Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (CUTL)

Programme Summary

This programme is designed to meet the need for academic staff to be exposed to learning strategies and approaches required to be effective in educating today’s students for tomorrow’s world.  There are at least two fundamental changes occurring in universities around the world. 

  1. The first is the greater diversity in the pool of students attending university.
  2. The second is that, increasingly, societies are demanding that universities engage in a process of transforming these students to achieve a desired set of learning outcomes. This contrast with the more traditional role of university teaching which concentrated on information dissemination from lecturer to student.

Given the dynamic changes in enrolment demographics and this focus on learning outcomes, it is imperative that faculty members are versed in instructional strategies that address this paradigmatic shift from teacher-centred to learning-centred. 

Description

The learning outcomes are aligned with all eight objectives of the teacher certification programme suggested by the accrediting body of the UK-based staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA), Professional Development Framework on Higher Education Teacher Certification. It incorporates the following SEDA Objectives to be achieved by university teachers.
 
All university teachers must be able to:

  • Design a teaching programme.
  • Use a wide and appropriate range of teaching and learning methods effectively and efficiently in order to work with large groups, small groups and on a one-to-one basis.
  • Provide support to students on academic issues.
  • Use a wide and appropriate range of assessment techniques to support student learning and to record achievement.
  • Evaluate their own work with a range of self, peer and student monitoring and evaluation techniques.
  • Perform effectively their teaching and academic administrative tasks.
  • Develop personal and professional strategies appropriate to the constraints and opportunities of their institutional setting.
  • Reflect on their own personal and professional practice and development.
  • Assess their future development needs, and make a plan for their continuing professional development.

There are no prerequisite courses required before entering the programme. Completion of CUTL5001 is required before enrolment in CUTL 5104 and CUTL 5106.  CUTL 5207 may be taken concurrently with any of the courses.  All four courses must be completed for award of the certificate.

 

CUTL Courses

 

CUTL 5001 Teaching and Learning: Theory-Practice

It is recognised that university lecturers in many instances have very little formal preparation for teaching in higher education.  Accordingly, this course will introduce lecturers to the theoretical foundations of teaching and learning and research.  This is a fundamental course on instructional design and delivery for higher education.  Approaches to teaching and learning are engaged, learning theories are investigated and practical applications of these theories are incorporated into the programme.  Further, learners will consider their personal philosophies of teaching and learning; as well as what it means to be an educator in the postmodern era, especially in the Anglophone Caribbean.

 

CUTL 5104 Assessment in Higher Education

Questions of the accuracy and appropriateness of assessment arise due to issues of power; diminished student self esteem, and conditions of testing.  In addition, assessment is often thought of only in terms of its role in certifying student achievement to the exclusion of the equally valuable purpose of student development.  This course aims to provide the participant with knowledge of the purposes of assessments and techniques for implementing appropriate strategies consistent with curriculum intentions and curriculum implementation methods.  This course distinguishes between formative and summative assessment methods, underscores the role of validity and reliability in assessing student achievement, and emphasises the use of feedback in facilitating student development.

 

CUTL 5106 Advancing Teaching and Learning with Technology

This course prepares new faculty members to use innovative and student-centred techniques in their approach to teaching and learning by incorporating a variety of online and offline instructional uses of appropriate technology.  Research on integrating technology into teaching and learning is included in this course so that faculty members can explore and investigate their experience(s) with technology in higher education.  This course will present methods for evaluating software strategies including emerging instructional tools such as learning objects, hand-held or mobile devices.  ICT research methods will incorporate higher order thinking skills which could be integrated into the student-centred learning assignments.

 

CUTL 5207 Reflective Teaching for Learning

This final course allows faculty members to engage in developing a critically reflective teaching practice which will aid them in applying their knowledge and abilities to respond to various learning contexts, including learning in a Caribbean context and in diverse disciplinary contexts.  Reflections will include, inter alia, investigating one’s own biography, reflecting on learning to teach, and personal teaching philosophies.  Faculty members’ presentation skills and interactive communication skills (oral communication, diction, enunciation, and informal feedback methods) will be self and peer-evaluated.

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