Dr. Jason But - Teaching Portfolio
Graduate Certificate of Teaching and Learning
The Graduate Certificate
in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education is run by the
Learning and Teaching at Swinburne
group. This course consists of four units - the equivalent of six months of full
time study and is made available to Swinburne University staff as an option to
improve their teaching skills. The general aims of the program are to:
- Help teaching staff develop the core skills, versatility, competence and
confidence to teach effectively in higher education
- Encourage and assist teaching staff to reflect on their practice in a critical
and informed way and realise the need for continuing professional self-evaluation
and development
- Provide teaching staff with opportunities to integrate and apply what they have
learned in a supportive, discipline-related or allied cross disciplinary
environment
I have recently completed the last of these four Units in S1 2008. Generating
a Teaching Portfolio is one of the requirements of this course, this page hosts all
the required output of these four Units. To jump to the individual Units, please
select from the list below
LTS101 - Learning Context, Styles and Outcomes
| Description: |
This Unit focusses on the understanding of learning and of learning and
teaching environments. The Unit provides a foundation for subsequent Units
in the certificate course. |
| Status: |
Completed - Semester 2 2006 |
| Unit Outline: |
Digital copy not available... |
Teaching Perspectives Inventory
We were asked to complete the Teaching
Perspectives Inventory. The results of my evaluation were:
| Transmission (Tr) total: | 33.0 | B=12; I=9; A=12 |
| Apprenticeship (Ap) total: | 37.0 | B=12; I=14; A=11 |
| Developmental (Dv) total: | 34.0 | B=13; I=11; A=10 |
| Nurturance (Nu) total: | 19.0 | B=8; I=6; A=5 |
| Social Reform (SR) total: | 19.0 | B=8; I=6; A=5 |
| Beliefs (B) total: | 54.00 |
| Intention (I) total: | 45.00 |
| Mean (M): | 28.40 |
| Standard Deviation (SD): | 7.79 |
| HiT (HiT): | 36.00 |
| LoT (LoT): | 21.00 |
| Overall (T) total: | 142.00 |
Learning Styles Questionaire
We were asked to evaluate our own learning styles via this
online questionaire. The site asks a series of questions and solicits binary
responses before presenting users with a summary of their learning styles. In general
I didn't like the approach of this questionaire as I felt that the available answers
were too restrictive and I wasn't happy about either available answer. As a result
some of these results may be skewed. My results and some comments are listed below.
| Active(4) or Reflective(7) Learner |
This result is reasonably fair. I concur with the idea that I prefer to
think about a problem and potential solutions before diving in and attempting
to solve it hands-on. The reasonable balance of the two scores indicates
that once I decide on a basic course of action I prefer to refine my solution
via direct attempts to solve the problem at hand instead of over-analysing |
| Sensing(10) or Intuitive(1) Learner |
This is a result that I totally disagree with. Engineering is general is an
intuitive profession and requires its practitioners to apply their knowledge
in different ways to solve new and unique problems. As such, catering to
sensing type students is encouraging behaviour that is not beneficial to
engineers in general. Students who are prefer to learn using a Sensing
rather than Intuitive approach are typically not suited to this field of
study. As to why I appear to score as a Sensing learner I can only speculate
that either the questionaire answers were poorly phrased or I didn't properly
understand the way that the questions were worded |
| Visual(2) or Verbal(9) Learner |
I am fairly ambivalent on how I learn and am happy with either Visual or
Verbal clues. I am unsure as to why this questionaire reported a result
so strongly in favour of Verbal learning. Again I believe that the unsuitability
of a binary answer in many of the questions may have impacted on this |
| Sequential(8) or Global(3) Learner |
Another result I do not agree with. My background in developing Computer
Software has taught me to appreciate the benefits of both Sequential (or
bottom-up) and Global (or top-down) approaches to learning or
problem solving in general. I believe that asked to categorise myself I
would lean slightly to Sequential and if I had to give myself a score without
answering the provided questions would have thought to score Sequential(6) vs.
