Amanda Gilbert - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Amanda Gilbert
Journal of university teaching and learning practice, Oct 31, 2023
Higher Education is very different from how it was when academics, now on the verge of retirement... more Higher Education is very different from how it was when academics, now on the verge of retirement, joined the profession forty years ago (eg UUK 2010). One of the main differences is the increased proportion of academic and teaching staff working on nonstandard contracts in universities. Across the world, definitions and measures of the numbers of academic staff on part-time and sessional contracts vary. OECD statistics, for example, suggest that percentages of part-time academic staff vary from as little as 2% in France to around 60% in Japan. Estimated figures for the UK (eg Armstrong 2011) put the proportion of part-time teachers at around 40%. The numbers and diversity of part-time teachers reflect a number of changes in Higher Education. Such changes include, for example, the curriculum offer: part-timers may be employed for their active professional expertise in, for instance, medicine and creative and performing arts. Crucially, increased student numbers have changed the face...
ETH Learning and Teaching Journal, Dec 9, 2020
Sharpening up Learning Outcome Statements If you want your students to… …then use one or more of ... more Sharpening up Learning Outcome Statements If you want your students to… …then use one or more of these verbs Know …
Though many courses retain lectures as a key part of teaching provision, the format of these lect... more Though many courses retain lectures as a key part of teaching provision, the format of these lectures can have an important effect on students’ transition to university. This paper reports on a comparison between two first year chemistry courses: CHEM113, designed for students without chemistry experience and grounded in the concept of Transition Pedagogy (Kift, 2009) and student engagement, and CHEM114, a more advanced course taught in a more traditional manner. Data has been collected for three years. Initially CHEM113 students reported higher levels of engagement and understanding with more positive attitudes towards chemistry. Gains were attributed to interactive lectures and availability of extra support. However, this year the format of the lectures changed to include pre-lecture videos and quizzes. At the same time new staffing levels lead to the reorganisation of the laboratory programme. We report on how the changes seem to have affected student behaviour and on student per...
Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice
In New Zealand, as in many other western societies, the higher education system has become an inc... more In New Zealand, as in many other western societies, the higher education system has become an increasingly less secure place in which to work, and over 40 per cent of those teaching in New Zealand higher education are sessional staff of some kind. Our university in New Zealand has long relied on parttime paid tutors, many of whom are students themselves, to deliver part of the teaching in large courses. These tutors work with groups of students facilitating their learning in workshops, seminars, laboratories and a variety of other teaching environments. We have tracked the experiences of tutors over a significant period of time, and surveys of tutors’ experiences since 2007 reveal that the majority of respondents hold tight to the hope of a future academic career. They regard tutoring as good preparation for an academic career, and many report being even more committed to pursuing an academic career since beginning tutoring. How can we best support tutors to navigate their way into ...
International Journal of Innovative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
Quality teaching in higher education (HE) is gaining increasing international attention and pedag... more Quality teaching in higher education (HE) is gaining increasing international attention and pedagogical innovation is seen as an important construct of quality teaching. The drivers for pedagogical innovation include the need for 21st century skills and understandings, student demographics and empowerment, technological advances, and a turn to teaching in HE. Defining innovative pedagogies is a recurring challenge in the literature and a key focus of this article. Using an investigation into innovative approaches to teaching and learning at one New Zealand university, prevailing themes of newness, benefit, and student outcomes are discussed to develop a working definition. What is missing from the discourses and definitions is specific consideration of the influence of context on what counts as pedagogical innovation. In light of this, the authors offer an emergent definition of pedagogical innovation in higher education.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International
Journal of Biological Education
Higher Education Research & Development
International Journal for Academic Development
In New Zealand, as in many other western societies, the higher education system has become an inc... more In New Zealand, as in many other western societies, the higher education system has become an increasingly less secure place in which to work, and over 40 per cent of those teaching in New Zealand higher education are sessional staff of some kind. Our university in New Zealand has long relied on part-time paid tutors, many of whom are students themselves, to deliver part of the teaching in large courses. These tutors work with groups of students facilitating their learning in workshops, seminars, laboratories and a variety of other teaching environments. We have tracked the experiences of tutors over a significant period of time, and surveys of tutors' experiences since 2007 reveal that the majority of respondents hold tight to the hope of a future academic career. They regard tutoring as good preparation for an academic career, and many report being even more committed to pursuing an academic career since beginning tutoring. How can we best support tutors to navigate their way into an academic career that might look somewhat different from the one they set out to pursue? This paper shares data and insights from our longitudinal research with tutors, and encourages those supporting sessional staff to think about how to enable tutors to take a scholarly approach to their teaching, regardless of the career path they eventually take.
The book covers three broad aspects. We consider first the implications of the current context of... more The book covers three broad aspects. We consider first the implications of the current context of Higher Education, particularly in the UK, Australasia and New Zealand, for part-time teachers. We consider the implications of the different kinds of part-time employment and what motivates part-timers to take on this sort of work. The second part of the book explores the practical implications. How can the needs of such a diverse group be established and what do part-time teachers’ voices tell us about the content and delivery of induction programmes and ongoing support? Many part-timers have multiple roles in different universities, as professionals in other fields or as work-life jugglers: how can institutions help them feel integrated rather than marginalised? The final section of the book offers strategies to build effective teams, examples of institution-wide frameworks and, finally, a view of the characteristics of effective interventions.
