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Postgraduate Certificate inHigher Education

How Teaching Works at Nottingham

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Session overview

Describe School and central structures which support/ guide teaching activities

Navigate web-based information about curriculum enhancement, teaching and assessment timetables, and University Learning and Teaching committees

Identify issues around developing and delivering modules

Take a practical look at how you can look after yourself throughout the academic year

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Challenges for the next few months

With a partner or in a three, share and discuss what you think are your main teaching challenges over the next few months. The following categories might help you think about these,

Teaching skills Programme/module content Students Colleagues Looking after yourself

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Semesters and Terms

Autumn Semester22 September 2008 – 23rd January 2009

Spring Semester26th January 2009 – 19th June 2009

Autumn term22nd September – 12th December 2008

Spring term12th January- 20th March 2009

Summer term20th April – 19th June

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Learning and Teaching Strategy 2007 – 2012 – Extracts – student learning

“Fostering and facilitating world-class excellence in learning and teaching through development, enhancement, research and reward…”

“Fundamental to this principle is the value the University places on research-led teaching that enables students to creatively engage with new and exciting ideas…”

“Students are encouraged to engage with high level academic enquiry, reflection and debate, to think critically for themselves, ask questions, solve problems and achieve and articulate syntheses of knowledge, theoretical understanding and skills…”

“Students are given the opportunity to experience a blended learning environment which encourages and promotes self-study, the use of electronic learning environments and face-to-face contact…”

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Learning and Teaching Strategy 2007 – 2012 – Extracts – the teaching role

“Teaching and learning is designed to support diverse learning styles and experiences via study skills input, and school-based and central support…”

“Demonstration of teaching ability is an important factor in the appointment of new staff…”

“The curriculum is designed to be relevant and accessible to students from all parts of the world…”

“Regulations in the area of learning and teaching are kept to the minimum necessary to achieve the aims of this strategy and are designed to support both staff and students.”

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Teaching enhancement and assurance

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/courses-office/curriculum/

Academic Affairs Unit home page.

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Curriculum alignment

What do you want students to learn ?Learning outcomes

How will you help them to learn it ?Teaching and learning opportunities

How will you know whether they have learnt it ?Assessment methods and assessment criteria

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How this process works at Nottingham

QA Systems Programme and module specifications Curriculum development processes Quality Manual - regulations and guidance Student evaluation systems U21 promotion of student exchange

Promoting and sharing good teaching practice PESL website and other ‘good practice’ initiatives Lord Dearing awards to recognise excellence in teaching

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Levels of learning

Level 0 – Foundation year. Preparatory function, designed to give students a grounding in the subject.

Level 1 – Qualifying stage. Principally first year. Develop basic knowledge and introduce fundamental concepts and techniques.

Level 2 – Principally second year. Builds next stage of students knowledge. More advanced concepts, may have pre-requisites.

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Levels of learning

Level 3 – Wide range of study skills employed and developed, often with emphasis on student centred and student-initiated learning.

Level 4 – Principally for fourth year students (some programmes) and students already with a first degree in an appropriate subject.

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Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes describe learningRequired at this level

0%

40%

100%Student Achievement

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Someone else’s lecture…

How does the lecture fit within the programme/ module structure?

Why is the lecture format appropriate to the learning goals?

What other forms of teaching are used on the programme/ module?

How is the programme/module assessed?

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Learning about teaching from peers

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

Promoting Enhanced Student Learning

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Individual Pathway Workshops which may be of interest

Foundations of teaching in HE HE Teaching in the UK for international staff Curriculum Development for Module

Convenors Teaching Methods

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Looking after Yourself

First few months as an academic at Nottingham are generally accepted to be complex, busy, demanding and potentially stressful– Teaching for the first time– Personal tutees– Research and grant applications– Administration roles– New colleagues– School and University politics

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Looking after Yourself – the pressures of Teaching

unclear expectations; spending many hours in class/preparation time; handling classes with large numbers; dealing with social and learning issues; newer curricular and teaching approaches, including the use of

technology; time involved in personal tutoring; demands from administrative, clerical and committee duties; increasing diversification of expertise; lack of personal support; time pressures and deadlines/continual overload of work; student attendance, attention, discipline, and lack of motivation.

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Looking after Yourself - stress

In small doses, stressors can help give us increased energy and alertness, even helping to keep us focused on the problem at hand.

