towards the excellence in higher education teaching: requirements to consider a course as excellent....

Towards the excellence in higher education teaching: requirements to consider a course as excellent.

Prof. Arcelio A. Hernández Fereira

Physics and Mathematics Department

Prof. Silvia del Carmen Díaz Llera

Biological Science Department

Faculty of Science

Bindura University of Science Education

•A brief review about the international standards on excellence in higher education teaching. •Trends in the searching and achievement of excellence in higher education teaching.•Indispensable requirements to consider a course as excellent and how to combine them during the teaching practice.•Team Didactic (or Methodological) work. •Practical experiences

Guiding principles:

▶ that teaching and learning are fundamental core missions of our universities and colleges;

▶ that the preference of research over teaching in defining academic merit needs rebalancing;

▶ that academic staff are employed not just to teach, but to teach well, to a high professional standard;

▶ that it is a key responsibility of institutions to ensure their academic staff are well trained and qualified as professional teachers and not just qualified in a particular academic subject;

▶ that this responsibility extends to ensuring new staff have a teaching qualification or equivalent on entry or have access to credible teacher training courses in the early years of their career;

▶ that this responsibility extends to providing opportunities for continuous professional career development as a professional teacher and not just as a subject/discipline specific academic;

▶ that it is a key responsibility of academic staff to ensure they are qualified to teach and able to teach well; and

▶ that this responsibility extends over their entire career from start to finish so that they remain up-to-date and proficient in the very best pedagogical practices and all that excellence in teaching requires.

“There is no law of human nature that decrees that a good researcher is automatically a good teacher, or that a first class honours student in biochemistry with a brilliant PhD will, by some mysterious process, automatically be a good teacher of biochemistry”.

Academics working as teachers in the higher education sector are professional teachers, just like school teachers; and just like school teachers they need and benefit from specific training to do a good job pedagogically.

A change of mind-set in many countries and their higher education institutions with regard to the prioritisation of academic teaching and learning in comparison to research is urgently needed.

A first step is to create the conditions in which the higher education sector gives parity of esteem to both teaching and research. An over focus on research has overshadowed the core value and seminal importance of teaching. The truth is that we need to go back to that basic core value, to see again and clearly how important teaching is and how dangerously close we are to taking it for granted.

The preference of research over teaching in defining academic merit results in remarkably little attention being paid to the preparation of future academic teachers in the sense of didactical training.

Compared to teachers at first and second level, teachers in higher education often feel, and indeed are, left alone without proper or adequate preparation in the multiple and diverse tasks (communication, materials, methodology, technology, assessment, exams, course structure and pace, feedback, etc.) confronting any teacher.

In institutions with strong research cultures the creation of a group of ‘teaching only’ staff may further widen the reputation gap between research and teaching.

Employment of academics

Of the 334,155 employees in UK higher education in 2003-4, 148,275 were academics. 20% of academics were employed on a teaching-only basis, 24% were employed on a research-only basis, and 55% were employed on contracts combining teaching and research (table). A further 2% of academics were classified as employed neither to teach nor research – i.e. they had a senior administrative function in their institution, such as Vice chancellor.

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

HESA recorded 29,000 teaching-only academics in 2003-4, compared with 15,000 in the previous year. The new HESA staff record also shows a large reduction in the number of academics employed on research-only contracts, and a small decrease in the number of academics employed both to teach and research.

Nevertheless, these and other problematic issues, the last years have shown a growing appreciation of good teaching and good teachers in the EU, USA, Canada, Australia, etc.

More and more universities require proof of teaching skills from job applicants and their agreement to continuously update those skills.

Furthermore, many higher education institutions have established mentoring and induction systems for new teachers to improve their integration into the higher education institutions and their didactic and pedagogical skills.

Academic staff are employed not just to teach, but to teach well, to a high professional standard.

Teaching in Higher Education must be

Excellent

Some considerations about Excellence

Excellence is a concept that can be applied to all types of institutions and subject disciplines. It defines a goal to be achieved and can be recognised in terms of the value and worth of institutional practice.

The specification of excellence provides a framework for Quality Assurance and a focus for enhancement.


The development of a commonly accepted ‘framework for excellence’ would provide a basis for a more strategic approach to quality improvement, allowing institutions to measure their performance against defined criteria and facilitating the comparative analysis of institutional performance as an alternative to league tables and rankings.

There is a need to analyse excellence through the lens of different key stakeholders, including students and families, society and employers.


The definition of excellence adopted is the demonstration of high levels of achievement against a defined set of standards which reflect the range of institutional practices and values.

A criterion-referenced model defines excellence in relation to defined standards that in principle can be attained by all institutions.


The approach to excellence is progressive.

