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Task! Discussing the University web site…

Task! Discussing the University web site…. Ensure you all have session handout Discuss with those around you how this university conceives the roles of teaching and research – at this stage this discussion is private

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Task! Discussing the University web site…

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  1. Task! Discussing the University web site… Ensureyou all have session handout Discuss with those around you how this university conceives the roles of teaching and research –at this stage this discussion is private “University of Cyprus aims to establish itself as a Pioneer Research Institution achieving International Scientific Recognition …. The main objectives of the University are twofold: the promotion of scholarship and education through teaching and research, and the enhancement of the cultural, social and economic development of Cyprus. In this context, the University believes that education must provide more than simply accumulation of knowledge. It must also encourage students' active participation in the process of learning …. Research is promoted and funded in all departments for its contribution to scholarship in general and for its local and international applications.” (University web site)

  2. Linking Discipline based Research with Teaching to Benefit Student Learning “… universities should treat learning as not yet wholly solved problems and hence always in research mode” (Humboldt, 1970, quoted by Elton 2005, 110) Alan Jenkins Emeritus Professor Oxford Brookes University : advisor to QAA Scotland on the Teaching Research Nexus Enhancement Theme http://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/themes/ResearchTeaching/

  3. Confirming the Focus Our focus today is on (staff /faculty )research in the disciplines (eg philosophy or interdisciplinary areas such as womens’ studies )and student learning and not on ( pedagogic ) research on higher education. ( Except of course if your discipline is education!)

  4. Aims • Discussed what you already do as individuals , course teams …..to link teaching and discipline based research • Noted the key research evidence • Clarified your view on the current relationship between (staff/faculty ) research and student learning in your current and future role(s), courses, discipline and in your department /institution • Considered a range of discipline based and department wide case studies • Explored how those relationships could be more ‘effectively’ constructed and/ or ‘managed’.

  5. Pedagogic approach and structure Pedagogic approach : guided discussion with mini presentations : ‘action planning’ Structure : exploring your views: role of research in HE : research evidence: the disciplinary dimension: case studies at course and departmental level ; provisional planning of interventions Language : in plenary use English …but in groups speak as you wish!

  6. Line-up To be an effective teacher in HE one needs to be centrally involved in discipline based research Strongly ------------------------------ Strongly agree disagree ONE thing that came out of our discussion was …

  7. Line Up ‘Undergraduate Research is for ALL undergraduates’ Strongly ------------------------------ Strongly Agree Disagree ONE thing that came out of our discussion was …

  8. Line Up I find it easy to link my roles as a teacher ( at undergraduate level) and as a researcher __________________________________ Strongly agree Strongly disagree

  9. About myself Geography undergraduate University College London 1959-62 and then school teacher training Secondary school teacher British Columbia 1963-6 Graduate student geography /international relations Madison Wisconsin 1966-9 Geography ..at Oxford Polytechnic /Brookes University 1975- c 1996 Educational Development Oxford Brookes c1996-2006 Independent Consultant 2006….

  10. Available from the HE Academy http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/rtnexus.htm

  11. International Statements on Value /Intent “… universities should treat learning as not yet wholly solved problems and hence always in research mode” (Humboldt, founder University of Berlin 1810 , quoted by Elton 2005, 110) The New Zealand Education Amendment Act (1990) defines a university as where “teaching and research are closely interdependent and most of their teaching is done by people who are active in advancing knowledge.”

