UCD Teaching and Learning

Guidelines for Module Co-ordinators on the Design and Delivery of a School-based Module to support Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA)

UCD Teaching and Learning, 2014

Dr Geraldine O’Neill ()

Content

1. Background to generic module design development (2009-2011): ‘Teaching in Higher Education: as a Graduate Teaching Assistant’(GTA)

(5 ECT, Level 9 module)

2. Designing your own module

2.1 A Collaborative Design: Support fromUCD Teaching & Learning

2.2 Suggested LearningOutcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment approaches.

Appendix 1: Guidance for GTA Students on the Assessment of the Module

Appendix 2: Resources: A few to get you started

Resources for Demonstrators

Resources for Tutors

Resources for Teaching and Learning Theories and Principles

Resources on the Assessment (including writing reflectively, lesson plans, peer observation forms...)

Appendix 3: Useful UCD contacts.

1. Background to the Generic Module Design Development (2009-2011)

University College Dublin (UCD), as in many international Universities, has had a long history of engaging demonstrators and tutors to support in the delivery of undergraduate programmes. As such, they are often considered as additional staff who support teaching and the student learning experience. In the more science-based subjects these support staff are often PhD students, who support undergraduate studentsby demonstrating laboratory experiments. This group, as they are also graduate students, can sometimes be called ‘Graduate Teaching Assistants’. In contrast, tutors in the Arts and Humanitiesare less likely to be PhD students. Their role is to support student learning through group tutorials. This latter group can often be more experienced part-time staff.

This layer of support staff (both tutors and demonstrators) have a vital role in engaging students in their learning and are often the first point of contact when students have difficulties in their learning:

‘ Feedback from first year students shows that they often find the GTAs, who are usually relatively close to them in age, more approachable and less intimidating than the academic staff and so they are more prepared to ask questions.(Scott & Maw, 2009).

In UCD, this group of demonstrators/tutors have been traditionally supported locally in the Schools and through generic one-day workshops delivered by UCD Teaching and Learning. The feedback from demonstrators/tutors on the generic workshops delivered to a range of disciplines has been very mixed; in particular students have been critical of its lack of relevance to the disciplinary context (CTL, 2004).

In 2009,UCD Teaching & Learning responded to the Institutional demand to improve the quality of the University’s tutoring and laboratory demonstrating. The recent introduction of a structured PhD had offered the opportunity for those graduate students undertaking a PhD to incorporate teaching development activity into an accredited module. A team of educational developers from UCD Teaching & Learning joined with interested academic staff to develop accredited School-based modules to support these demonstrators/tutors in their teaching role, i.e. Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA). The project was led by Dr Geraldine O’Neill and Aine Galvin (UCD Teaching Learning) and supported by Dr Martin McNamara (UCD Teaching Fellow). The majority of the modules developed, based on local demand, were for GTA students in a demonstrating role in the Life Sciences, with the exception of one module in the School of Psychology. The module design, however, should be transferrable to other disciplines. Table 1.1 outlines the design teams (educational developers, academic staff and School support staff) involved in the modules designed in 2009-2011.

This resource aims therefore to assist academic staff within the Schools to provide a more discipline-specific, 5 ECT Credit (10 UK Credit) module at Irish Level 9 (Masters Level). It draws together the resources and designs from these seven accredited School-based modules, designed to support Graduate Teaching Assistants in UCD in 2009-2011.

References:

Scott, J & Maw, S.J (2009). The Role of the Postgraduate Student in Delivering Bioscience Teaching, Bioscience Education,

CTL(2004) UCD Centre for Teaching and Learning Quality Review Report. 2004.

