preeminent factr leading t gd student learning. A key indicatr f educatinal success is whether students becme independent learners. The defining characteristic f a gd assignment is that it can be used year after year with different grups. Students nly learn when they are frced t, in rder t pass assessments. Assessed grup wrk is an essential ingredient f a curse t develp the transferable skills a student will need in the wrkplace. A gd lecture is that which cvers the mst grund pssible in the time available. If students can repeat back t me what I ve said in classes it s prf that they have learned it well. Yur view Grup view A Agree strngly C Disagree B Agree D Disagree strngly Page 14 f 23

15 Sessin Eight: Planning Teaching Sessins Sessin planning draws tgether cncern with cntent and cmmand ver the teaching envirnment. There is n ne way t think abut sessin planning: it must be guided by the cntingencies f the teaching situatin. Fr instance: yu will use a different range f techniques in lectures as ppsed t tutrials; yu will have a different level f frmality cnducting a dctral supervisin sessin than in meeting a first-year tutee; yu will plan t spend mre time talking in a lecture than in a lab, and s n and s n. S, we need t recnsider factrs whenever necessary prbably fr every sessin. Hwever, there s nthing like learning by ding, s the next exercise belw and verleaf asks yu t undertake a planning sessin nw. Task 5 Using the bx verleaf, plan i) a piece f teaching yu have cming up r ii) an example f the srt f teaching yu are likely t have t d. Task 6 Discuss yur plans in yur small grup, and identify i) gd ideas that ne r mre f yu utilised and ii) things that yu wuld nw avid ding. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Page 15 f 23

16 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Task 5 Task 6 Page 16 f 23

17 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Task 7 In the Teaching Sessins Planning Tl handut yu have just been given, yu will find a number f criteria that are imprtant t cnsider in planning teaching. Use this t recnsider yur first sessin plan (tasks 5 and 6 abve), and prepare t reprt back n the strengths and weaknesses f the tl. Page 17 f 23

18 Sessin Nine: The Lcal Cntext Task 8 Wrking in grups f 3 r 4, cmpile a list f things yu knw abut (r expect frm) students at yur institutin. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Ntes Page 18 f 23

19 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Task 9 Wrking in the same grups, cnsider these brad characteristics f the student bdy and identify 3 ways in which this student prfile may influence yur teaching practice Aims fr undergraduate prgrammes At the end f their studies, graduates will have: demnstrated schlarship apprpriate t the subject; demnstrated their ability acrss a range f transferable skills; prblem slving, cmmunicatin (written and ral), basic numeracy, IT, infrmatin handling, emerging learning technlgies, lifelng learning and emplyability; acquired the necessary skills t learn effectively and independently in rder t supprt prgressin thrughut their curse and int apprpriate and rewarding emplyment, and fr a lifetime f independent and effective learning; and develped persnally in ways that will enrich their lives and facilitate a full cntributin t sciety in the future. Aims fr pstgraduate prgrammes At the end f their studies, taught and research pstgraduates will have: develped their knwledge and understanding in their chsen field f study; Page 19 f 23

20 develped their ability t manage, reflect n, and enhance their wn learning; and had pprtunities t enhance their range f the fllwing transferable skills; Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin research skills and techniques persnal effectiveness cmmunicatin skills netwrking and team wrking career management. Implicatins and challenges Apprpriate learning pprtunities must be prvided. Assessment. Prgressin. Embedded skills develpment r stand alne? Explicit r implicit? Needs f all students must be cnsidered. Quality assurance mechanisms required. Integratin with ther areas f curriculum develpment required. Page 20 f 23

21 Sessin Ten: Prfessinal Practice: Addressing Diversity Case Studies exercise In yur grups, discuss ne f the scenaris n the Case Studies handut prvided. Discuss the issue amngst yurselves and prepare a respnse fr handling the issue. (N.B. The teaching team will be available fr cnsultatin.) Prepare a presentatin t feed back t the ther grups. This shuld include answers t the questins specified and reference t the supprt services available in this institutin. Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Ntes n presentatin Cntinue verleaf if necessary Page 21 f 23

22 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Cnclusins and evaluatin Ntes Cntinue verleaf if necessary Page 22 f 23

23 Intrductin fr Lecturers New t Teaching in Higher Educatin Further reading Fry, H., Ketteridge, S. & Marshall, S. (eds) (2008) A Handbk fr Teaching and Learning in Higher Educatin: Enhancing Academic Practice (3 rd edn.), Lndn, Kgan Page. Biggs, J. and Tang C. (2007) Teaching fr Quality Learning at University (3 rd edn), Maidenhead, Sciety fr Research int Higher Educatin/Open University Press Trigwell, K. & Prsser, M. (1999) Understanding Learning and Teaching, Buckingham, Sciety fr Research int Higher Educatin/Open University Press Page 23 f 23