Global(5 |
Observed Teaching Sessions
Session 1
Session 2
LTS502 - Teaching and Learning Methods and Media
| Description: |
The Unit covers a variety of teaching methods and media options available. This
involves selecting and evaluating different methods and media appropriate to the
content to be taught. Teaching is done via exploration of various media and ICT
teaching opportunities. |
| Status: |
Completed - Semester 2 2007 |
| Unit Outline: |
Download |
The Essentials of Good Teaching
The first task was to complete the online questionnaire (
Principles-based
Teaching Inventory) here. Results follow but first a comment. The principles
appear good but real-world considerations always impact on what can be achieved.
For instance, what you can do is limited with a class size of ~300 (as per HET104)
versus what I can do in HET306 (class size 40-80)
| 1. Good Practice Encourages Student - Faculty Contact |
| Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of class is the
most important factor in student motivation and involvement. Faculty
concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working.
Knowing a few faculty members well enhances students' intellectual
commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and
future plans. |
|
I talk with my students on a personal level
and learn about their educational and career goals |
Almost Never |
|
I intervene with students who seem to be having problems with the course
or who miss class frequently |
Sometimes |
|
I share my experiences, attitudes, and values with students |
Almost Always |
|
I am readily available to students of a culture or race different from my own |
Almost Always |
|
I know my students by first and last name |
Sometimes |
|
I serve as a mentor and informal advisor to students |
Almost Never |
| 2. Good Practice Encourages Cooperation Among Students |
| Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than
a solo race. Good learning, like good work, is collaborative and social,
not competitive and isolated. Working with others often increases involvement
in learning. Sharing one''s own ideas and responding to others' reactions
improves thinking and deepens understanding. |
|
Beginning with the first session, my students participate in
activities that encourage them to get to know each other |
Sometimes |
|
I use collaborative facilitation strategies in my classes |
Almost Never |
|
I encourage students to work in groups when preparing for exams and working
on assignments |
Almost Always |
|
I encourage students from different races and cultures to share their viewpoints
on topics discussed in class |
Not Applicable |
|
I create "learning communities" study groups, and project teams within my
courses |
Sometimes |
|
I discuss performance criteria with students so that they understand that
their own grade is based on criteria, not on the performance of others in
class |
Sometimes |
| 3. Good Practice Encourages Active Learning |
| Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much
just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged
assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are
learning, write about it relate it past experiences, and apply it to their
daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves |
|
I ask students to develop classroom ground rules and mission
statements, and to be accountable to them |
Not Applicable |
|
I expect students to "teach" one another through group discussions and
mini-presentations of readings and course content |
Almost Always |
|
I ask students to present their work to the class |
Sometimes |
|
I encourage students to relate personal experiences and outside events and
activities to the subjects covered in my courses |
Not Applicable |
|
I encourage students to challenge my ideas and feedback on assignments,
the ideas of other students, or those presented in readings or other course
materials |
Sometimes |
|
I not only provide, but encourage students to bring in concrete, real-life
situations to analyse |
Sometimes |
|
I encourage students to suggest new readings, projects, or course activities |
Sometimes |
| 4. Good Practice Gives Prompt Feedback |
| Knowing what you know and don't know focuses learning. Students
need appropriate feedback on performance to benefit from courses. In getting
started, students need help in assessing existing knowledge and competence.
In classes, students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive
suggestions for improvement. At various points during college, and at the
end, students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they
still need to know, and how to assess themselves |
|
I give students immediate feedback on class activities |
Almost Always |
|
I return exams and papers in less than one week |
Sometimes |
|
I give students evaluations of their work throughout the semester |
Almost Always |
|
Students self and peer assess their work regularly |
Almost Never |
|
I use a variety of assessment techniques in my classes |
Almost Always |
|
I provide written feedback that includes questions to think about, as well
as comments on their strengths and weaknesses on class assignments |
Almost Always |
|
I discuss the results of class assignments, exams, and periodic student
evaluations of teaching and learning with individual students and the class |
Almost Never |
| 5. Good Practice Emphasises Time On Task |
| Time plus energy equals learning. There is no substitute for
time on task. Learning to use one's time well is critical for students and
professionals alike. Students need help in learning effective time management.