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Table 1.1: The Schoolswith ‘Graduate Teaching Assistant’ Modules (April 2011)

Colleges / College of EMPS / College of Life Sciences
2010/2011 / Sem 2 / Sem 2 / Sem 1 and 2 / Sem 2 / Sem 1 / Sem 2
Disciplines/
Schools
(IN 2010/2011) / Module 1:
School of Physics (includes some Engineers) / Module 2:
School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science / Module 3:
School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology
(SCCB) / Module 4:
School of Bimolecular and Biomedical Sciences / Module 5: School of Medicine and Medical Sciences
(including Vet) / Module 6:
School of Biology and Environmental Science (SBES)
SAFSVM: School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine SCCB: School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology; SMMS: School of Medicine and Medical Science; SBBS: School of Bimolecular and Biomedical Sciences SBES: School of Biology and environmental Sciences

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2. Designing your own module

2.1 A Collaborative Design: Support from UCD Teaching & Learning

UCD Teaching Learning’s role is to support University College Dublin(UCD) staff in the enhancement of teaching and learning. Therefore, if you are decide to develop and implement a UCD School-based module we will work collaboratively with you to design this module. (For modules designed outside of UCD, please contact Geraldine O’Neill () for any questions on the design presented in this guidelines).

The module will be delivered as part of your School’s offerings and as module coordinator you would have ultimate responsibility for the module’s design, delivery and assessment. UCD Teaching & Learningwill give you support in the module design and in addition will support you in the co-teaching of the module in your first or two year of its implementation (See Table 2.1). In subsequent years, it is planned that the School staff will then deliver the module, with UCD Teaching & Learningavailable for on-going advice and support for resource development (See Table 2.1).We can also provide you with initial teaching and learning resources*, templates related for assessment and advice on reflective writing.

Table 2.1: UCD Teaching & Learningsupport

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2.2 Suggested Learning Outcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Approaches

As a starting point, based on the literature and experience with the similar teaching modules, a generic module descriptor has been devised.It was desined so that it could be then be adapted by each individual Schools to ensure that the learning experience was relevant to the context in which the students were working. The customised 5 ECTS credit module would belong to the School for the purpose of academic governance and oversight. In some Schools in 2009-2001 the module was considered a ‘mandatory’ module for PhD students who undertake a teaching role. Table 2.1 provides the details of the ‘generic’ module learning outcomes, teaching/learning and assessment activities, titled ‘Teaching in Higher Education as a Graduate Assistant’. This version (Version 2) has been revised based on feedback from the staff and students involved in the initial seven modules.

Table 2.1: Generic Module Template: Version 2

TEMPLATE FOR CONTEXT-SPECIFIC MODULE DESCRIPTOR FOR GTAs
(TO BE ADAPTED FOR LOCAL CONTEXTS)
Subject Area: / Short Title: / Teaching in Higher Education
Module ID: / Long Title: / Teaching in Higher Education as a Graduate Assistant
Semester : / Either Semester 1 or 2 / School:
Module Coordinator / Credits: / 5
College: / Passing Grade: / Pass/Fail
Level: / Masters (Level 9)
Module Type / Postgraduate Module / Pre-requisite / Discipline Knowledge in area of teaching
Module Description
In this module, the participants, who are in the role of graduate teaching assistant, will engage in a scholarly critique of their teaching performance in supporting student learning in their disciplinary context. Participants will apply some of the basic generic and discipline specific skills in their teaching. They will be expected to engage in a scholarly discussion with their peers on best practices in teaching and learning in their context. They will be encouraged to self-assess based on feedback from their peers and/or their students, i.e. encouraged to take responsibility for judging the quality of their teaching. The module will be delivered with a mixture of face-to-face and online environment and participants must be in an active teaching role.
Learning Outcomes. (Level 9) Core

1. Demonstrate knowledge and critique of the principles of teaching and learning in relation to your own practice and subject area
2. Critically evaluate your own teaching and learning approaches and their impact on learners and how they learn
3. Select and apply the most appropriate techniques and skills for the specific learning context (based on what student required to ‘perform’…)
4. Take responsibility for planning and managing teaching and learning activities to encourage student engagement in learning and the achievement of specified learning outcomes for each session
5. Take responsibility for evaluating your own performance based on feedback from a variety of sources (student, peer….) and demonstrate willingness to change in light of this feedback
6. Demonstrate an awareness of UCD, College and School policies and procedures that impact on your roles as a Teaching Assistant and discuss their implications for your practice

