Otago Polytechnic/Developing a Learning and Teaching Strategy at OP/Teachers

Strategic Objective one:
To have highly effective teachers

What are our aspirations?

 * Our teachers make student learning their highest priority, inspire learners to higher intellectual levels and do not give up on them.
 * Our teachers are at the leading edge of knowledge and innovation in their field
 * Our teachers are at the forefront of teaching practice, using pedagogy and learning processes to promote learner self discovery and develop learner capability.
 * Our teachers use a variety of technologies and methods to invite active learner participation and inspire learning.
 * Our teachers guide learners successfully through exploration of the creative, critical thinking, and problem-solving processes and help learners to develop their own understandings.
 * Our teachers promote a wide range of ideas and open expression of diverse opinions while maintaining an atmosphere of integrity, civility and respect.
 * Our teachers simplify and clarify complex subjects, help students connect learning experiences and facilitate development of self knowledge and insights.
 * Our teachers regularly provide constructive and objective feedback to learners that enhances their learning.
 * Our teachers create learning environments that invite constructive learner feedback to the teacher.
 * Our teachers continually improve their practice through reflection and ongoing professional development
 * Our teachers continually monitor trends in education, industries and professions, anticipate changes and adapt as required
 * Our teachers model our organisational values and act as sustainable practitioners
 * Our learners have learning experiences that celebrate their individuality, their diversity and what they bring to their learning
 * Our teachers pursue learning and teaching as scholarly activities.
 * Our teachers are engaged in research and enterprise activties.

What will we do to achieve our aspirations?

 * support staff to improve and develop their teaching effectiveness through provision of staff development activities that specifically: focus on individualised student learning; assist students to identify their personal learning styles and identify the implications for managing their learning; experiential learning methods, enquiry based learning, action competence; assessment.
 * provide good practice guidelines for staff to facilitate engaging and inspiring learning activities
 * support staff to develop their digital literacy to enhance capability to utilise various existing and future digital technologies in learning and teaching processes
 * support staff to maintain currency in their specialist field and connections with relevant industry, profession and communities
 * encourage staff to undertake research
 * encourage staff to design and plan opportunities for learners to participate in research and to learn researching skills

How will we know we have been successful?

 * student express high levels of satisfaction with teaching and learning processes
 * student success metrics will be the highest in the country