Australian family physician, 2004
To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teachi... more To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teaching evidence based medicine (EBM). Questionnaire survey of 114 general practitioner and 162 specialist university teachers teaching EBM. Two hundred and six (80%) teachers responded; 196 regularly consulted with patients, 21% had received training, and 40% taught EBM. Those with formal training (68%) taught more often than without (32%) (p = 0.0001), 27% had taught EBM for over 5 years. More GPs (57%) than specialists (40%) asked students to assist in finding evidence (p = 0.036). Most welcomed EBM and were confident in teaching it. Barriers included antagonism to EBM philosophy, shortage of time, and a need for training in teaching EBM. Although not all trained, GPs and specialists teach EBM, enjoy doing so, and want to increase their ability to teach it.
Quality Assurance in Education, 2009
... Juliana Mansvelt, School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University, Palmerston N... more ... Juliana Mansvelt, School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. ... staff regarded an introduction to e-learning as a course in ICT rather than an effort to change or improve their teaching abilities (Donnelly and O'Rourke, 2007). ...
AIM: To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward t... more AIM: To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teaching evidence based medicine (EBM). PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Questionnaire survey of 114 general practitioner and 162 specialist university teachers teaching EBM. RESULTS: Two hundred and six (80%) teachers responded; 196 regularly consulted with patients, 21% had received training, and 40% taught EBM. Those with formal training (68%) taught more often than without (32%)(p= 0.0001), 27% had taught EBM for over 5 years. ...
Australian family physician, 2004
To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teachi... more To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teaching evidence based medicine (EBM). Questionnaire survey of 114 general practitioner and 162 specialist university teachers teaching EBM. Two hundred and six (80%) teachers responded; 196 regularly consulted with patients, 21% had received training, and 40% taught EBM. Those with formal training (68%) taught more often than without (32%) (p = 0.0001), 27% had taught EBM for over 5 years. More GPs (57%) than specialists (40%) asked students to assist in finding evidence (p = 0.036). Most welcomed EBM and were confident in teaching it. Barriers included antagonism to EBM philosophy, shortage of time, and a need for training in teaching EBM. Although not all trained, GPs and specialists teach EBM, enjoy doing so, and want to increase their ability to teach it.
Journal of university teaching and learning practice, Oct 31, 2023
Higher Education is very different from how it was when academics, now on the verge of retirement... more Higher Education is very different from how it was when academics, now on the verge of retirement, joined the profession forty years ago (eg UUK 2010). One of the main differences is the increased proportion of academic and teaching staff working on nonstandard contracts in universities. Across the world, definitions and measures of the numbers of academic staff on part-time and sessional contracts vary. OECD statistics, for example, suggest that percentages of part-time academic staff vary from as little as 2% in France to around 60% in Japan. Estimated figures for the UK (eg Armstrong 2011) put the proportion of part-time teachers at around 40%. The numbers and diversity of part-time teachers reflect a number of changes in Higher Education. Such changes include, for example, the curriculum offer: part-timers may be employed for their active professional expertise in, for instance, medicine and creative and performing arts. Crucially, increased student numbers have changed the face...
ETH Learning and Teaching Journal, Dec 9, 2020
Sharpening up Learning Outcome Statements If you want your students to… …then use one or more of ... more Sharpening up Learning Outcome Statements If you want your students to… …then use one or more of these verbs Know …
Though many courses retain lectures as a key part of teaching provision, the format of these lect... more Though many courses retain lectures as a key part of teaching provision, the format of these lectures can have an important effect on students’ transition to university. This paper reports on a comparison between two first year chemistry courses: CHEM113, designed for students without chemistry experience and grounded in the concept of Transition Pedagogy (Kift, 2009) and student engagement, and CHEM114, a more advanced course taught in a more traditional manner. Data has been collected for three years. Initially CHEM113 students reported higher levels of engagement and understanding with more positive attitudes towards chemistry. Gains were attributed to interactive lectures and availability of extra support. However, this year the format of the lectures changed to include pre-lecture videos and quizzes. At the same time new staffing levels lead to the reorganisation of the laboratory programme. We report on how the changes seem to have affected student behaviour and on student per...
Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice
In New Zealand, as in many other western societies, the higher education system has become an inc... more In New Zealand, as in many other western societies, the higher education system has become an increasingly less secure place in which to work, and over 40 per cent of those teaching in New Zealand higher education are sessional staff of some kind. Our university in New Zealand has long relied on parttime paid tutors, many of whom are students themselves, to deliver part of the teaching in large courses. These tutors work with groups of students facilitating their learning in workshops, seminars, laboratories and a variety of other teaching environments. We have tracked the experiences of tutors over a significant period of time, and surveys of tutors’ experiences since 2007 reveal that the majority of respondents hold tight to the hope of a future academic career. They regard tutoring as good preparation for an academic career, and many report being even more committed to pursuing an academic career since beginning tutoring. How can we best support tutors to navigate their way into ...
