Introduction to University Teaching

Intended Audience:

The Introduction to University Teaching programme is part of a comprehensive set of professional development programmes offered by the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL). The programme is specifically designed for postgraduate students who are teaching at UWA particularly in seminars, tutorials or laboratories and perhaps a limited amount of lecturing.

If you are intending to apply for a Postgraduate Teaching Internship in 2009, please do not apply for this programme. (The call for applications for the 2009 Postgraduate Teaching Internship Scheme will be distributed in late July 2008. For those who apply for an Internship but are unsuccessful, you will be offered a place in the semester one 2009, Introduction to University Teaching programme.)

Programme Description:

It is not possible to cover all aspects of teaching and learning in any great depth in this programme. However we have endeavoured to identify aspects of teaching and learning that will assist you with your current teaching and provide an introduction to other aspects of teaching and learning that may be useful as you progress in your career. The programme is based on the Foundations of University Teaching and Learning programme that has been running for ten years and the highly successful Teaching Internship Scheme. The content is generic and covers broad areas of teaching and learning. However, effective teaching is not just the application of the principles and practices suggested in this programme. In your role as the teacher you must adapt these to suit you as an individual and the unique context in which you teach

Programme Components:

The programme comprises a set of professional development activities (some required, others voluntary) and teaching experience. The required professional development activities total 14 hours and all participants are paid for their participation in these activities. You will also be required to do a minimum amount of teaching. Teaching undergraduate students while engaged in the professional development activities is important so that you can discuss and reflect upon how to incorporate the theory and practice from the workshops into your teaching within your disciplinary context. We have built into the programme opportunities for this reflection and discussion.

Intended Outcomes:

The goals of the program are to give you the opportunity to:

• begin to lay the foundation to engage in reflective practice;

• explore theory and practice in teaching and learning as a foundation for an academic career;

• gain knowledge and skills that can be applied immediately to teaching practice;

• engage in a dialogue with your peers about teaching and learning;

• develop teaching strategies with a focus on the learner;

• gain feedback on your practice as a teacher;

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

• 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 engage in meaningful dialogue about teaching and learning.

• Use a variety of teaching strategies to facilitate effective student learning.

• Gather feedback on your teaching using a range of techniques.

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:

Professional development activities

1. ˝ day workshop – introduction to teaching and learning, reflective practice and current issues.

2. Work in a learning partnership with a peer to facilitate peer feedback on teaching (including peer observation of teaching) and to encourage a dialogue about teaching and learning.

3. Collect feedback on teaching including using SPOT surveys.

4. Participation in three seminars designed to facilitate reflective dialogue on teaching and learning issues and for feedback on learning partnerships (five seminars are scheduled with participation in three required to complete the programme, the first one being mandatory).

5. Maintaining a learning journal to document reflections on programme activities and teaching.

6. Participating in other teaching and learning seminars and workshops including those provided by CATL such as Talking about Teaching and Learning (TATL).

7. Fostering the development of networks (and accessing existing networks) within Schools and Faculties to include the participants, Teaching Interns and CATLysts to facilitate a dialogue on teaching and learning within the participants teaching context.

Activities 1, 2, 3, and 4 are required components of the programme. Upon submission of a short reflective statement (750 – 1000 words) at the end of the programme you will receive a certificate of completion. Full engagement in the other activities will benefit the required activities and greatly enhance your overall experience.

Teaching

The opportunity to be engaged in professional development concurrent with teaching practice is important in that each informs the other and facilitates critical reflection on practice. This enables you to make a more informed contribution to the three follow-up forums and greatly enhance the overall experience for the participants. Equally importantly is the opportunity to foster and explore the nexus between teaching and research. It is hoped that while gaining some teaching experience while developing your research skills you will come to see this nexus and how your teaching informs your research and your research informs your teaching.

You may already have an ongoing teaching appointment during the semester. If you do not have an ongoing appointment, you are required to develop a plan to do a limited amount of teaching during the semester. Your school receives limited funding (matched by the school) to provide you with some teaching experience (even if you have a regular appointment).

Requirements of programme:

• Confirmation of support from your Head of School and Research Supervisor;
• Confirmation that your school will match the $250 funding provided to assist with the cost of the teaching;
• Confirmation that your school has provided you with a Casual Teaching contract (if you are currently not on contract) for your payments.

This information will be collected from you before the programme starts. You will be sent an Enrolment Form which you will need to confirm the details and send back to CATL.

PLEASE NOTE: There are 24 positions available each semester for this programme. Those who miss out on places for chosen semester, will be referred to the next semester.

Duration:

Program Schedule (Semester 1)

Date and Time:

This workshop is offered once each semester as per the dates above.

REGISTRATION CLOSING DATE: Monday 14 July 2008

Co-ordinator:

Lee Partridge, Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL), UWA

Cost:

UWA postgraduate students who were not accepted in the Postgraduate Teaching Internship Scheme will receive priority in gaining access to this programme. We welcome enrolment by other UWA postgraduate students and non-UWA participants, subject to availability. The commercial fee for non-UWA attendees is calculated at $50 per hour of attendance.

Please note a cancellation fee of $20 may apply for late withdrawal or non-attendance.