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Methods of Teaching

and Learning

The variety of teaching and learning methods

which is used within a course is an important

ingredient in creating a course with interest to

students. A course with a large proportion of

its teaching taking place in lectures will need to

have a high level of intrinsic interest to students

to keep them engaged. Over the past few years,

a wide range of different teaching and learning

methods have been introduced and tested, often

with the aim of developing skills which more

didactic methods are poorly adapted to do.

There is a substantial literature on these

methods and on how best to use them.

It is not possible here to provide great detail on

every possible teaching and learning method,

so instead we have focused on some of the issues

which could be considered by course teams

when choosing the components of their course.

A useful document to refer to is the Guidelines

for Promoting Effective Learning, produced by the

Centre for Research on Learning and Instruction

and also available in the TLA Centre. Further

sources are suggested in section 8.8.

8.1 LECTURES

Fifty-minute lectures remain the core teaching

method for most undergraduate courses. Their

role is best suited to providing an overview of

the subject matter and stimulating interest in it,

rather than disseminating facts. Lecturing to

large classes is a skill which not all staff have

acquired and some are not comfortable in this

role, and so, where possible, a course organiser

is advised to try to spread the lecturing load so

as to favour those staff with best skill at it,

although freedom of action in this respect is

often limited! All students appreciate good

quality lectures, and the key ingredients are:

• clear objectives (these can be put in the course

handbook, with the lecture summaries, to

avoid provision of them being forgotten by

individual lecturers);

• clear overhead acetates or slides;

• a paced delivery (the larger the class and/or

the more difficult the material the slower this

should be);

• appropriate handouts which provide

students with complex diagrams or difficult

or critical text. This should not be viewed as

spoon feeding. It is part of the process of

ensuring that students take away the

important elements from a lecture,

irrespective of how well the lecture was

delivered on the day. Good handouts also

help to avoid the communication difficulties

which can arise in any lecture where large

numbers of students are present.

As class enrolments have risen and lecture

theatres are used continuously, ease of access

by students to the lecturer at the end of a lecture

has been reduced. Providing agreed times and

places, as soon as possible thereafter, when they

can get questions answered is becoming an

important issue.

A more radical approach to the problems of the

large ‘performance’ lecture is to consider the

extent to which some lectures could be removed

entirely and replaced by structured exercises (i.e.

resource-based learning). To some degree, those

students who do not attend lectures follow this

path anyway!

8.2 TUTORIALS AND SEMINARS

After the lecture, this is probably the next most

widely used teaching method. The distinction

between what is a tutorial and what is a seminar

is woolly - to some it depends upon size (i.e. ‘a

20 person group cannot be a tutorial as it is too

big and is therefore a seminar’) whereas to

others the seminar has a different structure

(speaker + audience) and different objectives.

This last point - objectives - is certainly the most

important issue, and it is probably here that

Teaching and Learning Methods and Resources Part III

70 A Manual for Course Organisers

most confusion exists in students’ minds (‘what

are tutorials for?’), and sometimes in tutors’

minds too. Clarity of objectives is more

important for tutorials than for lectures, in that

there is general agreement and expectations for

lectures whereas there is certainly greater

divergence for tutorials.

Much tutorial work is carried out by part-time

staff, especially for courses in the first two years,

and they too need to be clear about what they

are trying to achieve with their students (see

section 4.4). When asking students about

tutorials, the paradoxical finding that they

complain about them but ask for more/more

frequent tutorials is perhaps closely related to

their perception of their need for small group

support but lack of clarity about what they

should be getting out of what is provided.

Making explicit what students should get out

of tutorials can be quite a taxing exercise for the

course organiser.

A new addition to the tutorial format (at least

for most students and staff) is that of electronic

tutorials via email, sometimes managed in a

WWW forum such as HyperNews. Although

rather few courses outside those which are

traditionally computer-oriented have

experimented with these methods, they hold out

promise for those courses where students are

difficult to bring together or to enable exchanges

between face-to-face sessions.

