Research can promote student learning when university teachers explicate research through teaching (e.g., Healey & Jenkins, 2009). Teachers can explicate research in teaching in multiple ways. For example, by creating student motivation for research, incorporating current research in teaching, modelling critical reflection on research findings or providing students with a research experience (Visser-Wijnveen, van der Rijst, & van Driel, 2016).

Strengthening the role of research in teaching is central to this module. The guiding question to which you formulate an answer during the module is 'How can I foster student awareness of research in my current teaching?'

Guiding principle of the module

The module aims to foster university teachers’ awareness of the role of disciplinary research in their teaching. Therefore, we focus on individual design questions formulated by participants based on their own personal learning needs.

During the meetings you will define your central problem/design question, choose appropriate methods and/or learning/teaching interventions and share forthcoming insights with other participants under guidance of the trainer.

Some examples of possible design questions are:

• How do I motivate students to complete their thesis?
• How do I select/create suitable research projects or practical sessions on academic skills that are both appealing and suitable for my students?
• How can I use my own research in lectures and work groups to promote student learning?
• How can I let students do research in my course?

Programme

The module consists of two afternoon sessions during four weeks.

Meeting 1: Clarifying the research question and creating a plan

Participants formulate their research question based on existing student evaluations, student results, personal experiences and/or experiences of colleagues. In preparation of the first meeting, participants gather available information from various resources (preferably also in consultation with students) and create a context description. During the meeting we will define the problems and/or design questions, and we will share literature suggestions and ideas for research-based course design.

Participants help each other in small groups by sharing their insights on the brought material and by asking clarifying questions. Participants create a first draft for a plan, which they work out in more detail after the meeting and send it out to give/receive peer feedback.

Meeting 2: participants present their plan to the rest of the group and give/receive peer feedback.

We will discuss possible tools/measurements for (course) evaluation. Subsequently, participants will develop a plan for evaluating their (course) design after implementation (i.e., to determine the extent to which the integration of research in their teaching was successful). 

After completion of the module, participants implement and evaluate their design using the plans they created.

Learning objectives

• Participants formulate a design question aiming to strengthen the role of research in teaching based on their learning need or a problem in teaching practices.
• Participants formulate a plan for research-based education based on a reflection on course materials and student experiences which teachers collect in their own practice.
• Participants formulate a plan to evaluate the effect of their research-based education.
• Participants share their design and ideas with colleagues.

References

Price

• For Leiden University and LUMC staff: €300
• For other participants: €425