Teaching Induction for Postgraduates and Research Staff

Please collect:(1) Teaching handbook(2) Professional Development workbook(3) QuestionnaireAlso, make a label with your first name

University of NottinghamDr Jo Bramham

Professional DevelopmentJohanna.bramham@nottingham.ac.uk

Welcome to the Academic Teaching Community at UoN

Staff who teach in the university describe their role as:

• a guide to development of the subject expertise

• a mentor of intellectual development

• an inspirational role-model.

Are you ready?

Questions which this session will try to answer:

About the University:(1) What knowledge will you need of

University of Nottingham (UoN) learning and teaching to get started in your new teaching role?

(2) What teaching practices are teachers using at UoN to enhance student learning?

Preparing for your teaching role:(3) What can you do to prepare for your new

teaching role?(4) What professional development is

available to you as a teacher at UoN?

Outline programme for this induction session

1. Expectations of you as a teacher at UoN

2. Our Educational Values at UoN3. Enhancing the learning of

undergraduate students at UoN4. Professional Development in

teaching at UoN

4

Expectations of you for this session

To get the most out of this session:• Use your experience of learning as a student

to think about your teaching work• Discuss your thoughts and ideas about

teaching your subject. You will not be criticised

• Ask me if you do not understand.• Listen to the views of others (you might get

some new insights!)• Turn off anything you think might interrupt

you or the rest of the group

5

Bingo activity

Purpose:(1) To start discussions with other

new teachers (as potential sources of information and learning).

(2) To learn about the wider University organisation and the relevance to your teaching work.

6

The easier questions….

• Different campuses?• New to teaching?• Taught before in

another country?• Taught before at a UK

university?

7

Answers to Teaching Bingo

(Q2) Undergraduate students: 34,076

(Q3) Student Evaluation of Teaching (Q4) 7,864 staff around the world(Q5) 350 undergraduate courses(Q6) 17% International

undergraduate students including EU (2011-2012)

(Q8) Pro-Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning: Prof Saul Tendler and the Director of Teaching and Learning: Prof Wyn Morgan

8

(Q9) National Student Survey (NSS)

NSS Collects feedback from undergraduates on:

1. Teaching on their Course 2. Assessment and Feedback 3. Academic Support 4. Organisation and Management 5. Learning Resources 6. Personal Development 7. Overall Satisfaction 2011 results: UoN 30th with overall

satisfaction score of 87%.9

(Section 1) Expectations of you as a teacher at

UoN

10

Induction checklist provided in your workbook as a reference to help structure your preparatory discussions with members of the teaching team (p.3-7)

Summary of our key expectations of you1. Draw on your existing skills,

knowledge and expertise2. Prepare – teaching materials,

engage with teaching staff and learn about logistical/administrative processes that support teaching

3. Review your teaching work to provide continuous improvement

11

Consider:

(1)What do you already know? (2) What do you need to know to

prepare?

Complete Part A of Questionnaire ‘Review of learning from Teaching Induction’ and discuss any gaps or key issues you wish to raise

12

How is teaching work ‘regulated’? Postgraduate Research Students who teach

Quality Manual policy (for Postgraduates who teach): http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/QAstructures/students-for-teaching.htm

• PGTA need appropriate skills, experience and knowledge• Have received appropriate training• Quality monitored – by lecturer or experienced postgraduates• Paid appropriately – including preparation, marking, contact with students• Max 6 hours/week• Regular feedback including classroom observation

How is teaching work ‘regulated’? Research Staff who teach

Quality Manual policy:http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/miscellaneouspolicies/policyonoccasionalteachers.aspxApplies to researchers with no previous experience of HE teaching

and main responsibility for teaching students• Researchers need appropriate skills, experience and knowledge

of the subject area being taught• Training needs assessment should be undertaken by a member

of the School’s academic staff• Mentor (member of academic staff) to provide guidance and

advice• Receive constructive and regular feedback on their performance

(strengths & weaknesses) by module convenor or another member of academic staff.