The active nature of the tutorial/seminar makes

it the main source for students to acquire some

of the ‘personal transferable skills’, e.g. in

presentation and group work.

8.3 LABORATORY AND PRACTICAL

CLASSES

For science subjects, laboratory (lab) work is an

essential ingredient of the course and some

component of this is generally preserved, even

though the amount may fall. In addition to the

experience of lab work, students often derive a

lot of their contact with staff in the lab setting,

and compensation for this may be needed if lab

time is significantly reduced.

High quality lab work is expensive to provide,

and it is important that we are sure that students

do indeed gain all that they might from it,

especially as the number of students present

may have increased, more part-time

demonstrators are used, and the frills have been

trimmed to cut costs. The balance between

fewer but better labs and more but simpler is

not always easy to find, but is an important

consideration.

8.4 OTHER TEACHING METHODS

Other methods that may be considered are

numerous, including:

• workbooks, diaries, and lab notebooks;

• computer-based methods (see below);

• fieldwork;

• learning in hospital wards and clinics

(medical and veterinary);

• independent learning tasks;

• essays, dissertations and projects;

• library searches;

• portfolios;

• posters;

• videos.

Judicious use of them gives students the chance

to use a variety of learning techniques so that

each gets one or more which suits them best. If

you find a possible method but are unsure how

best to introduce it to your course, search out

someone who has used it and pick their brains.

You will probably find that TLA Centre can

point you to such people, even if they may not

be in the University of Edinburgh.

8.5 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

The University has growing numbers of

students with disabilities (e.g. dyslexia) who

may present particular challenges to courses

with large numbers of students. For example, a

profoundly deaf student may be able to follow

a lecture with the help of a sign language

interpreter, but will not be able to take notes at

the same time. A blind student may need special

help with practical sessions.

It is not possible to give detailed general advice

on making the variety of teaching and learning

methods described in this manual accessible to

disabled students. However, the kind of

support which they are likely to find helpful -

e.g. provision of good handouts - often benefit

all students. Students with disabilities are

students first and foremost, and in many cases

Chapter 8 Methods of Teaching and Learning

A Manual for Course Organisers 71

a little thought and ingenuity on the part of

lecturing staff is all that is required in order to

allow them full benefit from their classes. The

student will often be the best judge of what is

needed; at other times the Disability Coordinator

will be happy to liaise with staff (Pat

Butson, Disability Co-ordinator: 650 6828;

Pat.Butson@ed) (see also chapter 11).

8.6 COMPUTER SUPPORTED LEARNING

Just as it will be the course organiser’s

responsibility, in consultation with colleagues

contributing to the course, to co-ordinate the

availability of resources in the Library (books

and reprints in the short-term loan collection,

for example), all other aspects of resource-based

learning will require forward planning with

which the course organiser will have to be

involved.

Various learning technologies (such as computer

and multi-media resources) are increasingly

being used in support of the learning process,

presenting new challenges and opportunities for

staff and students. A major resource being used

more frequently is the World Wide Web

(WWW). An example of its use in presenting

information about course content is given in

Case Study 1 at the end of this chapter.

Wholesale importation of computer-based

learning (CBL) activities across the curriculum

is unlikely to be a wise or desirable move for

any course. CBL enthusiasts have been

predicting significant gains in quality and

efficiency of the teaching and learning process

for many years, but the realities have, as yet,

been less clear cut. On the other hand,

computer-based approaches in education have

been subjected to more demanding criteria of

evaluation than the more traditional approaches

have ever had to face. One of the real benefits

of the recent interest in new learning

technologies has been the reassessment of our

more familiar approaches, which has in itself

been useful.

There are undoubtedly areas of the curriculum,

however, in which the appropriate and targeted

use of learning technologies will be of

considerable importance, affording students the

opportunity to engage with materials and

resources which would otherwise be impossible.

