UPED853 Research in and on one’s own practice

Contents and structure

The development project in university pedagogy is aimed at further developing teaching and learning practices, with the aim of promoting pedagogical quality, exploring new approaches to teaching and potentially strengthening students' learning outcomes in higher education.

The model for implementing the project is rooted in principles from the Scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education, which entails:

• A research-based approach: Teaching practices are developed and improved through systematic collection, analysis and use of findings from different teaching, supervision and learning practices.
• Reflection and documentation: Teachers reflect critically on their own practice, document the processes and share experiences to contribute to a collective knowledge base.
• Student learning at the center: The project prioritizes measures that strengthen student engagement, learning outcomes and participation in teaching.
• Collaboration and sharing: Collaboration is facilitated between teachers and academic communities, both within and across disciplines, to promote innovation and sharing of best practice.
• Openness and participation: The results of the project should be open and accessible, with the aim of promoting a culture of continuous development and learning in higher education.

Examples of a project could be testing and investigating new teaching and assessment methods, R&D-based teaching, developing and testing learning resources, development work related to practice, supervision or different forms of online teaching.

You can have a development project alone or together with colleagues. The development project is carried out with support from colleagues in basic competence and teachers in the introductory program in university pedagogy.

Learning Outcome

Upon completion of the course, students must have the following learning outcomes

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of the principles of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and how these can be applied to further develop teaching and learning practices in higher education.
• has a thorough understanding of methods for the systematic development, documentation and analysis of teaching practices.
• has specialized knowledge of the relationship between teaching methods, assessment methods and student learning outcomes in higher education.

Skills

The student

• can critically analyze, develop and improve teaching and learning practices based on the systematic collection and analysis of research data.
• can conduct critical reflection on their own and colleagues' pedagogical practices, and document and communicate the results in a way that contributes to collective learning processes.
• can develop, test and evaluate new teaching and assessment methods, and adapt these to different academic and pedagogical contexts.
• can collaborate with colleagues and professional environments to initiate, implement and evaluate pedagogical development work.

General competence

The student

• can plan and implement development projects that promote pedagogical quality and strengthen students' learning outcomes.
• can contribute to an open and inclusive learning culture by sharing results and experiences from their own development work, both locally and nationally.
• can use the principles of R&D-based teaching to further develop their own teaching practice and support colleagues in their pedagogical work.
• can analyze and critically evaluate how pedagogical measures affect students' engagement, learning process and learning outcomes.

Entry requirements

None

Teaching methods

• Workshop: An online or in-person workshop where participants work on the principles of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and develop project ideas.
• Peer mentoring: Two mentoring sessions in interdisciplinary groups, where participants outline, present, and provide feedback on project plans. The groups are assigned to a university lecturer who may be invited to support the process.
• Mid-session: A joint gathering where participants present progress, exchange experiences, and receive feedback on their work.
• Closing conference: A digital or physical conference where participants present the results of their development projects and discuss experiences with colleagues and mentors.

The candidate should have participated in an introductory course in university pedagogy (HSPED801) or equivalent training that provides insight into key pedagogical principles and didactic planning.

It is recommended that the candidate is employed in a teaching position in higher education or has equivalent experience with teaching at this level.

The candidate should have practical experience with teaching, supervision or development of learning resources in higher education.

The candidate should have the opportunity to carry out the development project in a teaching setting, preferably in collaboration with colleagues or a supervisor.

Compulsory learning activities

The following two mandatory learning activities must be approved in order for the student to be able to take the exam:

• presentation of the development project in a final conference. All participants must present their own or joint development project through a poster presentation.
• provide constructive feedback on at least one project/poster presentation during the final conference.

The mandatory learning activities must be approved in order to take the exam. The activities are valid for three semesters after approval.

Assessment

Written individual or group-based project assignment. The assignment should be a maximum of 5000 words.

Grading scale: pass/fail.

If the assignment is not passed, it is possible to submit an improved version in the following semester. It is only possible to submit an improved version with the same problem once. After this, a completely new assignment must be written.

Submission requirements:

• Purpose and objectives of the project.
• Description of methods and principles from the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning that have been applied.
• Status of implementation, including activities that have been carried out and any challenges.
• Preliminary findings and reflections related to learning outcomes and process.

Criteria for assessment:

• Degree of reflection on and application of SoTL principles.
• Clearly defined goals and a thorough description of the status of the project.
• Quality of the analysis of findings and discussion of implications for pedagogical practice.
• Structure, language and professional precision of the report.

Examination support material

None

More about examination support material