Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Presenter: Henry Okodua, PhD Date: Tuesday, 4th August, 2015 Venue: African Leadership Development Centre KEY ISSUES TO IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN COVENANT UNIVERSITY Executive Advance /2016 Academic Session For Faculty and Senior Non-Teaching Staff Theme: Innovation, Product Development and Nation Building

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Introduction Arguably, the overall objective of teaching in Covenant University is to provide exceptional, close contact education for both undergraduate and postgraduate students through engagement with highly distinguished faculty based on the University's underlying ethos and unique curriculum This presentation outlines some strategies, their motivations and action steps required in the Covenant University Strategic Plan for the achievement of the above objective. Key issues arising from the actionable steps are also identified

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 1 : Sustain the teaching and supervision of all students by senior research-active faculty Motivation: The quality of teaching is largely a function of commitment and broad based expertise, which comes with experience. The University shall therefore encourage senior faculty to commit to teaching and supervision at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 1 - Action Step 1 Senior research-active academics shall participate in teaching and supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students Key Issues: Progress in these areas is appreciable so far There is however a need to re-examine the trade-off between speed and quality in postgraduate thesis supervision Every incentive to compromise the quality of postgraduate research thesis must be eliminated or reduced to the barest minimum Issues bothering on teaching quality and standardizing assessment of students also require further attention.

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 1 - Action Step 2 Drive research-led teaching at all levels Key Issues: More needs to be done to achieve this. Lectures delivered by many lecturers at present are still largely theoretical from the viewpoint of the average student There appears to be minimal reference to personal or other research outcomes in many lecture materials or during lecture delivery at present Lectures that use illustrations capturing the personal research experiences of the lecturer tend to stick better to the minds of the student

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 1 - Action Step 3 Ensure teaching quality through an effective student feedback and monitoring systems Key Issues: Student feedback is an on-going thing, but mode of feedback to faculty needs to be improved to ensure enhanced teaching quality There is need for teaching quality peer review sessions at the departmental level during the monthly Friday Faculty Fellowship (FFF) at the departments Lecture progress reports from the lecturer and inputs from students on lecture activities during the reference month may serve as the basis of the teaching quality review

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 2: Improve Interactions and Collaborations across the various Disciplines Motivation: Continual collaboration and interaction between the colleges, departments and units is fundamental to maintaining excellent education in a university. Covenant University needs to strengthen such interactions.

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 2 - Action Step 1 Evolve mechanisms to encourage exchange of knowledge and experiences among colleges and departments to enhance teaching and learning quality Key Issues: Considerable attention is needed here Tremendous opportunities exist in the University for both inter- and intra- college interactions among students and academics. Potential synergy to be derived from such engagements is yet to be harnessed Regular interdisciplinary teaching workshops and symposia may be encouraged to improve interactions within the University Another way of driving interactions is to organize multi-disciplinary student interaction fora such as intellectually-based clubs (Thinkers’ club, Press club and the like)

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 3: Foster a climate in which teaching is highly valued Motivation: A commitment to excellence in teaching is an essential attribute of a world-class university. Covenant University attaches great importance to teaching and encourages best practice

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 3 - Action Step 1 Commit to the appointment and retention of seasoned faculty for teaching in all academic programmes Key Issues: Commendable efforts have been made here but there is room for improvement Engagement of lecturers particularly, entry-level academics need to be more competitive so that only the best hands are recruited Staff welfare matters that increase the moral bond of faculty and staff to the university should be promoted to help in retaining seasoned academics

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 3 - Action Step 2 Institute a reward system for teaching quality through an objective evaluation procedure Key Issues: A reward system for teaching quality is not yet in place Most lecturers will continue to place emphasis on research article publications at the expense of teaching quality unless a clear reward system for teaching quality is instituted An extra one step for deserving faculty members who exceled in teaching during the session may be an appropriate reward here There is also an urgent need to make evidence of teaching quality an important criterion in the appointment and promotion exercises of faculty.

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 4: Improve the international dimension of our programmes Motivation: Active international collaborations and linkages help a university to improve its global outlook Improve the quality of exposure of staff and students as well as attract distinguished faculty and students from other countries. Covenant University desires to improve the international subscription and relevance of its programmes.

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 4 - Action Step 1 Commit to the pursuit of a vibrant relationship with international researchers and teachers in order to engage them for the teaching and supervision of students Key Issues: Visible progress has been made here More international researchers and teachers are being expected in the current academic session Issues here bother on developing the best strategy for home based faculty members to derive positive spillover effect from the international researchers and teachers

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 4 - Action Step 2 Seek more opportunities for exchange programmes with renowned universities for students and faculty Key Issues: A very impressive exchange programme with other renowned universities currently exist in the University There is need for more faculty members to demonstrate interest and participate in the existing programmes More enlightenment may be needed periodically by interested faculty members who want to participate in the exchange programme during the long holiday

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 5: Academic apprenticeship for postgraduate teaching assistants Motivation: Teaching assistants and young academics constitute the next generation of faculty Furnishing them with the required skills for quality teaching is a core mandate of Covenant University.

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 5 - Action Step 1 Strengthen the skills development and mentorship programmes with the help of senior academics. This is to enhance the teaching capabilities of promising postgraduate students to prepare them for a career in the academia Key Issues: Mentorship programmes have so far been beneficial to young academics The apprenticeship model of teaching where postgraduate students and young academics undergo a period of tutelage under senior academics need to be promoted further Postgraduate students need to be involved in the tutorial system for profitable tutelage under senior academics

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 6: Initiate mechanisms for wider access to course materials Motivation: Providing wider access to learning materials facilitates greater impactful learning by all categories of students. The University desires to create a platform for ubiquitous learning for all its students.

Covenant University Executive Advance Academic Session Strategy 6 – Action Step 1 Sustain the open courseware and e-learning initiative in order to grant all categories of students wider access to learning materials Key Issues: The University is doing well on this strategy Quality of uploaded lecture materials need to be scrutinized periodically Timely upload of lecture materials is another important issue that requires urgent follow-up by management

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