Preparing for Learning and Teaching at Oxford (PLTO)

1. Preparing for Learning and Teaching at Oxford (PLTO) A course for laboratory demonstrators Martin Galpin (based on slides by Dr Anne Crook, Oxford Learning Institute)

2. Effective Demonstrating • In groups, discuss (in the context of lab demonstrating) examples of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ teaching • What makes an ‘effective’ lab session (based on your personal experience as a demonstrator/student) • What are/might be your key teaching challenges in labs?

3. The Purpose of the Lab Course • To develop practical and problem-solving skills • To promote safe laboratory working practices • To promote aspects of scientific thinking • To introduce students to scientific practices as used by the scientific community • To improve communication skills, including proficiency at scientific writing • To provide an experimental foundation for theoretical concepts and phenomena

4. The Role of the Teaching Staff • Responsible for health and safety briefings (to Demonstrators and students) • Produce lab manuals and handouts for students • Introduce and explain the relevance of the lab • Identify learning outcomes for students • Instruct Demonstrators regarding areas of focus for students • Moderate and approve marking of students’ work

5. Role of the Demonstrator • Familiarise themselves with the practical and the equipment in advance of the lab session • Comply with Teaching Staff’s instructions • Instruct and assist students with experimental equipment • Answer (reasonable!) questions from students • Encourage safe, respectful and professional behaviour in the labs • Assist in closing the labs in a timely fashion • Proactively engage in helping and advising students • Develop their communication and teaching skills

6. The role of the Demonstrator is not... • Giving students the answers to the lab • Doing the students’ work for them • Spending time on your own research in the lab • Spending time on your phone!

7. Factors that can influence learning • Context • Past experiences • Expectations • Perceptions of relevance • Motivation/need • ‘Is it on the exam?’ • Competing demands on time We are teaching a diversity of learners!

8. Your lab sessions • What do you expect students to find difficult, and why? • In your groups, discuss what you do/could do to help students become successful learners in your labs.

9. Supporting learning • There has been a lot of educational research to understand how to support students’ learning • Active learning is important for lab work • Students need guidance, but they must take ownership and construct their own understanding • Effective questioning is important • Students need effective feedback • Give students time to accumulate ‘patterns’ • Learn to recognise the ‘lightbulb moments’

10. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development • Need to match teaching to the level of the learner • Scaffold learning, to expand the inner circles

11. Effective questioning • First, watch an example of ineffective questioning: • What are the problems?

12. Types of questions • Closed questions elicit non-negotiable, rote-learned answers. • Useful as an ‘opener’ • Build learner’s confidence • Rarely challenge the learner, and operate at a low-level • Open questions elicit longer answers • Require the learner to think and reflect (so give them time!) • Hand control of the conversation to the learner • Help learner to acquire a deeper understanding • Are harder to ask!

13. Your questioning style • How do you tend to ask questions? (or how did your teachers question you?) • How confident are you in asking open questions? • Could your questioning style be enhanced? If so, how?

14. Effective feedback • In groups, discuss what you understand by ‘good’ feedback. • What are the challenges to giving feedback in the lab?

15. Explicit formative feedback • Make it forward-looking (applicable to a future activity) • Suggest ways of improving, not just faults • Honest praise: explain why things are good • Use the ‘sandwich rule’ • Be sensitive to individuals • Be timely (don’t rush in, but don’t leave it too late) • Be concise and focused • Watch your body language!

16. Grading • You will need to give students grades for various aspects of their lab work: more on this later • The grades count towards their final degree mark • Please mark fairly, objectively, and consistently

17. Possible lab scenarios • In groups, discuss one of the possible scenarios on the handout. How would you approach it as a demonstrator?

18. Evaluating your teaching • Critically evaluating your own teaching makes you a better teacher. • More advanced teaching courses (e.g. DLT) require participants to self-evaluate. • How do you/will you evaluate your teaching? • Student learning as a ‘yardstick’? • Peer observation? • Teaching logbook? • Feedback from students? What would you ask?

19. Further training from OLI • Developing Learning and Teaching Programme (DLT) • Series of workshops and final assessed teaching portfolio • Must have completed PLTO and be engaged in some form of teaching at Oxford during the DLT • Successful completion leads to a professional qualification:Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) Supporting Learning Award • Professional accreditation is increasingly desired/required by employers in Higher Education

20. Any questions?

21. Good demonstrators… • Mark fairly and without bias to individual students • Mark consistently with other demonstrators • Relate the laboratory work to professional practice • Show good knowledge of techniques and skills • Give clear explanations - when asked for • Criticise constructively, with clear explanation of errors • Support students and help their self-confidence • Admit their mistakes • Are approachable. (as identified from student feedback)