Learning Outcomes. (Level 9) Context- specific (if necessary)
7. (Related to domain specific knowledge-base, if required): …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Workload*: / Prior Learning Required
Autonomous Student Learning / 20 / Participants must:
(a) Be, or about to be, registered for PhD/Masters in UCD
(c) Have, or about to have, an active teaching role within UCD
Practicals (planning and implementing teaching) / 15
Lectures (in workshops) / 5
Small Group (workshop discussion )
(One-to-one time with peer) / 10
10
Specified Learning Activities:
Reading and writing for assignments
Activities
Gathering & analysing student/peer feedback / 10
10
30
TOTAL / 110
Assessment: Presentation of Teaching Portfolio – 3 entries
Description / Timing / Length approx
Entry 1* / ‘Planning (thinking about) your teaching sessions’ including a session plan(s) and the rationale for the plan (based on the literature and/or performing lab reports) / Weeks 2-3 / approx 500 words (session plan template available)
Entry 2* / What would you design differently and why? Produce either a revised experiment or revised series of sessions, or a revised manual and explain your rationale for change on experience and based on the literature. / Week 8 / approx 800 word equivalence
Entry 3* / ‘Improving my performance’: Reflection based on feedback (peer, self, tutor and/or staff as appropriate) and the literature (to include changes made in the light of the feedback) / Week 12 / approx 1500 plus appendices of evidence (peer observation forms, etc..) and reference to the literature

This module was designed based on four core teaching development activities.

Table 2.2: Core Activities common to all modules across the UCD Schools:

1. Fundamentals of Teaching and Learning

/

1. Reflecting on and in Practice (based on feedback)

Reading and critiquing teaching and learning theories, principles / Reflecting on teaching based on literature and on feedback from a peer/student and/or staff

1. The Context of my Teaching

/

1. My Teaching Practice

Reading, critiquing and applying discipline teaching and learning principles, policies, procedures and using techniques in class / Carrying out teaching practice

The Learning Outcomes/contact hours and teaching methods

Once you have decided to introduce a module the first step is to read through the generic module descriptor template (Table 2.1). The details, approaches and sequence of the teaching, learning and assessment activities should be adapted for your context. However, student-effort hours must not exceed 110 for this5 ECT Credit (note any requirements for 10 UK Credit) module and activities must be aligned with the core or added context-specific learning outcomes. The design process should involve a discussion between UCD Teaching & Learningstaff member and your relevant School staff. The purpose of this is to individualise the learning experience to the GTA’s teaching context, i.e. labs, tutorials, etc.

The methods of teaching can vary depending on your own teaching style and on the learning approaches of your GTA students. For example, many modules used a mixture of lectures and discussion groups, whereas one module used a more problem-focused approach using videos of laboratory issues as a stimulus for student discussion and action planning. The timing of the staff contact time can also vary. If you have challenges in finding time that all GTA students are free, you might front-load the contact time in the form of workshops before and after the semester, alternatively they can be spread over the semester. If you have to consider for loading of the face-to-face workshops, it would be good practice to scaffold some peer/staff support throughout, either through on-line activities or other peer/staff discussion opportunities

The contact time in these modules was often the equivalent of 15 hours (either 3 full day workshops or 4-5 sessions for 2-3 hours). This is not “cast in stone” as some modules may also have higher ‘specified learning activities’. The student’s practical experience demonstrating/tutoring is partially included in the student effort hours, i.e. ‘Practicals’ in module descriptor. The distribution of hours should however be reflected in your module descriptor. An additional 10 hours of contact with peers/or staff (either through discussion opportunities or peer observation activities) may also be required.

