LTSN-GEES Linking Teaching and Research: Project Plan
Background
GEES is strongly committed to promoting ways in which staff's involvement in research can benefit teaching (Appendix 1). This is an area in which GEES has considerable interest and previous experience (see below). The fact that this experience is unevenly developed (with Geography in a leading position) opens up the opportunity for fruitful collaboration both within and beyond the GEES disciplines. Moreover, the geography, earth and environmental sciences group of subjects provide an intriguing test ground in which to examine the linkages between teaching and research because of the position they hold on the intersection between the natural and physical sciences, the social sciences and the arts. They cover aspects of all four discipline types (soft, hard, pure and applied) recognised by Biglan (1973). Few of the other Subject Centres provide this degree of inter-disciplinarity.
Previous Experience
GEES, and its pre-existing subject groups, have been interested in explicitly developing the linkages between teaching and research for some years, but few have identified specific ways in which individuals and departments may develop the positive impacts of research on teaching. Among the current initiatives associated with this bid in which members of GEES are involved are the following:
- We have held two department-based workshops in the last 12 months concerned with examining the relationship between teaching and research (Environmental Sciences at UEA, Geography and Geology at Birmingham)
- One of our Senior Subject Advisers represents GEES on the FDTL funded LINK project based at Oxford Brookes on 'Linking teaching and research and consultancy in the Built Environment disciplines'.
- Four members of the Geography Discipline Network (one of the founding groups of GEES) are members of the national Research and Teaching Group, established by Dr Roger Brown, and the associated Pedagogic Research Group (Vaneeta D'Andrea, Vince Gardiner, Mick Healey, and Alan Jenkins).
- GEES are funding 11 small research and development projects in 2002.
- The GEES Senior Adviser for Geography (Mick Healey) has been invited, with Alan Jenkins, to co-edit the themed section of the third edition of the new Exchange magazine on 'Teaching and research'.
- Colleagues at the University of Gloucestershire, including two from GEES subjects (Mick Healey and Chris Short), have recently been awarded £16k to examine 'The relationship of teaching with research and consultancy: the student experience'.
Aim
To identify, record and disseminate case studies of the way individuals, course teams and departments within geography, earth and environmental sciences enhance the learning of their students by developing the links with their research and to promote ways in which individuals and departments in our subject communities can maximise the benefits for students of these linkages.
Method
GEES will use its department contacts, its Senior Advisers' networks, subject-based
listserves, and swap shops to identify 20 case studies. These will be put
on the Subject Centre Resources Web site. A dedicated set of Web pages will
be developed on linking teaching and research in the GEES area, including
a review essay on the nature of links between research and teaching in GEES
disciplines along with an annotated bibliography of key articles and Web sites
and links to the case studies. A national conference on the topic will be
held during the academic year 2002-03, the outcomes of which will be published
in Planet. Ways of developing teaching-research links along with the case
studies will be promoted over the next three years through running department-based
workshops on the topic and contributing to conferences and meetings (e.g.
discipline-based annual conferences; HoDs' meetings; educational conferences).
Staffing and Responsibilities
Project Leader (responsible for leading project, obtaining case studies from geography departments, preparation of materials for Web pages, running department-based workshops): Professor Mick Healey (GEES Senior Adviser for Geography).
Project Team (responsible for obtaining case studies from earth and environmental sciences departments, running department-based workshops in these disciplines): Jenny Blumhof; Dr Neil Thomas (respectively GEES Senior Advisers for Environmental Sciences and Earth Sciences).
Project Manager (based at Plymouth, responsible for administrative and Web support for the project): Dr Helen King.
Outline Budget
Project Leader £2250
Representatives of other two Subjects (2@£750 each) £1500
Travel, subsistence, consumables £ 250
Contribution from Subject Centre to support project: including time of Project Manager; run national conference; support department workshops; produce a special Edition of Planet, the Subject Centre's journal, focusing on teaching-research relationships (circulation of 2000 copies in UK and overseas); travel and subsistence involved with above. Total support equivalent to about £10,000.
Project Timetable
| Activity | Mar - May 2002 | Jun - Aug 2002 | Sep - Nov 2002 | Dec 02 - Feb 2003 | Mar - May 2003 | Jun - Aug 2003 | Sept 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Develop Web site | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Prepare annotated bibliography | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Collect,edit & publish case studies on web | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| National Conference | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Prepare review essay | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Special Edition of Planet | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Key Deadlines
1 April 2002: Agreed project plan with Subject Centre Management Group and Generic Centre Project Management
1 May 2002: Dedicated section of GEES Web site established
1 June 2002: Added annotated bibliography to Web site; identified, obtained, edited and put on Web site at least one case study
1 October 2002: Identified, obtained, edited and put on Web site in total five case studies (including at least one from each GEES discipline)
1 February 2003: Identified, obtained, edited and put on Web site in total ten case studies (including at least three from each GEES discipline)
1 May 2003: Held national conference; identified, obtained, edited and put on Web site in total fifteen case studies (including at least our from each GEES discipline)
30 September 2003: Completed review essay; published special edition of Planet; identified, obtained, edited and put on Web site in total twenty case studies (including at least six from each GEES discipline).
Appendix 1: Types of Linkage between Teaching and Research
We recognise that students in our subject areas may benefit from research in a variety of ways including, where:
- the content of courses is informed by staff research;
- students learn about research methods;
- teaching methods adopt a research-based approach, such as through problem based learning;
- they undertake their own research projects, whether individually or in teams;
- they participate in staff research projects as subjects, as in, for example, perception studies;
- they assist staff with their research projects;
- staff undertake pedagogic research which benefits the quality of their teaching.
Research in this context is interpreted widely to include RAE-level research, consultancy for clients, and action research aimed primarily at improving practice. We recognise that there are also potential negative impacts from staff involvement in research, such as staff absences and lower priority being given to teaching. Our experience is that for the benefits to be maximised and the disadvantages to be minimised, the relationship needs to be.