The term has been used widely by accreditation schemes in the management field for higher education, to define the level of the quality of service provided by institutions. In this context, it is possible to define standards of performance which permit the recognition of excellence.

Excellence in Teaching

Excellence in teaching is determined by factors such as the inspirational nature of individual lecturers, the organisation of presentations, the interaction with students as participants and how well the information provided meets the learning objectives of the course.

Excellence can be identified both in terms of student satisfaction and also in terms of the performance of students in assessment.

Excellence in Teaching

Excellent teaching may be seen as the efficient presentation of information which maximises the students’ opportunities to gain the highest marks from the course. Alternatively, excellence could be recognised as the stimulus for students to engage with the subject and to enhance their understanding and knowledge.

The idea of “good teaching” those activities and attitudes which encourage the highest standards of student learning

What is Good Teaching in Higher Education?

• Wanting to share your love of the subject

• Making the material stimulating

• Working at the student’s level

• Using clear explanations

• Making it clear what has to be understood and why

• Showing concern and respect for students

• Encouraging student independence

• Using teaching methods that require students to learn

actively and cooperatively

• Using appropriate assessment

• Giving high quality feedback

• Learning from students about the effects of teaching

There is no one definition of teaching excellence. It varies depending on a host of variables, such as who is defining it, the learners (e.g, students vs. colleagues), subject matter, methods used, and many other factors.

When focusing on the higher education of students, however, there are common characteristics found in the literature about good teachers:

(1) Positive student-faculty contact • interacts with students – gets to know them, in and out

of the classroom • helps students learn outside of class, is accessible in

and out of class • promotes cooperation among students • gives prompt feedback

DEFINING TEACHING EXCELLENCE

(2) Effective active learning•encourages students to be self-directed, independent, lifelong learners•engages students in disciplinary thinking•encourages higher-order thinking

(3) Achievable, yet high expectations•acknowledges student expectations and what students can expect from the teacher•creates a safe yet challenging learning environment•emphasizes time on task

(4) Respects diverse talents and ways of learning•demonstrates respect for students and their individuality/differences•is fair and flexible

(5) Effective communication skills•demonstrates passion, enthusiasm, charisma•offers something substantive to say and knows how to say it•raises provocative and significant questions instead of just providing answers•commands student attention and maintains it•inspires/motivates students•is compassionate, caring

(6) Commitment to teaching well•engages in activities to continue to develop teaching skills•invites and accepts feedback to improve•tries new techniques to promote learning

Sherman et al. indicate five characteristics that have been regularly and consistently attributed to teachers classified as excellent: enthusiasm, clarity, preparation and organisation, stimulating, and love of knowledge

Subject matter expert

Pedagogical expert

Excellent communicator

Student-centered mentor

Systematic and continual assesser

As could be noticed, as a rule, the main emphasis is done on the excellence of teachers. However, there are some references to other also very important aspects that determine the quality of a course which could be achieved not necessarily as a result that this course is taught by an excellent teacher.

Which skills must 21st century teachers have to promote high quality learning?

• Teaching students well obviously implies that teachers produce up-to-date and good quality materials for their lessons.

• A teacher’s knowledge base should not be restricted simply to his or her own subject, but must also include an understanding of learning theories and how to incorporate them into practice.

• The ‘five Es’ of an excellent university teacher are: education; experience; enthusiasm; ease; and eccentricity.

WAYS TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

In England and Northern Ireland, notions of excellence in teaching and learning were continued with the initiative to fund over 70 Centres of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs). These centres were also created before in almost all the universities in USA, Canada, and in many universities of European Union and Australia with similar purposes.

Lets see some examples and the missions of such centres

The Center for Teaching Excellence inspires excellence and innovation in teaching. We create and provide programming, resources, and opportunities that foster innovative and effective pedagogical practices among all who teach at USC.

The Center for Teaching Excellence is committed to the advancement of teaching and learning at Cornell University. We act as a resource for the academic community by offering a wide array of research-based programs and services that support teaching and reflective practice. We encourage instructional practices that focus on student learning and develop critical thinking skills. We serve as a catalyst for a university-wide dialogue that fosters a shared vision of teaching excellence at Cornell and advances scholarly activities related to teaching and learning.

TLTC is the campus’ central partner for improving undergraduate and graduate education. The TLTC responds to the needs of instructors, graduate TAs, programs, schools and colleges to ensure that the University of Maryland remains an international model of excellence in teaching and learning. The TLTC facilitates and supports new innovations in teaching, helps instructors teach more effectively, and works to ensure that all graduate student teachers develop as excellent instructors.

