EditorialVolume Five, Issue 2, 2008
Welcome to the second issue of volume five of the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice. This issue contains six papers exploring a range of issues relating to teaching and learning practice.Our first paper from Morgan describes an instrument called the Course Improvement Flowchart (CIF) which can be used to document not only the evaluative process but also evaluative outcomes. The CIF can be used to document key recommendations using multiple sources of feedback so that an action plan for teaching and course improvement is developed. Our second paper from Ewang presents a comparison of traditional, lecture based learning (LBL) approach with an approach combining LBL and problem-based learning (PBL) in improving performance and outcomes for students enrolled in accounting and business degrees at an Australian University. The paper recommends a combined LBL/PBL approach as an effective course delivery method. Farrell and Farrell discuss the results of introducing cooperative learning into International Accounting, a second year subject at a major Australian university. The purpose was to provide students with a satisfying experience of learning within a social context and to develop their interpersonal, professional and written communication skills. Findings suggest that despite some difficulties, the majority of students reported that cooperative learning created supportive team experiences that assisted them to develop discussion skills and better engage with the content. Arnold's paper explores some of the ways in which our insights into the pedagogy of postgraduate supervision may benefit from understanding some of the attributes of psychotherapy. It proposes that psychotherapy involves teaching and learning processes that can be fruitfully compared with the idealised pedagogical model of the dialectic. It develops insights into postgraduate supervision as pedagogy by interrogating the intersection of teaching and learning with some aspects of psychotherapy. Wilson's paper reports on the redesign of an existing research methods course in nursing for postgraduate student health professionals. Two main findings that emerged were that cross-disciplinary teaching teams can work successfully if there is true collaboration among stakeholders; and that it is feasible to conduct an effective interdisciplinary qualitative research methods course for student health professionals. Al-Musawi's paper reports on a study to analyse the perceptions of teaching staff at Sultan Qaboos University of the value of professional development workshops on teaching. The paper suggests that as teaching and learning skills are context-based this requires the development of culturally adapted approaches to professional development activities. It also makes some suggestions with regard to transforming the traditional culture of lecture-based teaching and reinforces the need for investment in professional development As always, your comments and submissions are encouraged and we trust that you will find articles of interest to you in this issue.
Helen Carter
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