As the level of pressure gets too great, stress eventually surpasses our ability to cope with it in a positive way.

Everyone reacts to stress differently. Each of us has a different level of pressure and anxiety that we can handle without a bad outcome. Only you can assess your level of tolerance to stressful situations.

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Looking after Yourself - stress

Normal State

Stressor

Stress Response

Energy, concentration

‘buzz.’

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Looking after Yourself - stress

Stress Continues

Additional Stressor

Stress Response

Drain on energy,

concentration ‘

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Looking after Yourself - stress

Use stress positively Recognise the symptoms of too much

pressure Identify the stressors in your life Look to break cycles of overwhelming

pressure

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Looking after yourself - induction

What Am I Doing? What courses am I teaching on? What modules am I teaching on?Course Documents The course description The module handbook Teaching timetable, including roomsPersonal Mentor Other new starters School documentation Expectations (Activity Review?)Getting ready to teachWhen, what, how, where, when and who?Materials and contentVisual aids

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Looking after Yourself – before teaching

Good preparation helps reduce anxiety. Rehearse out loud/learn your introduction. Quiet time/relaxation techniques/visualisation

before a lecture. Do not set yourself impossible goals. Become ‘communication orientated’ rather

than ‘performance orientated.’ Make sure you know how to use equipment

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Looking after Yourself –during teaching

Say something inconsequential – “Ok at the back? “Show a visual early in your lecture; the students will

look at it rather than you which will help you feel less exposed.

Find friendly faces to help encourage you. Avoid notes or pointers that exaggerate wobbles. Avoid lecturing 100%. Build in activities/paired

discussion/quizzes etc Be careful not to overwhelm students will too much

content

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Looking after Yourself – workload management

Prioritise your workload – what is critical/what would no-one miss?

Cut your assessment workload – quality and feedback rather than quantity.

Look for efficient ways of giving feedback – email/class feedback/ ‘frequently needed responses.’

Make use of/develop learning resource materials to free up face to face time

Utilise admin plus support staff Make better use of student feedback Do not carry your entire workload in your mind

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Looking after Yourself – student behaviour

Lecturers gain and keep control through a variety of means,

Their reputation for effort, interest and enthusiasm for teaching

Their reputation for fairness Their knowledge of the topic Focusing on the given learning outcomes and what

the students need to learn Responding promptly and fairly to challenges to their

authority

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Looking after Yourself – student behaviour

Avoid confrontation in the lecture theatre. Stay calm, professional and in-control at all times.Latecomers Know the School policy and use it Ask why they are late Point out the impact of disruption (after the lecture?)Chattering Take steps to prevent Fill up from the front Stand close if possible Talk to afterwards Point out disruption to the learning environment

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Look after Yourself – student behaviour

Mobile phones Know School policy Ask for phones to be switched off before you start Point out the disruption to the learning environment,

“Last week our lecture was disrupted by two mobile phones going off and I had a number of students complain to me about this. Please respect your colleagues’ rights to study in my class and make sure that you have turned your phones off.”

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Looking after Yourself – managing colleagues

Working at Nottingham can be a miserable experience if peoplearound you are not supportive and helpful. Good ‘behaviour’ oftenencourages the same in response?

Be supportive and helpful. Ask for support and advice. Do not be put upon because you are new Be prepared to say no Keep to deadlines especially when they impact on others. Keep colleagues informed about what you are doing Be gracious when rooms are double-booked Leave teaching spaces as you found them (or better)

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Looking after Yourself – seeking support

Seek support and advice from School-based colleagues.

Make sure that you have a School-based mentor ‘Buddy up with someone from the course Utilise teaching dialogue/peer observation schemes Seek further development opportunities – SEDU,

HEA, external agencies University counselling service

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Looking after yourself – self esteem

It is easy to become downhearted whenstarting out in a new job: Build your self esteem Don’t magnify the significance of events Try not to let a negative experience influence other

events and feelings. Don’t compare with senior colleagues Seek feedback – staff and students Remember that second time around it will be

better!

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References

PESL website– http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/teaching/

Kate Exley & Reg Dennick (2004) Giving a lecture, from presenting to teaching, London: Routledge

Kate Exley & Reg Dennick (2004) Small group teaching, tutorials, seminars and beyond, London: Routledge

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