Approaches to University Teaching

1. Approaches to University Teaching Enhancing learning for all students

2. An Introduction to University Teaching • theories of teaching; • the HE Academy & university teaching: • areas (what does teaching involve); • knowledge; • values.

3. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section, you should have: • reflected on your own approach(es) to teaching, and begun to place this within overarching theories of teaching.

4. What is University Teaching? Individually, describe on one post-it note what university teaching means to you.

5. Some theories of teaching Prosser & Trigwell: Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI) Lindblom-Ylanne Approaches to Teaching Ramsden Three Theories of Teaching

6. Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI) Prosser & Trigwell (1999) draws from research into (science) lecturers’ conceptions of teaching

7. Line-up Activity In responding to each of the following questions from the ATI, think of a particular teaching context You will be asked to position yourselves on a continuum from ‘almost always true for me in this context’ to ‘only rarely true for me’

8. In this subject I concentrate on covering the information that might be available from a good textbook We take time out in classes so that students can discuss, among themselves, the difficulties that they encounter studying this subject strategy

9. I feel a lot of teaching time in this subject should be used to question students’ ideas I feel it is important to present a lot of facts in classes so that students know what they have to learn for this subject intention

10. ATI: 2 main approaches to teaching • conceptual change/student focused approach • information transmission/ teacher focused approach • but note concern about validity of ATI as a research tool (Meyer & Eley, 2005)

11. Approaches to Teaching(Sari Lindblom-Ylänne, U of Helsinki, e.g. Lindblom-Ylänne et al (2006); Postareff et al (2007)) • Content-focused approach to teaching • focus on transmission of knowledge • generally repeat traditional and familiar ways of teaching • Learning-focused approach to teaching • teaching to improve student learning • emphasis on continuous enhancement of own teaching • (also looking at how AtT are affected by disciplinary and teaching context)

12. Ramsden’s 3 Theories of TeachingRamsden(2003) • Teaching as telling or transmission: • transmission of authoritative content; • teacher as source of undistorted information; • failure to learn is blamed on students. • Teaching as organising student activity: • focus on what the student does; • orchestrate teaching to generate learning activity; • but may be failure to fully integrate T&L activity with students’ learning of subject. • Teaching as making learning possible: • T, L & subject linked in overarching system; • Teacher’s focus is on identifying & overcoming barriers to students’ learning; • Teacher recognises knowledge of the subject is constituted by the learner.

13. The HE Academy & University Teachers Areas of activity (what does teaching involve) Knowledge (what do we need to know to be effective) Values

14. Activity: areas, knowledge & values In table groups discuss & produce a brief list of what YOU feel might constitute either: the key activities that constitute teaching in HEor the core knowledge required by all HE teachers to be effective, or professional values that should be shared by all HE teachers.

15. HEA: Six Areas of Activity Design and planning of learning activities and/or programmes of study. Teaching and/or supporting student learning. Assessment and giving feedback to learners. Developing effective environments and student support and guidance. Integration of scholarship, research and professional activities with teaching and supporting learning. Evaluation of practice and continuing professional development.

16. HEA: Core knowledge The subject material. Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject area and at the level of the academic programme. How students learn, both generally and in the subject. The use of appropriate learning technologies. Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching. The implications of quality assurance and enhancement for professional practice.

17. HEA: Professional Values Respect for individual learners. Commitment to incorporating the process and outcomes of relevant research, scholarship and/or professional practice. Commitment to development of learning communities. Commitment to encouraging participation in higher education, acknowledging diversity and promoting equality of opportunity. Commitment to continuing professional development and evaluation of practice.

18. Specific References Lindblom-Ylänne, S, Trigwell, K, Nevgi, A & Ashwin, P (2006). How approaches to teaching are affected by discipline and teaching context, Studies in Higher Education, 31 (3), 285-298. Meyer, JHF & Eley, MG (2006) The approaches to teaching inventory: a critique of its development and applicability, British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 633-649. Postareff, L, Lindblom-Ylänne, S & Nevgi, A (2007). The effect of pedagogical training on teaching in higher education, Teaching and Teacher Education, 23 (5) 557-571. Prosser, M & Trigwell, K (1999) Understanding Learning and Teaching, Buckingham: SRHE & Open University Press. Ramsden, P (2003) Learning to Teach in Higher Education 2nd edition, London: RoutledgeFalmer.