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Turning Academics into Teachers: A Response from a 'Non-Academic' Unit.

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Title: Turning Academics into Teachers: A Response from a 'Non-Academic' Unit.
Language: English
Authors: Jenkins, Alan
Source: Teaching in Higher Education. Apr 1999 4(2):281-284.
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 4
Publication Date: 1999
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Descriptors: Academic Freedom, College Faculty, Higher Education, Knowledge Base for Teaching, Teacher Education, Teacher Role
ISSN: 1356-2517
Abstract: Five educators at a symposium suggested that giving academics training and support in their teaching roles might prioritize skills at the expense of disciplinary knowledge and threaten academic freedom. This article presents the contrary view that teaching can be improved by such courses and suggests that this point of view should be substantiated by research. (SLD)
Journal Code: CIJMAY2001
Entry Date: 2001
Accession Number: EJ616603
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0001922274;THD01APR.99;1999Jun14.14:40;v4.0</anid> <jsection id="AN0001922274-1"> Points for debate</jsection> <title id="AN0001922274-2">TURNING ACADEMICS INTO TEACHERS: A RESPONSE FROM A 'NON-ACADEMIC' UNIT </title> <p> <bold> ABSTRACT </bold> A key policy issue in mass HE systems is whether academics need training and support in theft teaching roles. A symposium of five contributors to this journal was largely negative and featured the views that this would prioritise skills at the expense of disciplinary knowledge and threaten academic freedom. The contrary view is presented that teaching can be improved by such courses but that the argument as to whether this is the case should be based on research evidence and by listening to a variety of perspectives. </p> <p>Clearly, the immediate context for all five contributors is in the UK to encourage or require new staff to undergo some form of training/accreditation as teachers; and as there careers unfold to continue to update themselves professionally as teachers (CVCP, 1998) .The wider international context, is the moves to mass higher education systems, the pressures to diversify HE institutions and the view of scholars like Boyer (1990) in the USA, Ramsden et al. (1995) in Australia and government reports, such as Dearing in the UK, that HE teaching needs to be raised in status. For Rowland (and for Furedi) moves to accredit university teaching as in the UK is an 'instrumental', managerial response, will prioritise 'skills' at the expense of the teachers disciplinary knowledge, will lead to a growing separation of teaching from research and threaten academic freedom. </p> <hd id="AN0001922274-3"> A Combative Response </hd> <p>First 'a health warning'. I work in a unit which works with staff to improve their teaching and have responsibility in my university for such a compulsory SEDA accredited course for new academics. To put it as Stephen Rowland does, I work in a 'non-academic unit' and am an expert 'whose expertise lacks a subject matter'. Well in combative fashion I note that the five articles which supposedly are aimed to 'stimulate debate from a wide range of experience' do not include anybody from such a unit or (except in passing by Terry Smyth) who puts forward an argued case for training academics as teachers. So that view is attacked without being presented. While to stigmatise people like me as 'non-academic' or to suggest as Furedi does that such units see university teaching as 'reducible to skills' is to totality misrepresent 'our' role and 'our' argument. </p> <p>Relatedly, Rowland sets up a straw woman, when he states 'we will not turn an academic historian into a history teacher merely by making her attend a course in teaching skills'. Of course not. Its much more difficult and a long-term issue than that. However, that is not to say that requiring her to complete such a course will not improve her teaching. There is some research evidence we could look for here; e.g. what is the impact of different strategies to improve university teaching, etc. (Wright, 1995). While to continue and conclude this combative vein, what distinguishes these pieces which, in part, argue that the training/accreditation to academics as teachers will lead 'to the separation of teaching from research' is the total absence of any research evidence from their arguments. This is partly explainable by there being opinion pieces. However, you should expect some acknowledgement that there is research we could draw on. Remember these were published is a journal which states that it aims 'to explore ... how teaching in higher education can itself become a field of research'. So before I seek common ground, let me state that some of my arguments are expanded upon and draw on my research and that of others (Jenkins et al., 1996; 1998). </p> <hd id="AN0001922274-4"> Seeking Common Ground </hd> <p>I recognise that is a widespread view that the work of units such as my own is seen as 'non-academic', and that moves to accredit university teaching is seen negatively both to focus on skills and to undermine academic's roles as researchers. Those of us in such units do need to consider why such views are widespread. I think this is, in part, because such units (well those in the UK) have generally focused on the generic issues re teaching. Few such units, and certainly not the SEDA framework for teacher accreditation, have explicitly focused on the discipline specific aspects of teaching, or have sought to explore the connections between research and teaching. Given that most academics (as Rowland powerfully argues) identify with their discipline and their research role, it's not very