STUDENT LED TEACHING AWARDS RECOGNISING GOOD TEACHING Student Views from RGU:Union
I Love My Lecturer 2011 www.rguunion.co.uk
Introduction... Students at Robert Gordon University value high quality teaching – this much is clear from the comments received in nominations from students for their favourite member of staff for an ‘I Love My Lecturer’ award over the past two years. 2010 saw the implementation of the first ever studentled teaching awards at the University and the response from students was way beyond the expectations of anyone at the Students’ Association. This year, based on the success of the 2010 scheme, we decided to run it again and received over twice the number of nominations, with over 450 qualitative
comments outlining the ways in which members of staff here at RGU go above and beyond the expectations students have of a member of university staff to truly enhance the student experience and ensure that the University remains at the forefront and is an institution that is desirable for the learning experience provided. Reading the nominations this year was incredibly encouraging; the quality of nominations was outstanding, with members of staff nominated from all schools and faculties– demonstrating that the excellent standard of teaching and learning is widespread through the whole institution. It is clear that the expectation of students is not just to be
given information; rather they appreciate experiences that inspire them, to be taught with passion and to develop their understanding of a topic. A number of key themes emerged through all of the nominations this year, highlighting the particular qualities and key skills that students appreciate in a member of University staff. It is clear that our students expect members of staff to be compassionate, enthusiastic, accessible, personable and supportive. They want to be instilled with a passion for learning and to ensure that what they are being taught is relevant in the workplace. As a modern, professional University it is important that the student experience lives up to the expectations
we set as an institution, and that we create graduates fit for the 21st century. To everyone who was nominated for an ‘I Love My Lecturer’ Award, the congratulations are well deserved. In this booklet we highlight their key areas of success and celebrate their achievements, success and contribution to the student experience.
Ryan Maclean
My Nominee is great because... She is always at the end of her phone if we need help and is quick to e-mail back if we contact her (unlike some other lecturers!!) Any issues, personal or university, and she will go that extra mile to help. She’s interested in each individual as a person and not just a student.
He went out of his way to help everyone when there were coursework troubles and even stayed up an entire night trying to fix a pupil’s work when their file got corrupted.
He puts up with stupid students.
He has been a great support to me throughout the whole time I spent at the university. He is the reason why I haven’t left after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year, as I had been tempted.
Due to her efforts, I am very impressed with the ODL programme. I am an Adjunct Instructor at The University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.We have a joint academic relationship with RGU and I will be asked to teach a graduate level Energy Management course that can be shared with both universities online. I would, at this point, model my course after the way that Lindsey has presented hers.
He has been a great support to me throughout the whole time I spent at the university. He is the reason why I haven’t left after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year, as I had been tempted.
Accessibility Students want lecturers who they feel are approachable and that they are able to contact with an issue at any time, not just in scheduled hours. They truly appreciate the members of staff who go out of their way to help, no matter when it is. As a head of year, programme leader, project supervisor and lecturer Dr Hunter has been excellent. She has constantly gone out of her way to make her self available to the whole class, often staying very late, coming in early or coming in on the weekend to collect work or have meetings. Organising extrasessions to discuss topics such as degree classifications, career prospects etc. She has worked hard to build a good relationship between the class and teaching staff and has been there to mediate any problems that have arisen. One time it was snowing and half the class did not show up and we had a coursework due in 2 weeks. She sent en email saying she was available to chat via some student podcast thingy and every one could log in and ask questions, etc. She was ever so helpful, will miss her dearly.
As the CSP rep for my year I had to attend a national student conference and stand up in front of one hundred plus physiotherapy students from around the UK. As a fourth year rep I was also required to speak on the topic of leadership. I emailed Donnie and asked for a few minutes of his time to which I received an instant reply. Donnie met with me straight away (during his lunch break) and discussed the topic with me at length. Dina was due for maternity leave before the final assignment was due in but she kept checking her mails even after she was not supposed to be working and answered all our questions and queries.
Feedback Feedback is central to the learning process. It should be constructive and highlight both the positive and negative areas in a piece of work, with explanations of how to improve weak areas while reinforcing the strong areas. Students appreciate good feedback as it helps improve their learning experience and progresses their academic ability. “He’s never too busy to have a discussion or to help clarify issues. Economics has never been so stimulating.” “I emailed Dr Cowie asking for help and he arranged for me to go to his office the following day. While I was there he went through every aspect of the lab book which I struggled with, and explained how to do it, he also loaned me his own microbiology books, so that I had the information I needed.” “He always makes us laugh. I never thought studying economics could be this fun and interesting. After the first semester of Year 1, I was extremely worried about my lack of understanding of the subject. I approached Charlie and despite the fact that he was not my tutor, he gave up his time during the exam leave period to give extra tuition to myself and some of the other students in my class. Without this I would most certainly have failed the exam.”
“Last semester he asked at the end of the lecture if anybody has any questions but I had just moved in the tutorial group and wasn’t so confident to ask it in public. I went after the tutorial and asked him and he was so happy to help me. He didn’t let me go until he was sure i understood.” “When one of my classmates had a query relating to finding a particular source Craig came down to the library to personally locate the source in order to assist with the legal research that was being undertaken. He is also willing to discuss exam performance with students and will get a hold of exam scripts in order to give feedback and suggest areas of improvement.”