Allocating realistic ammounts of time means effective learning for students
and effective teaching for faculty. How an institution defines time expectations
for students, faculty and administrators, and other professional staff can
establish the basis for high performance for all |
|
I expect my students to complete their assignments on or before
deadlines |
Almost Always |
|
I discuss with students the minimum amount of time they should spend preparing
for class and working on assignments |
Sometimes |
|
I help students set challenging goals for their own learning |
Sometimes |
|
I encourage students to prepare in advance for oral presentations |
Almost Always |
|
I explain to my students the consequences of non-participation |
Sometimes |
|
I meet with students who fall behind to discuss their study habits, schedules,
and other commitments |
Sometimes |
|
If necessary, I ask students to develop a work plan with time commitments
for completing assignments and exams |
Not Applicable |
|
I require students to make up missed work within a reasonable time frame |
Not Applicable |
| 6. Good Practice Communicates High Expectations |
| Expect more and you will get it. High expectations are important
for everyone - for the poorly prepared, for those unwilling to exert
themselves, and for the bright and well-motivated. Expecting students to
perform well becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when teachers and institutions
hold high expectations of themselves and make extra efforts |
|
I require students to set at least 2-3 specific and challenging
goals and expectations for themselves and for the class, as well as to
articulate 2-3 expectations of me |
Almost Never |
|
I share with students my own goals and expectations for myself, the class,
and them |
Almost Never |
|
I encourage students to excel at the work they do |
Almost Always |
|
I give students positive reinforcement for doing exemplary work |
Almost Always |
|
I discuss learning styles and multiple intelligences and encourage development
of both preferred and less preferred areas D
|
|
I request permission to publish excellent work by students in an exemplary
performance folder |
Sometimes |
|
I revise my courses to challenge students and encourage high performance |
Almost Always |
| 7. Good Practice Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning |
| There are many roads to learning. People bring different
talents and style of learning to college. Brilliant students in the seminar
room may be all thumbs in the lab or art studio. Students rich in hands-on
experience may not do so well in theory. Students need the opportunity to
show their talents and to learn in ways that work for them. They can then
be pushed to learn in new ways that may not come so easily |
|
I provide a safe environment for students to speak up when
they do not understand |
Almost Always |
|
I use diverse teaching activities and techniques to address a broad range
of learning needs and preferences |
Almost Always |
|
I select readings and design activities related to the background of my
students, and I encourage students to suggest their own activities and projects |
Almost Never |
|
I provide access to additional resources for students who lack essential
background knowledge or skills |
Almost Never |
|
I have developed and use learning contracts and other activities to provide
students with learning alternatives for my courses |
Sometimes |
|
I use collaborative teaching and learning techniques and group students
with varying abilities and learning style preferences together |
Not Applicable |
Observed Teaching Session
Use of Digital Media to Provide a Learning Tool
| Description: |
A short video was developed to demonstrate a particular skill for one of my
teaching units. The skill involved doing some network investigative work
do determine wrongdoing on behalf of a mischevious offender. Please
download and watch the video for more information.
|
| Context: |
I tend to use Digital Media to great extent already in my teaching, and not in
the basic means of using technology as an adjunct but rather as a key component
of the delivery. My subjects tend to cover a range of practical skills
(configuring network based systems) and so rather than use plain text in my
lectures with a made-up example, I use live demonstrations where I actively
connect to and use real-world network systems as a demonstration of how skills
and techniques may be deployed. Where suitable I make changes to the configuration
of real-systems and demonstrate the effect of these changes to networked
applications in real-time. Mostly it works, occasionaly it doesn't - this I see as
an opportunity to demonstrate trouble-shooting skills to my students as well as to
let them know that yes - even I make mistakes - and that things not working the
first time is common in this area of technology.
As stated above, my main aim through the use of demos is to break away from
theory and show practical, working solutions, giving students the opportunity to
witness real systems rather than textual information (or even video) which may
be a mocked up solution.