In particular, the confluence of computer and

communication technologies suggest exciting

possibilities for the use of computer-mediated

communication (CMC), in the form of electronic

mail or computer conferencing systems, in

support of tutorial and group work. While

students are facing increasing financial

pressures, with the implication that many are

functionally in part-time education, the

asynchronous communications with teachers

and peers which CMC potentially offers can ease

conflict between employment and study.

Many subjects, from Fine Art to Neuroanatomy,

will benefit from the possibility of networked

access to high quality images which may be in

short supply, if not completely inaccessible, in

the printed form. Computer simulations of

practical exercises can allow us to address some

of the problems inherent in teaching large

classes, provide access to experimental domains

which would not otherwise be possible for

reasons of cost or personal safety, and

circumvent many of the ethical difficulties

associated with some areas of research.

Many organisations and agencies exist which

can provide help to the teacher or course

organiser wishing to become involved with the

use of IT in the curriculum. Some possible

points of contact are suggested below.

8.7 USEFUL CONTACT ADDRESSES

FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING

AND LEARNING

The Computers in Teaching Initiative Support

Service (CTISS), principally through its various

academic subject centres, provides support with

the implementation of learning technologies

across higher education institutions within the

UK. Activities of the various centres differ to

some extent, but most run workshops on

subject-specific and generic aspects of IT use in

teaching, publish a periodic journal or

newsletter, and maintain a collection of resource

materials in their particular subject domain.

CTISS also publishes, twice a year, the major

international journal Active Learning, which is

free to academic staff in all UK higher education

institutions. To subscribe, request a subscription

form from CTISS through the contact routes

listed below. The CTI Support Service can be

contacted at :

Teaching and Learning Methods and Resources Part III

72 A Manual for Course Organisers

Computers in Teaching Support Service,

University of Oxford,

13 Banbury Road,

Oxford OX2 6NN

Telephone :0186 527 3273

Fax : 0186 527 3275

Email : ctiss@oucs.ox.ac.uk

WWW : http://info.ox.ac.uk/cti/

The Teaching and Learning Technology

Programme (TLTP) is a government funded

initiative (launched by the then University

Funding Council in February 1992) to produce

quality computer-based learning resources for

higher education. Many projects have now

come to fruition, and the software produced is

available to UK higher education institutions for

little more than the cost of the media, handling

and postage. Two catalogues exist listing the

products of TLTP. Copies of these (which cost

£7.50 to UK higher education institutions), along

with further information about the programme,

can be obtained from :

TLTP Co-ordinator,

Northavon House,

Coldharbour Lane,

Bristol BS16 1QD

Telephone :0117 931 7454

Fax : 0117 931 7173

Email : tltp@hefce.ac.uk

WWW : http://www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/tltp

The Information Technology Training

Initiative (ITTI) was another government

funded programme directed towards the

development of materials for the support of

generic IT skills. Information on the materials

which are now available can be obtained by

contacting :

Mrs Jean Burgan,

UCoSDA,

Ingram House, 65 Wilkinson Street,

Sheffield S10 2GJ

Telephone :0114 2725248

Fax : 0114 272 8705

Email : j.burgan@sheffield.ac.uk

WWW http://www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/ITTI/

itti.html

The Association for Learning Technology

(ALT) is an important organisation for the

promotion of IT in teaching and learning in the

UK. The University is a corporate member of

ALT, with a seat on its Council. ALT publishes

a newsletter both in paper (Alt-N) and electronic

form on the Web (Alt-E) and a refereed journal

of papers on various aspects of educational

technology (Alt-J). PC users will begin to see

the theme in the naming of these publications!

