Teaching Awards Report 2009/10

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Recognising Good TeachingStudent Views from the EUSA Teaching Awards 2010-11

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Contents4 Introduction5 My Nominee is Great Because…6 Feedback7 Student Support 8 Teaching Award Winners 201010 Innovative Teaching11 Traditional Methodology12 Employability in Education13 The International Context 14 Enthusiasm and Inspiration15 Communities of Learning

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Introduction

Students recognise and appreciate good teaching. The overwhelming number of positive comments left by those nominating lecturers and tutors is a testimony to that. The EUSA Teaching Awards, the biggest and best teaching awards scheme in the UK and the leader

extra mile for their students, and aims to let them know their endeavours to educate are valued and respected.

In the current political climate in which limited budgets force Universities to focus on traditional funding streams, there is a strong incentive for research to take priority because of the funding it can attract. This makes it more important to recognise those who continue to put effort into their teaching and onto improving the student experience.

From the comments of the 3,269 students who nominated teachers this year, clear messages emerge. Students don’t want or expect to be simply given information. They relish experiences that inspire, soak up enthusiasm, and are keen to be shown how to approach their subjects

with a passion and to develop their own understanding.

It’s not just about the love of hard facts and cold data though. The learning process has important social and emotional aspects also. Open, regular communication, through new and old media alike, is essential in creating a fertile learning environment. Honesty, respect, and that tricky skill of really listening to and acting upon others’ opinions were traits highly praised.

There is no template, or standardised method for being a good teacher. Some students highlighted social media prowess and the integration of new technology into their education. Others dismissed the use of these methods

‘chalk and talk’, and the ability to foster a genuinely supportive atmosphere. Many teachers mix these methods to great success.

To all those who were nominated, congratulations are much deserved. In this report we celebrate the contributions of these people, their efforts and accomplishments.

Stevie WiseStevie



“He doesn’t always stick to the script, always leaves you feeling inspired and wanting to get into a school and get teaching!“

“Excellent at engaging, manages to make integration interesting and logarithms loveable.”

“I have seen crowds gather (probably for autographs) at the end of each lecture.”

“He has genuine love for subject and conveys this to students well, gets them ‘in the moment’ and often receives rounds of applause at the end of lectures!”

““Let’s talk about sets, baby!” must surely be the best line ever to have been uttered (well, sung, if we want to be accurate) in a tutorial. That alone should earn him an award of some sort. Simply put, the man was made to teach.”

“She is a visionary and all her students are becoming visionaries as well. We are pushing accepted practices to their breaking points, exploring new paradigms for learning, critically understanding our elearning world and our place in it. A real testament to the University of Edinburgh.”

“Like Mary Poppins, she is practically perfect in every way.”

My Nominee is Great Because…



“He uses the methods of assessment in such a varied and intelligent way that it ensures that everyone comes prepared and fully participates in class. He rewards full participation in seminars, assessing our contributions, preparation and presentations. The feedback he provides is genuinely the best and most thorough I have seen at university.”

“The help she provided was invaluable. Not only did she highlight where you were going wrong, but she helped you concentrate on areas where your work was lacking without making you feel like you were stupid. I really can’t stress how committed she is at supporting students and providing the best teaching I feel I have received at any time in the 3 years I have been at Edinburgh University.”

“Dr Hilfrich should be held up as an example of how to effectively engage, encourage and motivate students. He should be used as an example to help improve feedback not just in the History department but in the wider university.He constantly reminds us that we are what make the course and if anything is not as we want it the issue is raised, often instantly, in class with hand-raises or the famous “nods”: instant feedback!”

“Feedback is wonderful - my essay was marked in only a couple of weeks and feedback was set out in bullet points that referenced themselves to the page numbers within the essay. Both good and bad aspects of the essay were pointed out, with good advice on how I might have improved the essay written against every criticism. I was left knowing exactly what I could do to improve my essay, and

essay.”

“Dave is the most approachable lecturer and will always make time for his students. He listens to student suggestions and acts on them. We can see that he is enhancing our learning experience and needs according to what we believe is best for us.”

Feedback should be seen as central to the learning process. It should highlight positive and negative aspects of work, and explain how to improve weak areas and reinforce strong ones. Clear, consistent explanations of grading helps students in the process of self improvement, and the appreciation of feedback is one of the key themes that runs through the comments they left.