The primary advantages I see are that students are exposed to real solutions (warts
and all) rather than academic ones generated for their benefit only. Another
advantage I witness is that I have noticed (via observation, and later checking
of system logs) that some students with laptops often connect to their allocated
computer (we give students full ownership of 2-3 remotely accessible computers on
a 24/7 basis for the duration of the semester) to duplicate what I do in the
lecture on their own systems. This is an example of immediately deploying presented
information to apply skills and try it out themselves, the opportunity for direct
present-apply-learn in a short timespan rather than waiting until after the lecture
has completed. I see this as the primary success of my approach.
This demo is not one I actually use in a lecture but rather one of the lab
exercises we ask the students to do. I chose it because I think that it would be
more interesting to viewers outside this area of study as opposed to some of the
other demonstrations I do. |
| Download: |
Demonstration video |
Other Thoughts
| The use of technology in teaching: |
| There is a continual push to keep using and deploying more technology
in what and how we teach. While this is not necessarily a bad thing,
I think that as teachers we need to be more aware of how this use
complements the teaching teaching program rather than being a simple
adjunct. Often we see technology being used for the sake of it
rather than because it adds value to the subject matter. I refer
to the use of Wikis and Blogs with no stated goal. I believe that
use of technology in this way can detract from the teaching and
heavily increase the workload - the use of technology in classes
should ideally be transparent, such that it appears a part of the
material and not an extra item. In some respects this can be easier
in my area of study since the use of technology is one of the aspects
of the Units I teach and one of the skills I hope for my students to
acquire. Even so I still need to consider the use of technology in
teaching - just how do we use it sensibly? I try to answer this question
by using available networking technology to perform tasks during
classes on real - live - systems and demonstrate the outcome of
what we have done. I believe that this can work better than an
example in that the demonstration is not manufactured for the
purposes of the class but rather showing students that what they
are learning can - and is - directly applied in real-world systems. |
| Lectopia and digital availability of content: |
| The University is making a strong pitch in the use of both Lectopia
and BlackBoard
within the teaching environment. The question is how can these tools
best be deployed for greater teaching and learning outcomes for our
students. This is not easy to answer, we are encouraged to post copies
of the Lecture material on BlackBoard with the resultant outcome
that fewer students take notes during classes. While it can be
argued that this frees up more time to concentrate on the class, it
also means that students rely more on summarized slides rather than
make their own notes on their own personal understanding. The second
aspect is the use of Lectopia. I have no problems with recording my
lectures - and do so when available - but I have noticed a strong
correlation between the use of Lectopia with the subsequent decrease
in attendance. The key problem here is not the use of the technology
itself, but rather in the attitudes of the end-users - our students.
If used correctly, these tools can be invaluable - provision of slides
means students can annotate the copies rather than make complete notes,
thereby concentrating more on the material while the use of Lectopia
could be an invaluable resource for study and exam preparation. While
some of our students undoubtedly use these tools in the way they were
intended, many don't - instead using the lecture material as a
reason for not taking notes and Lectopia as an excuse for not attending
classes. This then shows up in their final results. The problem
appears to be that:
When used correctly, these tools enhance learning and the student
experience to a certain degree. However, when used poorly the tools
degrade student learning to an even greater degree. Unfortunately the
students who most need these tools tend to use them poorly while
students who would succeed without these tools are the one who tend
to use them properly. The dilemna now lies as to whether or not we
should deploy these tools when they have potential for both good and
harm or how we should try to teach students to use them properly. I
don't know what the right answer is here and wish that the way forward
was more clear-cut. |
LTS503 - Assessment, Evaluation and Support
| Description: |
The Unit covers the role and purposes of student assessment in higher education
and the theory and principles underlying effective assessment. It also examines
the design of assessment tasks and distinguishing evaluation from assessment. |
| Status: |
Completed - Semester 1 2007 |
| Unit Outline: |
Download |
Reflections
| How would I change how I assess students based on taking this Unit: |
| I particularly enjoyed the material and content covered in this Unit, I
have previously treated assessment in a more basic manner, working
primarily on instinct on what would work and what wouldn't in terms of
assessing students knowledge. Taking this Unit has helped me recognise
two things, firstly that I was generally heading down the right track in
terms of what and how I was assessing my students. This is particularly
evident in the type of assessment tasks I set for students to achieve,
particularly in terms of practical assessment tasks and also in striving
to test real knowledge rather than fact retention. Second, taking this Unit
has helped me to realise that I could improve in a few aspects, particularly
in improving the formal process of assessing output and in helping students
to better understand what is required of them in an assessment task. This
has already led me to change how I set assignment/project assessment tasks
by clearly defining what is expected of students and how their output will
be assessed. Finally, taking this student has clarified for me the importance
of validity and reliability in student assessment to the extent that I keep
these concepts firmly in the forefront when I design (and grade) assessment
tasks |
| How did I feel about the tasks required of me in this Unit: |
| I personally found the assessment tasks both onerous and not as clearly
defined as you might expect for a Unit dealing primarily with assessment.
