Spheres of Influence: Ventures and Visions in Educational Development*

3-6 July, 2002
The University of Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

Are teaching workshops worthwhile?

Helen Spafford Jacob, University of Western Australia, Australia
Allan Goody, The University of Western Australia, Australia

The Scene:

The events take place in the Educational Development Centre at a medium-size research intensive university.

The Characters:

Jane, who recently completed her PhD, is a new teacher at the university. Richard is an educational developer at the university.

The Opening Act:

Richard:
Hi Jane, come in. It's great to see you again.

Jane:
Hello Richard.

Richard:
So how is the semester treating you? Using all those strategies and pearls of wisdom that we shared in the workshop last semester?

Jane::
Well Richard that is why I am here. We spent 2 ½ days in an intensive workshop covering many aspects of teaching and learning followed by another 16 hours of seminars during semester. I went back to my department very enthusiastic, and well, I guess you know the reaction that I received from my colleagues, even my Head of Department.

Richard:
I think I know what you are going say.

Jane:
Put it this way, it was not the positive response I was expecting. And where is the time and resources to make these enhancements to my teaching? I started to ask myself if these teaching programs are worthwhile? So I decided to find out how my fellow workshop participants were faring. I don't think I'm alone in this!

In this seminar, Jane and Richard will continue their conversation about teaching and learning programs and whether they are worth the time and effort. They will share information gathered from Jane's fellow workshop participants and discuss the issues that they are all confronting and how they are dealing with the issues. They will deliberate on what this means for Jane and other new university teachers and for Richard and the Educational Development Centre. They hope that they will be joined in the discussion of their dilemma by fellow university teachers and educational developers.

Key words:
Educational development; New university teachers; Transfer of learning to practice

Objectives, outcomes and activities:
The objective of this seminar is for participants to share and discuss issues faced by university teachers as they try to enhance their teaching practice after participating in teaching and learning programs. An anticipated outcome will be the sharing of strategies that both educational developers and university teachers can use to assist with the transfer of learning from workshops to classroom teaching practice.

Helen Spafford Jacob is a lecturer in the Department of Zoology. Her teaching responsibilities include courses in entomology and pest management and biometrics. Helen's research program is in applied entomology with an emphasis in weed and insect biological control. However, she has a strong interest in teaching and learning with experience teaching primary, secondary, and tertiary students.

Allan Goody is a lecturer in the Centre for Staff Development at UWA with a primary focus on teaching and learning development programs for all teaching staff including postgraduate tutors. He has taught courses in adult and higher education and worked in educational development in the USA and Australia. His professional interests include teaching and learning, student learning teams, program development, diversity in teaching and learning and service learning.

Contact: Helen Spafford Jacob, email: hsjacob@agric.uwa.edu.au