The Center for Excellence & Innovation in Teaching promotes and supports exemplary teaching, facilitates the continued professional development of faculty as teachers, and introduces new faculty to the culture of excellence in teaching at Boston University. The Center provides a forum for discussing the knowledge, tools, and spirit of inquiry that are central to the teaching and learning processes, and cultivates teachers who can transmit their own passion for inquiry and curiosity about what remains to be discovered. The Center encourages teachers to motivate students to participate actively in their own education and to become lifelong learners.

The Center promotes excellence in teaching by:• assisting and supporting both new and established faculty members in their teaching roles;• facilitating the appropriate use of new technologies in classrooms and laboratories;• refining methods, instruments, and procedures for evaluating teaching;• working with the administration to improve the teaching infrastructure in classrooms and laboratories;• improving the training and career preparation of Teaching Fellows;• providing feedback on classroom performance through videotaping, observing, and mentoring.

The Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation brings pedagogical and technological issues together to support Carnegie Mellon faculty and graduate students in their roles as educators.

We are here to help you design and innovate in this exciting space, including how to:• Choose resources and tools that best fit your teaching context• Flip your classroom to maximize student learning• Insert hooks to collect data for iterative improvement

We have experience working with our faculty colleagues on such projects as:

• Translating your course online• Developing online testing formats• Using synchronous and asynchronous tools productively for learning

We continue to offer our high-value services, including:

• One-on-one teaching consultations• Workshops and seminars for faculty and graduate students• Blackboard help and support• Guidance in solving teaching problems• Incoming Faculty Orientation and Future Faculty Program• Teaching observations, focus groups, early course evaluations, and more...

DEFINING COMPETENCE AND EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

A) EVALUATION OF COMPETENCE IN TEACHING REQUIRES DEMONSTRATION OF:

1. Success in stimulating and challenging students and promoting their intellectual and scholarly development 2. Strong communication skills 3. Success in developing students’ mastery of a subject and of the latest developments in the field 4. Success in encouraging students’ sense of inquiry and understanding of a subject through discovery-based learning 5. Active engagement with students’ learning progress and accessibility to students 6. Promotion of academic integrity and adherence to grading standards of the division and, as appropriate, the ethical standards of profession 7. Creation of opportunities which involve students in the research process 8. Creation of supervisory conditions conducive to a student’s research, intellectual growth and academic progress consistent with the School of Graduate Studies Guidelines for Graduate Supervision

B) EVALUATION OF EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING REQUIRES, IN ADDITION TO THE CRITERIA FOR COMPETENCE, DEMONSTRATION OF SOME COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. Superlative teaching skills 2. Creative educational leadership 3. Successful innovations in the teaching domain, including the creation of new and innovative teaching processes, materials and forms of evaluation 4. Significant contribution to the technological enrichment of teaching in a given area, for example, through the development of effective new technology or the use of new media to fullest advantage 5. Publication of innovative textbooks and/or teaching guides 6. Development of significant new courses and/ or reform of curricula 7. Development of innovative and creative ways to promote students’ involvement in the research process and provide opportunities for them to learn through discovery-based methods 8. Significant contribution to pedagogical changes in a discipline

EXCELLENT COURSE

MEDIASYSTEM

TEACHINGMETHODS

SYLLABUSCOURSE OUTLINE

OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES

ASSESSMENT

ORGANIZATION OF ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

DIDACTIC ELEMENTS INVOLVED IN AN EXCELLENT COURSE

There are a number of key steps to effective course. One model is as follows:

• Consider your general aims for the course.

• Write specific learning outcomes (objectives): what do you want the students to learn?

• Plan the assessment framework to match your objectives.

• Plan the content, i.e. sequence of topics/readings.

• Plan the teaching/learning design – what kinds of activities will you and your students engage in together?

• Compile a list of resources.

• Write the course outline including readings.

• Consider evaluation of the course (formative and summative) and how best evaluation can be carried out.

The main principle is that there is a consistency between the three related components of curriculum design:

1) what you want your students to learn (i.e. what learning outcomes will they achieve?);

2) what teaching methods and resources you will use to enable them to achieve these learning outcomes;

3) what assessment tasks and criteria you will use to show that students have achieved the learning outcomes you intended (and how you will arrive at an overall grade/mark).

Syllabus, course outline.Learning outcomes (objectives). Derivation of objectives by units and activities (lessons).

Lesson plans (detailed)Objectives for the lesson ContentDevelopmentDemonstration (for motivating, for induction of a law or its verification )Videos Computer programs to be usedPower Point PresentationAssessment aligned with the objectives and skills to be developed, with a variety of modalities that fosters the long term learning.

System of media

Text books. Defined on the basis of maximum content coverage of the course and should be available to students in some format.Complementary materials. For those topics that are not enough satisfactory covered in the text books. For spreading knowledge, worldview, for remarking important aspects. Might be a chapter of book, web pages*, journals, magazines, etc.