  12. Two recent pronouncements "..The research universities have often failed, and continue to fail their undergraduate populations, thousands of students graduate without seeing the world - famous professors or tasting genuine research."(U. S.) Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University (1998 ,3) (emphasis added) “… we want all students to access the benefits exposure to teaching informed by research can bring…. This will take many forms including pure and applied research that feeds curriculum development; but also research and development that tackle the challenging questions facing professional business, regional and local employers now and in the future. We’re doing this because we believe an understanding of the research process – asking the right questions in the right way; conducting experiments; and collating and evaluating information – must be a key part of any undergraduate curriculum; whether or not those involved in delivering it are actively engaged in research activity themselves.” (Bill Rammell, UK Minister for Higher Education 2006, 3) ( emphasis added)

  13. Research Evidence Loosely Coupled“Based on this review we concluded that the common belief that teaching and research were inextricably intertwined is an enduring myth. At best teaching and research are very loosely coupled" (Hattie and Marsh, 1996) At Arms length Students at “arms length” from the worlds of university research (Brew, 2006) Individual Faculty : can experience links and tensions in resolving their teaching and research roles . The context of the department , discipline ..shapes these relationships. (Colbeck 1998). Policy Separation‘heads of departments and other managers of staff time indicated that, on a managerial level, it is more convenient for teaching and research activities to be treated as separate activities. On an intellectual level, however, academic managers would rather perceive the two to be synergistic.’ (Coate et al. 2001, p. 162)

  14. Research evidence on impact of (selective)undergraduate research programmes “There is growing evidence that – when done well – some programs and activities appear to engage participants at levels that elevates their performance across multiple engagement and desired outcomes measures such as persistence. … They include first-year seminars, common intellectual experiences, learning communities, service learning, undergraduate research, study abroad and other experiences with diversity, internships, and capstone courses and projects.” Kuh, 2008, 14 “Collectively, the evidence shows the power of undergraduate research as a tool for engaging minority students in authentic science in order to overcome past societal disadvantages and develop individual talent in communities that have not had these opportunities. Whether such efforts can scale up the point that they cumulatively foster a more diverse scientific workforce is a bigger question, whose answer remains to be seen.” Hunter et al., 2010, chapter 8

  15. Acting on the Research Evidence “The aim is to increase the circumstances in which teaching and research have occasion to meet…. Increase the skills of staff to teach emphasizing the construction of knowledge by students rather than the imparting of knowledge by instructors...... Ensure that students experience the process of artistic and scientific productivity." (Hattie and Marsh, 1996)

  16. My Perspectives • Student ‘understanding’ of the complexity of knowledge lies at the centre of higher education. (Ron Barnett) • From the level of the academic, the student … and the institution there are tensions between teaching and research • We need to maximise the (potential) synergies and minimise the conflicts • This requires actions at a variety of levels • The link at undergraduate level is both most problematic and most important ? • If an institution has special roles eg researcher , teacher ,tutor –then one needs to manage and ensure these roles are at some point linked to the benefit of students /wider society. • There are important disciplinary / ‘professional’ and institutional variations in teaching /research / professional knowledge relations • Library and information technology staff can play key roles • Practices and policies can be adapted to different disciplinary institutional and national contexts

  17. Curriculum design as controlling a set of different goals /forces

  18. Healey and Jenkins argue … All students in all higher education institutions should experience learning through, and about, research and inquiry. We argue, as does much recent US experience, that such curricular experience should and can be mainstreamed for all or many students through a research-active curriculum. We argue that this can be achieved through structured interventions at course team, departmental, institutional and national levels. (2009,p3) Developing Undergraduate Research and Inquiry , York , Higher Education Academy

  19. A ‘Language’ to Help Us Examine What We Do-see handout pp 6-7 • Research-led: where students learn about research findings, the curriculum content is strongly shaped by faculty research interests/current research in the discipline. • Research-oriented: where students learn about research processes, the curriculum emphasises as much the processes by which knowledge is produced as learning knowledge that has been achieved, and faculty try to engender a research ethos through their teaching; or • Research-based: where students learn as researchers, the curriculum is largely designed around inquiry-based activities, and the division of roles between teacher and student is minimised. • Research tutored ; where students supported by staff in small group discuss current research ( papers) in their discipline.