Feedback



There was never a time when she wasn’t able to see someone. She completely

told us that we could go and see her at any time. She always replied to emails promptly, no matter when you sent them, be it late at night, at the weekend or during the week. The amount of help she provided was unprecedented. The quality of support she provided is unrivalled.Up until she was my tutor, I felt extremely anonymous at University, but her respect for me as an individual, the way she learned all of our names and the noticeable effort she made to get to know us was inspiring to me. Claire was extremely responsive, answering emails fast and dealing with any issues any of us had swiftly and appropriately. Over all, I felt as if she genuinely wanted us to do well and had a real concern for

level of involvement rare and precious in university life.”

“A good teacher is considered not to be only that who knows how to share his knowledge with his students, but also that who teaches us important “lessons of life” which will contribute to our life, our society and maybe to the whole world! He has taught us so much about compassion in medicine. He sets such

a positive example even when dealing

is clear that the students, as well as the junior doctors, and nursing staff look to him for guidance and to set an example. He is an extraordinary teacher, but is also a mentor and a role model.”

personal times over the last semester and she has been fantastically supportive and also motivational - I felt like dropping out because I couldn’t cope but she has encouraged me through to the end of term.“

“He was truly wonderful to talk to when issues with my depression were affecting my work.”

“He really values the thoughts and opinions of his students, and seems to enjoy working with students immensely. He is incredibly considerate, thinking of every eventuality arising from every situation to do with class, organising class trips, and giving advice on coursework, and preparing for it beforehand, just so that students will feel reassured.”

Student SupportThe University experience is not solely academic by any standard. Problems can occur in other areas of life that can affect students’ learning capacities. Some people go out of their way to provide support and pastoral care that is deeply appreciated beyond its ability to improve grades. Emotional and academic guidance, establishing feelings of genuine approachability and trust, these are traits that can mean the difference between a student dropping out and attaining a good degree.



Teaching Award Winners 2010

The Winners and Runners Up for 2009/10 were:

Best DepartmentInformaticsChemistry

Best CourseFinancial Services Management (Business School) Environmental and Community Biology (Biosciences)

Teaching in an International ContextYoko Takahashi (Japanese) David Price (Centre for International Public Health Policy)

Best FeedbackFabian Hilfrich (History)Paul McLaughlin (Biological Sciences)

E-Learning AwardPhil Scott (Informatics) Simon Bates (Physics)

Innovative TeachingMark Aspinwall (PoliticsInternational RelationsSarah Colvin (German

Price Waterhouse CoEmployable Skills AwDavid Reay (GeoscienTonks Fawcett (Nursing

Vitae Best PostgraduAwardSean Brocklebank (EcoRichard Brodie (Social



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k (Economics) ocial Policy)

Best Research Supervisor

Jan Penrose (Geography)

Robert Kendell Award for Teaching in Medicine and Veterinary MedicineSusan Kempson (Preclinical Veterinary Sciences)Graham Pettigrew (Veterinary Biomedical Sciences)

Simon van Heyningen Award for Teaching in Science & EngineeringPaul Mclaughlin (Biological Sciences)

Colin Anderson (Engineering)Tom Bruce (Engineering)

Ian Campbell Award for Teaching in the Humanities and Social SciencesDimitri Tsinjilonis (Social Anthropology) Lotte Hoek (Social Anthropology)

Overall High PerformerRichard Milne (Biological Sciences) Claire Hagget (Geography)



“Professor Rodger makes full use of the

to communicate concepts, ideas and historical trends to classes, for example, putting a lot of effort in between classes to prepare interactive maps of business locations in nineteenth-century Edinburgh. His knowledge backs these practical tools up, and students are left with a full, broad understanding of a topic.”

“Martin’s courses continually adapt to

as changes in the makeup of the student cohort. The organisation of several concerts involving professional musicians from around the world EACH SEMESTER is of enormous value and involves a great deal of behind the scenes struggle and effort.”