• Feedback over duration of teaching (including classroom observation)

• If involved in student assessment, training should be provided and assessments contributing to final mark should be moderated

14

Sources of information

• Academic staff:– Supervisor/Principal Investigator– Mentor (teaching)– Module Convenor– Director of Teaching– National Teaching Fellows– Lord Dearing Award winners– Winners of Chancellor Awards

• Administrative staff:– School Manager– School Undergraduate Secretary/School

Office

Academic Administration (external to your school: Registrar’s Department)

• UoN Quality Manual (online)• Student Administration e.g. student

records inc attendance monitoring, marks, progression & award processing.

• Examinations e.g. Scheduling & organisation of Examinations

• Timetabling e.g. Scheduling of Teaching

• Academic Processes e.g. student registration, Academic appeals, offences & complaints

• Quality & Standards e.g. Quality Assurance (committees and management), professional accreditations.

16

Benefits of employing you to bring research into teaching

• Makes the subject lively and up-to-date• Makes research more relevant and interesting• Develops research skills for use in future

careers

“Someone who has direct access to research, so somebody who is teaching directly from their own experience is very valuable.” 

Dr Angus DavisonSchool of Biology

 

What are your responsibilities as a UoN teacher?

• Provide excellent teaching (p. 15 Handbook)

• Support academic integrity- understanding of what constitutes plagiarism

• Provide inclusive teaching – student centred learning (diversity arising from disability, previous educational experience, expectations or motivations

Diverse groups of staff & students

• Advance equality of opportunity• Remove/minimise disadvantage• Take steps to meet different needs• Encourage participation

• Foster good relations• Tackle prejudice• Promote understanding

19

Equality Act ‘Protected Characteristics’

1. Age (whether a person is too old or too young)

2. Race (including nationality, colour, ethnicity)

3. Gender (including gender reassignment)

4. Disability (mobility, hearing, speech & dyslexia)

5. Sexual orientation6. Religion and belief (including no belief)

20

(Section 2) Our Educational Values at UoN

Our Teaching cultureWe are informed by: • research into learning

and effective teaching practice

• course review processes and student feedback

• personal reflection and collegial debate

21

Teaching staff – student relationship

22

“Research suggests that students learn best when they are actively participating in their education. We encourage students to take ownership of their learning as part of developing skills of independent thinking.”

  Professor Wyn Morgan,Director of Teaching and Learning

UoN Educational values

1. Transitions2. Academic and pastoral

support3. Nottingham’s distinctive

qualities4. Listening to our students5. Valuing our teaching6. Characteristics of an

effective teacher7. Learning to be a critical

thinker23

Nottingham teaching excellence

Valuing our teaching:http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/teachtube/search/dearing/

valuingx729/

(Section 3) Enhancing the learning of undergraduate students

Selection of teaching examples based on illustration of Hattie’s three principles of effective teaching:

1) Communication of appropriate, specific and challenging goals

2) Feedback drives achievement3) Reconceptualisation of learning

Hattie, J., Bigg, J. & Purdie, N. (1996): Effects of learning skills interventions on student learning – a meta analysis, Review of Educational Research, Vol. 66, Edition 2, p. 99-136.

(Principle 1) Specific and challenging goals

• Communicate Learning Outcomes (see workbook for example)

• Set goals and targets that are meaningful and interesting

• Persuade students of the importance and relevance of your topic

• Make the process of learning interesting and rewarding

Video: Using aims at the beginning of a session to aid learning

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pesl/browse/results/do%2520coyle/usingaim034/

(Principle 2) Feedback & achievement

The broader purposes of feedback:• Express and improve student

understanding• Assess work • Correct weak understandings or weak

work

Video: Recording feedback as a podcast and uploading it to WebCT

[http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/teaching/resources/tools/audioandpodcasting.aspx]

