Collegial Teaching and Learning in STEM Education

ECTS Credits

5 ECTS

Level of Study

Employees working with education, teaching and learning at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Teaching semester

Irregular. Next time autumn 2023-spring 2024.

The course runs over two semesters, normally starting in the autumn. Announcement of the course, and registration deadline, will be made to the well in advance of the course start. It is mandatory to attend the first lecture.

Objectives and Content

The objective of this course is to give a group of teachers/staff that share a social community (course, department, program etc) the opportunity to work on pedagogical issues that are relevant for their teaching and learning practice or work with education, learning and teaching.

The course introduces you to core concepts of teaching and learning in higher education to develop your ability to improve student learning. The course is focused on reading, discussing, documenting, and reflecting on pedagogical topics specifically related to teaching and learning in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) within the participants¿ practices. Activities in the course shall provide participants with a common educational language, support collegial reflections and a scholarly approach to teaching and learning.

The main component of the course is a group SoTL* project, addressing a teaching and learning issue of relevance to the participants¿ own practice. The final project product can be a project report, a paper intended for publication in a teaching and learning journal, or a submission to a teaching and learning conference.

The course requires no previous pedagogical training and welcomes both experienced and more novice teachers and staff working with education, teaching and learning.

* SoTL = Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. A collegial and research-based approach to teaching and learning.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course, participants will have acquired:

Knowledge

• Be able to analyse teaching issues with reference to their own professional practice and knowledge of student learning

Skills

• Be able to participate in a collegial discussion on teaching and learning with colleagues (critical friends), based on relevant literature and documentation
• Be able to report the findings of a SoTL project on teaching and learning, with university colleagues as a target group
• Be able to develop pedagogical alternatives to use in their own practice, and to justify their benefits to student learning

General competence

• Demonstrate a scholarly approach to their own teaching practice/pedagogical practice

Access to the Course

Employees working with teaching and learning at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Teaching and learning methods

The main component of the course is a SoTL project, carried out by a group and addressing a teaching issue of relevance to the participants. The final project product can be a project report, a paper intended for publication in a teaching and learning journal, or a submission to a teaching and learning conference. In addition to the project, the course consists of scheduled seminars intended to support the work on the project. Literature studies of relevance, including written assignments, and writing and peer-feedback on a teaching portfolio are also included.

Compulsory Assignments and Attendance

• Participation in course activities (seminars). At least 75% attendance.
• Literature studies (reading and writing assignments).
• Project works (in groups).
• Writing a teaching portfolio and give feedback on a teaching portfolio.

Forms of Assessment

Assessment is done based on:

• Participation in course activities (seminars)
• Approved assignments
• Approved project report

Grading Scale

Pass/fail

Reading List

• Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2011), Teaching for Quality Learning at University, 4th ed, The Society for Research into Higher Education.
• Handal, G. (1999), Consultation Using Critical Friends, New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 76, pp 59-70.
• And other relevant literature to complete the course project.

Course Evaluation

The course will be evaluated by the participants.

Programme Committee

bioCEED

Course Coordinator

Associate professor II Roy Andersson and senior adviser Oddfrid Førland

Course Administrator

bioCEED - Centre for excellence in biology education, in cooperation with the MN Faculty.