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Tutoring Workshop Schedule: Materials at Oxford
Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Teaching style discussion Refreshments Group dynamics discussion Course assessment and feedback structure Prof Susie Speller
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Materials at Oxford The undergraduate course structure
Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Materials at Oxford The undergraduate course structure Components of teaching What is special about Oxford Examinations Summary
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Undergraduate Course Structure
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Undergraduate Course Structure Materials Science (MS) course Year 1 MS1 – Structure of Materials MS2 – Properties of Materials MS3 – Transforming Materials Maths for Materials Scientists PRELIMS EXAMS Year Structure and Transformation of Materials 2. Electronic Properties of Materials 3. Mechanical Properties of Materials 4. Engineering Applications of Materials NO EXAMS
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Undergraduate Course Structure
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Undergraduate Course Structure Materials Science (MS) course Year 3 Options Courses Students choose at least 8 out of 16 Team Design project Characterisation / modelling practical module FINALS EXAMS (4 core papers plus 2 options papers) Year 4 8 month research project NO WRITTEN EXAMS * Materials, Economics and Management (MEM) students follow the MS 1st year, but cover the core Materials over the 2nd and 3rd years along with Economics and Management papers. They are examined on one options paper in 4th year.
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Teaching Components 3-tiered approach Lectures
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Teaching Components 3-tiered approach Lectures Scheduled for the mornings Introduce the material on the syllabus Tutorials and classes Typically 2-3 students In-depth discussion of the topics Aids understanding Continual assessment of individual students’ understanding Laboratory work Each practical scheduled to take 3 afternoons Tie in with lecture courses
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Tutorials The University’s Education Committee summarises and defines the purpose of a tutorial as being “to develop an individual student’s capacity to think in depth about a subject area, and to operate with growing confidence within its techniques and methodologies, with the expectation that the process will promote increased understanding of the discipline for both tutor and student.”
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What is special about Oxford ?
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure What is special about Oxford ? … Colleges Students are admitted to the University for first degree courses by the colleges The colleges are responsible for academic progress and providing tutorial teaching. Decisions on progression and change of course are taken by the college Permanent academic staff often have joint appointments as University lecturer and college subject tutor 7 colleges take Materials Undergraduates: Corpus Christi, Queens, Mansfield, St Annes, St Catherine’s, St Edmund Hall, Trinity
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Examinations Internal Exams (Collections)
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Examinations Internal Exams (Collections) Sat at the beginning of each term to test the students on the previous term’s work. Set centrally Usually marked by colleges (except MT 3rd year) Encourages students to revise the work regularly Provides information for the tutors and college about their progress Public Exams Prelims – at the end of 1st year Finals – at the end of 3rd year Set by the appointed examiners (a subset of the lecturers) although each lecturer submits a selection of possible exam questions on their course
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Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Summary Responsibility for teaching is split between Colleges and the Department Important role of tutorials within the teaching system Main aim is to aid understanding Should be a discussion rather than the tutor just giving the solutions
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Tutorial Organisation and Preparation
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Tutorial Organisation and Preparation Starting point Course Handbook - syllabus - reading list On-line lecture list ( Usually one tutorial per 4 lectures Timing of tutorials - should aim to follow lectures - timetable provided by college subject tutor
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Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Arranging Tutorials The college subject tutor usually devises a timetable outlining which week each tutorial should take place this is flexible The actual time of the tutorials is arranged directly between you and the students. Tutorials must fit around the lectures and practical classes Decide who initiates choosing tutorial times Sometimes easier to arrange all tutorials at the beginning of term
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Arranging Tutorials Where to give tutorials
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Arranging Tutorials Where to give tutorials College – may be inconvenient for you Departmental meeting rooms - may be available and can be booked through reception (2)73777 - bookings might be moved or cancelled at late notice Submission of written work Can ask students to submit work to pigeon hole or reception or your college Most tutors ask for the work to be handed in the day before the tutorial - you can ask for it earlier if you need more time
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Preparation Familiarise yourself with the lecture course
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Preparation Familiarise yourself with the lecture course Syllabus and reading list in the Course Handbook Handouts, question sheets and answers are usually available from the Academic Administrator Give yourself plenty of time as it may be necessary to contact the lecturer directly Decide what questions to set the students Do not need to use all lecturers’ questions or can select some of them Tell the students at least a week in advance, which questions to attempt
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Marking Written Work Every tutor marks written work differently
