Research Led Teaching at Cardiff University

PCUTL Group Research Project

Michael Arribas-Ayllon (SOCSI)Samuel Bigot (ENGIN)Jonathan Gosling (CARBS)Jonathan Lees (ENGIN)Luke Sloan (SOCSI)

Our Research Questions

• Our research topic is ‘research-led teaching’

• Our specific research questions are:– What is research-led teaching at Cardiff

University?– Is it a realistic vision?– How is it achieved in practice in different Schools?

Research Design• Semi-structured interviews (n = 10) • Devise standardised interview schedule• There are 2 comparative dimensions:

– ‘Age’ or ‘seniority’– ‘Discipline’ or ‘School’

• Interviews conducted across 3 Schools:– Engineering– Business– Social Science

Business1 x Senior1 x junior

Social Sciences2 x Senior2 x junior

Engineering2 x Senior2 x junior

The questions

• What does RLT mean to you• Do you agree with CU RLT definition• How realistic is this vision?• Has the relationship between teaching and research changed

during your career ?• What are the barriers to achieving RLT• Examples of how RLT has been incorporated into teaching• Does RLT help or hinder teaching?• Are prospective students attracted by RLT – why?

Definitions and disciplinary Differences

EngineeringBusiness

Social Sci.

Junior Senior“Publication led teaching” – SocSi

“Connected to a research culture” – SocSi“Keeping material current” – Bus“Proof that theory works” - Bus

“Teaching Research” - Engin“Problems without sols.” – Engin

Definitions of RLT

“has the relationship changed during your career”

no but yes

“The high-quality of the research at Cardiff contributes significantly to the quality of

teaching at postgraduate and undergraduate levels …….”

Do you agree with theCU definition of RLT

agree but Not realistic

Definitions and disciplinary Differences

EngineeringBusiness

Social Sci.

Junior SeniorWriting

Text Books

Using examples &

scenarios

Students do Research & learn

methods

Examples of RLT

Performs Informs Shapes

“Does RLT help or hinder teaching”

helps both hinders

“Are prospective students attracted by RLT”

yes I wish no

“Barriers to achieving RLT”

syllabus workload abilityconflict

Analysis

• We conducted a simple thematic analysis based on semi-structured interviews and identified several ‘value-tensions’:– ‘teaching’ versus ‘research’– ‘tradition’ versus ‘innovation’– ‘autonomy’ versus ‘competition’

• We also identified one important cross-cutting theme:– ‘rhetoric’ versus ‘reality’

Core Tension: ‘Teaching’ vs ‘Research’

TEACHING• Universally less prestigious• Quality of instruction a priority• Fostering meaningful learning

experience, i.e. student-oriented

RESEARCH• Universally more prestigious• Quality of knowledge a priority• Fostering meaningful academic

identity, i.e. expert-oriented

“Research has more prestige and its effects are longer lasting in terms of legacy and reputation. Teaching is more transient yet pleasurable.”

“RLT universities should attract good scholars but it doesn't mean they will be good teachers. Good scholarship and good teaching is not so much different skill sets but different values. Some scholars are potentially good teachers but they don't value teaching ”

Core Tension: ‘Teaching’ vs ‘Research’

TEACHING• Universally less prestigious• Quality of instruction a priority• Fostering meaningful learning

experience, i.e. student-oriented

RESEARCH• Universally more prestigious• Quality of knowledge a priority• Fostering meaningful academic

identity, i.e. expert-oriented

“Research has more prestige and its effects are longer lasting in terms of legacy and reputation. Teaching is more transient yet pleasurable.”

“Research active academics should be well versed with what is happening in their field, and relevant concepts. This awareness helps to convey the gaps, industry based tools and techniques in a more meaningful way.”

“Research, for the most part, makes you engage with experts and the best people in your field.”

Teaching Regimes: ‘Innovation’ vs ‘Tradition’

TRADITION• Knowledge is centralised and

impersonal amenable to team teaching flexible and transferable

INNOVATION• Knowledge is diffuse and

personal less amenable to team teaching limited flexibility and transferability

“So rather than teaching from the textbooks it's about new developments in the areas that you're aware of. Using your own research experience to illustrate points you're teaching.”

“I don't think that it just happens by itself, it depends on how teaching is organised … Research-led teaching might be discouraged due to team teaching.”

Teaching Regimes: ‘Innovation’ vs ‘Tradition’

TRADITION• Knowledge is centralised and

impersonal amenable to team teaching flexible and transferable

INNOVATION• Knowledge is diffuse and

personal less amenable to team teaching limited flexibility and transferability

“Old notes, old handouts, legacy material passed on from academic to academic, no time to improve or update, so this statement is almost a lie.”