ALT also holds an annual conference (Alt-C)

and provides organisational support for

numerous small workshops, either under the

aegis of the Association itself, or in collaboration

with other relevant organisations. The

Association can be contacted through :

Rhonda Riachi,

ALT Programmes Manager,

University of Oxford,

13 Banbury Road,

Oxford OX2 6NN

Telephone :0117 931 7454

Fax : 0117 931 7173

Email : tltp@hefce.ac.uk

WWW : http://www.csv.warwick.ac.uk/atl-E/

The Learning Technology Dissemination

Initiative (LTDI) was established in Scotland in

1994 by the Scottish Higher Education Funding

Council (SHEFC) to encourage wider

dissemination of the various products of, and

experience of good practice gathered through,

earlier initiatives like CTI and TLTP. LTDI offers

advice and support to the higher education

community in Scotland with implementations

of learning technologies through the

organisation of workshops (both subject specific

and generic) and by direct consultations with

staff. LTDI holds a resource collection of

computer-based learning materials and

publishes a regularly updated Information

Directory which is an excellent source for anyone

wishing to become more involved with the use

of computers in teaching and learning. LTDI can

be contacted at :

Learning Technology Dissemination Initiative,

Institute of Computer-Based Learning,

Heriot Watt University,

Riccarton Campus,

Edinburgh EH14 4AS

Telephone :0131 451 3280

Fax : 0131 451 3283

Email : ltdi@icbl.hw.ac.uk

WWW : http://www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/ltdi

Chapter 8 Methods of Teaching and Learning

A Manual for Course Organisers 73

8.8 SOURCE MATERIALS

General Texts on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

BROWN, G AND ATKINS, M (1988) Effective Teaching in Higher Education, London, Methuen, 245pp, ISBN

0 416 09082 6 £9.95

Probably one of the best overall texts on teaching and learning in higher education. Comprehensive coverage

is given to lecturing, small group teaching, laboratory teaching, research and project supervision, student

learning and helping students to learn.

ENTWISTLE, N. THOMPSON, S. AND TAIT, H (1992) Guidelines for Promoting Effective Learning in Higher

Education, University of Edinburgh, Centre for Research on Learning and Instruction, 106pp, £5.00 (special

price for University staff)

This book is easily read and browsed and serves to set teaching in its context of student learning. Teaching

methods are reviewed and underpinned with reference to the research on student learning. The book uses

a systems approach to reviewing the improvement of teaching and learning in higher education.

GIBBS, G AND HABESHAW, T (1989) Preparing to Teach: An Introduction to Effective Teaching in Higher

Education, Bristol, Technical and Educational Services Ltd. 260pp, ISBN 0 947885 55 2, £9.95

Provides a thorough grounding with plenty of practical suggestions for those going into teaching for the

first time. Useful also for those who want to have a look at their existing teaching methods.

NEWBLE, D AND CANNON, R (1991) '''A Handbook for Teachers in Universities and Colleges. A Guide to'''

Improving Teaching Methods, (revised edition) London, Kogan Page, 161pp, ISBN 0 7494 0512 0, £12.95

An informal and easy to read book. It includes sections on teaching large classes, making a presentation at

a conference, small group teaching, teaching practical and laboratory classes, curriculum planning and

preparing teaching materials.

RACE, P AND BROWN, S (1993) 500 Tips For Tutors, London, Kogan Page, 130pp, ISBN 0 7494 0987 8, £14.95

This is a start-anywhere, dip-in resource suitable both for novices and more experienced tutors. It is a

stimulating book with its 500 ‘ideas’ grouped into six broad areas: general study skills, starting off and

working together, lectures and written work, learning resources, assessment, and life skills.

RAMSDEN, P (1992) Learning to Teach in Higher Education, London, Routledge, 290pp, ISBN 0 415 06415 5,

£12.99

Despite what the title suggests, this book is most suited to experienced teachers in higher education who

would like to improve their teaching skills, or who are interested in finding out about different approaches

and methods. The three main sections cover: learning and teaching in higher education, design for learning,

and evaluating and improving the quality of teaching and learning. Case studies are included for illustration.