  20. STUDENT-FOCUSED STUDENTS AS PARTICIPANTS Research-tutored Engaging in research discussions Research-based Students undertaking research and inquiry EMPHASIS ON RESEARCHPROCESSES AND PROBLEMS EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH CONTENT Research-led Learning about current research in the discipline Research-oriented Developing research inquiry and techniques TEACHER-FOCUSED STUDENTS AS AUDIENCE

  21. Tasks :Using that typology/language Consider the case study of geography at University College London , page 17 ( ignore Oxford Brookes) Don’t get lost in is this ‘good’ or ‘bad’ practice ? Let’s see it as ‘interesting practice’ Using the language of the handout pages 6-7; what forms of teaching /research links do you see there ? Research led ,research orientated , research based, and/or research tutored?

  22. A Key Perspective “Teaching and research are correlated when they are co-related. …One way to achieve this is to exploit further the link between teaching and research in the design of courses.” (Brew A. & Boud D., 1995).

  23. Small Group Task : pp 8-33 Consider how /whether one or more of the discipline case studies could be adapted to your context 2.1 Biosciences, Physical Sciences and Medicine pp 7-12 2.2 Social Sciences pp 12-14 2.3 Business, Law and Tourism pp 14-17 2.4 Geography and Environmental Studies pp 17-21 2.5 Archaeology and Earth Sciences pp 21-22 2.6 Arts, Media, Architecture and Performing Arts pp 22-24 2.7 English p p 24-25 2.7 History p25 2.8 Education and Philosophy pp 25-27 2.9 Interdisciplinary pp 27-29 Reporter – be ready to state one thing that is important about the relevance of this case study to ‘your’ practice /policy/or worth saying about this case study …

  24. Task : Course Design-see Annex 2 p 41 Ensure that students experience the process of artistic and scientific productivity." (Hattie and Marsh, 1996) Group Reflection Use the typology to examine ‘your’ current practice – as an individual or member of a course team What do you consider you are already doing effectively ? What might you wish to strengthen or develop? Reporter to state – ONE thing worth saying to everybody here that comes out of this task is …

  25. Provisional planning On the basis of the session so far provisionally plan ONE intervention in your own practice… The central features are ? Consider how to better ensure ‘success’ including recognising certain expected difficulties?

  26. Taking this forward in your practice:Decide whom is an A and whom a B A speaks and B listens : 3 mins What I am provisionally taking forward into my own practice is …. B speaks and A listens …2 mins Some suggestions I have are ….

  27. Now B speaks and A listens B speaks and A listens : 3 mins What I am provisionally taking forward into my own practice is …. A speaks and B listens …2 mins Some suggestions I have are ….

  28. Disciplinary Perspectives Why Disciplines Might Be Significant: Logical? Hypotheses • Disciplines are academic ‘communities of practice’ • The nature of/extent of research in the discipline may vary/be significant • The nature of the funding/organisation of research in the discipline may be significant • The nature of/role of scholarship in the discipline may vary/be significant • The nature of pedagogy in the discipline may be different • The nature of how research is taught in the discipline may be significant • The importance of research as taught in the discipline may be significant • The nature of the staff and or student culture across the discipline may be significant • The importance of research to future student roles/employability may be significant

  29. Students experience of learning in a research environment: Physics handout p 7 Source: Robertson and Blackler (2006)

  30. Students experience of learning in a research environment: Geography handout p 7 Source: Robertson and Blackler (2006)

  31. Students experience of learning in a research environment: English Handout p 7 Source: Robertson and Blackler (2006)

  32. Study of Physics and English faculty in two US institutions In Physics, the links lay in the way that undergraduates and postgraduates could be involved in (staff) research, for much of the research was team based:the potential and actual links lay in the organisation of research and pedagogy. Much of the pedagogy was enquiry-based. In English, the connections between research and scholarship were strong: indeed the distinctions between research and scholarship were hard to draw.The teaching-research connections lay more in the content of the curriculum. (Colbeck 1998)

  33. Discuss teaching /research relationships in your course team / department or Faculty.. Nexus :”is a connection, usually where multiple elements meet” Wikipedia Teaching and research relations in my course team /department are like? These analogies my help ? ‘love and marriage’; ‘ a horse and carriage’ or ‘strangers in the night’ (Sinatra F..)

