THE NTU EDUCATION: BUILDING A CULTURE OF LEARNING AND TEACHING IN A RESEARCH INTENSIVE UNIVERSITY

1. THE NTU EDUCATION: BUILDING A CULTURE OF LEARNING AND TEACHING IN A RESEARCH INTENSIVE UNIVERSITY Dr Lalit Goel, PhD, FIEEE Director, Undergraduate Education (Projects) 27 March 2013

2. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching Content of Presentation • NTU Educational Map • New Curriculum & Programmes • Enhancement of Campus Environment • TR+, Learning Hub and Informal Learning Spaces • eLearning Platform and Initiatives • Excellence in Learning and Teaching • Holistic Evaluation of Teaching Performance • Rewards for Teaching Excellence • Development of Delivery and Teaching Skills • Academic Advising & Career Guidance

3. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching Introduction The Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) was convened in 2007 to review and revamp undergraduate education, and implementation plans were in place and launched in 2009

4. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching NTU Educational Map NTU Education is dedicated to creating knowledge to meet the global challenges of the 21st century and nurturing innovative and socially responsible leaders to shape the future of Singapore, Asia and beyond

5. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching Desired Attributes of NTU Graduates

6. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching • Curriculum • Quality of the undergraduate curriculum: • a broad-based flexible foundation • diverse in content • chances for exchange programmes and service learning WHAT? • Students • Quality intake of students: • both academic and non-academic aspects • Quality of student experience: • Through various means of support • Facilitate learning (within & beyond the formal curriculum) • Faculty • Quality of Faculty: • quality recruitment of faculty (excellent teaching & research competencies) • continuous support & professional development for the Faculty • WHATare some factors that would help bring about the desired attributes of an NTU graduate? • Campus Environment • Physical Infrastructure • – a conducive learning and living environment , Campus Masterplan Projects : • upgrading of existing facilities • building of new learning hub & hostels

7. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching • Excellence in Learning & Teaching • Fostering Excellence & Encouraging Innovation in Teaching • Setting up of Teaching Excellence Academy • Increasing Effectiveness in Learning, Inculcating Self-Directed Learning • Building Physical Infrastructure for Pedagogical Changes • Using IT to cater to the Net Generation • Curriculum Structure & Programmes • Revamping the Curriculum Structure • Introducing New Interdisciplinary • Content & New Programmes • Fostering Learning Beyond the Classroom • Increasing Variety and Choices of Overseas Experience • Academic Culture • Recruiting of Quality Faculty • Balancing the Distribution of Faculty workload • Holistic Appraisal of Faculty • Professional Development of Faculty HOW? • Academic Advising & Career Guidance • Formalising Academic Advising • Enhancing Career Services & Placement • Creating a one-stop Service Support Centre • Student Life • Implementation of a Formal • Freshman Orientation Programme • Developing Residential Education Experience • Strengthening Pastoral Care and Counselling Service • Building a Township Campus • Encouraging Student Representation, Involvement & Accountability BRC RECOMMENDATIONS

8. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching NTU Educational Map NTU Education is dedicated to creating knowledge to meet the global challenges of the 21st century and nurturing innovative and socially responsible leaders to shape the future of Singapore, Asia and beyond

9. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching Curriculum Structure & Programmes Special Programmes New Programmes New Curriculum Structure Curriculum Structure & Programmes

10. Curriculum Updates The NEW Curriculum Structure • New Broad-based Curriculum with at least 30% of breadth courses with effect from AY2011/12 • 20% reduction of curriculum content • Increase in General Education Requirement • Core Courses (12 AUs) – Communication Skills, Singapore Studies and Environmental Sustainability • Prescribed Electives (15 AUs) – Science, Technology and Society (STS), Business and Management (BM), Art, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) and Liberal Studies (LS) • Unrestricted Electives (15-30 AUs) • Flexibility to read one or more of the 35 minors

11. New Programs in AY2012 – 14 To exploit our comparative advantage and expertise in specific disciplinary areas and add diversity, new programs in niche areas are being offered: Introduction

12. Special Programmes • To attract top students with intellectually • challenging programmes • To nurture leaders and thinkers of the 21st century Introduction

13. Special Programmes • To stretch the intellectual limits of top students in all majors • To nurture leaders and thinkers of the 21st century

14. The NTU Education: Building a Culture of Learning and Teaching Holistic Teaching Appraisal • Infrastructure & Facilities • State-of-the-Art TR+ • Self-Learning Spaces • Learning Hubs • Campus-wide video recording of Lectures • eLearning Platform & Initiatives Teaching Excellence Academy (TEA) Excellence in Learning & Teaching Multi-tiered Teaching Awards Programmes for Teaching the Teachers

15. Excellence in Learning and Teaching Introduction Campus Environment – Teaching and Learning Facilities: State-of-the-Art TR+ Additional Features: Introduction • 93 Tutorial Rooms (TRs) reconfigured: - Equipped with LCD screens, wireless network, whiteboard-mounted walls and AV facilities - Students sit in clusters of six - Facilitate collaborative learning and enhance communication among students

16. Excellence in Learning and Teaching Introduction Campus Environment – Teaching and Learning Facilities: Learning Hub South Additional Features: Introduction • Due for completion in early 2014 at a cost of approximately $45mil incorporating latest AV and full wireless connectivity • Features • New enhanced tutorial rooms for collaborative learning • Accessible 24/7 as informal learning spaces for discussions, self and project group study • 600sqm set aside for Writing and Communication Centre • Library outpost • Café and retail space • Rooftop garden and student activity space Note : Planning for a new Learning Hub at the North Spine has started