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Marking Written Work Every tutor marks written work differently Detailed comments ? Grade ? No rules, but worth checking if college subject tutor has any preference Give yourself plenty of time to look at the students’ work tailor tutorial to students’ needs How ? – covered in next session Make written comments legible Keep a record of students’ performance
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Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Problems If you have any difficulties with the courses or question sheets don’t be afraid to ask! Lecturer Other tutors - (Incomplete) list of who teaches what given in handouts
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Giving a Tutorial 3 video clips showing contrasting tutorial styles
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Giving a Tutorial 3 video clips showing contrasting tutorial styles Group dynamics Expectations Problem solving Time management
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Group Dynamics Discuss how to handle …
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Group Dynamics Discuss how to handle … students with very different abilities an overconfident student a very quiet student a student who hasn’t submitted much work
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Expectations * They wont be able to do it all Essay questions
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Expectations * They wont be able to do it all Essay questions Have they read around the subject or just regurgitated the lecturer’s notes ? Numerical questions Have they correctly assessed the problem ? Can they technically solve it ? Problems often occur with applying the equations derived in lectures to real situations Talk to other tutors of the same subject
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Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Problem Solving It is very important to help students develop problem solving skills It is now the case that questions on A-level Physics must not depend on the student taking A-level Maths We need to teach the students how to couple the science with the maths Physical phenomena Idealised conceptual model of relevant features Mathematical formulation Explanation of mathematically posed problem
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Example Thermodynamics, 1st Year, MT,
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Example Thermodynamics, 1st Year, MT, The vapour pressure over solid Magnesium was measured as a function of temperature: T/C p/Pa Calculate the enthalpy of sublimation. Change T into K Should P be in Pa or atm ? Clausius Clapeyron
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Where does this come from?
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Tricks of the Trade Encourage the students to:- Draw a picture Check dimensions Check order of magnitude Check signs As a tutor:- Encourage different solutions Look at similar problems posed differently Why? Where does this come from? Draw a picture
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Time Management Typically 1 hour long
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Time Management Typically 1 hour long You can’t cover all questions in detail Plan what you are going to spend time on – but be prepared to be flexible Don’t be too ambitious Give students enough time to think and participate in the discussion and also make good notes * It takes experience to get it right
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Assessment and Feedback
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Assessment and Feedback College reports Disciplinary procedures Revision classes Personnel involved in the organisation of u/g teaching Questions ?
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Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure College Reports The college Tutorial Fellow will have end of term meetings with each student in 8th week of term. You will need to complete a progress report on each student that you teach in 7th week. Filled in online using Oxcort with your SSO login ( Completing reports usually triggers payment You may also be asked to mark collections at the beginning of term and you can claim payment for these. Remember Keep records during the term of students’ performance in written work and tutorials Reports are read by students as well as the college subject tutors and are kept on file in the college
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Poor Performance Talk to student Talk to college subject tutor
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Poor Performance Talk to student Talk to college subject tutor do not wait for end of term reports If necessary, college tutor will involve the college’s Senior Tutor Penal collections may be set student must pass to continue with course Other problems Illegible scripts Copying other students’ work
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Disciplinary matters Not turning up to tutorials
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Disciplinary matters Not turning up to tutorials Lack of respect in tutorials * Talk immediately to college subject tutor
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Revision Classes New tutors often find revision classes more difficult
Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Revision Classes New tutors often find revision classes more difficult Content usually decided by the students Past exam questions very useful Can be found online ( Answers to exam papers (complete for with some available for earlier years) – Ask academic administrator Can ask the students in advance which questions they would like help with or ask them to hand in their attempts Encourage students to have revision tutorials early – to give time to get back to them if necessary. Should I bother to learn this ? check if examinable
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Where can I find out more?
Oxford Learning Institute Courses on teaching offered at a range of levels: Preparation for learning and teaching at Oxford (PLTO) Developing learning and teaching (DLT) Teaching Fellowship Programme (TFP) Post Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGDipLATHE)
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Please take a few minutes to fill in these questions to help me improve the course for next year.
Feedback Which section of the course did you find most useful ? Was the right amount of time spent on each part of the course ? Is there anything that you think has been left out ? Any other comments ?
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