Researchled teaching

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Research-led teaching

• Darren Comber
• Educational Staff Development Unit
• d.comber_at_abdn.ac.uk

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Aims of the session

• To consider the relationships between research
  and teaching
• To discuss the ways in which research can be
  incorporated into teaching
• To consider what the advantages and disadvantages
  of this might be

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Intended learning outcomes

• Considered the research-teaching interface in an
  interdisciplinary environment
• Defined research-led teaching in your own context
• Explored some different ways to engage students
  with research

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Why a session on research-led teaching?

• compartmentalising / commodification of time
• accounting audit procedures distinguish
  research from teaching
• disenchantment
• need to know
• views on knowledge research

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What are the tensions between research and
teaching for you?
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In groups of three

• What do you think are the differences between
  research-led and research-informed teaching?

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Still in your groups

• Make a list of the research or research-orientated
  activities that are embedded currently in your
  teaching

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Still in your groups

• Map this list the onto a second list that
  outlines all of your activities as a researcher
• Note any differences between the two lists

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Consider the benefits of the following

• Students knowing what your research is and how
  you spend your time doing it
• Students knowing where research funding comes
  from
• Your students completing a grant application form
  to a deadline
• Sending your students to a conference

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Benefits (continued)

• Getting your students to talk to the media
• Students writing for target publication and
  knowing the difference between outlets
• Students getting their own work published

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What might research-led teaching look like in
your context?

• How would it change
• Programme?
• Courses (including assessments)?
• Students?
• You?
• Others who arent currently involved?

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Is there a return loop?

• How can teaching have a positive influence on
  research?

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Crux questions

• In the eyes of the external world, how do
  students graduating from a research-led
  university differ from those graduating from a
  university with a teaching focus?
• What evidence can we produce to support any claim
  of difference?

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Conclusion

• Research-led or research-informed?
• Incremental vs. wholescale change?
• School - College - A.U. - Govt. perspectives
• Your own views on knowledge and learning
• Costs benefits

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Bibliography

• Brew, A. 2001. Conceptions of research a
  phenomenographic study. Studies in Higher
  Education 26 (3), 271-285
• Jenkins, A., Breen, R., Lindsay, R. Brew, A.
  2003. Reshaping Teaching in Higher Education
  Linking Teaching with Research. London, Kogan
  Page. 210pp