Sustaining teaching development through research: The lead up to a National Teaching Development Grant

Abstract

The modification and rejuvenation of existing curricula and teaching styles to include advances in education research can be a daunting process. The School of Physics at The University of Sydney has successfully launched strategies for student oriented learning in large first year classes. One such strategy, the Workshop Tutorials, has been extremely well received. It is based on cooperative grouping and the extensive education research available on students’ conceptual understanding in physics. The origin of these Workshop Tutorials is found in specially designed optional remedial-tutorials for students in a large mainstream first year physics class in 1993. Evaluation and analysis of evaluation has provided a method of incorporating research into what is basically a teaching development initiative. The research has in turn sustained and provided data for ongoing support and growth of the teaching development initiative. The Workshop Tutorials provide a rich context to investigate issues in Physics Education Research, resulting in projects being available to students enrolled in Third Year and Honours Physics units. The Workshop Tutorials form the basis of a successful large National Teaching Development Grant involving several Sydney metropolitan universities. In this paper we present the key aspects in the initiation and development of the Workshop Tutorials that led to its success. In particular the pivotal role of research in sustaining teaching development will be discussed.