Best practice in research-informed teaching: a Welsh example

Best practice inresearch-informed teaching:

a Welsh example.

Presentation to Staffordshire UniversityResearch informed Teaching Best Practice Conference

Wednesday 14th October 2009

Professor Simon HaslettCentre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

The CELT is a Research Centre with its main function to assist staff in:

• Devising pedagogic research projects;

• Presenting papers at conferences; and

• Disseminating published outcomes.

Umbrella• Draw together existing

PedR activity across the institution.

Beacon• Beacon of PedR and

teaching excellence in the HE landscape.

Research-informed TeachingSystematic inquiry into the L & T process.

Which approaches are you most involved in?

Examining how discipline-based research is included in the curriculum …..

Learning and TeachingScholarship and Research

• CELT encourages staff to become active members of L&T communities of practice.

• Apply for Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) in the UK (24 subject centres).

• Membership of the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE): Annual Conference at Newport (7-10 December 2009) + Newport event on 11th December.

• Membership of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSoTL):– Annual Conference in Indiana (October 2009)– Annual Conference Liverpool (October 2010)

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

• individually-focused scholarship for personal use;• internally-focused scholarship for local (e.g.

departmental, institutional) use;• externally-focused scholarship, such as defined by the

Research Assessment Exercise (RAE, 2005, p. 34) as “the creation, development and maintenance of the intellectual infrastructure of subjects and disciplines”; and

• research for external dissemination at conferences and in publications (i.e. pedagogic research).

Where does your SoTL sit?

(from Haslett, 2009, based on Ashwin and Trigwell, 2004; RAE, 2005)

SoTL and Pedagogic Research

• Why do/would you do it?– Strategic e.g. research-informed teaching– Contractual e.g. teaching-led research– Personal professional updating/reflection and career– Disseminate examples of practice

• What do/would you research?– Generic issues e.g. student engagement– Case studies e.g. examples of teaching

• How do/would you do it?– Individually or collaboratively?– Funding for research and publication e.g. grants?– Output types e.g. books, articles, conferences?– Time and space to undertake research and writing?

CELT Research Programmes

• Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL);

• Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC);

• Community Education, Distance Learning and Outreach (CEDLO).

Coordinators PhD Students

Newport NEXUS Conference 2010Annual Learning and Teaching Conference

Monday 14th June and Tuesday 15th June 2010

Conference Symposia• Undergraduate Research• Research-informed Teaching• Community Education• ESDGC• International Scholarship• Linking Teaching and KT• Professional Development• Student Engagement• Technology Enhanced Learning• Hazard and Geoscience Research

Delegates used #nexus09 when tweeting

• Teaching Practice• Learning Insights• Development and

Innovation• Pedagogic Research• (Re)Views• Framework Issues

Contributions for Vol. 3 are welcome (see CELT website for author guide).

Pedagogic Research Expeditions

ExPedR Leg 1• Australia• 4 expedition members• Attend HERDSA 2009• Visit other HEIs• Promote Newport• Disseminate best practice• Develop research links.• 2010 STLHE Canada?

Using #expedr09

Blog - http://expedr09.blogspot.com

YouTube – NewportCELT Channel

Recognising, Rewarding and Promoting Teaching Excellence

• Professor, Readers and Teaching Fellows

• Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence

• CELT Rising Star Awards

• CELT Learning Support Awards

• Learning and Teaching Grants

CELT Writing Retreat

The Academic Writing Process– Inventing and research– Planning– Drafting– Revising– Editing– Submission– Peer review process– Revisions– Proof stage and publication

Modified from Ganobcsik-Williams (2009)

Draw up a plan and draft a paragraph.

Research-Teaching Nexus

Research-tutored

Engaging in research discussions

Research-based

Undertaking research and inquiry

Research-led

Learning about current research in the discipline

Research-oriented

Developing research and inquiry skills and techniques

STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPANTS

EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH CONTENT

EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH PROCESSES AND PROBLEMS

STUDENTS FREQUENTLY ARE

AN AUDIENCE

Source: M. Healey & A. Jenkins (2009) Developing students as researchers. In: S. K. Haslett & H. Rowlands (eds) Linking research and teaching in Higher Education. University of Wales, Newport, pp. 7-11.

How does your teaching map within the R-T Nexus?

CELT R-T NEXUS Activities

• Enlisted HEA Support: Prof Alan Jenkins• Keynote at CELT Launch (ppt + notes on

CELT Website)• Workshop on 28th January 2009.• HEA-Wales Action Set on R-T Nexus• Newport NEXUS Conference, June 2009

with Prof Mick Healey keynote workshop

From Haslett (2009)

The Research-Teaching Complex

THANK YOU

CELT Contact Details:

• CELT Office: C53, Main Building, Lodge Road, Caerleon, NP18 3QT, UK.

• Tel: +44 (0)1633 435230• Email: celt@newport.ac.uk• Website: http://celt.newport.ac.uk