PGR Teaching Coordinators Meeting

1. PGR Teaching Coordinators Meeting 18th July 2011

2. Agenda • Introductions • Mandatory training and Teaching Induction course – learning outcomes and content • Teaching opportunities for postgrads session – at Graduate Centres • Peer observation/mentoring – sharing good practice • Central short courses – courses available, school specific courses, (non)attendance • AOB/Questions?

3. 1. Introductions What changes to teaching work are you anticipating during the next academic year that may have an impact on Postgraduate and other Part-time teachers?

4. 2. Teaching Induction and mandatory training • Induction half-day training (pilot) • Nottingham values on teaching e.g. students as critical thinkers. • Finding support and resources • Postgraduates to plan their teaching development • Feedback needed from you on timing of training sessions! • Evaluation of pilot will inform how we offer this initial training to postgraduates • Alternative option to offer more intensive training for a group of postgraduates within your school • Intensive Learning and Teaching Programme ‘consultation’ group

5. 3. Teaching opportunities sessions • Focus on Postgraduate experience (rather than skills development to support Teaching quality) • Information session to raise awareness on the range of opportunities available to postgraduates e.g. Outreach. • Supporting the skills of VITAE framework

6. 4. Extract from Quality Manual • The quality of the work of the Postgraduate Student Teacher must be monitored so that any problems can be resolved without detriment to the students being taught. • All Postgraduate Student Teachers should be given a mentor, such as the module convenor, who must be a member of academic staff, who can provide guidance and advice. • Postgraduate Student Teachers should receive constructive and regular feedback on their performance (including strengths and weaknesses) by the module convenor or another member of full-time academic staff. The Postgraduate Student Teacher's performance should be monitored over the duration of the teaching and this should include classroom observation.

7. 4. Supporting new teachers in the early days • Nottingham University research project: 37 semi structured interviews • This project shows that: 1) informal mentoring by both official mentors and close colleagues is the major source of support for new lecturers; 2) the biggest challenge for new lecturers is to organize their teaching, research and administrative responsibilities; 3) enthusiasm and ability to adapt teaching methods are key to a successful first year of teaching • Colleagues are especially important as they offer advice on organization of the work-life and admin/teaching/research balance. They also give unusual ideas on methods of teaching and on lecturers' rights towards students. They insist on the importance of being confident and not over-prepared, innovative and passionate in order to constantly capture students' imagination. http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pesl/browse/results/peer%2520mentoring/strategx900/

8. 4. Sharing good practice on supporting new teachers: • Peer observation / review for postgraduates or other part-time teachers who are new to teaching in your area • Mentoring postgraduates or other part-time teachers who are new to teaching in your area

9. 5. UoN Learning & Teaching Development andQualifications MA in Higher Education PGCHE Associate Teachers’ Programme Intensive Learning and Teaching Programme Stand-alone Learning and Teaching workshops Induction Course Conference for Postgraduate Teachers

10. 5. Central Short Courses

11. 5. School Specific Courses

12. 5. Non/Attendance

13. 5. Reasons for non-attendance (124 PGRs)

15. 6. AOB/Questions?