Embedding Technology in teaching

• Xerte• Turnitin• Recording lectures

(Principle 3) Reconceptualisation of learning

• Graphical organisers – diagrams, mind maps, anything visual

• Explaining complex concepts• Chunking – recognise pieces of the

pattern

Video: Explaining complex conceptshttp://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pesl/browse/

results/liz%2520sockett/explainx933/

Your Questions

31

(Section 4) Professional Development in Teaching

Learning more about teaching from your Experience- Working with a teaching mentor- Discussions with colleagues

Teaching induction

Teaching skills training

Professional Development activities as a teacher at UoN

1. Dialogue with a teaching mentor2. Observation of your work with students by an

experienced teacher• Experienced teacher• Colleague/peer – postgraduate/researcher with teaching

experience(see guidance in workbook)

3. Self-reflection:• ‘What worked?’ • ‘What didn’t work?’ (see guidance in workbook)

Sources of feedback on your teaching

• Module convenor observes teaching and gives feedback (required by Quality Manual policy)

• School based performance questionnaire

• SET – Student Evaluation of Teaching• SEM – Student Evaluation of Module

Where to from here?Ongoing Guidance and

Support for your Teaching

35

UoN Learning & Teaching Development andQualifications

Stand-alone Learning and Teaching workshops

Intensive Learning and Teaching Programme

Associate Teachers’ Programme

PGCHE

MA in Higher Education

Conference for Postgraduate Teachers

Induction Course

New to Teaching Conference

Annual UoN conference for postgraduates and researchers:next conference April 2013 (date TBC)Provides practical ideas for teaching and the following taster sessions:

– Demonstrating in lab practicals– Core teaching skills– Class management– Effective use of PowerPoint– Getting into teaching– Marking and Assessment– Large group lecturing

Central Short Courses www.nottingham.ac.uk/csc [learning and teaching]

Course Title

How do students learn

A practical look at core teaching skills

Public speaking skills for PGR teachers

Lecturing for learning

Small group teaching

Demonstrating in lab practicals

Supporting examples classes

Marking and assessment

Marking and assessment for scientists

Also school based courses in American & Canadian, Chemistry, Comp. Sci, Eng, Medince, Pharmacy, Physics, Vet.

Booking a place on a teaching workshop

Teaching workshops are really popular and session often have waiting lists. This is how you can help us make places available:

1. Review your training requirements with your teaching mentor or supervisor/PI.

2. If you cannot attend, you can cancel using the instructions found in your confirmation email. Cancel three days before the course (online).

3. PLEASE NOTE: Three instances of non-attendance, blocks you from further access to learning and teaching courses. Your School will be contacted.

39

Professional Development events for Teachers

• UoN Teaching and Learning Development events (led by T&L Directorate):

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/teaching/events.aspx

• Learning Sciences Research Institute:http://www.lsri.nottingham.ac.uk/

• Higher Education Academy (national body):

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events

• e.g. New to teaching workshop: Strategies to enhance learning and teaching for home and international students

PGR Teaching Award

• Submissions by March 2013 (annually)– 1 side A4 and reference/s

• 2011 winners awarded a certificate and £100 voucher:• Centre for Genetics and Genomics, • School of Education, • Dept of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

• Also 3 highly commended certificates

For more information visit the Professional Development New to Teaching website:[http://pd.nottingham.ac.uk/eng/Learning-Teaching/New-to-Teaching]

Summary of key themes of the session

1. Seek out information on your new role and a teaching mentor

2. Hattie’s 3 principles of effective teaching. Lots more pointers in Teaching Handbook

3. Review specific teaching experiences with self and others.

Review of your learning

Complete Part 2 of the questionnaire

Your feedback is much appreciated.

43

Don’t forget to sign the register

as your leaveThis allows us to confirm your attendance to your School and to update your training record

44

Additional feedback for this workshop

If you have other comments about this workshop, we use an online questionnaire to receive feedback on our training sessions.

The details for this session are:http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pdp

Poll ID : PDP000869PIN : 2914

[23rd May 2012]

The poll will be open for 5 days.

45