  34. Departmental Relationships One Research Study in UK Built Environment departments (Urban Planning): Brookes: Sheffield Hallam: Westminster; and University of West of England Teaching was organised : Research was organised: little was done to bring them together

  35. QAA Scotland : Research Teaching Linkages http://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/documents/ResearchTeaching/QAA292Overview260509.pdf Areas for development 􀁺 While there are wide-ranging innovative examples of practice and policy in all institutions, much of this is implicit and not systematically developed or supported. 􀁺 While the evidence was strong of effective examples of practice at final-year level(for example, some form of research project), institutions, departments, and schools need to ensure that these research attributes are developed systematically through programmes in a structured manner from year one. 􀁺 There is a sense that the issues were better understood and supported by staff heavily engaged in teaching, and not really understood or supported by those with a major focus on research. 􀁺 Attention needs to be given to ensuring that students are aware of, and understand the importance of, research-based attributes for their future employability and success as lifelong learners. Course teams need to develop waysthat support students' understanding of these attributes and their belief in how they can aid their future employment and involvement in civic life. ( emphasis added)

  36. Considering two case studies Consider the case study of geography at University College London , page 17 ( ignore Oxford Brookes) and Engineering at Imperial p 32 Don’t get lost in is this ‘good’ or ‘bad’ practice ? Let’s see it as ‘interesting practice’ What that those departments done to try to bring together teaching and research ? What are the similarities and the differences between their strategies?

  37. Group Task: Departmental Case Studies pp 29-38 Discuss one or more of the case studies –and then agree on one statement worth making as to its value to your department(s) /Faculty this institution 3.1 Biosciences, Chemistry, Medicine and Health Sciences 3.2 Engineering and Mathematics 3.3 Arts and Social Sciences 3.4 Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences 3.5 Developing research skills and academic practices 3.6 Re-designing Spaces

  38. Note Annex One: Linking Teaching and Research in Departments: p 40 Questions and Strategies • Curriculum and research-based learning • Management, organisational structure and staffing at departmental level • Inclusive culture

  39. Isssues of Multi and Interdisciplinarity Internationally ….few students now do a single subject degree??? Study of long term impact of a degree at Oxford Polytechnic /Oxford Brookes where students studied two subjects :Selected geography students interviewed 5,10,15,20 years after graduation For many this was first time they had been asked to consider their overall degree /relationships between the two subjects they had studied. Jenkins A , Jones L and Ward A ( 2001 ) The long -term effect of a degree on graduate lives .,Studies in Higher Education , 26(2),149-163. Two ‘solutions’ Interdisciplinary seminars Final Year Capstone Courses http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/projects/detail/ntfs/ntfsproject_Gloucestershire10

  40. Remember : “We need to maximise the (potential) synergies and minimise the conflicts This requires actions at a variety of levels.” Annex 1: Linking Teaching and Research in Departments: Questions and Strategies p 40 Annex 2 Strategies for Linking Teaching and Research within Courses and Programmes p41 Annex 3: Institutional Strategies to Link Teaching and Research: A Framework p42 Annex 4 Possible strategies for national and international organisations pp42-3

  41. My conclusions • Understanding the complexity of knowledge lies at the centre of what makes HIGHER education distinctive • That requires purposeful action at a variety of levels • In one’s own teaching and to an extent at course team and departmental level one does have some freedom of action . And perhaps you can in part shape your research to link with your teaching • Bringing your teaching and research more effectively together can help you balance what can be competing demands on your time and attention. • These issues will shape your whole career;if you are an early career academic one needs now to focus on what is in your ‘control’ but look to the future …

  42. A Conclusion A Round One thing I am going to do in my own practice is … One thing I am going to propose to my subject group is … One thing we should do at Department /Institutional level is … One thing I want to say is …

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