Training and Resources
Formal Training
The formal training and development currently provided by the University to HPLs comprises the following:
- Introduction to University Teaching Session coordinated by the University’s Graduate and Researcher College and delivered by staff members from the Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching. Queries about these sessions can be directed to the Graduate and Researcher College on skills@kent.ac.uk
- The Graduate and Researcher College offers a range of workshops focusing on approaches to teaching. These can be viewed and booked through the Graduate and Researcher College’s online system for its Researcher Development Programme. Should you wish to suggest topics for future inclusion in the programme based on your experience as a HPL, please send suggestions to the Graduate and Researcher College (skills@kent.ac.uk).
The formal training provided by the University may be supplemented by further training and development within your academic schools. Any further subject-specific training available to you should be communicated to you by your school as part of your induction.
Resources for those New to Teaching
Please find below some useful Kent resources and some examples of on-line resources available to you when preparing to teach.
If you use Moodle when teaching can use the above link to make sure your documents meet accessibility standards.
2. Higher Education Academy: Teaching as a PhD Student
This document provides guidance on preparing to teach for the first time including preparing for the course and first class, individual lesson planning and evaluation lessons. It also covers teaching in practice sessions on running successful seminars and giving lectures.
www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/tg_bradley_teachingasaphd_20090925.pdf
3. Higher Education Academy: Small Group Teaching: A Toolkit for Learning
This document provides an overview on how to approach small group teaching by looking at the rewards and challenges associated with it.
www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/resources/small_group_teaching_1.pdf
4. HEA Large Group Teaching Techniques
This resource provides top tips which are short, quick and simple strategies to help engage (and entertain students) in the lecture theatre, specifically in larger classes when 1:1 interaction or small group/tutorial work is not possible.
www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/largegroupteachingtoptrumps_8.pdf
5. Geoff Petty: Improve your Teaching and that of your Team
‘Geoff Petty is one of Britain’s leading experts on teaching methods. Enjoy experimenting with these methods but don’t expect to use them perfectly straight away. Make sure you understand why they should work, and adapt your use of them until they begin to work well.’ (Quote from Geoff Petty Website)
Geoff Petty’s website provides a range of guidance information for teachers which may be useful to you:
- The two main ways to improve your teaching are in Better teaching
- We learn by doing, so use Active Learning and Active schemes
- Evaluate your teaching using Self-Assessment
- The most powerful tool for teachers is Feedback
- Find the errors in students’ learning and fix them with Questioning
- Other ways to check and correct are in Formative Teaching
- Get better grades for learners by Teaching students skills
- Creativity can be learned, find out more in the Creativity section
- Use the methods your students learn best from, see teaching style
- Keep up with the latest thinking in Research and Links
- Find over 60 docs to help you improve your teaching in Downloads
- Find the latest news in What’s new
A further list is available here: www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/developing-teaching/resources.html