“Historical and traditional way of doing things - 'passing the baton' with modules being inherited and regurgitated - no room or time for introducing new, research relevant material. Too many modules - no room for new and exciting modules.”

Intellectual Values: ‘Autonomy’ vs ‘Competition’

AUTONOMY• Fostering personal intellectual

value, i.e. ‘scholarship’– accrues status for an individual– process-oriented

COMPETITION• Accruing institutional value, i.e.

symbolic capital– accrues status for a university– output-oriented, e.g. REF

“Get the opportunity to tell the student about the research work that you are doing. For me, it has to be relevant ... RLT can give exposure to relevant, current research in the particular discipline. The danger otherwise is that we repeat outdated theory with no context.”

“Research has become very very important. My teaching is more research informed than ever before. This shift is a confidence thing and a network thing.”

Intellectual Values: ‘Autonomy’ vs ‘Competition’

AUTONOMY• Fostering personal intellectual

value, i.e. ‘scholarship’– accrues status for an individual– process-oriented

COMPETITION• Accruing institutional value, i.e.

symbolic capital– accrues status for a university– output-oriented, e.g. REF

“RLT is not a realistic portrayal because not all universities have a research culture. RLT is a scarce entitlement in a competitive and hierarchical context of increasing differentiation between universities.”

“Corporate line to advertise university to students. PR statement for public to read ‘come to Cardiff we're great’ - not the same as an honest assessment of teaching.”

“NSS is increasingly important, moving into greater competition for students, recruit students rather than select. Use eminent scholars to sell the university. This is right as teaching is part of the job and pays research professors salaries.”

Cross-Cutting Theme: ‘Rhetoric’ vs ‘Reality’

• Teaching and research is zero sum game• Being a good researcher <> good teacher• Research-led teaching is a buzzword• Research-led teaching invokes two opposing realities:

– an honest assessment of how to improve teaching and close the gap between teaching and research cultures

– an exercise in producing symbolic capital to boast the competitiveness of universities in a climate of neo-liberal (consumer-led) economics

Low integration of research and teaching

What is RLT?

Lack the skills to translate research into effective teaching material

Time Pressures

RLT not an important priority

Not relevant to teaching ‘Inheritance’

Workload and Performance Measurement

Characteristics of Teaching Responsibilities Nature of Research Undertaken

REF pressure to publish

Tension Between Research and Teaching

Separate Research / Teaching Identities

Teaching Allocation

Motivation and Meanings

Syllabus Constraints

Limited Applicability to ‘level’

Team Teaching Structures

Limited AutonomyHigh level Theory

Shared Modules

Unclear definitions

Too ‘advanced’Not suitable for teaching

Recruitment based on research outputsPerformance

Measures

Lead to

Exacerbates

Create

Generates income for

Attracts

Promotes

Research Excellence

Barriers to Integrate

Research and Teaching

Confusion over R & T

Relationship

Reputation(Symbolic Capital)

Student Numbers

Prestige Virtuous Circle

Implementation Vicious Circle

Value Tensions

Traditional Ethos of Research-led University

Problems Encountered in RLT Practice

Many thanks for listening

PCUTL Group Research Project

Michael Arribas-Ayllon (SOCSI)Samuel Bigot (ENGIN)Jonathan Gosling (CARBS)Jonathan Lees (ENGIN)Luke Sloan (SOCSI)

Implications of Findings

Overall there is a need to properly conceptualise RLT

Teaching vs ResearchThe disparity in recognition and prestige between teaching and research needs to be

addressed or the gap between ‘researchers’ and ‘teachers’ will continue

Tradition vs InnovationIt takes time to do something new – if teaching is low status then why would people

spend time on andragogic innovation?

Autonomy vs CompetitionIf RLT is more than a branding exercise then leading scholars need to teach – teaching

finances the high level of autonomy that some researchers enjoy

Rhetoric vs RealityAre we currently doing RLT or just saying that we do? Is it feasible for all teaching to be research-led? What about those of us on the ‘teaching and scholarship’ route?

Unused Slides

These following slides just summaris the answers from questions

(numbers represent where to position on scale on graphs)

What does RLT mean to you• Junior

– Engin Teaching Research - not using research to enhance teaching– Engin A means of updating material, and illustration– Bus Keeping current - key issues and debates– SocSi Publication led teaching - conflict here– SocSi Using own research as a tool to illustrate

• Senior– Engin Enthuse and push research agenda, problems without solutions.– Engin Where research informs teaching– Bus Proof that theory works!– SocSi Connected to other peoples research, involved in a culture of research– SocSi Taught by real experts

Do you agree with the University's definition of RLT?