“In a revision lecture he made a PowerPoint with music from the Star Wars movies and the writing from the beginning to go over all of the previous notes. It was a totally different approach to revision and really held my interest. “

“She uses WebCT, VLEs, Skype, Twitter, Second Life, iGoogle, Delicious etc. Online tutorials, discussion boards, social bookmarking, blogs, wikis, e-portfolios - most forms of e-learning! She ‘visited’

the message boards several times each day, and in the evenings and at weekends so that she could promptly answer questions and provide encouragement to the students all over the world in different time zones!”

“Yoko Sensei was an integral part of the Asian departments Nintendo Dsi project. The project equips each of the students travelling abroad with a Dsi so that they can stay in contact, with the department and so that their progress can be guided and monitored.”

“He has used movies, video clips, guest lecturers with specialties, props to help us better communicate when we’re speaking, trips to Parliament - but, above all, he uses something that may not seem innovative anymore - pure public speaking skills. His lectures, with all of the above mixed media, drive home one overarching fact that a well-thought out and well-presented speech can have a profound impact.”

Innovative TeachingInnovative teaching at its best can capture attention, and bring a subject to life. New technologies and social media are appearing all around us, providing ample opportunities for communication and education, and we have in our midst pioneers of these phenomena. Students responded positively not only to novelty, but understood and explained how these techniques improve their understanding.



Traditional Methodology

At the same time, students told us again and again that traditional skills and methods underpin the entire learning process. The ability to stand up, engage attention and start teaching was recognised and applauded across disciplines, throughout the University.

“Dr. Levy is an unusual lecturer in that he uses no PowerPoint presentations, white boards or other visual aids in his communication, believing that these things distract the student from engaging with what is being said and that they encourage a focus on thoughtless note-taking rather than discussion and analysis. Instead, he sits in a circle with us all, with nothing but a few pieces of paper in front of him, and his method and manner are really engaging. He ALSO makes the effort to record all of his lectures so that if a student is ill he can email them the recording, which is a really thoughtful touch to his teaching!“

“There is a lot to be said about good old fashioned blackboard-teaching. Martin Reekie does this remarkably well. It is not easy to captivate an audience with analogue electronics, but through his enthusiasm Martin Reekie manages to do this brilliantly.”

“Bringing in pictures, slide shows, practical equipment, stories, coming into

our experiences in the hospital, the list is endless! There is no better way to learn

practice using the opinion and help of an

expert like Sarah. The applied knowledge she was able to give us which always had rationale and a solid evidence base combined with her compassion really gave this area of nursing the importance it deserves.”

“His ability to command the attention of and captivate a room full of students is second to none. His lecturing technique is excellent, the timing and speed of his words is perfect for writing notes. His use of emphasis and concluding sentences perfect for leaving a lasting impression. His lectures made me want to go into the library and read about American history for pleasure.”



“She is very aware of the world outside of the classroom, and refers students to various community and academic resources beyond the University of Edinburgh, bridging the gap between school, society, and various institutions.Provided an overview of the industry, potential challenges, as well as good code of practice, and mode of thinking about problems and their solutions. Apart from teaching the academics of nursing she discusses what it is to be a good nurse. She teaches us practical skills which we can use on the ward as well as giving us tid-bits of advice on what to do and what not do in certain situations.”

“During freshers’ week, Dave sat in front of all 49 of us just starting this almost brand-new course in Carbon Management and he said that when

courses we should be able to talk to the scientists, to the ‘boardrooms’ and to the economists, and we should be able

to have an intelligent and integrated understanding of climate change. That was music to my ears then, and as our

has delivered on that promise.”

“Alex is a truly excellent supervisor. In

organised for me to go to Vancouver, see an experiment in action at their major Nuclear lab and has already organised beam time for me to obtain my thesis data at the GANIL facility in France early next year. He has truly helped me to improve my skills for work that will be crucial in the years to come for a career in research.”

The University has committed itself to equipping students with skills that will be needed in the job market. However, some teachers take this to new levels, and base

students for, something we found to be highly valued by our respondents. As David Reay, winner of this award, says: “The world faces some enormous challenges in the coming decades. From the economy to climate change, from population growth to terrorism, he need for graduates with both the expertise and the applied skills to properly address such challenges has never been greater. Prosaically, achieving this mix at Edinburgh means our graduates get good jobs but, more importantly, they get jobs where they can use their skills to really make a difference”

Employability in Education



“Constant references to the international engineering world are made in lectures, and we are reminded often of the international and varied nature of engineering. He is always stressing the importance of teamwork with people from other countries in the progression of engineering.”

