All
This comment seems to support the feelings I expressed in an earlier mail
to the list (26/10/00).
Yes, Paul (Skett) has hit the nail on the head. If RHBNC physicists are
only intent on joining the ILT if it is seen as the thing to do, rather
than what it stands for, it hardly seems worth the hassle! This is
completely the wrong reason to join!! OK, so the ILT may be a body that
recognises professional standards and ability, which may, or may not, have
an impact on career progression. This, though, suggests to me some kind of
static arrangement, a hurdle to jump. However, personally, the KEY point to
the ILT is a forum for helping me to keep DEVELOPING as a teacher.
Shan, if all your physicists want to join a club and not be active members
(which could be as little as just reflecting on their teaching!!), it kind
of begs the question 'What's the point?' I suspect that many would have to
develop a portfolio. I was fortunate to do this as part of an acknowledged
PGC in T&L, which we run here at Southampton Institute. However, even then,
it was hard work. Doing this outside of a course, and outside of any
allowance you might be given on your timetable, would be even more
difficult!
Surprising and depressing as it sounds, I do think this might be part of a
wider malaise. As Paul has pointed out to me, it IS worth ploughing through
some of the more difficult, social-science-type, language (which might put
some scientist off, or at least cause them to scoff!). There is some good
stuff there. What scientists (and I count myself amongst them) need,
sometimes, is a good 'translator' to tell us what it all means and what the
implications are for us!! I have been to a couple of seminars on problem
based learning by a guy from Manchester Med School, which was
inspirational. My job is trying to fathom out how I can use similar
strategies in my classes. My main concern/worry/source of lack of
confidence, is that I am gradually realising that the lecture treadmill is
becoming less and less effective and I need to overhaul major parts of my
teaching practice.
It is these kinds of insights that talking to other teachers, other members
of the ILT, can give you.
Paul.
Dr. Paul Wright
School of Maritime and Coastal Studies
Faculty of Technology
Southampton Institute
At 09:08 20/11/00 -0000, you wrote:
>Dear ILT,
>I'm the person responsible for encouraging staff at Royal Holloway to join
>the ILT. The Physics department is less enthusiastic than some of the
>others, and has asked me to come back to them with information about how
>many physicists nationally have joined the ILT (their point being, I
think,
>that if other physicists haven't joined, there is no purpose in their
>joining).
>
>Does the ILT have these figures easily to hand, or would any physicists
like
>to email me with why the ILT is relevant to physicists?
>
>Thank you!
>
>Shan
>
Shan,
I am again surprised by my colleagues in the H.E. sector - ILT is to
develop/find and disseminate good practice within learning and teaching. At
the basic level the SUBJECT being "taught" makes little difference. The
techniques/ideas should be relevant to most subjects. Many of my best and
most successful developments have come from areas far removed from my
subject (I am in Biology and have taken ideas from Engineering, Languages
and Music).
I hope ILT can remove the blinkers from my colleagues and allow them to see
the whole picture.
Paul
-----------------------------------------------------
Dr.Paul Skett,
West Medical Building,
University of Glasgow,
Glasgow G12 8QQ,
Scotland, UK.
tel/fax: +44-(0)141-330 5926
mobile: +44-(0)7785-536825
email: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
For further information on the Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences
see: www.gla.ac.uk/ibls
-----------------------------------------------------
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|