* with preference suggested Internet searches about specific and relevant topics, in this way the students will acquired the skills of such kind of search in the future.

Power Point Presentation of each lecture

Images and Models. Complex figures, diagrams, schemes, models of 3D structures, etc.

Demonstrations to be used in lessons For each demonstration should have a guide in which it is explained how to proceed, how the result is linked with the specific topic developed in the particular lesson, in what moment of the lesson will be used.

Study guides (modules) For every tutorial, seminar and lab practice with precise recommendations for the self preparation

System of lab practices with their corresponding guides.

Lab practices

Virtual lab practices. These practices should have their purpose clear defined: those to be used during the lectures, those to be used as supporting material for the students preparation for lab, for tutorials.

Real lab practices. These should be integrated in a well conceived system trying to cover the most of the topics of the courses, with a coherence in the structure. All should have a guide for the self preparation of the students.

Videos and any other filmed material with relevant information to the course.

From each of these videos should be defined:• Those to be used in lectures• Those to be suggested as independent study material with a guide of relevant aspects to be observed and questions that should be answered• Those to be used in quality of motivating elements, spread of some cultural aspects, education in some important values• Those to be recommended because are tutorials for preparation of some specific topic or to develop some specific skill• Those to be used for preparing the lab practice

Computing programs and educational software, included simulations.

From each of these computing program and educational software should be defined:

• Those to be use for illustration during lectures• Those to be run by students in order to arrive to some important conclusion relevant to the course or topic• Those to be done by students (taking into account their knowledge of some programming language or computational tool)• Those to be used in quality of simulations of phenomena, lab practice, and so on.

Visits or excursions (Industries, Zoo, Labs, Museum)

Visits to enterprises, scientific labs, museum, zoo, related with the professional profile or relevant for some specific topic of the course. These should be coordinated and the personal that is going to offer the information to students should be prepared in order to show the aspect we are pretending to illustrate. All visit should have a guide of observation and after them student should write a report.

EXPERIENCES

System of Lab practices for the Physics Discipline in Engineering Programs. Organized for the maximum coverage of topics, outcomes objectives and skills in the three courses.

Computing Programs

1) Use of EXCEL for the statistical treatment of experimental results in the Physics Lab. Fitting of curves, least mean square fitting.

2) Use of the free software QuickField for the numerical calculation and plotting of equipotential lines due to electrodes with different geometry.

Free software downloaded from www.quickfield.com

Calculations of equipotential lines can be done for different geometries and positions of the metallic electrodes.

http://www.quickfield.com/

3) Use of the free software QuickField for the calculations of electric potential, electric field, electric displacement vectors, capacitance, and energy in capacitors with dielectric substances inside. Verification of the boundary conditions for E and D vectors.

4) Use of simulink module in MathLab for the calculation and plotting of the three cases of damping during free oscillations in a RLC circuit.

5) Use of Mathematica (Wolfrang) for the Quantum Mechanic description of the Hydrogen Atom to show the form of the different orbital through spherical harmonic functions.

Graphics obtained using simulink. Three cases of damping for free oscilation in a RLC circuit

Interdisciplinary Links

With Mathematics discipline - to determine the contents of the Math courses to be taught previously the different Physics courses. Coordination for the solution of examples of Physics during Mathematics classes.

With Applied Mechanics discipline in Materials Science courses.

Participation in those transdisciplinary topics like Environmental Education.

Potentialities of Physics Curriculum for an Environmental Education in Mechanical Engineering Career.

Dr. Arcelio A. Hernández Fereira.Physics Department. University of Cienfuegos. Cuba

24th SAARMSTE-Zimbabwe SEMINAR-WORKSHOP and MEETING

Course outlines

For Physics discipline and for the three integrating courses with the outcomes learning objectives, skills, and values to be developed.

Derivation of these objectives by units and lessons.

Organization and Planning of all the academic activities in a logical sequence Lectures for large classes, and Tutorial and Lab practices with small groups.

Conclusions

1)The excellence in teaching is a condition that could be achieved as a result of a very concious process of continuos approximation. This process, in principle, never ends.

2) For considering a course as excellent it is necessary to evaluate all the didactic elements necessary for an efficient teaching process.

3) Many relevant didactic aspects that determine the excellence of a course could be worked in teams integrated by the lecturers of a discipline, using the specific skills of each lecturer and their preferences.

Recommendations

1) To analyze the possibility of creation of a centre for excellence in teaching and learning with qualified personal to lead the process of finding the excellence in the different courses and the scholarship of the lecturers.

2) Each Department should define at least one course and by a team work, try to complete all the didactic elements that approach it to the condition of excellent. This course will serve as a model for the remaining courses of the Department.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR

ATTENTION