Tutoring Workshop Schedule Schedule Materials at Oxford Tutorial

Tutoring Workshop Schedule: Schedule • Materials at Oxford • Tutorial organisation and preparation • Giving a tutorial o Teaching style discussion o Refreshments o Group dynamics discussion • Course assessment and feedback structure Prof Susie Speller

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Materials at Oxford • • • The undergraduate course structure Components of teaching What is special about Oxford Examinations Summary

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Undergraduate Course Structure Materials Science (MS) course Year 1 MS 1 – Structure of Materials MS 2 – Properties of Materials MS 3 – Transforming Materials Maths for Materials Scientists PRELIMS EXAMS Year 2 1. Structure and Transformation of Materials 2. Electronic Properties of Materials 3. Mechanical Properties of Materials 4. Engineering Applications of Materials NO EXAMS

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Undergraduate Course Structure Materials Science (MS) course Year 3 Options Courses Students choose at least 8 out of 16 Team Design project Characterisation / modelling practical module FINALS EXAMS (4 core papers plus 2 options papers) Year 4 8 month research project NO WRITTEN EXAMS * Materials, Economics and Management (MEM) students follow the MS 1 st year, but cover the core Materials over the 2 nd and 3 rd years along with Economics and Management papers. They are examined on one options paper in 4 th year.

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Teaching Components 3 -tiered approach • Lectures - Scheduled for the mornings - Introduce the material on the syllabus • Tutorials and classes - Typically 2 -3 students - In-depth discussion of the topics - Aids understanding - Continual assessment of individual students’ understanding • Laboratory work - Each practical scheduled to take 3 afternoons - Tie in with lecture courses

Tutorials The University’s Education Committee summarises and defines the purpose of a tutorial as being “to develop an individual student’s capacity to think in depth about a subject area, and to operate with growing confidence within its techniques and methodologies, with the expectation that the process will promote increased understanding of the discipline for both tutor and student. ” https: //www. learning. ox. ac. uk/support/teaching/resources/teaching/

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure What is special about Oxford ? … Colleges • Students are admitted to the University for first degree courses by the colleges • The colleges are responsible for academic progress and providing tutorial teaching. • Decisions on progression and change of course are taken by the college • Permanent academic staff often have joint appointments as University lecturer and college subject tutor 7 colleges take Materials Undergraduates: Corpus Christi, Queens, Mansfield, St Annes, St Catherine’s, St Edmund Hall, Trinity

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Examinations Internal Exams (Collections) • Sat at the beginning of each term to test the students on the previous term’s work. • Set centrally • Usually marked by colleges (except MT 3 rd year) • Encourages students to revise the work regularly • Provides information for the tutors and college about their progress Public Exams • Prelims – at the end of 1 st year • Finals – at the end of 3 rd year • Set by the appointed examiners (a subset of the lecturers) although each lecturer submits a selection of possible exam questions on their course

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Summary • Responsibility for teaching is split between Colleges and the Department • Important role of tutorials within the teaching system o Main aim is to aid understanding o Should be a discussion rather than the tutor just giving the solutions

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Tutorial Organisation and Preparation Starting point • Course Handbook - syllabus - reading list • On-line lecture list (www. materials. ox. ac. uk/teaching) • Usually one tutorial per 4 lectures • Timing of tutorials - should aim to follow lectures - timetable provided by college subject tutor

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Arranging Tutorials The college subject tutor usually devises a timetable outlining which week each tutorial should take place this is flexible The actual time of the tutorials is arranged directly between you and the students. • Tutorials must fit around the lectures and practical classes • Decide who initiates choosing tutorial times • Sometimes easier to arrange all tutorials at the beginning of term

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Arranging Tutorials Where to give tutorials • College – may be inconvenient for you • Departmental meeting rooms - may be available and can be booked through reception (2)73777 - bookings might be moved or cancelled at late notice Submission of written work • Can ask students to submit work to pigeon hole or reception or your college • Most tutors ask for the work to be handed in the day before the tutorial - you can ask for it earlier if you need more time

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Preparation • Familiarise yourself with the lecture course • Syllabus and reading list in the Course Handbook • Handouts, question sheets and answers are usually available from the Academic Administrator • Give yourself plenty of time as it may be necessary to contact the lecturer directly • Decide what questions to set the students • Do not need to use all lecturers’ questions or can select some of them • Tell the students at least a week in advance, which questions to attempt

