This month sees the publication of my latest book, Teaching in Higher Education, written with Professor Pam Denicolo and published as part of the SAGE series Success in Research of which we are editors.
I suppose it is inevitable, given our busy lives, that we do not always have the time to analyze all the ways in which we teach and/or learn. We develop new ways of getting the best out of our students, we recalibrate our approach so that they get the best out of us, but we frequently do this instinctively. This instinct of the educator is vital to our role within the university, and the range of Teaching and Learning support offered within our workplace now allows us some time and space to think more deeply about our methods, and to share our successes and challenges with each other.
Despite this space for sharing, I was still aware that much of what I do as I face my students each day is ‘just what I do’. You might imagine, then, my pleasure at being asked to write a book designed to guide those less experienced in our profession. I was being given the chance to sit down and think about all aspects of teaching, to interrogate my assumptions and articulate my ideas.
After months thinking about how we do what we do, I still believe that teaching is a vocation, an activity for which you need to call up passion, energy and patience, but I have also come to the view that it can be taught: Teaching in Higher Education is the result.
‘If you are considering teaching or are new to the role, this book contains invaluable advice which will not only help you to get started but will help you to make teaching a rewarding, life-long career!’
– Serena Simmons, Nottingham Trent University
This book is now available in the Library