International Journal of Innovative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
Quality teaching in higher education (HE) is gaining increasing international attention and pedag... more Quality teaching in higher education (HE) is gaining increasing international attention and pedagogical innovation is seen as an important construct of quality teaching. The drivers for pedagogical innovation include the need for 21st century skills and understandings, student demographics and empowerment, technological advances, and a turn to teaching in HE. Defining innovative pedagogies is a recurring challenge in the literature and a key focus of this article. Using an investigation into innovative approaches to teaching and learning at one New Zealand university, prevailing themes of newness, benefit, and student outcomes are discussed to develop a working definition. What is missing from the discourses and definitions is specific consideration of the influence of context on what counts as pedagogical innovation. In light of this, the authors offer an emergent definition of pedagogical innovation in higher education.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International
Journal of Biological Education
Higher Education Research & Development
International Journal for Academic Development
In New Zealand, as in many other western societies, the higher education system has become an inc... more In New Zealand, as in many other western societies, the higher education system has become an increasingly less secure place in which to work, and over 40 per cent of those teaching in New Zealand higher education are sessional staff of some kind. Our university in New Zealand has long relied on part-time paid tutors, many of whom are students themselves, to deliver part of the teaching in large courses. These tutors work with groups of students facilitating their learning in workshops, seminars, laboratories and a variety of other teaching environments. We have tracked the experiences of tutors over a significant period of time, and surveys of tutors' experiences since 2007 reveal that the majority of respondents hold tight to the hope of a future academic career. They regard tutoring as good preparation for an academic career, and many report being even more committed to pursuing an academic career since beginning tutoring. How can we best support tutors to navigate their way into an academic career that might look somewhat different from the one they set out to pursue? This paper shares data and insights from our longitudinal research with tutors, and encourages those supporting sessional staff to think about how to enable tutors to take a scholarly approach to their teaching, regardless of the career path they eventually take.
The book covers three broad aspects. We consider first the implications of the current context of... more The book covers three broad aspects. We consider first the implications of the current context of Higher Education, particularly in the UK, Australasia and New Zealand, for part-time teachers. We consider the implications of the different kinds of part-time employment and what motivates part-timers to take on this sort of work. The second part of the book explores the practical implications. How can the needs of such a diverse group be established and what do part-time teachers’ voices tell us about the content and delivery of induction programmes and ongoing support? Many part-timers have multiple roles in different universities, as professionals in other fields or as work-life jugglers: how can institutions help them feel integrated rather than marginalised? The final section of the book offers strategies to build effective teams, examples of institution-wide frameworks and, finally, a view of the characteristics of effective interventions.
Australian family physician, 2004
To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teachi... more To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teaching evidence based medicine (EBM). Questionnaire survey of 114 general practitioner and 162 specialist university teachers teaching EBM. Two hundred and six (80%) teachers responded; 196 regularly consulted with patients, 21% had received training, and 40% taught EBM. Those with formal training (68%) taught more often than without (32%) (p = 0.0001), 27% had taught EBM for over 5 years. More GPs (57%) than specialists (40%) asked students to assist in finding evidence (p = 0.036). Most welcomed EBM and were confident in teaching it. Barriers included antagonism to EBM philosophy, shortage of time, and a need for training in teaching EBM. Although not all trained, GPs and specialists teach EBM, enjoy doing so, and want to increase their ability to teach it.
Quality Assurance in Education, 2009
... Juliana Mansvelt, School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University, Palmerston N... more ... Juliana Mansvelt, School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. ... staff regarded an introduction to e-learning as a course in ICT rather than an effort to change or improve their teaching abilities (Donnelly and O'Rourke, 2007). ...
AIM: To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward t... more AIM: To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teaching evidence based medicine (EBM). PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Questionnaire survey of 114 general practitioner and 162 specialist university teachers teaching EBM. RESULTS: Two hundred and six (80%) teachers responded; 196 regularly consulted with patients, 21% had received training, and 40% taught EBM. Those with formal training (68%) taught more often than without (32%)(p= 0.0001), 27% had taught EBM for over 5 years. ...
Australian family physician, 2004
To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teachi... more To describe the attitudes of general practitioners and specialist clinical teachers toward teaching evidence based medicine (EBM). Questionnaire survey of 114 general practitioner and 162 specialist university teachers teaching EBM. Two hundred and six (80%) teachers responded; 196 regularly consulted with patients, 21% had received training, and 40% taught EBM. Those with formal training (68%) taught more often than without (32%) (p = 0.0001), 27% had taught EBM for over 5 years. More GPs (57%) than specialists (40%) asked students to assist in finding evidence (p = 0.036). Most welcomed EBM and were confident in teaching it. Barriers included antagonism to EBM philosophy, shortage of time, and a need for training in teaching EBM. Although not all trained, GPs and specialists teach EBM, enjoy doing so, and want to increase their ability to teach it.