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Teaching and Learning Forum
15 NOVEMBER 2013
SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS
The University of Western Australia
Forum Objectives
Exchange teaching experiences amongst SARE staff Discuss what teaching techniques work well, and what does not
work well Draw generic lessons and draft guidelines for SARE staff
Program: Three 10-minute presentations: teaching first year students (JF),
block teaching (AM), new technologies and learning from high scoring units (MK)
Discussion on T&L issues Review of key lessons
Large class teaching reflections and changes
November 2013
- An academic that cares
- Formative assessment structure
- Options to miss an assessment
- Student don’t follow through on requests
- High demand on staff
- Lots of student support options
- Student review of teaching
- Screen recordings are effective (Coursera)
A recap on first year teaching
Equitable treatment of students
Group sample size: 36 – 58
Common assessment v Tutor assessment
Equitable treatment of students
Assessment T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
Benchmark 67 61 62 62 59 61
Group sample size: 36 – 58
Common assessment v Tutor assessment
Table1. Mean mark by tutor (percentage)
Equitable treatment of students
Assessment T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
Benchmark 67 61 62 62 59 61
Tutor mark 1 66 52 89 64 54 67
Tutor mark 2 80 57 84 68 69 61
Group sample size: 36 – 58
Common assessment v Tutor assessment
Table1. Mean mark by tutor (percentage)
- Weekly email communication
- Formative and summative assessment
- No avoiding time consuming assessment
- 45 minute teaching block?
- Direct assessment drives learning
- Initial impressions matter
- Life long learning resources (recordings)
Lessons from first year teaching
- Requirements in later year units?
- Level A or teaching only role ?
- Internal or cross school co-ordination
- Research v Teaching trade-off
- Infrastructure limitations (rooms, LMS)
- School maths resource page
For discussion: teaching first year
Block Teaching -ARE
AMIN MUGERA.
The University of Western Australia
Block Teaching Committee Meeting
Definition and scope of BT Supportive infrastructure - cost and time
• Pre-recorded lectures Flexibility - scope of BT Timing/enrolment - when to teach
The University of Western Australia
Traditional Teaching Schedule
ECON3300 – Agricultural Economics and Marketing
13 Weeks 3 hours per week of lectures Total lecture hours = 39 1 hour tutorial per week for 12 weeks Total contact hours = 51
The University of Western Australia
ECON5510 – Applied Demand and Production AnalysisAGRI4402 – Agricultural Economics
5 teaching weeks : Wks 33, 35, 37, 39, 42 Two blocks of 3 hours per teaching week Total contact hours = 30
Feedback from Students Limited teaching time – give more contact hours Timely feedback for assignments Clash with other units Not enough time to catch up with readings Provide online resources (lectures)
The University of Western Australia
ENVT4405 – Development in Rural Areas
5 hours
4 weeks10 hours per week40 contact hours
The University of Western Australia
Feedback on Block Teaching
Major complains Many contact hours per week Not enough time to keep up with readings Clash with other classes Long hours- draining, ineffective Not enough time to get feedback
Positive feedback Student interaction through group activities
The University of Western Australia
Block Teaching
Assumption – student self directed learners Time to learn and understand Time for feedback What can and cannot be BT
The University of Western Australia
Cornell College
One course at a time 18 class days Time: M, T, W ; 9-11; 1-3 Total contact hours = 72 8 blocks per year Liberal arts and sciences
• Training not for vocational or professional skills
Video 1 Video 2
The University of Western Australia
New technologies
and
Learning from high scoring units
Assist/Prof Marit E. Kragt
The University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia
Democracy
The University of Western Australia
Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning
CATL BITEs:• Online in-class polling (student response systems)• Online mark-up of student assignments• Online interactive tutorials (PowerPoint based products)• Online interactive tutorials (Stand alone products)
Teaching with technology workshops:• Teaching with technology – an introduction to eLearning• Designing a technology – integrated unit/curriculum• Enhancing assessment / learning / teaching with technology
Curriculum development: Blended and online learning
The University of Western Australia
How do students react?
Fun
Flexible
Modern
Interactive
Makes you more approachable
Invites questions
The University of Western Australia
Interviews with high scoring (>3.5)units’ co-ordinators
Neil Foley – Policy & Governance (EART4412)
Natasha Pauli – Environmental Management (ENVT4404); Environmental Policy & Planning (PLNG2203)
Andrew Williams – Micro-economics, prices & markets (ECON1101)
Veronica Huddleston – Regional Development (EART3327)
The University of Western Australia
Lectures
Always show how concepts are applied in the real world. Theory may be frontloaded (first two or three weeks) with lectures including a lot of practical applications
Include many (current) examples – e.g. through newspaper cuttings, internet sites, articles from The Economists etc. Never journal articles….
Stories to show how the lecturer applies the learned material in, e.g. research, consultant work, government, etc. (varying with your background)
Lectures are updated every year to reflect current state of knowledge, current examples and current literature
Lecture slides always include a lot of pictures and images
Make lectures relevant to students’ world (e.g. future work-place, local area, related to their courses)
Online material to introduce the essential mathematics and calculus
The University of Western Australia
Labs and tutorials
Visit tutorials at least once a semester
Timely posting of material – either at the start of semester or at least
one week prior to the tute
At the start of the tutorials – go through concepts and questions that
were received about last week’s material
Tutorial participation or exercises as part of the assessment
The University of Western Australia
Resources and assessment
Three of the units did not have a prescribed text but were based on lecture notes and supplementary readings
Assessment predominantly focussed on application of theory
Assessment a combination of reports, essays (e.g. of field trips or case studies), quizzes (true/false, MC, open-ended) and a final exam
One co-ordinator used peer-marking of quizzes as learning approach (these are then re-marked by the lecturer)
Students appreciate (a) detailed descriptions of the what is expected in the assignment; (b) early availability of the assessment descriptions; and (c) timely and plenty of feedback notes on their work
The University of Western Australia
Communication with students
Unit outlines and LMS websites are extensive Most information directly in unit outline. Post additional materials well in advance
Interaction with students through online LMS forum (Questions can be de-identified!! and are answered by lecturer in the forum)
Sending student emails can go through Calista – this will have all up-to-date enrolments
Andrew communicates with students through a Facebook page
Knowing students’ names makes a difference. Students like informal and personal interactions
The University of Western Australia
Lessons
TIME All these co-ordinators put at least 2 days per week into teaching, more in the preparation stages of semester
PERSONAL ATTENTION Interact personally with the students (directly, through emails, or through Facebook) – e.g. knowing student names, and caring for your students
CLARITY assessment guidelines and early posting of lab/tutorial exercises
RELEVANCE Significant emphasis on real-world applications. How does the theory/concepts apply to the real world, and the future workforce?
The University of Western Australia
Teaching resources on the School website
