scholarly journals How to Teach Ecology to Students of Environmental Engineering

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Giulia Cantiani
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Emotional Competencies ◽  
Integrated Method ◽  
Conventional Teaching ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Method Of Evaluation ◽  
The University

The paper illustrates a set of teaching practices applied by the author in the course of Ecology, addressed to third year students of the First Cycle Degree (BSc) in Environmental and Land Engineering, at the University of Trento (Italy). The features of the university context and the main characteristics of these students are described, also referring to changes which have occurred over time. On the basis of a twenty-five-year teaching experience, the author highlights the challenges and opportunities of an approach aimed at involving students in the learning process, raising interest and curiosity towards ecological issues, stimulating students’ emotional competencies and  their capacity to critically reflect on their own educational experience. In conclusion some comments are made regarding the need for a greater engagement by the academic staff towards non-conventional teaching and learning experiences. In particular, a more integrated method of evaluation of the quality of teaching is sought, effective in taking into account different approaches and techiniques and comparing learning outcomes.

scholarly journals Computer-supported experiential learning (Phase One - staff development)

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Staley ◽  
Diana Eastcott
Keyword(s):  
Staff Development ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Computer Networks ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Appropriate Use ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Network Technologies ◽  
The University

In recent years the University of Central England in Birmingham has made considerable investments in developing computer networks. Developments have been technology-led, and the major use of the network has been for administration. The Computer-Supported Experiential Learning Project has been designed to refocus upon the curriculum, and to encourage academic staff to use the network technologies for teaching and learning. The broad aim of the project is to investigate and systematically evaluate the appropriate use of technology to improve the quality of learning.DOI:10.1080/0968776990070107

scholarly journals Fostering the Quality of Teaching and Learning by Developing the “Neglected Half ” of University Teachers’ Competencies

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-93
Author(s):  
Barica Marentič Požarnik ◽  
Andreja Lavrič
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Pedagogical Training ◽  
Quality Of Teaching ◽  
Key Competencies ◽  
The University ◽  
Excellence In Teaching

For too long, the quality of teaching and learning in universities has been undervalued in comparison to research. Current social, economic, ecological and other challenges require that more attention be given to measures to improve the situation. Academic staff should receive incentives, policy support and high-quality pedagogical training to develop key competencies for excellence in teaching. Examples of key competencies in this area in different countries are presented as well as some schemes of policy support and pedagogical training. The casestudy from the University of Ljubljana is based on experiences gathered from four groups of participants during a course on Improving University Teaching in 2013 and 2014. They gave their opinion on the relative importance of different competencies in teaching, to what extent have they developed them during the course and, finally, which activities and methods used have most contributed to their development. At the end, some measures to foster excellence in teaching at the level of policy are proposed, as well as areas for further research.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Peer Review of Teaching when performed between Early-career Academics

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-18
Author(s):  
Richard J. Woodman ◽  
◽  
Maria B. Parappilly ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Teaching Philosophies ◽  
University Lecturers ◽  
The University

The success of peer review of teaching (PRT) in shaping teaching practice during an academic’s formative years may depend on the peers’ teaching experience and the frequency of evaluation. Two Australian early-career University lecturers with no previous experience of peer review performed a single PRT on one another following a one week academic development program, a mandatory exercise for all new academic staff with teaching roles within the University. Their experiences were recorded and used in the development of a teaching philosophy. The same PRT was then repeated between the same 2 individuals for the purpose of mandatory peer evaluation some 5 years later and after gaining considerable teaching experience. This paper describes the perceived impact of the PRT process on their teaching philosophies and the potential limitations imposed by their inexperience in formative PRT and teaching itself. Despite this relative inexperience, both academics believed their initial PRT accelerated changes to their mainly teacher-focused knowledge-transfer approaches. This case study provides qualitative evidence that PRT programs can successfully shape teaching practice without the involvement of more experienced teaching faculty. Academic developers should highlight the importance of building collegiality and the scholarship of teaching and learning for early-career PRT participants.

iMindMap as an innovative tool in teaching and learning accounting: an exploratory study