Lectures

ANDRESEN, L.W. (1994) (Ed) Lecturing to Large Groups: A Guide to Doing it Less.....but Better (SEDA

Paper 81) Birmingham, Staff and Educational Development Association, 94pp, ISBN 0 946815 58 5

A dip-into book full of practical ideas, including: promoting student activity, obtaining feedback, encouraging

dialogue, alternatives to lecturing.

BLIGH, D.A. (1972) '''What’s the Use of Lectures? '''(3rd edn.) Harmondsworth: Penguin. 256pp. ISBN 0 14 080321 1

The book addresses the objectives lectures can realistically be expected to achieve, what techniques help to

make lecturing effective, what other methods can be drawn on to address the shortcomings of lecturing as

a teaching-learning technique, and what lecture preparation entails. Though in some respects rather dated,

this influential book remains invaluable for its extensive review of research findings which suggest that

while the traditional lecture can be used to convey information economically, it cannot be used effectively

on its own to promote thought or to change attitudes.

Teaching and Learning Methods and Resources Part III

74 A Manual for Course Organisers

BROWN, G (1978) Lecturing and Explaining, London, Methuen, 134pp, ISBN 0 416 70920 6

This is first and foremost a practical book, filled with activities you can try out, on your own and with

students and colleagues, to enhance your lecturing skills. Particularly useful on designing and giving

explanations, ways of structuring lectures, non-verbal clues and body language and the vital but usually

neglected topic of helping students learn from lectures.

CRYER, P. AND ELTON, L. 1992) Active Learning in Large Classes and with Increasing Student Numbers

(Effective Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Module 4) Sheffield: CVCP Universities’ Staff

Development and Training Unit

The booklet is in two parts. Part 1 considers four main teaching methods (lectures, problem and example

classes, tutorials and workshops) together with issues of staff time, teaching accommodation and institutional

strategies for coping with large classes. Part 2 illustrates how university teachers in different subject areas

(pure and applied sciences, social sciences, the humanities and professional studies) have used the strategies

outlined in Part 1.

CANNON, R (1988) Lecturing, (HERDSA Green Guide No. 7) Kensington, New South Wales, Higher Education

Research and Development Society of Australasia, 47pp, ISBN 0 908557 09 4

Brisk, clear and to the point, this booklet begins by outlining what effective lecturing entails before moving

on to the topics of lecture preparation and lecture evaluation.

GIBBS, G (1992) Lecturing to More Students, (Teaching More Students, Booklet 2) Polytechnics and Colleges

Funding Council, 37pp, ISBN 1 873576 11 3

This booklet is a useful guide to lecturing as well as the specific problems of lecturing to large groups.

Particularly helpful for its examples of lecturing interactively and for its clear cut advice on four fundamental

aspects of large-group lecturing: eliciting and answering students questions, structuring lecture material

and using handouts and technical aids.

GIBBS, G. HABESHAW, S AND HABESHAW, T (1988) 53 Interesting Things to Do in Your Lectures, (3rd

edition) Bristol, Technical and Education Services Ltd. 156pp, ISBN 0 947885 02 1

The 53 suggestions given, each of which is self-standing and intended to make sense on its own, are grouped

under headings such as: improving students notes, using handouts, linking lectures, structuring and

summarising content, and active learning during lectures.

Seminars and Tutorials

FORSTER, F. (ed.) (1997) Support For Part-Time Teaching in Higher Education: Case Studies of Practice,

University of Edinburgh, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Assessment in association with UCoSDA, ISBN 0

9523956 9 X in press

A collection of case studies from across a range of disciplines describing the support provided from within

departments for part-time tutors, brought in professionals, workplace supervisors and demonstrators.

FORSTER, F. HOUNSELL, D. AND THOMPSON S. (1995) (eds) Tutoring and Demonstrating: A Handbook

University of Edinburgh, Centre for Teaching Learning and Assessment in association with UCoSDA, Sheffield.

96pp, ISBN 0 9523956 1 4

A handbook designed to help new teaching assistants, tutorial fellows and other part-time tutors and

demonstrators. It includes the preparing for and managing of tutorials, problem solving classes,

demonstrating, student written assignments and their assessment, one-to one support, and obtaining

feedback on your teaching.

GIBBS, G. HABESHAW, S. AND HABESHAW, T. (1988) 53 Interesting Things to Do in your Seminars and

Tutorials, (3rd edition) Bristol, Technical and Educational Services Ltd. 136pp ISBN 0 947885 07 2, £6.95

The 53 suggestions given are grouped under the headings of: starting off; student-led seminars; group

work; encouraging students to participate; encouraging students to take responsibility; evaluating the work

of the group; written material; expressing feelings. The whole book is a rich compendium for tutors seeking

ways to maximise effective student participation.

Chapter 8 Methods of Teaching and Learning

A Manual for Course Organisers 75

GRIFFITHS, S. AND PARTINGTON, P. (1992) Enabling Active Learning in Small Groups (Effective Learning

and Teaching in Higher Education, Module 5), Sheffield, Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principles,

Universities Staff Development Unit, 54pp

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the teaching small groups. Part 1 deals with key basic

issues: what is meant by small groups; why use them in teaching; starting off; the importance of setting;

methods of promoting active learning; sub-skills needed for effective small group teaching. Part 2 consists

of practitioners’ case studies drawn from a wide range of academic disciplines to illustrate that the strategies

reviewed in Part 1 do work. A video accompanies this book.

JAQUES, D (1991) Learning in Groups, (2nd edition). London, Kogan Page, 222pp, ISBN 0 7494 0440 X

This book offers a framework for tutors who wish to take a systematic look at the planning and implementing

of small group teaching with a full awareness of the range of possible approaches. The core materials are in

Chapters 5,6,7 and 9, dealing respectively with: aims and objectives, tasks and techniques, the tutors job,

and evaluating groups. Jaques also addresses anxiety which many students and tutors feel about working

in groups, in a sensitive, informed and helpful way.

LUBIN, J (1987) Conducting Tutorials (HERDSA Green Guide No.6) Kensington, New South Wales: Higher

Education Research and Development Society of Australia, 40pp, ISBN 0 908557 08 6

Brisk, clear and to the point, this booklet begins by reviewing some fundamental issues such as why tutorials

are important, what happens in them and the role of the tutor. Subsequently four themes are dealt with:

types of tutorial; getting started; strategies and techniques; problems. The author presents a reflective

review of the major skills needed to conduct tutorials effectively.

Student Learning

ENTWISTLE, N (1992) The Impact of Teaching on Learning Outcomes in Higher Education: A Literature

Review, Sheffield, Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principles, Universities Staff Development Unit, 59pp

An up-to-date and comprehensive review of the literature relating to student learning in higher education,

with a particular emphasis on its influences.

ENTWISTLE, N AND RAMSDEN, P (1983) Understanding Student Learning, London, Croom Helm, 248pp,

ISBN 0 7099 0921 7

Although now out of print, this book describes much of the early research into student learning which led

to the construction of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) which has been used world-wide to

profile students’ styles and strategies of learning.

MARTON, F. HOUNSELL, D AND ENTWISTLE, N (1997) The Experience of Learning, (Revised Edition)

Edinburgh, Scottish Academic Press, 273pp, ISBN 7073 0749 X

A comprehensive review of student learning including chapters on: contrasting perspectives on learning;

approaches to learning; skill in learning and organising knowledge; problem-solving; learning from lectures;

enabling understanding through tutorials; understanding teaching and teaching for understanding.

RICHARDSON, J. EYSENCK, M AND WARREN PIPER, D (EDS.) (1987) Student Learning: Research in

Education and Cognitive Psychology, Milton Keynes, SRHE and Open University Press, 228pp, ISBN 0 335

15600 2

The individual chapters are written by acknowledged authorities in the field. The five parts look at categories

of student learning, thinking and problem solving, learning as construing, improving student learning and

assumptions, objectives and applications.