“Craig’s lectures are always very informative and helpful and points of possible confusion are always well explained. Craig also takes part in extra curricular law department activities which are designed to give students experience relevant to the working environment. One example is the mooting competition where he judged the second round, I found his feedback very useful and it enabled me to improve on my performance and ultimately go on to win this year’s competition. I also think that Craig’s feedback on coursework essays is particularly beneficial. Other members of staff will give general comments however Craig provides a comprehensive breakdown of the question and this enables you to see exactly where you gained marks and what you need to work on.” “He is the embodiment of purist teaching and lecturing, as he will guide you find the solution, but will not directly helps you by providing the straight-forward answer. He is really patient, and will tolerate the weakness of the students and try to point out the strength and manipulate it instead.” “She helped me get back on track by putting me in contact with other lecturers and contacts helping me to further my research. She was able to help me find a solution to my problem when i had hit a brick wall. It is these types of situations which make me believe i made the right decision of coming to university, by getting taught by people like Sarah.”
“I was struggling and stressing about my proposal so he took me aside and just calmed me down and talked me through step by step on how to break it down.”
“If there was something one person didn’t understand in the lecture then she would go back over it again, as she said that if one person didn’t understand then there must be more who didn’t, but just didn’t speak up. I felt this was beneficial for the students who didn’t like speaking out in lectures.” “Bob puts up an audio version of his lecture slides every week, which is very effective for when it comes to revising lecture material for exams and coursework because it is impossible to take notes of EVERYTHING during a lecture. I think this should be compulsory for all lecturers as you can easily go back and listen again to something you may not understand properly on the day. No other lecture has EVER done this in the past that I know of.”
Employability In Education The University prides itself on its record of getting students into graduate level employment and equipping students with appropriate skills for the job market. Some members of staff take this mandate to heart and ensure that at the heart of their teaching there is a commitment to ensuring a bright future for our students. “The combination of this teaching style and amazing advice which she has given me will stand me in fantastic stead for me to begin my future as a young professional.”
“She has helped to reinforce my desire to continue on to further work in formulation and is currently helping me organise possible postgraduate positions in the future all of which she does not need to do, but does so due to her deep interests in the field and her wish to see her students’ progress.”
With Dorothy it is all about self empowerment not simply teaching us the required syllabus but always reinforcing the premise of “what kind of practitioner do you want to be” not simply about the knowledge but the character as well. As a result of spending time in his Business Incubator experience, I can now firmly say that I know what I want to do ‘when I grow up’ and where I want to go. I now also have a very clear idea of my true potential, my general confidence has increased insurmountably, and I am proud to say, that I am altogether a better person. I was looking for summer placement in a lab and he made contact with many people he knows working in the field. He also spent a lot of time with me reviewing my CV and pointed me in the right direction. He also provided me with contacts for labs that I could apply to. I recently had a telephone interview for a buying graduate role, and emailed Pauline asking for any advice. Pauline arranged to have a sit down meeting with me to discuss possible questions and scenarios which I may be asked. Her expertise and time greatly benefited me.
Compassion RGU students appreciate the pastoral care and compassion displayed by lecturers. Students truly value lectures who go above and beyond their academic duty of care and take an interest in their personal life, displaying an understanding for any issues a student may be facing during the course of their studies and helping them through difficult times. This skill set is often the difference between a student dropping out and going on to finish their degree. “She has given me support help and even a hug when I have needed it. She has helped me through my pregnancy, and to return to uni. She even phones me at home to check that am doing fine with my baby having heart problems. She has been a huge help and support and been there whenever I have needed her. If she hadn’t been there for me am not sure I would have wanted to return to uni after everything I have been through.” “Dr. Horacio González-Vélez was not just a lecturer and a project supervisor; he was more of a good friend who was guiding me though some tough personal situations that without his help I would’ve gave up at the first hurdle. Despite his tight time schedule he would always find time to talk to me when I need more advice.” “Listening to my problems when my husband became very ill and being very understanding about my situation at home and giving me the option to suspend my studies or giving me extra support to be able to stay in uni and complete year 3 and continue into year 4.”
“As an international student, I had challenges when I resumed last year. I had academic challenges, the accent was not that easy to understand and the weather was not conducive. I felt like going back home. I was even advised by a lecturer to quit if I would not be able to cope. But Prof Pat made me see reasons why I should not give up. We all go through challenges in life, she said. She renewed my strength and lent a helping hand when I thought my situation was hopeless. She is always there for everyone both for academic and personal issues. At the end of the day, my results were good. She is the reason why my stay in RGU is fruitful.” “I suffered the loss of two of my close friends in separate car accidents in the middle of semester 2 of my 1st year. Susan regularly checked up on me to see how I was doing and provided me with a report extension that was due the same week as one of the accidents. This took the heavy weightload at the time off my shoulders as I was stressed about finishing the report in time. Without this support I would have found it really difficult to complete semester 2 to the standard that I did.”