• Junior– Engin no - marketing tool only (-5)– Engin yes (5)– Bus yes, enthusiasm there, but done on best endeavors basis (+2)– SocSi no - bad use of language (-5)– SocSi yes - but - potential to be true - needs careful planning (-4)

• Senior– Engin yes - works well (+5)– Engin No - no real definition there - student awareness is good. (-2)– Bus No - but intentions are good (-3)– SocSi No - not all Unis can do it - only the privileged (-2)– SocSi Yes - in principle - but mostly a marketing strategy (+2)

How realistic is the vision?• Junior

– Engin Not realistic - enthusiastic researcher <> good lecturer (-3)– Engin Realistic - but hands-on access required (+3)– Bus realistic - but only with sufficient support and commitment (+3)– SocSi RLT Unis. should attract good scholars - doesn’t necessarily lead to

good RLT. Value tension. Institutional issue. (0)– SocSi realistic - but research usually 'applied' to existing modules. (+1)

• Senior– Engin realistic - but with buy in (+1)– Engin realistic - but with proper guidance (+1)– Bus realistic - but unlikely (-1)– SocSi not realistic - although this individual speaks general for HE sector

(-3)– SocSi not realistoc - good scholars cant communicate, god teachers don’t

have the research understanding. (-3)

Has the relationship between teaching and research changed during your career?

• Junior– Engin No - but difficult to gauge as new. Would like to see change. (-4)– Engin No - teaching legacy material (-4)– Bus Yes - but previous Uni teaching focused - Lucky to have RLT! (+4)– SocSi Yes - now teaching led research! Own research enhanced because of this.

Think of teaching in a different way. (+5)– SocSi Yes - RLT will become more difficult as HE continues to change (+3)

• Senior– Engin No. Always been the same. (-5)– Engin yes - just got better at integrating it. Enjoy teaching more as a result (+3)– Bus No - Not really - RLT just used as a buzz word these days (-5)– SocSi yes - research has informed and improved teaching (5)– SocSi yes - more emphasis on research (+1)

What are the barriers to achieving RLT?

• Junior– Engin legacy material - passing the baton, reluctance to change, time - no time to

do effectively, Research 'stars' too busy, workload - no space in curriculum, more active the researcher - less time – balance?, Leadership at school level.

– Engin Well defined legacy material - no room for new material, workload - difficult to implement no matter how passionate

– Bus Fixed syllabus / team teaching, Workload– SocSi Teaching/publishing conflict

– SocSi Fixed syllabus / team teaching

• Senior– Engin Student ability - ability to answer questions without solutions, Enough staff

being 'on- board’, additional effort required.– Engin The need to teach fundamentals. Reluctance to revise curricula radically– Bus Suitability of students, Class sizes - only deliverable to small groups,

workload– SocSi Interdisciplinary nature of research - no strong identity– SocSi Ability of researchers to teach.

Examples of RLT

• Junior– Engin Undergrad (year 3) projects– Engin Undergrad (year 3) projects– Bus examples and scenarios from own research - contextual– SocSi Literature surveys– SocSi examples and scenarios from own research - contextual

• Senior– Engin Year 3 and 4 projects - developed into stand alone laboratoroes– Engin Illustrating linkage between research and fundamantal knowledge– Bus Studies on current issues - students adapt well, actual research

methodology– SocSi textbook authorship– SocSi evidence based policy

Does RLT help or hinder teaching?

• Junior– Engin reverse is true - teaching hinders research, this is the reality– Engin neutral, but hopeful– Bus helps with keeping content current– SocSi Neutral - pressure to publish probably means hinders.– SocSi Helps - makes content more engaging.

• Senior– Engin Helps - enhances student experience– Engin Helps - adds significant value to 3rd year student projects– Bus Offers a better platform for explanation / learning– SocSi helps– SocSi Neutral - should be part of teaching anyway

Are prospective students attracted by RLT?

• Junior– Engin No - not sold at UCAS, opportunity missed (-4)– Engin Yes - drawn by expertise (+3– Bus yes - but not sure to what degree (+2)– SocSi yes - but students / parents aware that more research means less contact

time. Price worth paying (+3)– SocSi yes - its all about prestige (+2)

• Senior– Engin yes - bright students are aware of prestige (+3)– Engin yes - facilities are better - but need to make prospective students aware (2)– Bus No - not for undergrads (-4)– SocSi No - not recognised as a quality by prospective students (-4)– SocSi No - although books and textbooks have impact once students enrolled (-4)

Unused Slides

Definitions and disciplinary Differences

TEACHING PRACTICE

TEACHING CONTENT

Engin

Business

Social

ShapesPerforms

Conflicts

Informs

What does RLT means to you?

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Junior Senior