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan Noor Hazlina Wan Jusoh ◽  
Suraya Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Accounting Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Course Content ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Conventional Teaching ◽  
Innovative Tool ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the use of iMindMap software as an interactive tool in the teaching and learning method and also to be able to consider iMindMap as an alternative instrument in achieving the ultimate learning outcome. Design/methodology/approach Out of 268 students of the management accounting at the University of Technology MARA (Terengganu), 97 students have participated in this survey to evaluate the effectiveness of iMindMap in teaching and learning. Findings Results indicate that the majority of the students acknowledged that iMindMap is more attractive than conventional teaching methods and found that iMindMap shows clearly how the points are all associated and linked together. Students could find that learning is an exciting experience and were able to visualize the whole course content remarkably via iMindMap. Originality/value This study presents an alternative instrument, which is innovative and interactive in teaching and learning, especially for accounting students where the students’ technology acceptance could also be viewed.

Research on mixed learning mode based on MOOCs and micro class in internet background

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Zhang Zhehua
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Mixed Mode ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Teaching Mode ◽  
Quality Of Teaching ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
New Form

In the era of education information and globalization, a new mode of teaching and micro class has emerged in the background of the Internet, which brings new challenges and opportunities to the teaching of the classroom. MOOCs has been piloted and applied in many universities in the form of SPOC. As a new form of curriculum, micro course has been applied to the teaching and learning process. The integration of Moor and micro class resources helps to turn the classroom into a mixed mode. This article will focus on this hot topic to analyse the characteristics of the class, the characteristics of the micro class and the influence on the students and teachers, to improve the quality of teaching and to realize the individualized and active study of the students. The article summarizes the results of blended teaching mode at home and abroad, and explores the development and application of MOOC and micro class resources.

Towards Academic Successor Selection Modelling with Genetic Algorithm in Multi-Criteria Problems

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.33) ◽  
pp. 130
Author(s):  
Atiqa Zukreena Zakuan ◽  
Shuzlina Abdul-Rahman ◽  
Hamidah Jantan ◽  
. .
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Succession Planning ◽  
Fitness Function ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Fitness Value ◽  
Selection Decision ◽  
The University ◽  
Hierarchy Process

Succession planning is a subset of talent management that deals with multi-criteria and uncertainties which are quite complicated, ambiguous, fuzzy and troublesome. Besides that, the successor selection involves the process of searching the best candidate for a successor for an optimal selection decision. In an academic scenario, the quality of academic staff contributes to achieving goals and improving the performance of the university at the international level. The process of selecting appropriate academic staff requires good criteria in decision-making. The best candidate's position and criteria for the selection of academic staff is the responsibility of the Human Resource Management (HRM) to select the most suitable candidate for the required position. The various criteria that are involved in selecting academic staff includes research publication, teaching skills, personality, reputation and financial performance. Previously, most studies on multi-criteria decision-making adopt Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP). However, this method is more complex because it involved many steps and formula and may not produce the optimum results. Therefore, Genetic Algorithm (GA) is proposed in this research to address this problem in which a fitness function for the successor selection is based on the highest fitness value of each chromosome.    

scholarly journals A Teaching Experience through the use of Tasks: Limits and possibilities for learning Mathematics in a university context

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Ribeiro ◽  
Juliana Paulin
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Mathematical Tasks ◽  
Integral Calculus ◽  
Mathematical Concepts ◽  
Fundamental Theorem Of Calculus ◽  
The University

Context: Rethinking mathematics teaching practices in a university context is an emerging research theme. Objectives: In this article, we aim to discuss the limits and possibilities of using mathematical tasks in the teaching and learning processes of the concepts of Derivative, Integral and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Design: The study is based on a qualitative-interpretative perspective of research, with methodological procedures inspired by a Design-Based Research. Environment and participants: The research was developed with students attending a Functions of a Variable class in a public university in the state of São Paulo. Data collection and analysis: Data were collected through mathematical tasks on Differential and Integral Calculus solved by students. The protocols produced were analysed, pointing out the main aspects identified, which led us to organize categories of analysis and dimensions (i) knowledges mobilized and developed by students in relation to mathematical concepts; (ii) main errors and difficulties presented by students in the development of tasks; (iii) limits and possibilities of the practice of exploratory teaching in the university context. Results: The results reveal aspects that characterize a process of resignifying the mathematical concepts discussed with the students and a deepening of their knowledge about the concepts of the DIC. Conclusions: As future notes, we suggest rethinking university teaching practice, since the study indicated possibilities and potentialities of the use of exploratory tasks in the teaching of Differential and Integral Calculus.