“We recently saw a patient who is a Polish survivor of World War II, and prior to meeting the patient, Dr Grubb described to us what that meant for the patient, and allowed us to explore that with the patient, which meant our communication was sensitive and compassionate to what he had been through.”

“Has a vast knowledge of cultural and philosophical history and uses this to teach from a world perspective. Has understanding and respect for all forms of music from across the globe as well as

As an international student, I found that he helped me towards a deeper understanding of Scottish culture.”

“Dave teaches a class of 48 students from 25 different countries. He is a master at communicating course material to every student no matter what background they are from. He recognises that the diverse nature of the students themselves is a valuable teaching resource and wherever possible engages a variety of students for

class.“

The International Context

context of education is becoming seen as more and more important. Whether it be working effectively with course mates from two dozen different countries at a time, discovering new cultural perspectives and ways of thinking, or preparing for industries that require overseas work and extensive intercultural communication, students highlighted many examples of teachers broadening their horizons.



“Dimitri is able to present material such that it’s accessible, enticing and challenging. From his analogies to his active style in the classroom, his understanding and comfort are apparent and make us want to learn - isn’t that the

“He is like an encyclopaedia - he is perfectly comfortable explaining anything from history to literature to philosophy to psychology and can normally add an anecdote as well.”

“She loves her subject, but I also feel like she loves us, and wants us to do well. Her seminars are fun, interactive and informative, and she uses a wide range of materials to help us learn and keep our attention. She really has transformed my view of learning in a Higher Education context, for which I will be forever indebted to her.”

“He is one of those few people in life you always think will brighten up your day. He is serious about what he teaches but there are always laughs and jokes involved. The fact that he is so interesting makes the course ten times better as I am always listening to what he has to say, and his enthusiasm is infectious.“

“The effort he has put into planning his course, and continually re-evaluating and revising show a rare dedication to teaching. Raj Bhopal gives us the greatest gift in teaching us well.”

The best teachers are able to breathe vitality into their subjects, into their students

the ability and often fervour to impart this knowledge is also necessary.

Enthusiasm and Inspiration



“The Outdoor Education department is a pleasure to be a part of. All staff members enjoy their work and transfer that enjoyment to their students. They also believe in everything that they are doing and work hard to make this programme

They are not only great lecturers, but a joy to be around.”

“The Scandinavian Studies department makes you feel like you belong. We’re kept aware of all developments within the department, invited to numerous extra talks and events, and all the staff are wonderfully helpful.”

“German 4 has transformed my view of the University as I get good, detailed, prompt feedback, a department that knows me with good extracurricular activities (e.g. German Play), and everything is really well organised, helped by a very helpful course secretary, who deserves an award herself.”

“There is a great sense of community spirit; we all know lots of the staff really well, and much better than my friends who are in other departments. The DoS system works really well in the School of Chemistry. We also get to really contribute to the research output of the department

as undergraduates, and all the staff are very approachable.”

“Classics is a wonderful department. There is a real sense of community and solidarity. All staff are very friendly and approachable. Classes are interesting and compelling, and students are pushed hard, consequently achieving very highly. You really get the sense

potential. Although there is no easy path in Classics, it is certainly worth the hard work. Feedback is comprehensive. A team of internationally recognised specialists with a real passion for the subject and a well-stocked departmental library are invaluable.”

Communities of Learning

One of the most reassuring themes from our respondents was the feeling of community that exists within departments. The following are just a few examples of the excellent atmosphere fostered in some areas of Edinburgh University.



For more information about the Teaching Awards, or if you have any ideas for how to improve the Awards next year, please get in touch! Contact Stevie, Craig and Callum at the Teaching Awards:www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/teachingawards/contact

Teaching Awards photographs: David Gray

Edinburgh University Students Association is a Registered Scottish Charity (No.SCO15800)

420 teachers were nominated for Teaching Awards 2010.On behalf of students at the University of Edinburgh, EUSA would like to say thank you to all those nominated for providing excellent teaching to their students.


Documents

Teaching Awards Report 2009/10