Teaching and learning activities

The teaching and learning activities need to be based on the module’s learning outcomes and assessment approaches. As a starting point,it is important to identify the tasks required by the tutors/demonstrators that will be attending the module, i.e. a task analysis of their demonstrating/tutoring duties. For example, are the key tasks required by the GTA’s to facilitate tutorials discussions, grade lab reports/essays, give mini pre-lab demonstrations, rove around the lab, etc? If there is diversity of tasks among the GTA students, the module should have elements of ‘elective’ sessions that are highly relevant to these tasks and are probably best provide by a School staff member with expertise in this task (Figure 2.2). Based on this task analysis and discussion, the appropriate discipline-specific resources, teaching and learning principles and techniques will need to be designed into the module (See Table 2.1). UCD Teaching & Learningwill supply some initial key on-line resources related to these areas.

Based on the learning outcomes of the generic module, the following table highlights a suggested range of activities that you might considered: (Table 2.1)

Table 2.1 Some suggestion for inclusion in the module sessions
Core / Potential for including in the face to face sessions
Demonstrate knowledge and critique of the principles of teaching and learning in relation to your own practice and subject area / Reading and commenting on Discipline specific articles: such as:
-Laboratory Demonstration principles
-Engaging students in tutorial discussion.
-Activity for students to self-generate their own principles of teaching in their context.
Additional Reading:
1) Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles
2) A useful overview of the key theories as they relate to teaching is Orison and Carlile (2005)
3) Geraldine O’Neill (UCD Teaching & Learning) has put together an on-line Articulate resource which you can use for GTA (demonstrators) to listen to and use as revision on:
‘Teaching and Learning Principles for Demonstrators’ (O’Neill, 2012) , available at :


See Connect Tab and in resources section for more examples
Critically evaluate your own teaching and learning approaches and their impact on learners and how they learn / This can be done through the reflective assignment, and some sessions or engagement in on-line task on:

• how students learn, students learning styles,
• motivating students, students’ approaches to learning.

See resources section for more examples
Select and apply the most appropriate techniques and skills for the specific learning context (based on student needs, subject area, format, setting...) / Demonstrating
How to give a mini pre-lab talk
Good demonstrating techniques
Questioning techniques for lab based contexts
Encouraging students,
Dealing with dilemmas in the laboratory,
Managing large classes
Correcting lab reports
Giving feedback to students
Time management, etc... / Tutoring
Facilitating group discussion
Active learning in tutorials
Questioning techniques for tutorials
Correcting essays
Giving feedback to students
Handling dominant and quiet students
Dealing with plagiarism...
Take responsibility for planning and managing teaching and learning activities to encourage student engagement in learning and the achievement of specified learning outcomes for each session / Developing a lesson plan.
Constructive alignment and lesson planning.
Reflecting on lesson plans: did the session work as planned?
Techniques for how to engage students, giving real-world examples, making relevance for UG students…
See resources section for more examples
Take responsibility for evaluating your own performance based on feedback from a variety of sources (student, peer….) and demonstrate willingness to change in light of this feedback / How to implement a peer-observation of teaching (pairs, individual).
Ideas for Gathering UG student feedback on their performance.
How to write and refection and action plan in relation to this.
See resources section for more examples
Demonstrate an awareness of UCD, College and School policies and procedures that impact on your roles as a Teaching Assistant and discuss their implications for your practice / Safety in the Laboratory.
Handling students in crisis, where to refer them to.
School plagiarism policies.
School assessment submission policies.
Vary depended on School context.
Optional: Related to domain specific knowledge-base, if required
Example;
Reflect and plan for their teaching based on their competency in the disciplinary knowledge. / Exercises in competence in discipline knowledge as it relates to the teaching role. For example, completion of some laboratory experiments (reading of some tutorial materials) and reflecting on how they may then plan for this in their teaching (if relevant).

Based on the module descriptor it is important to engage with some of the teaching and learning principles and educational literature, as it is a level 9 Teaching and Learning module (Masters level, which can be used for UCD structured PhD modules). This may need to be reinforced with the GTA students. GTAs are often novice teachers and as such have little situational perspective, often not seeing beyond their own context at the start (Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 1986; Moore, O’Neill & Barrett, 2008). The module’s educational literature therefore needs to be relevant to theircontext, i.e. Medical Education, Science education, Psychology Education. Some examples of these are in the Laboratory and Tutorial Specific resources section in this guide, for example: