During my sessional academic teaching at QUT, I provided practical demonstrations in the ophthalmic optics module (optometry) (K1). I verbally explained the practical procedures that were to be conducted by the students, however, a few of the students looked very confused and were unable to follow my instructions. One thing I did not realise was that not all students would understand my directions but that some students would need to be physically shown what to do (V1). Also the way that I was taught to conduct some tests was not the same as how the students in this unit were taught to do the same test, and thus I had to ensure I was very familiar with the unit materials and not make assumptions (K1). I needed to ensure that my explanations were aligned with what was taught in the lecture. Upon reflection on effective teaching, I realised that my teaching approach was not as student-centred as it could be, particularly regarding linking new knowledge to prior learning.
In the student-centred learning approach as suggested by Biggs Tang (2011) (K2, V3) prior assumptions should not be made in teaching. Now I believe that linking new knowledge to prior learning makes learners more engaged so that students feel that they are learning a piece of the puzzle each time to make a complete story at the end of the course (K3). I decided to do constructive alignment of the lecture and/ practical manual with practical assessments by following the same method of tests and linking the two aspects while teaching. For example, in another practical test around the middle of the teaching period, I demonstrated a test exactly as it was described in the practical manual. The teaching outcome was much better than that of the first experience; the majority of the students were comfortable performing the tests. I believe that students found that the knowledge learned in the lecture was supported by a practical demonstration which is helpful to motivate students to learn more. This time I asked students to provide oral feedback on my demonstration and many of them agreed that it was a lot better than the previous time (K5). As I did not know about anonymous feedback mechanisms then, I could not use that method earlier.
Reflecting upon my teaching experience over that last ten years, I believe that teaching is a skill that needs to be refreshed regularly through continuing professional development (V3). For example, when I started teaching students at the bachelors’ level after a long break not teaching, I felt like I was starting all over again. I was afraid that the skills that I learned earlier were not fresh in my memory and needed refreshment training (Evans, 2011),even some techniques may not be relevant in the present context. Teaching for diploma level in Malawi may be different than for bachelor level in Australia considering students, social and educational contexts (K2, V1). Techniques need to be adjusted for different environments, available technologies and evolution of the course. However, one advantage I have as a PhD graduate in Optometry now is that I acknowledge the findings from research in teaching, and consider evidence on learning and teaching theories, so that I can incorporate effective teaching approaches in my teaching (K1). I also believe that my own experiences as a student completing a master’s degree in optometry are an advantage as I can reflect on what were good and not so good teaching experiences. I think it is important to understand the student’s perspective. I now consider whether I as a past student would have found my teaching approach engaging or not and modify my approaches with the student in mind.
In my future teaching activities, I will continue linking activity to a real-world context, for example, when will that specific test be conducted in an eye test, and what is the value of doing it that will make the learning more engaging. Race (2020) suggested linking the activity with a real-world environment will make students understand the need to learn more particularly in a clinical profession like Optometry. I believe that when students understand the value of a particular test, they may even imagine the test being conducted on a real patient after their graduation, a couple of years later. In addition, I take an approach of problem-based learning more regularly, where students learn by solving a real problem (K3). If students cannot perform a task on the first go, I try to ensure that they are not disheartened. Rather, I encourage students to perform tests even though they may make errors in the beginning as failure is part of learning (V1).
Over the years my perception of teaching has changed; from one way of delivering knowledge to engaging students and learning from their experiences. Engaging students in the learning process makes them motivated to learn more. I am aware that students come with diverse backgrounds which need to be acknowledged with a variety of teaching approaches and constructive feedback mechanisms.
Note: A, K, and V denote Areas of Activity, Core Knowledge and Professional Values, respectively from the UK Professional Standard Framework (Appendix). Available online: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/uk-professional-standards-framework-ukpsf
References
Biggs, J. B., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching For Quality Learning At University (4. ed.). Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education.
Evans, D. (2011). Back to work after a break? Not till you've done 10 days' training. The Times Educational Supplement Cymru(355), 4.
Race, P. (2020). The lecturer's toolkit: a practical guide to assessment, learning and teaching (5th edition. ed.). Abingdon, Oxon; Routledge.