skilful for such units to ignore that discipline, or staff's concern for research. </p> <p>Accordingly, I think such a 'training' programme for that historian should, in part, help her to explore the particular issues that confront history teachers; should help her review the growing scholarship and research on history teaching at university level; should explore how her curricula might be designed so that her students benefit from her research; and should challenge her to take a scholarly, research-orientated approach to her teaching. However, such an initial training programme should also--or perhaps mainly--introduce her to the genetic literature, ideas and practical suggestions, even 'teaching tips', on teaching in higher education. For though there may be differences between lecturing, examining, etc., in say history and physics there are many many commonalities. Furthermore, when staff in such programmes are brought together with people in other disciplines, exploring their (discipline-based) conceptions of teaching can help staff develop their particular approach. (I am in particular thinking here, of Keith Trigwell's work, e.g. Trigwell, 1995). Indeed, if Frank Furedi read that as part of programme of continuing professional development for sociology staff, it might help him see the strengths and limitations of his categorical statement that 'academic teaching is about imparting knowledge ...' (my emphasis). </p> <p>To categorise such programmes as narrowly instrumental or solely skill based, fails to recognise that they generally are scholarly and questioning. However, such initial courses, in part, should be skill and 'teaching tips' based. For as Terry Smyth's response argues 'to deny the need for any training in core instructional skills would be ... absurd'. Visit any academic conference and think what it is like to be taught by staff who lack the most basic communication skills and/or who seem unaware of the varied ways available to present ideas, and to involve those present in the argument. Would you be happy paying good money for your daughter--or would your daughter--to be taught by them, even if they were top class researchers? As Stephen Rowland says 'much that has passed as "teaching" in universities is simply appalling'. Agreed. Now our experience at Brookes is that by initially focusing our course for new staff, around presenting a range of practical strategies for lecturing, assessing, etc., that staff can choose from, aids their sense of 'competence' and 'skilful' behaviours and enables their students to better learn disciplinary knowledge. Furthermore, this is confirmed by tutor judgements as trained observers of their teaching. </p> <p>Now there are major research issues as to the long-term impact of such programmes; the appropriateness in different contexts of an emphasis on skills and scholarly understanding; of generic advice and more discipline-based approaches. There are important research and policy issues as to how to support the long-term professional development as teachers. Those of us in the UK need to recognise that the form of the argument here reflects our relatively centralised system. In more federal political cultures and highly differentiated HE systems, a much more diverse approach may be required. In the UK, programmes at say Leeds and Luton should reflect that institutional diversity. </p> <p>However, in exploring these issues we need to examine a variety of arguments, and look fairly at the (research) evidence and the issues. I will end on a combative note. I thought it poor academic practice for Teaching in Higher Education to open up these important issues, in a way that effectively both failed to present and misrepresented, the views of those of us who argue for the compulsory accreditation and continuing professional development of staff in their roles as teachers. </p> <hd id="AN0001922274-5"> REFERENCES </hd> <p>BOYER, E. (1990) Scholarship Reconsidered; priorities of the professoriate (Princeton, Carnegie Foundation). </p> <p>CVCP (1998) Accreditation and Teaching in Higher Education: final report (London, Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals). </p> <p>JENKINS, A. (1996) Discipline-based Educational Development, International Journal for Academic Development, 1(<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref1">1</reflink>), pp. 50-62. </p> <p>JENKINS, A., BLACKMAN, T., LINDSAY, R. & PATON-SALTZBERG, R. (1998) Teaching and research: student perspectives and policy implications, Studies in Higher Education, 23(<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref2">2</reflink>), pp. 157172. </p> <p>RAMSDEN, P., MARGETSON, D., MARTIN, E. & CLARKE, S. (1995) Recognising and Rewarding Good Teaching in Australian Higher Education (Canberra, Committee for the Advancement of University Teaching). </p> <p>TRIGWELL, K. (1995) Increasing faculty understanding of teaching, in WRIGHT, W.A. (Ed.) Teaching Improvement Practices, pp. 76-100 (Bolton, Anker). </p> <p>WRIGHT, W.A. (Ed.) (1995) Teaching Improvement Practices (Bolton, Anker). </p> <aug> <p>By Alan Jenkins, Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, Oxford, UK </p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib1" firstref="ref1"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib2" firstref="ref2"></nolink>
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  Data: Five educators at a symposium suggested that giving academics training and support in their teaching roles might prioritize skills at the expense of disciplinary knowledge and threaten academic freedom. This article presents the contrary view that teaching can be improved by such courses and suggests that this point of view should be substantiated by research. (SLD)
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