Demystifying RIT
Download as PPTX, PDF1 like153 views
This document summarizes a presentation on research informed teaching (RIT). It defines key terms like research and teaching. It discusses the history of universities from medieval times to the present. The presentation then defines RIT and debunks common myths about it. Five compelling reasons for practicing RIT are provided, including that it develops students' critical thinking and complex reasoning skills. The impacts of RIT on students are also summarized, such as increased self-confidence, engagement, and employability skills.
Demystifying RIT
- 1. Research Informed Teaching Tansy Jessop 2 November 2016 @solentlearning Demystifying Research Informed Teaching: Do R & T occupy parallel universes? Tansy Jessop Southampton Solent University Seminar at University of Wolverhampton 25 January 2017
- 2. This session 1) Defining the terms 2) What are universities for? 3) A brief history of RIT 4) What is RIT? What does it look like? 5) Three myths about RIT 6) Five compelling reasons for doing RIT 7) Impacts of RIT
- 3. Defining the terms on mentimeter 1) What words spring to mind to define research? Go to www.menti.com and use the code 56 03 77 2) What is teaching? Go to www.menti.com and use the code 21 04 76 3) So what is research informed teaching? Go to www.menti.com and use the code 94 51 54
- 5. Personal growth Citizenship Social justice and transformation Economy and jobs Character and moral virtue Knowledge and intellectual growth Creativity
- 6. Looking back in history: medieval universities • The main ones: Bologna (1088), Paris, Oxford (1000s), Cambridge (1209) • Training for church and civil service • Law and philosophy • Men • Authority of teachers • Printing press 1440 (Caxton), 1470 (Gutenberg)
- 7. Medieval Universities in Europe (circa 1100 to 1500)
- 8. It is a peculiarity of the institutions of higher learning that they treat learning as not yet completely solved problems, remaining at all times in a research mode… Schools, in contrast, treat only closed and settled bodies of knowledge (Humboldt's Programme for University of Berlin 1810) Birth of the modern university
- 9. The Modern University 2016
- 10. A ‘facts first’ approach prevails…
- 11. • Knowing is about content • Acting is about becoming a historian, actor, psychologist, or philosopher • Being is about understanding yourself, orienting yourself and relating your knowledge and action to the world (Barnett and Coate, 2005) Knowing Being Acting with ‘knowing’ trumping acting and being…
- 12. Research informed teaching challenges facts first
- 13. So what is RIT? Teachers active Students activeIt’saboutcontent It’saboutprocess Research-tutored Research-orientedResearch-led Research-based (Healey 2005)
- 14. Take Five: Post it exercise • Write down as many examples of RIT that you have experienced or led. • Write down what prevents you or your colleagues from doing RIT. • Populate the matrix nearest you
- 15. • Research active staff • Confidence about doing research • Great research environment • Lots of dosh • Loads of PhD students Myth 1: RIT works best in research- intensive universities
- 17. A positive research and teaching link primarily depends on the nature of students’ learning experiences…rather than on particular inputs or outcomes… (Elton 2001, 43 ).
- 18. Most students don’t rate RA staff highly HEPI Student Academic Experience Survey 2015
- 19. Myth 2: You can’t do RIT with first year undergraduate students
- 20. It all began with Perry’s Unit Evaluations… “This course has changed my whole outlook on life. Superbly taught!” “This course is falsely taught and dishonest. You have cheated me of my tuition”
- 21. This has been the most sloppy, disorganised course I’ve ever taken. Of course I’ve made some improvement, but this has been due entirely to my own efforts!”
- 22. Intellectual Development of Students Third Year Commitment Teacher as endorser Second Year Relativism Teacher as enigma First Year Dualism Teacher as expert
- 23. Myth 3: It’s only for bright students • Intellectual stimulation • Developing curiosity • Engaging students with problems • It’s not about original research
- 24. Five compelling reasons 1. The structure of our degrees demands it 2. It is challenging 3. It introduces students to the complexity of messy problems 4. It is exciting, authentic and student-centred 5. It develops critical thinking, academic writing and complex reasoning skills
- 25. 1. Structure demands it 120 Credits (20 per unit) 120 credits (20 per unit) 120 credits (20 per unit) 1 credit is worth 10 hours of work: each unit = 20 x 10 = 200 hours of which 40 is contact time
- 26. 2. It is challenging
- 27. 3. It introduces students to complex, messy real-world problems
- 28. 4. Exciting, authentic and student- centred “Research promotes critical and creative thinking, the habits of mind that nurture innovation; creates a sense of intellectual excitement and adventure, and provides the satisfaction of real accomplishment”. (Ellis, 2006) “Enquiry-based learning enables students to take increasing control of their own learning…it views students as active participants in their learning”. (University of Birmingham 2007)
- 29. 5. Develops critical thinking, complex reasoning and academic writing • Weighing up evidence • Putting questions before answers • Problem-solving mode • Not text-book • No ‘settled bodies of knowledge’ • Shared journey
- 30. Impacts of RIT • Self-confidence • Independence in learning • Increasing epistemological sophistication • Entry into discipline research cultures • Collegial relations with academics • Improved grades • Enhanced metacognition • Increased engagement • Employability skills (Levy 2012) Benefits to students in the following areas:
- 31. We need to shift students from the idea that university is just like school, only faster. Lewis Elton
- 32. References Arum, R. and J. Roksa. 2011. Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses. London: University of Chicago Press. Barnett, R. and Coate, K. 2005. Engaging the Curriculum in Higher Education. SRHE. Brew, A. 2012. Teaching and Research: New relationships and their implications for inquiry- based teaching and learning in higher education, HERDSA. 3-18. Brew, A. 1999. Research and teaching: Changing relationships in a changing context, Studies in Higher Education, 24:3, 291-301. Collini, S. 2012. What are Universities for? London: Penguin Books. Elton, L. 2001. Research and Teaching: Conditions for a positive link, Teaching in Higher Education, 6:1, 43-56. Hattie, J. and H.W. Marsh, 1996. The Relationship between Research and Teaching: A Meta- Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 66(4), 507-542. Healey, M. and A. Jenkins, 2009. Developing undergraduate research and inquiry. York: Higher Education Academy. Healey, M., 2005. Linking Research and Teaching: disciplinary spaces In R. Barnett, ed, Reshaping the university: new relationships between research, scholarship and teaching. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill/Open University Press, 30-42. Jessop, T and Wu, Q. 2016 (forthcoming) Debunking common myths about RIT. Dialogue Journal Perry, William 1981. Cognitive and Ethical Growth: The Making of Meaning. In Chickering, A. 1981. The Modern American College. San Francisco. Jossey Bass.
Editor's Notes
- #11: Language of ‘covering material’ Should we be surprised?
- #13: Language of ‘covering material’ Should we be surprised?
- #14: Give examples from the PGCert: you do readings ; you write about readings (do you discuss them?), you do a student profiling research project
- #17: You can’t assume a productive relationship between research and teaching – Jenkins and Healey. John Hattie meta analysis – no correlation.
- #21: An enigma wrapped in a riddle surrounded by a mystery. Puzzled.
- #22: “The best teacher never pleases everybody!”