In all cases, the assessment tasks seemed to call for a great amount of
output and required clarification on what I needed to do to pass the Unit.
I also found the number of assessment tasks prohibitive, this Unit has
alot of reading material, all of which was interesting and worth reading,
yet reading this took up most of my available time. This aspect of the Unit
became even more difficult when it came to the informal supplementary tasks.
While I was able to find time to complete all the suplementary reading as
well as the associated assignments, I found that doing the supplementary
tasks was beyond the limit of my available time. I don't know what the
ideal solution here would be, I would not like to see the Unit content
diminished in any way but think that too much is required in the way of
assessment of the students. While I can see that the tasks are supportive
of the supplied reading material, I also believe that completion of say
two individual reports, a group presentation and class discussion is more
than enough to assess students in their application to the understanding
the material. |
Assignment 1
| Topic: |
Design a range of assessment methods and re-develop related instruments
to assess student learning outcomes in a Unit you are currently teaching |
| Report: |
Download |
Assignment 2
| Topic: |
For a Project Unit you are currently teaching that utilises real-world
authentic activities re-design suitable assessment tasks and re-develop
relevant assessment tools and assessment criteria/rubrics for the Unit |
| Report: |
Download |
Assignment 3
| Topic: |
Locate a student feedback questionnaire for use with one of your own classes
or units. Use the questionnaire with your class and provide a brief analysis
of the results |
| Report: |
Download |
Group Assignment
| Group Members: |
Jason But, Lorraine Fleckhammer, Grainne Oates and Helen Rickards |
| Topic: |
Assessing real-world learning experiences validly and reliably |
| Paper: |
Download |
| Presentation: |
Download |
LTS504 - Independent Professional Project
| Description: |
This Unit consists of the student undertaking an Independent Research
Project within the area of teaching and Education. The formal outcomes
for the project are negotiable but must also include an oral
presentation |
| Status: |
Completed - Semester 1 2008 |
| Unit Outline: |
Download |
Project Rationale
| For the past 2-3 years, we have been using the
(RULE) system developed by
the Telecommunications Engineering group at Swinburne University to
provide a protected laboratory environment in which we can teach Unix
skills to our students. The RULE system is used in two different units
(HE306 and HET436), my current position places me as Unit Convenor for
HET306 and the manager/maintainer of RULE within the Faculty
RULE is a system that allows us to use existing Swinburne Computer Lab
facilities AND to provide student with 24 hour access to Unix based
computer systems over the Internet
The RULE system was designed with academic/teaching in mind, however
it has not been formally appraised as to how successful the system is
in achieving its goals of facilitating learning within these two Units
and in providing exposure to Unix systems to our students |
Learning Objectives
| I expect to gain a better understanding of how students use the facilities
with which we are providing them with and how they view the implementation
and usefulness of these facilities. By understanding how students view
this tool, we can better plan to extend and expand the RULE system as well
as better explain to students the limitations of the environment they have
been given for teaching purposes |
Paper Report
| The student feedback collected for this project was obtained without
Ethics
Approval. This is not a problem in terms of polling students with an
aim to improve the Unit or for this requirement for LTS504. However this
does mean that the availability of this paper is restricted. Please contact
me for further information |
| Abstract |
| While there has recently been a trend towards realworld
learning tasks in the Higher Education sphere, within the Engineering
discipline it has always been considered an important part of the education
experience. Within Telecommunications Engineering one of the primary skills
required by our students is experience with the manipulation and use of
Unix-based computer systems. However, teaching Unix within the modern
computer environment at a University is difficult due to the prevalence of
Windows computer laboratories. To address this problem we developed the
Remote Unix Learning Environment (RULE). Yet while RULE has been used for
