Introduction to University Teaching
- Richard Bale - Imperial College London, UK
- Mary Seabrook - King's College London, UK
The essential guide to teaching and learning in higher education for early career academics, postgraduate researchers, graduate teaching assistants and professional services staff.
This accessible text offers practical guidance for anyone new to teaching in higher education. It covers key aspects of teaching and learning relevant for early career academics, postgraduate researchers, graduate teaching assistants and professional services staff, including those working towards Advance HE/Higher Education Academy (HEA) recognition.
Understand how to plan and evaluate teaching sessions, the dynamics of teaching in small and large groups, how to use technology effectively, the particular challenges of laboratory and fieldwork and the importance of inclusive practice and career development.
Key features include:
· Practical strategies to enhance student learning and motivation.
· Case studies from higher education professionals in various roles
· Activities and reflection points applying educational principles to your own teaching
· Chapter links to the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF)
It contains everything you need to know about teaching and learning in UK universities. Not only is it a great introduction to those just starting their teaching careers in HE, but also a comprehensive professional development book. It provides readers with insights into the essential elements to consider at the planning stage of teaching, and ideas on how to make teaching and learning effective in specific contexts (for example, large group teaching in lectures, small groups teaching, laboratories, project supervision).
A very practical text that I feel will be useful for those teaching moving into teaching within the HEI environment.
While this book would not be appropriate for the module which I teach, it would be very suitable for the one which precedes it which is focused on attaining AFHEA and I will recommend it to that Module Co-ordinator. The book could be used by someone who was aiming to attain AFHEA on their own but could supplement the efforts of someone on a taught module for that status. I welcome the activities and the examples which are provided throughout. The main challenge with the book, despite the statements about it being for people with a wide range of roles is that it primarily focuses on those teaching directly rather than, for example, demonstrating or providing academic skills support, sets of staff we are seeking to encourage to go down the fellowship paths. More examples of these kinds of activity would have been very useful as I know Module Co-ordinators sometimes struggle to find these and simply asserting that the module is for non-academic staff is not much help. The only other element I would like to have seen in the book is a thorough conclusion. Especially if someone has read this book over a number of weeks, indeed months, then by the end there are likely to be aspects that they do not realise they have forgotten, so highlighting the top points from each section in a conclusion at the end would be really useful. Overall I felt this was a useful book for AFHEA applicants and I would tend to encourage its use as a kind of text book contextualised by the module, rather than it being a reference book. Some participants on these modules would welcome such a text book approach, though others might find that approach patronising.
This is an excellent text for colleagues new to teaching in HE. It outlines key roles and responsibilities for a teaching fellow. There was quite a heavy emphasis on the GTA status (understandably due to the author's role!) There could be some more variety e.g. examples of colleagues from a professional background entering HE, for example. But that said, I would heartily recommend it for colleagues entering our programme. I will add it to our reading list for 2022/23.
Really helpful introduction, so have added it to our reading list for the first module of our PGCert
Sage College Publishing