“While I was on placement I was having
some difficulties with my educator. Although Susan was not the lecturer in charge of liaising with placement students, she was the first person I thought to call in my time of need - I knew she would take what I had to say seriously and give me balanced guidance, not siding with me or with my educator. She was excellent at giving me advice and it was comforting to have someone with experience in the field to speak to.”
“Enthusiasm. The best lecturers are able to inject their subjects with passion and infect their students with a desire for learning. Knowledge of a subject is not sufficient; the ability to impart that knowledge and inspire students is a vital art form. The more enthusiastic a lecturer is, the more likely it is their classes will be full and their students will enjoy the learning experience.” “Audrey’s experience and knowledge of a
wide and varied range of topics facilitated me through all the problems I faced and her unwavering encouragement and support inspired me to try harder everyday and achieve goals far beyond my own expectations. Audrey has not only
been an exceptional teacher and friend to me, but to my fellow class mates and prospective students. The
daunting prospect of coming to university has known to be eased by the welcoming attitude purveyed at open days and applicant days, both of which Audrey attends with enthusiasm for her subject and the University.”
“Very dry sense of humour, very
controversial, outspoken and thought provoking; everything a lecturer should be. There’s one thing to be taught, it’s quite something else to be encouraged to think, question and challenge. Charlie is, quite
simply A LEGEND!!”
“Best lecturer of my 1st year at RGU. The reason being simply due the quality of teaching material (i.e. notes) and method of lecturing which always includes great attention to detail.”
“He always makes us laugh. I never thought studying economics could be this fun and interesting.” “Craig is passionate about his subject
and this passion comes through in his lectures and rubs off on the students. He is enthusiastic about the subject matter of the course and is able to explain complex and often confusing concepts in a manner which makes them accessible without diminishing the intellectual nature of the topic at issue.”
“Donnie has revolutionised the way
lectures are taught creating interactive and educational tasks. He is always there to
talk to about anything and has a very positive attitude to teaching.”
“Dr Park is set apart from other academics due to his sheer blatant experience, his brilliance, charisma, energy and belief that the people he mentor’s are capable of fulfilling their dreams. He is well spoken and eager to ensure that students reach their goals in the correct manner, taking time to ensure the experience is setting in, and making a difference.” “It was one of those classes that were
always full, even at 9am in the morning. You never wanted to miss a class.”
“The lectures/tutorials conducted by Sarah
have helped me to decide which path I would like to take within the legal sector by expanding my knowledge and presenting the lectures in such a way to encourage a greater interest in the subjects she covers.”
“When you look up the word ‘Passion’ in the dictionary, you should see the name ‘Sarah Harper’!! She truly is an outstanding lecturer.”
95 Lecturers, Tutors and Support Staff from across the University were nominated for an ‘I Love My Lecturer’ Award.
On behalf of students at the University, RGU:Union would like to say thank you to all of those nominated for the excellent teaching, inspiration, pastoral care and commitment they provide to their students. Alastair Baillie Alex Mackay
David Vardy Donald Todd
Alison Brown Alison Strath
Donnie MacDonald Dorothy Adams
Amy Waering Andrew Brown Andrew Martin
Emmanuelle ReyMarmonier Eoin Cowie
Andrew Turnbull Anita Weidmann Anne MacPherson Anne Stevenson Bill Donaldson Bill Sutherland Bob Gammie Cameron Campbell Carmen Fyfe Carol Jackson Carole Lyons Charlie Weir Colin Thompson Craig Anderson Craig McKenzie
Erica Cargill Farooq Ahmed Fiona Smith Garry Brindley George Allan Hatem Ahriz Horacio Gonzalez-Velez Isabella Crawford Jackie Loxton
Jusin Greenwood Karen Cross Kay Cooper Kim Eason Kit-Ying Hui
Linda A. Lawton Lindsey Stewart Lisa Woods
Mamdud Hossain Michael Dignan
Mohamed Amish Jaqueline Mackinnon Nick Summersgill Jean-Claude Golovine Nicola Furrie Nirmalie Wiratunga Jennifer Caldwell Pat Pollard Jim Hamlyn
John Hall David Adams David Gibbons-Wood John Park Jonathan Scott
Phil Craver Phil Churn Richard Laing Roma Boulton Ruth Edwards
Konstantina Martzoukou Sarah Arnell Langes Supramaniam Sarah Christie Laura Muir Sarah Harper Laura Sharp Scott Cunningham Lesley Leishman Sha Jihan
Jane McBey
John Clarke
Phil burge
Patrik Holt Paul Arnell Pauline Bremner Peter Reid
Stephen Macmanus Stephen Vertigans Stuart Waddell Susan Lawrie Susan Lennie Sylvie Davies Tahar Kouider Thorsten Lauterbach Tony Morse Trudi McIntosh Winifred Eboh Yash Kumarasamy
For more information about the Student Led Teaching Awards, or if you have any ideas about how the awards could be improved, please get in touch! Contact Ryan Maclean, Student President, at president@rguunion.co.uk or go to the teaching awards website: www.rguunion.co.uk/union/campaigns /lovemylecturer