suggestions on how to improve teaching in the school of business, gdufs
TRANSCRIPT
Suggestions on how to improve teaching in the School of Business
Improve student learning
Dr Robert ShawGuangdong University of Foreign Studies
What are the good things?
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1. Deans considerate & helpful
2. Support staff wonderful
3. Teachers’ collegial atmosphere- cope with high workloads- want to study- interested in research- support each other
4. Students- respect- cooperative
What are the bad things?
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1. Little use of teaching technology
2. Restrictions on information
3. Ignore the library
4. Students’ toleration
5. Students’ not given responsibility for their own learning
Students need to learn skills
1. Higher level cognitive abilities
2. Business student skills:a. Find informationb. Summarisec. Assess argumentsd. Identify problemse. Solve problemsf. Design researchg. Write papersh. Present ideas
Student Centred strategies
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1. Facilitate study: provide student resources
2. Exercises
3. Use the library online facilities
4. Online tests
5. Research (paper writing)a. Argumentative reportb. Scientific report
6. Case studies & analysis of videos
Learning objectives - skills
1. Locate, assess and use information from university and open source databases
2. Use bibliographic software (NoteExpress)
3. Use APA format for manuscripts & references
4. Demonstrate research skills, including the ability to find a problem/hypothesis, produce original ideas …
Basic exerciseThe management process
Planning Organizing Leading Controlling
Definition from Chuck Williams
Example: Teaching your course
Example: Being in control of an army unit
Video & audio recordings
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1. Place them on course website
2. Try to make the videos generic
3. Tests relate exactly to what was said in lectures
4. Helps with language learning
5. Helps advertise the university
BlackBoard
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1. Place them on course website
2. Try to make the videos generic
3. Tests relate exactly to what was said in lectures
4. Helps with language learning
5. Helps advertise the university
Advantages
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1. Everything in one place
2. Fast communications to individuals or everyone
3. Students teach each other
4. Enables continuous assessment
5. Tests & assignments● Easy to prepare● Automatic marking & online marking● Reuse test items
Assessment using Blackboard1. Assessment drives the course – not content
2. Continuous assessment
3. Test higher level skills
4. Assessment componentsa. Testsb. Exercises c. Glossaryd. Research paper (scientific or argumentative)
Objective assessment vs essaysMarker errorExamination variability
40:60 rule, make it 50:50 in China
Use of practice tests – motivate & direct students
This saves the teacher’s time
Task for the week
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1. Tasks for the week are always due the day before the next session (you have until mid-night).
2. Always submit tasks through the Discussion
Lectures & videos
1. Locate, assess and use information from university and open source databases
2. Use bibliographic software (NoteExpress)
3. Use APA format for manuscripts & references
4. Demonstrate research skills, including the ability to find a problem/hypothesis, produce original ideas …
Robert & Yuan Denghua
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1. Teaching & research
2. Weekly meetings
3. Bring different things to the partnership
4. Persistence
5. Teacher cluster
The next steps: Teacher strategy
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1. Goals for your students● Work through whole semester● Higher standards● Learn the right things – research skills
2. Save timea. Video lectures & provide exercisesb. Exercises in class and as homeworkc. Assessment through Blackboard
Work smarter, not harder
The next steps: School strategy
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1. Require 50% objective assessment in all courses
2. Require in-course assessment
3. Require that students write papers in all courses
4. Enforce grade distribution – decide on fail rates
5. Make APA format compulsory
6. Remove attendance requirements
7. Help teacher clusters to improve teaching