Why universities should provide less support for postgraduates who teach - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Why universities should provide less support for postgraduates who teach

Sean Brocklebank,

PhD student, Economics

University of Edinburgh

• I’m a 4th year PhD student in Edinburgh’s School of Economics
• Acting this year as “head tutor” (no one knows what that means) and leading reforms of the 1st year undergraduate curriculum
• Caveat emptor: these slides based largely on impressions and anecdotes (there is only a sprinkling of actual social science)

• I will argue:
• Most postgraduates don’t need much support; it’s better to think about empowerment
• Those that do need support should mainly get it from other postgrads, and/or they should be given less demanding jobs

• Postgraduates who teach are not all the same
• They differ significantly in:
• Motivation
• Personality
• Language ability
• Teaching skills
• Background knowledge
• …
• One-size-fits-all support policies aren’t appropriate (especially if they are targeted at the weakest postgrads)
• The best teachers will be most encumbered

• On existing support structures:
• I have never heard of a postgrad expressing thanks for teaching support from outside their department
• But I have heard of thanks for support inside of departments
• Only ‘locals’ know have the level of knowledge necessary to be useful (content knowledge, marking norms, curriculum, etc.)
• This suggests (non-scientifically) that the support which exists should be provided by other postgrads

• Most departments already know which of their postgrads are better teachers
• Put them “in charge” of a big course, and have them “apprentice” new postgrads
• New postgrads must attend the first few of the senior tutor’s tutorials
• Senior tutor provides advice, guidance, etc.
• Most departments also know who the weaker teachers are (often for language reasons)
• If they must work (e.g. for scholarship) then have them mark essays and have the other postgrads tutor more

• There are benefits to learning to let go
• Postgrads are aware of weaknesses of the course which lecturers may not notice
• Research suggests that workers who feel empowered have better morale and are more productive, innovative, creative and committed
• Takeaway: think less in terms of supporting postgraduates and more in terms of empowering them

Source: Carter, 2009, Am J of Ec and Bus Admin, Managers Empowering Employees