Teaching and Learning Methods and Resources Part III

76 A Manual for Course Organisers

8.9 METHODS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING: CASE STUDY

Case Study 2: The Application Of World Wide Web (WWW) Technology

(Source: Tudor Jones, Department Of Tropical Animal Health)

THE APPLICATION OF WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW) TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEPARTMENT

OF TROPICAL ANIMAL HEALTH

We have two WWW applications in our department. One supports our teaching of parasitology to

undergraduate veterinary students while the other acts as an information resource on our postgraduate

courses for both potential and enrolled students.

Parasitology

Parasitology is a very visually-driven subject, especially when taught as part of the veterinary

curriculum. It is important that vets are able to recognise the wide variety of forms of the different

parasites as well as the different forms of individual parasites. We are currently capitalising on the

Web’s ability to deliver high quality images that can be integrated with explanatory text as a means

of supporting practical classes and lecture topics. We are currently in the process of photographing

and then digitising the entire microscope slide collection that the students use in practical classes so

that they can repeat or revise any practical session. This is a very important aspect of the web as far as

we are concerned as it removes the need to give students access to valuable microscope slides. We

are intending to provide lecture notes in hypertext form with links to the slides that were used in the

lectures. Our images are all “mastered” onto photoCD initially and then transferred to our web

server in the required format etc. These images are also used in other CAL packages.

We have called our site “Parasitology OnLine” and it went “live” in January 1995 but it is still very

much under development, especially the organisation and access methods which presently revolves

around a timetable structure. We have found that the TABLE format is very useful for presenting

images, e.g. the transparencies from lectures can be made to look like 35mm slide mounts and the

microscope slide collection can be made to look like a slide tray with glass slides by using the various

table format options of Netscape such as cell padding. Later on it is likely that we will provide

information such as overhead transparencies in Acrobat format. Our site also has links to other

parasitology sites to encourage our students to explore particular aspects of parasitology that interest

them. We are also developing feedback forms etc. so that students can contact staff directly with any

problems or notify us of any new sites. In this way we hope that this web site will give our students

access to a wide range of teaching resources from a centrally accessible facility.

You can find “Parasitology OnLine” on the Veterinary Faculty webserver http://www.vet.ed.ac.uk/

teaching/Ponline. Access, however, is currently limited to the Edinburgh University domain.

Postgraduate Courses

Most of our postgraduate students come from overseas, often sponsored by international funding

agencies, and we need to make sure that information on our courses is readily available to anyone

looking for training in any aspect of international animal health and production. With the everincreasing

costs of advertising courses overseas we decided that we should supplement our normal

mailshot procedure by placing details of all of our courses on the web. Also all our courses have

recently been modularised so students have a wide choice of topics that they can incorporate into

their course. Trying to promote those options in a structured way is difficult and expensive using

paper as we have 5 courses each one made up of 6-8 modules picked from a list of 44 modules. We

hope that by putting all the module options on the web and then creating links between courses and

modules that potential students will be better able to navigate through all the options. Also the web

lets us include out far more information on individual modules than we could in printed form as

well as making sure that our course information is up-to-date. We also envisage that this resource

will be used by students to help them make their final module choices once they arrive at Edinburgh.

Chapter 8 Methods of Teaching and Learning

A Manual for Course Organisers

The course information is part of a much larger departmental web site that will eventually cover all

of our department’s activities including publications and research.

Our web site forms part of the Veterinary School’s web site and can be found on http://

www.vet.ed.ac.uk/ctvm. Our teaching pages can be reached from our home page or directly on

www.vet.ed.ac.uk/ctvm/teaching.

Tudor W. Jones, Senior Lecturer/Senior Research Fellow, Tropical Animal Health

77

Teaching and Learning Methods and Resources Part III

78 A Manual for Course Organisers