scholarly journals Theoretical bases for academics’ potential development: foreign and domestic experience

2021 ◽  
pp. 5-19
Author(s):  
Yurii Skyba ◽  
Hanna Lebedynets
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Association Agreement ◽  
Intangible Resources ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
Potential Development ◽  
Organizational Information ◽  
The University

Ensuring and improving the quality of teaching and learning, in particular the academics’ potential development, is reflected in strategic European and domestic documents, namely in the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, the Paris Communiqué, the Strategy for Higher Education in Ukraine for 2021-2031 and others. The expediency for academics’ potential development is confirmed by the results of a national survey on the needs for the development of Ukrainian universities in the process of reforming higher education in the context of European integration. The article highlights the problems of academics’ potential development. Based on foreign and domestic experience, the theoretical bases for academics’ potential development, in particular the conceptual and terminological apparatus and structural components of teaching metacompetence are substantiated. The concept «potential of an academic» is defined as a set of intellectual, intangible resources, conditions and opportunities created for the production and accumulation of new knowledge, ideas, technologies, competencies and other productive properties at the university, which combines two levels of connections functioning in unity. The first level of connections are resources that are the result of past and present, and the second – opportunities, i.e. those abilities and connections that are future-oriented, constantly changing, evolving, forming new abilities, characteristics, including elements of the future development. The following components are distinguished in the structure of teaching metacompetence: prognostic; design; objective; innovative; pedagogical partnership; organizational; information and digital; reflexive; linguistic and communicative; inclusive; motivational; health-preserving; emotional-ethical and evaluative-analytical. The development of the above components of teaching metacompetence will help ensure the quality of higher education and increase the competitiveness of the university in the educational services market.

Professional community and student engagement in higher education: rethinking the contributions of professional staff

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaw Owusu-Agyeman ◽  
Enna Moroeroe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Culture ◽  
The University

PurposeScholarly studies on student engagement are mostly focused on the perceptions of students and academic staff of higher education institutions (HEIs) with a few studies concentrating on the perspectives of professional staff. To address this knowledge gap, this paper aims to examine how professional staff who are members of a professional community perceive their contributions to enhancing student engagement in a university.Design/methodology/approachData for the current study were gathered using semi-structured face-to-face interviews among 41 professional staff who were purposively sampled from a public university in South Africa. The data gathered were analysed using thematic analysis that involved a process of identifying, analysing, organising, describing and reporting the themes that emerged from the data set.FindingsAn analysis of the narrative data revealed that when professional staff provide students with prompt feedback, support the development of their social and cultural capital and provide professional services in the area of teaching and learning, they foster student engagement in the university. However, the results showed that poor communication flow and delays in addressing students’ concerns could lead to student disengagement. The study further argues that through continuous interaction and shared norms and values among members of a professional community, a service culture can be developed to address possible professional knowledge and skills gaps that constrain quality service delivery.Originality/valueThe current paper contributes to the scholarly discourse on student engagement and professional community by showing that a service culture of engagement is developed among professional staff when they share ideas, collaborate and build competencies to enhance student engagement. Furthermore, the collaboration between professional staff and academics is important to addressing the academic issues that confront students in the university.

Creation and management of the library collections in the academic library

Infolib ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 36-39
Author(s):  
Victoria Levinskaya ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Faculty Member ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Educational Services ◽  
Library Collection ◽  
Scientific Potential ◽  
The University ◽  
Library Collections

Any contemporary academic library is created to meet the needs of the faculty member, researchers, and students in providing access to educational and scientific resources that go beyond traditional sour-ces of information such as books, textbooks, and magazines. Building a library collection is a scrupulous process involving not only librarians, but also the academic staff of the university. This process is highly dynamic, since it should ensure the quality of the provided educational services of the university, as well as contribute to the development of its scientific potential. This article reveals the main challenges facing academic libraries in creating an developing, recent and balanced library collection.

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