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Marking Written Work • Every tutor marks written work differently • Detailed comments ? • Grade ? • No rules, but worth checking if college subject tutor has any preference • Give yourself plenty of time to look at the students’ work • tailor tutorial to students’ needs • How ? – covered in next session • Make written comments legible • Keep a record of students’ performance

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Problems If you have any difficulties with the courses or question sheets don’t be afraid to ask! • Lecturer • Other tutors - (Incomplete) list of who teaches what given in handouts

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Giving a Tutorial • 3 video clips showing contrasting tutorial styles • Group dynamics • Expectations • Problem solving • Time management

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Group Dynamics Discuss how to handle … • students with very different abilities • an overconfident student • a very quiet student • a student who hasn’t submitted much work

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Expectations * They wont be able to do it all • Essay questions • Have they read around the subject or just regurgitated the lecturer’s notes ? • Numerical questions • Have they correctly assessed the problem ? • Can they technically solve it ? • Problems often occur with applying the equations derived in lectures to real situations • Talk to other tutors of the same subject

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Problem Solving It is very important to help students develop problem solving skills • It is now the case that questions on A-level Physics must not depend on the student taking A-level Maths • We need to teach the students how to couple the science with the maths Physical phenomena Idealised conceptual model of relevant features Explanation of mathematically posed problem Mathematical formulation

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Example Thermodynamics, 1 st Year, MT, The vapour pressure over solid Magnesium was measured as a function of temperature: Change T into K T/C 424 p/Pa 1 456 3 496 10 Calculate the enthalpy of sublimation. Clausius Clapeyron 535 30 584 100 Should P be in Pa or atm ?

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Tricks of the Trade Encourage the students to: Why? • Draw a picture • Check dimensions Where does this come from? • Check order of magnitude • Check signs Draw a picture As a tutor: - • Encourage different solutions • Look at similar problems posed differently

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Time Management • Typically 1 hour long You can’t cover all questions in detail • Plan what you are going to spend time on – but be prepared to be flexible • Don’t be too ambitious • Give students enough time to think and participate in the discussion and also make good notes * It takes experience to get it right

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Assessment and Feedback • College reports • Disciplinary procedures • Revision classes • Personnel involved in the organisation of u/g teaching • Questions ?

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure College Reports The college Tutorial Fellow will have end of term meetings with each student in 8 th week of term. You will need to complete a progress report on each student that you teach in 7 th week. • Filled in online using Oxcort with your SSO login (www. oxcort. ox. ac. uk) • Completing reports usually triggers payment • You may also be asked to mark collections at the beginning of term and you can claim payment for these. Remember • Keep records during the term of students’ performance in written work and tutorials • Reports are read by students as well as the college subject tutors and are kept on file in the college

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Poor Performance • Talk to student • Talk to college subject tutor o do not wait for end of term reports • If necessary, college tutor will involve the college’s Senior Tutor • Penal collections may be set o student must pass to continue with course Other problems • Illegible scripts • Copying other students’ work

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Disciplinary matters • Not turning up to tutorials • Lack of respect in tutorials * Talk immediately to college subject tutor

1. 2. 3. 4. Materials at Oxford Tutorial organisation and preparation Giving a tutorial Course assessment and feedback structure Revision Classes • New tutors often find revision classes more difficult • Content usually decided by the students • Past exam questions very useful o Can be found online (http: //oxam. ox. ac. uk) o Answers to exam papers (complete for 2003 -2015 with some available for earlier years) – Ask academic administrator • Can ask the students in advance which questions they would like help with or ask them to hand in their attempts • Encourage students to have revision tutorials early – to give time to get back to them if necessary. • Should I bother to learn this ? o check if examinable

Where can I find out more? Oxford Learning Institute https: //www. learning. ox. ac. uk/support/teaching/resources/teaching/ Courses on teaching offered at a range of levels: • Preparation for learning and teaching at Oxford (PLTO) • Developing learning and teaching (DLT) • Teaching Fellowship Programme (TFP) • Post Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGDip. LATHE) • https: //www. learning. ox. ac. uk/support/teaching/programmes/

Please take a few minutes to fill in these questions to help me improve the course for next year. Feedback 1. Which section of the course did you find most useful ? 2. Was the right amount of time spent on each part of the course ? 3. Is there anything that you think has been left out ? 4. Any other comments ?