HE teaching
workplace training
The trainings below are focused on developing and improving teaching and training skills. Lecturers, tutors, trainers and facilitators may find them useful in developing new skills or attend a refresher session. Reflective practice is at the core of each workshop.
I have extensive experience in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students from social sciences, medicine and allied medical professions. I also run workshops for health and education professionals. I supervised master’s students and currently teach at a doctoral course. All trainings are supported by evidence and my first-hand experience. I tested and mastered myself all that I offer in the trainings. I look forward to sharing my experience with you.
your teaching philosophy
There is nothing easier than just talking about your topic to a group of students. There is nothing more to it, isn’t it?
Your beliefs and values regarding sharing knowledge and skills will always shape how you approach your teaching. There is no one right teaching philosophy for everyone, but a good teacher understands the strengths and limitations of their own ways.
In this training you will have a chance to learn what is teaching philosophy, how to develop your own. You will also learn tools of reflective practice helping you to stay on the chosen course or correct it if needed.
creating teaching/training plans/developing curriculum
Developing teaching programmes from scratch can be exciting but also daunting. What should be included, what discussed during a session and what left to self-study, which formats are best are just a few questions you need to find the answer to.
After this workshop you will learn how to plan a series of teaching/training sessions, match the content to the course requirements, use different approaches such as spiral or step by step curriculum. You will also practice linking teaching plans with the learners’ intended learning outcomes (ILOs).
building rapport with students
It is much easier to share your knowledge with people you can find a common language with. It is stating the obvious that each group of students is different and that it might be a challenge to develop a good rapport with everyone.
In this training we will discuss the main challenges of working with different groups. You will have the opportunity to build your skills based on your best and worst learning and teaching experience. At the end you will get the confidence and skills to enjoy teaching even more.
flipped classroom
Flipped classroom, when students study the topic first and then explore it more in the lecture or seminar may be a great method of teaching and learning. But it does not work for all students and in all settings.
In this session you will learn the principles of flipped classroom and when to use it. You will have a go at planning a flipped classroom session on the topic of your choice.
problem-based learning
There is no better learning than doing. In the problem-based approach, learners apply theory and evidence to solve the problem. They need to integrate knowledge and skills from different areas of the same or multiple subjects to resolve the problem.
In this session, you will learn what problem based learning is, when it works best and how to include it in subject modules and integrate within curriculum.
novelty and surprise in learning
Who ever experienced bored students hands up! Keeping your students interested, engaged and enthusiastic sometimes feels impossible. We are often told we need to work out how to make our teaching interesting for students. Stand-up skills could help, but surely there are other ways.
In this workshop I will show you examples of using novelty and surprise in education. Will discuss evidence behind it. You will have an opportunity to practise using these tools too.
working with neurodivergent students
There is a lot of talking about neurodiversity and supporting neurodivergent workers and students. You may come across some general ideas, but it may not be always easy to translate them into your everyday teaching/training work.
In this session we will explore what neurodivergence relates too. We then focus on two types of it – autism and ADHD. I will show you how to support students (from undergraduate to PhD) working in groups and individually.
being an autistic teacher
Despite popular beliefs about autism and lack of social skills, many teachers are autistic and successful in their jobs.
In this session we will explore the challenges autistic academics face when teaching, the reasons behind them and possible solutions. The focus will be to help you to make the teaching experience fulfilling and enjoyable.
working with mature students
It is very likely that at some point you will be working with mature students. They are coming with wealth of life and often professional experience. Their motivation and approach to studies are often different than younger students. They are also at different life stages.
In this session we will explore why working with mature students may be very rewarding yet challenging at times. We will discuss practical ways of supporting this group throughout academic career.
working with 1st year students
They just joined the university, are still curious, excited but also a bit nervous. Their first year experience will shape how they will see academia and may influence their academic career.
In this session we will explore what you as a subject lecturer can do to make this experience positive and truly formative. We will discuss how to introduce students to the academic life one lecture, seminar or lab at a time.
working with culturally diverse groups
Experiencing other cultures at work may be fascinating and frustrating at the same time. Everyone brings their own perspective and life stories but it may not always be easy to share and learn from them. Lack of cultural sensitivity may also lead to bias and unfair treatment.
In this workshop you will learn how to accommodate in your work different cultural perspectives. You will also have an opportunity to reflect on your own culture, what the things you take for granted are, what you expect to be respected and why.
tutoring skills
Being a tutor is a great adventure but also big responsibility. Whether you informally support your students or are formally assigned to your students, reflecting on your tutoring skills and continuously developing them will benefit your both.
In this workshop you will learn what actually tutoring is, how you may approach it, what you can and should not do as a tutor, and generally how to be a good tutor. You will have an opportunity to reflect on your strengths in this role, identify the challenges you face and find the way to develop your skills further.
giving feedback, responding to feedback
Balanced, accurate feedback is essential for development of knowledge and skills. Knowing how to give feedback to support your students growth is one of the most, if not the most important skill of academic teachers. Receiving feedback helps you to develop too.
In this workshop we will explore when and how to give feedback. You will also learn different methods of getting feedback and responding to it.
synchronous online teaching
Another zoom call, all cameras switched off, no one says anything and you are not even sure if your students are still there. Sounds familiar? It does not have to be this way.
In this workshop you will learn how to design synchronous online teaching sessions, that will be engaging and enjoyable. We will explore topics such as engaging students, facilitating discussion, planning a session’s structure and use of free online tools making sessions more interesting for your students and yourself.
asynchronous online teaching
Slides saved, uploaded and done. Now it is up to students whether they will download them and maybe even look at them. Yes, this is the easy way, but… also not an effective one, most likely you just wasted your time.
In this workshop we will explore key rules of asynchronous teaching, how to facilitate it, monitor students progress and support them in their learning.
storytelling for teaching
Books, movies, news, gossip get our attention and make us remember the stories we hear. This is one of the natural ways we communicate with each other.
In this training you will explore how telling the story of your and others research, theories and scientific discoveries will help your students develop a comprehensive understanding of your subject.