a number of years within our teaching courses, it has not been evaluated
to determine how successful it has been with regards to student learning
in this area. In this report I will present the results of a student
feedback questionnaire run on students undertaking the "Unix for
Telecommunications" Unit in S2 2007 at Swinburne University exploring
their perceptions on RULE and how it has impacted on their learning of
Unix at the University. I will show that RULE has had a positive impact
and most importantly encouraged students to branch out and extend their
learning in the area through the installation of Unix systems on their own
home computers |
Outcomes
RULE is a system that has been developed to aid in the tasking of real-world
activities to students in the field of Telecommunications Engineering. RULE
provides students with a Unix environment in which they are able to configure
realistic network based services. Further, RULE is provided on a 24/7 basis
with no impact on existing University computer lab facilities.
RULE in its current incarnation has been deployed for teaching purposes since
S1 2006 and while minor modifications and improvements have been made based on
teaching staff experience with using RULE in the classroom, little effort has
been expended in evaluating student experience of RULE and its success in the
classroom for its intended purposes of teaching of Unix and network based
services.
The paper reports on the results of asking students to complete a Feedback
Questionnaire in the Unix for Telecommunications Unit run in S2 2007. The
results of this survey are encouraging and show that RULE has been a success.
On the side of basic results from the feedback we see that students have not
only appreciated the extra functionality that they have been provided with by
RULE, but also that through the Unit curriculum, lab exercises and usage of
RULE itself, that they appreciate the advantages that RULE bestows above
alternative methods of teaching Unix.
Other results indicate that students believe that RULE had a beneficial impact
on their learning experience and would be keen to see the development of RULEv2
that would provide them with an even more practical Unix experience. Finally,
the results indicate that through using RULE within the classroom, a large
proportion of students have been encouraged to install their own Unix based
system at home to further extend their studies. Given that this was one of the
primary reasons for developing RULE in the first place, I would say that even
if all other feedback was negative, the development of RULE would have been a
worthwhile exercise in its own right.
Finally, we can now say with some certainty that the educational goals of
RULE have been met. Until now, this has only been a gut-feeling, the
idea that RULE was working based on practical experience within the classroom.
Following this survey, we now have some data to back up this experience. |
Reflections
As previously discussed, until recently we have predominately used RULE as
a tool without any data to back up our approach and use of the tool. By
performing this work, I have managed to get a better appreciation for how
RULE is used by the students, and how RULE its use by us (as an Academic
Group) can better use it in the future.
Already - following the initial results gathered at the end of S2 2007 - I
have expanded RULE to simplify the collection and assessment of lab work
performed using RULE (simplifying use for teaching staff) while also
providing students with the means to achieve personalised instant feedback
on their lab work via an online system (increasing the amount and
immediacy of student feedback so they can check on the progress of their
lab work). Informal comments made by students this semester have shown
an appreciation of this new functionality.
On a positive note it is good to see the RULE has achieved its primary
goal of encouraging students to further experiment with Unix beyond the
requirements of their degree course itself. While this has not been seen
with all students, it is happening with a significant proportion of students.
The other positive outcome is that we may need to look at the structure
of the labs that make use of RULE more closely. There is some evidence that
prior experience has a strong factor in the final grades achieved by students.
While this is to be expected to some degree, it is an indication that we may
need to re-consider how the lab classes are run to improve the learning
experience for students with less prior knowledge coming into the class. |
|