17. Excellence in Learning and Teaching Self-Study Spaces in North and South Academic Complexes Introduction • Informal learning spaces are located in libraries, reading rooms, open spaces, atrium, near food courts and canteens, Student Activities Center, Global Lounge, Learning Pod, enclosed corridors, etc. • Most of these spaces are open 24/7

18. Excellence in Learning and Teaching Introduction eLearning Platform and Initiatives Additional Features: Introduction Introduction • Comprehensive platform of tools that enable eLearning • Collaborative and participatory learning (LAMS, acuConference, eUreka, iNTUract); clickers issued to all first year students from AY2009/10 • Assessment of learning (Respondus, Respondus Lock Down Browser) • eContent (edveNTUre, LAMS, acuStudio) • Course management and communication (edveNTUre, Blackboard Mobile Learn, aNTUna Connect, acuConference) • Academic integrity (Turnitin, iThenticate) • Support, guidance and encouragement for the use of the tools • edUtoriumprogrammes provide a comprehensive range of courses on the use of the tools and pedagogical implementation

19. Excellence in Learning and Teaching Teaching Excellence Academy (TEA) • Pro-tem committee formed, supported by Centre for Excellence in Learning & Teaching (CELT) • Edex Grant (FY 12) - $100,000 (for proposals on innovative teaching & learning) • April 2013 – Budget has been increased to $250,000 • Objectives: • To advocate and celebrate excellence in teaching • To provide leadership, support and encouragement (innovationscholarship and research in education) • To advise the University management on teaching-related issues • To provide mentoring and support for all faculty members • To promote the exchange of best teaching practices and successful innovations amongst faculty members

20. Excellence in Learning and Teaching Holistic Teaching Appraisal & Emphasis • New Student Feedback on Teaching form launched in AY 2011/12: • - Two elective questions (for different pedagogical emphases) • - Core questions (for student-centred and active learning) • New Teaching Appraisal Scheme to be launched in AY2012/13: • - Holistic evaluation based on • Student Feedback on Teaching (40%) • Peer Review on Teaching (20%) • Teaching Portfolio * • Academic Advising and Mentoring* • Equal Weighting on Teaching & Research in Performance Appraisal • Teaching Ability a Key Requirement in Appointments, Promotion & • Tenure • * this may vary from College to College

21. Excellence in Learning and Teaching Rewards for Excellence in Teaching • New Nanyang Education Awards for Excellence in Teaching have been launched in AY2012/13: • Multi-tiered awards at School, College and University level • In addition to trophy, certificate and cash award, recipient • will be given grants to fund projects or conference attendance relevant to research in teaching • Unequivocal signal of the importance of teaching in NTU • College and University Award winners will be inducted as Fellows into the Teaching Excellence Academy

22. Professional Development – Teaching the Teachers Foundations in University Learning and Teaching (FULT) • All new junior faculty to undertake the FULT within a year of joining the University, beginning with those who joined from January 2012 • Aim : to give new faculty a “kick-start” to teaching at NTU • 4 Core modules (3-hour each): • Communication and Presentation • Effective Teaching Strategies • Curriculum Planning and Design • Learning Assessment • 8 follow-up extension modules, 2 from each of the core modules above

23. Professional Development – Teaching the Teachers edUtorium Learning and Teaching Courses School-based Workshops / Individual Coaching • Approximately 150-170 individual learning and teaching courses • (on 65 – 70 topics) per semester, grouped under 5 areas : • Communication and presentation • Effective teaching strategies • Curriculum planning and design • Learning Assessment • Technology Tools for Learning • Collaboration with Schools (18 workshops per year) • Individual consultations • initial consultation with faculty, class attendance, follow-up discussions, assistance with course design, teaching strategies, and assessment design

24. Professional Development – Teaching the Teachers University Teaching for Teaching Assistants • The “University Teaching for Teaching Assistants” course aims to: • Prepare graduate students for their roles as teaching assistants • Introduce principles of teaching for future careers as faculty • This comprises 4 core modules (communication in teaching & eLearning strategies and one micro-teaching session that is peer reviewed and graded by facilitator) + 4 elective modules

25. Academic Integrity & Advising Academic Advising • Implementation of a formal Academic Advising system since August 2010 • No. of student counselors to be increased (student welfare) Academic Integrity • NTU is a member of the Centre for Academic Integrity • Easy access to the academic integrity policy on NTU’s website • Appointment of a Student Academic Integrity Officer (SAIO) for each school to ensure compliance and handle cases of academic misconduct • From AY2011/12, undergraduates read educational modules on academic integrity and sit for compulsory quizzes in the following areas:- • Year 1 – Basics of academic integrity & Plagiarism • Year 2 – Ethics & Academic Honesty • Year 3 – Intellectual Property • Year 4 – Research Integrity

26. Career Guidance & Placement Career and Attachment Office • The Career and Attachment Office (CAO) offers career advisory and development services, focusing on (1) Employer Relations and Recruitment & (2) Employers’ Connectivity with students • Operates on a tripartite basis (CAO–faculty–industrial corporations) • Places students directly for overseas work/research attachments • Facilitates placement of scholars with top companies • Recruitment activities & Connectivity events include:- • Career Fairs, Advertisements and Editorials • Recruitment Talks, Walk-in Campus interviews • Networking Events , Alumni Mentors’ Networking Sessions

27. For your time and patience THANK YOU