Teaching Reflections: Learning to Teach in Higher Education
I think it takes some time to learn how to teach, especially in Higher Education. There are simply so many things to think about. It's not only the concept of students engaging as tutors with their peers, but also acknowledging that we are also recipients of learning through our own educational pursuits. Perhaps that makes us ideal teachers at an HE level? Boud and Cohen (2001) have written a book on Peer Learning in Higher Education that illustrates the way in which we engage with one another can vary considerably from the traditional Proctor model (what I am doing right now in tutoring new undergraduates) through to parrainage (buddying up/mentoring) and private or community study groups. Within the university environment, it is commonplace to develop relationships between peers in order to check your own learning approaches, ensure understanding of topic areas and develop alliances in order that self-checking of work can take place.
Another recommended read is that of Sachs and Parsell (2013) which touches on both the practical and theoretical perspectives of HE teaching. They suggest that peer review amongst teachers is still viewed with some concern. There are fears that being observed can highlight bad practice and become a mechanism for management to control teaching styles, and yet many teachers who are peer reviewed find that they demonstrate a sound, quality learning environment where students are engaged and professional teaching methods are employed. Moving to the latter gives teachers and management invaluable feedback ensuring that methods of learning for students are diversified and encouraged.
As a new teacher myself, I am embarking on a course at my university called inSTIL. This stands for "Programme in Skills to Inspire Learning". The course is designed to allow us student-tutors to become accredited to the Higher Education Academy as an Associate Member. The inSTIL programme gives us a good grounding in a variety of skills ranging from teaching to small groups through to technology enhanced activity design. For me, Teaching at University: A guide for postgraduates and researchers (Morss & Murray, 2005) is an invaluable addition to my bookshelf. The table below (p.3) helped me understand where my responsibilities ended as, being a new teacher, you expect to be able to do and know everything!
Ensuring your teaching meets academic outcomes expected of the course is the main priority that a new teacher must remember. Adding anecdotes to allow students ot relate to you and your experiences can enhance this, but care must be taken not to move too far away from the course materials.
Teaching in university is very different from teaching in a school (I have now experienced both). Sometimes it feels that there is less structure and engaging the students can be a bit harder. Their priorities, as young adults, can be quite surprising. Here's a very interesting video made by Michael Wesch at Kansas State University who engaged 200 students to find out what they learned, what they did outside of the classroom and what kind of changes they would see in their lifetime.
How does that make you feel about the students that you teach? Do you get a new perspective on their lives now?
References:
Boud, D., & Cohen, R. (2001) Peer Learning in Higher Education: Learning from and with Each Other. Routledge, Oxon.
Morss, K., & Murray, R. (2005) Teaching at University: A Guide for Postgraduates & Researchers. Sage Publications Ltd, London.
Sachs, J., & Parsell, M. (2013) Peer Review of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: International Perspectives (Professional Learning and Development in Schools and Higher Education). Springer, New York.
Teaching Reflections: Learning to Teach in Higher Education
I think it takes some time to learn how to teach, especially in Higher Education. There are simply so many things to think about. It's not only the concept of students engaging as tutors with their peers, but also acknowledging that we are also recipients of learning through our own educational pursuits. Perhaps that makes us ideal teachers at an HE level? Boud and Cohen (2001) have written a book on Peer Learning in Higher Education that illustrates the way in which we engage with one another can vary considerably from the traditional Proctor model (what I am doing right now in tutoring new undergraduates) through to parrainage (buddying up/mentoring) and private or community study groups. Within the university environment, it is commonplace to develop relationships between peers in order to check your own learning approaches, ensure understanding of topic areas and develop alliances in order that self-checking of work can take place.
Another recommended read is that of Sachs and Parsell (2013) which touches on both the practical and theoretical perspectives of HE teaching. They suggest that peer review amongst teachers is still viewed with some concern. There are fears that being observed can highlight bad practice and become a mechanism for management to control teaching styles, and yet many teachers who are peer reviewed find that they demonstrate a sound, quality learning environment where students are engaged and professional teaching methods are employed. Moving to the latter gives teachers and management invaluable feedback ensuring that methods of learning for students are diversified and encouraged.
Ensuring your teaching meets academic outcomes expected of the course is the main priority that a new teacher must remember. Adding anecdotes to allow students ot relate to you and your experiences can enhance this, but care must be taken not to move too far away from the course materials.
Teaching in university is very different from teaching in a school (I have now experienced both). Sometimes it feels that there is less structure and engaging the students can be a bit harder. Their priorities, as young adults, can be quite surprising. Here's a very interesting video made by Michael Wesch at Kansas State University who engaged 200 students to find out what they learned, what they did outside of the classroom and what kind of changes they would see in their lifetime.
How does that make you feel about the students that you teach? Do you get a new perspective on their lives now?
References:
Boud, D., & Cohen, R. (2001) Peer Learning in Higher Education: Learning from and with Each Other. Routledge, Oxon.
Morss, K., & Murray, R. (2005) Teaching at University: A Guide for Postgraduates & Researchers. Sage Publications Ltd, London.
Sachs, J., & Parsell, M. (2013) Peer Review of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: International Perspectives (Professional Learning and Development in Schools and Higher Education). Springer, New York.