Research-led education at the University of Exeter. Moving forward for 2012. Dr Dilly Fung Education Enhancement [email protected]. Overview Part 1. R esearch-led education and the University vision T heory into practice: Maria: experiencing research as curriculum content - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Research-led Education at the University of Exeter
Research-led education at the University of ExeterMoving forward
for 2012
Dr Dilly FungEducation [email protected]
Overview Part 1Research-led education and the University
visionTheory into practice:Maria: experiencing research as
curriculum contentCarlo: experiencing learning as practising
researchIdentifying the full spectrum of high quality
practicesDirect relationship with graduate skills , attributes and
employabilityWhat the University is excelling at now; four
examples-Students as agents for changeInterdisciplinary initiatives
such as Big DilemmaResearch communities as evidenced by staff
awardsThe ASPIRE accreditation scheme for staff in research-led
educationOverview Part 2Proposal for enhancement for 2012Bringing
together research and teaching staffMapping and communicating
research-rich moments through the curriculum in all subject
areasIntroducing University-wide, research-rich experiences:Meet
Your ProfessorGrand Challenges/capstone courses
Overview Part 3 5. Next stepsDevelopment and discussion of
exemplar models for University wide, research-rich momentsCollege
reviews:Curriculum designSubject-level events and
initiativesCollege-level events and initiativesEmbedding University
initiativesSubmitting JISC bid on digital literaciesEmbedding
research-led characteristics into quality processesMarketing our
strengths in providing the highest quality research-led
education
Research-led: embedded in the University mission students
benefitfrom and want to be taught by academics at the leading edge
of their fields. Thus high quality research-informed teaching is
our aim.
Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor,University of Exeter Strategic Plan
2011
Student Learning PartnershipAs a research intensive university,
research is at the heart of all we do. .. We want you to be able to
share the excitement of research, of working alone and with others
to think, challenge and extend the boundaries of knowledge.
Research and teaching synergyResearch-led EducationA high
quality, international research profile enables us to build a rich
research community and an academically rigorous learning
environment.
Quality teaching is characterised as enabling students to think
analytically, critically and creatively, within and across subject
and international boundaries just as the best researchers do.
So what is research-led education?Putting theory into
practice
STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPANTSEMPHASIS ON RESEARCH CONTENTEMPHASIS ON
RESEARCH PROCESSES AND PROBLEMS
STUDENTS ARE AUDIENCEResearch-tutoredResearch-basedResearch-led
Research-orientatedEngaging in research discussionsUndertaking
research and inquiryLearning about current research in the
disciplineDeveloping research and inquiry skills and techniquesThe
research-teaching nexus (Healey and Jenkins, 2006) 10What does this
theory mean in practice for an individual student?
The lived experience of each student will be different, but
following Healeys model we can conceptualise a range of ways of
experiencing research-led education.Emphasis on research content:
Marias experience Maria attends classes where latest research in
the field is shared and exploredShe selects option modules to
follow up on individual areas of specialist interestShe discusses
implications of latest research for limitations of knowledge in her
own subject area
Developing as a researcher: Carlos experienceCarlo learns
through engaging in research-like activities, as an individual and
in research teamsHe develops, practises and evaluates a range of
research perspectives and methodologiesHe develops specific
research techniques, with associated practical, academic and
employability skills
Research-rich moments: by level of deliveryStudents
assessmentsDirect links with graduate attributes, skills and
employabilityWhen students learn as junior partners in their
research communities, they not only develop as subject specialists,
but also acquire a spectrum of high level graduate and
employability skills, from problem-solving, teamwork and project
management to leadership, the highest level communication skills
and digital literacies.
University of Exeter strengths What are we doing well now?
What else is special at the University of Exeter?Student
opportunities which add value now
Highly regarded and qualified staff
ASPIREAccreditingStaff ProfessionalismIn Research-Led
Education
Proposals for enhancement for 2012
Bringing together research and teaching staff
A Research-Led Education Forum for bringing together
representative senior teaching staff and researchers, along with
senior professional staff leading on research-led education, would
enable us to capitalise upon our strengths in this area.
Mapping and communicating research-rich moments through the
curriculum in all subjects
Key Programme/module assessmentSubject-wide opportunity
College-level activity University-wide activity
Research and the student journeyIntroducing University-wide,
research-rich experiences: Meet Your Professor
We can provide:A template for a research-led, small group
induction experience for first year studentsStudent brief: to
provide a communications artefact (e.g. PowerPoint; leaflet; web
page) which introduces the work of a senior staff researcher to a
non-specialist audienceStudent task: involves meeting and
questioning their professor, in small groups, to understand his or
her aims and activities as a researcher
Introducing University-wide, research-rich experiences: Grand
Challenges
A range of issues or dilemmas would be offered for study either
within or between Colleges. These would relate to cross cutting
University strategic research themes e.g. sustainability; climate
change. Teaching and learning approaches would be interactive
possibly using enquiry based learning methods and there would be a
focus on developing and assessing graduate level employability
skills including digital literacies.
Next steps include:MARKETINGQUALITY PROCESSESCOLLEGE ACTIONS
ReferenceHealey, M. and Jenkins, A. (2006) Strengthening the
teaching-research linkage in undergraduate courses and programs New
Directions for Teaching and Learning 2006:4353. Accessible online
(18 03 11) at:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tl.244/abstract
