The Introduction to University Teaching program is part of a comprehensive set of professional development programs offered by CATL.

Workshop purpose

Intended audience

The program is specifically designed for postgraduate students who are teaching at UWA, particularly in seminars, tutorials or laboratories. If you have been offered a place in the Postgraduate Teaching Internship Scheme for 2012, or are intending to apply for a Postgraduate Teaching Internship in 2013, please do not apply for this program.

The call for applications for the 2012 Postgraduate Teaching Internship Scheme will be distributed in late July 2012. For those who apply for an Internship but are unsuccessful, you will be offered a place in the Semester 1 2013, Introduction to University Teaching program.

Program description

The program will provide a solid introduction to the body of research around student learning and effective teaching. For those who have some teaching experience, it will provide a firm foundation upon which to improve your teaching and develop your teaching skills. For those new to teaching, it will offer you a host of tips and strategies, and provide a framework for thinking critically and reflectively about effective teaching.

Effective teaching involves application of the principles and practices suggested in this program, and in your role as the teacher adapting these to suit you as an individual and the unique context in which you teach.

Program components

The program comprises a set of professional development activities and teaching experience. The required professional development activities total 18 hours, and eligible participants are paid for their participation in these activities.

Broad learning outcomes

On completion of this program, you should be able to:

• use a variety of teaching strategies to enable effective student learning
• gather feedback on your teaching using a range of techniques
• reflect upon your approach to, or philosophy of, teaching and learning
• engage in critically reflective practice to enhance your teaching
• work with a colleague in a learning partnership to provide each other with analysis and feedback on your teaching and to engage in meaningful dialogue about teaching and learning.

You are provided with a set of readings on teaching and learning that you can refer back to as you plan and teach your classes and reflect upon the outcomes.

Key activities

• Teaching experience

  The professional development activities (see below) require teaching experiences as the bases for informed participation, a deeper understanding of teaching and learning theories, issues and strategies introduced in the program through application to practical contexts, and for developing critical reflective practices characteristic of effective university teachers.

• Professional development activities

  You will participate in three initial half-day workshops. These cover a range of introductory topics to teaching and learning relevant to typical teaching postgraduate students, for example:

  • approaches to teaching and student learning
  • small group teaching and the role of the tutor/demonstrator
  • questioning strategies and classroom management issues
  • effective communication
  • feedback on teaching, including peer observation of teaching
  • five one-and-a-half hour follow-up seminars
  The topics are chosen by participants during the half-day workshops. Equity and diversity is a compulsory topic, and other possible topics include teaching large classes (lecturing with active learning), group and team work, teaching critical thinking, eLearning / teaching with technology, effective powerpoints, undergraduate versus postgraduate teaching, assessment and feedback, developing a teaching portfolio, theories of learning, student services.

Review

A key part of the philosophy of the program is developing learning communities and partnerships, and becoming a self, peer and collaborative critical reflector of teaching experience. These key activities help to fulfill this philosophy:

• Active participation in the workshops and seminars listed above, including preparatory activities.
• Peer review – Participants are asked to forge a ‘learning partnership’ with a peer in the program. A learning partnership is an opportunity to work with a colleague in a mutually beneficial partnership to provide each other with analysis and constructive criticism on your teaching. The key task is for both partners to observe each others’ teaching and provide feedback.
• Student review – Participants are required to collect feedback on teaching, including SPOT surveys. Reflecting on the surveys and identifying strengths and opportunities is a valuable teaching development activity.

Reflect

Reflective practice is an essential characteristic of good and effective University teaching. In this program, participants partake in reflective practice both in the above activities as well as

• Learning Journal – Participants are strongly encouraged to maintain a learning journal critically reflecting on program activities and teaching experiences.
• Reflective Statement – A short reflective statement is the final synthesis activity for the program, requiring participants to reflect on themselves as teachers, drawing on all professional development activities above. Participants are required to submit the statement for completion of this course.

Eligibility criteria for participation and funding

Eligible students may be paid at a standard set rate for their participation in the professional development activities (minimum 18 hours) of the IUT program. In 2011, the payment was ~$700 for the full program. To be eligible to enrol in the Introduction to University Teaching program as a paid participant you must:

• be enrolled as a postgraduate student at the University of Western Australia in the semester in which you undertake the program
• provide confirmation of support from your Head of School and Research Supervisor or course co-ordinator
• provide confirmation that you are undertaking at least 24 hours of teaching at UWA across the semester in which you undertake the program (an average of two hours per week for 12 weeks)
• have a current teaching employment contract with the University (a casual or fixed-term teaching contract)
• be able to attend all of the initial three-day workshops, and at least four of the follow-up sessions.

 

Payment

Payment for the professional development activities will occur in two instalments and is subject to completion and attendance of required components of the course. The final instalment will only be paid after you have successfully completed it.

To be eligible to enrol in the Introduction to University Teaching program as a non-paid participant you must:

• be a current postgraduate student at the University of Western Australia
• provide confirmation of support from your Head of School and Research Supervisor or course co-ordinator
• be able to attend all of the initial three-day workshops and at least four of the follow-up sessions
• be teaching at UWA in the semester in which you undertake the program.

Paid places in the program are limited, and where they are over-subscribed will be allocated on merit and with consideration given to the spread of disciplines represented. Students who applied for, but were unsuccessful in gaining, a place in the Postgraduate Teaching Internship Scheme will be given priority. Students who do not receive a paid place in the program may be eligible for an unpaid place.

How to apply

To apply for a place in the Introduction to University teaching, complete the application form by the closing date. The first round of applications for Semester 1 2012 closed on 3 February 2012.

The form must be signed by your Head of School and Research Supervisor or course coordinator.

You must indicate on the form whether you are applying for a paid or unpaid place, and whether or not you have a teaching contract in place for the semester in which you wish to do the program.

Introduction to University Teaching Semester 2 2012 [RTF, 113.0 KB]
Updated 14 May 2012