Full session detail for showcase items under this theme are provided below.
- Tailoring learning using Differentiated Instruction (showcase)
Who: Nadeera Ahangama
Theme: (1) Developing student skills
When: Thursday, September 2nd @ 11:50am – 12:10pm
What: The teaching practice which I would like to showcase is the “Differentiated Instruction” teaching strategy. Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet the needs of individual students. Customizing the content, tools, and learning strategies to suit different levels of students produced remarkable results in my classes over the last two years. Differentiated instruction involves reacting to the diverse learning styles in the classroom with adjusted content and processes. To implement differentiated instruction, you require a bit of planning before entering the class. If you are ready with a few strategies and materials to support, you can pull out diverse instruction methods when an occasion arises.
- Supervision of Honours and coursework Masters theses: strategies for enhancing the student experience (showcase)
Who: Suzanne McLaren
Theme: (1) Developing student skills
When: Thursday, September 2nd @ 12:10pm – 12:30pm
What: Supervision of Honours and coursework masters students’ theses is a core part of teaching. Students often experience high levels of anxiety, and the task of completing their largest assessment to date is daunting. In this presentation, I will provide strategies for enhancing the student experience, including the “usual” strategies such as setting expectations, clear communication, breaking the task into manageable steps, keeping the project contained, and providing constructive feedback. I will also discuss less often considered strategies, including building peer support through group projects, increasing student engagement through negotiation of topic and active participation in each stage of the project, staying within your area/s of expertise, student-supervisor “fit”, flexibility with supervision style, sharing your own experiences of research, and following through to the end of the research process (publication of findings). Central to my approach is fostering an appreciation of research and the research process, rather than “passing the thesis”. Enhancing students’ understanding of the value of their research knowledge and skills in their future careers is woven through the research experience. Outcomes include high student evaluations of the supervisory experience, a high percentage of students with Q1 or Q2 publications, students continuing on to higher degrees by research, and students engaged in research roles or projects within their workplace. The supervisory approach taken is applicable to the research and supervisory process in a broad range of disciplines.
- Embedding academic skills into subjects
Who: Emma Gersbach
Theme: (1) Developing student skills
When: Thursday, September 2nd @ 12:30pm – 12:50pm
What: Join Emma Gersbach, Academic Skills Coordinator for BJBS to discuss options for embedding academic skills into your subjects. Find out about the Academic Skills team’s services available to staff, including customising workshops and resources that can be embedded into subjects, as well as supports for your students with upcoming online exams.
