While the development of universities was committed to preserving and transmitting knowledge, modern universities can also add the creation of knowledge and its application to the society. But it does not mean that current universities have already achieved these new goals –far from it. Instead, the traditional classic teaching system (knowledge-centered) still strongly influences the teaching reality. Although most of the university staff recognize that teaching is more than simply transferring knowledge, they are far from being able to develop confidently some other educational methods, apart from lecturing. Furthermore, the new approach (learning-centered) requires complex skills from the professionals. The present good practice is the example of how a group of teaching staff, from two Spanish universities and four different departments, have created a working network to develop this new educational approach: through the creation of a stimulating dialogue process and the exchange of ideas and materials.
The Bologna reform to improve the quality of European higher education has implied some difficulties (or challenges), from the teaching professionals’ perspective. In some cases, it has meant assuming the importance of curricula innovation and learning processes (student-centered teaching), with the same previous student-staff ratios and insufficient teachers training. Teaching staff is expected to develop different competences (such as how to redesign curricula content; ability to manage the information and communication technologies in educational processes; ability to create a learning environment inside the classroom; among others), assuming that they already have them intuitively. The Bologna process is not only affecting the students but also the teaching staff at the universities.
Taking into consideration these difficulties and challenges, the Complutense University (Spain) has supported different innovative projects. One of these projects has allowed us to establish the group Innovation at Higher Education (2009). During the past academic year a collaborative network has been created among the members of the group, to overcome these difficulties. The group director and most of their members belong to the Developmental and Educational Psychology department, but the work is developed closely with some other departments (Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment department, Methodology in Behavioural Sciences department, and Communication, Audio-visual and Publicity), and also in collaboration with La Rioja University (Educational Sciences Department).
The evolution from the previous knowledge-centered model to the current learning-centered is slowly taken place. Nowadays, the study of the learner’s insight, his/her thoughts and feelings about learning behaviors and development, are occupying a central role in the educational process. To achieve this learner’s insights, first we need to pay full attention to the dynamic learning process, and especially to our own adjustment process, as educational professionals.
Reforming and incorporating new teaching methods is the core of the transformation in the new learning-centered paradigm. It became self-evident that one of the major drawbacks of the traditional curriculum was its lack of the multiple methods necessary for teaching. Exploring new teaching methods that can bring fundamental changes to the curriculum is a crucial aspect of developing the new higher education we are looking for. But this exploration can hardly be done individually, and the group collaboration is one of the best keys to achieve it.
The problem (or opportunity to grow, depending on the focus) that prior diagnosed has pointed out repeatedly is how to implement these innovations, with the same previous student-staff ratios and insufficient teachers training. First of all, we can not keep complaining about the size of the classrooms as an excuse not to review our methodological procedure. Obviously it is a problem, but the only way to solve it is finding new solutions. Secondly, professors are required to attend training classes and seminars to understand new teaching concepts. Sometimes it requires a great amount of time and personal effort. Due to some other academic obligations, it is difficult to attend all of them. With the creation of this network group, the exchange of ideas, information, bibliography and useful resources and activities can be achieved easily. Let alone the motivation impact of working in a stimulating environment.
With this idea on mind, the Innovation at Higher Education group was established, with the support of the Complutense University Development and Quality in Teaching Vice Rectorate. The members are eleven teaching staff, from five different departments and two universities in Spain, with a variety of different academic status, from full professors to assistants. The internal functioning of the group is as following: the members exchange their new created material and their insights through the Complutense University virtual campus, by email, or face to face meetings when possible. This flexibility in the communication is another positive aspect. Not being forced to attend meetings with a rigid schedule, but feeling free to participate as much as your time and obligations allow you, is an important stimulation to be part of the group. Furthermore, there is always the opportunity to contact other members whenever you need it, knowing that there will always be someone there looking forward to helping you or, at least, to hearing about your concerns.
The main work of the group during the academic year 2009-2010 has been to reflect on how to activate student schema in the learning process and to provide then a stimulating learning environment. Since the beginning of the foundation of the group, we all agree that the goal of education is not simply to acquire the knowledge of a discipline, but also to develop the students’ meta-cognition, and provide them with opportunities for personal and character growing. To achieve it we have created innovative activities such as virtual forums, problem based learning activities, audio-visual material, self-evaluation activities, among others.
Nowadays, teaching staff have a long agenda of academic things to accomplish: researching, publishing, internationalization. Sometimes it is difficult to priories the teaching activities among all these other, especially when there could be no recognition reward. To direct our already overcommitted time to improving our teaching competences, we have created the Innovation at Higher Education group, which allows us to: 1) develop an increase personal satisfaction and intrinsic rewards, 2) reflect about our everyday work, promoting stimulating dialogue, and 3) create and exchange new innovative material to foster a more active and autonomous learning process in our students.
While the development of universities was committed to preserving and transmitting knowledge, modern universities can also add the creation of knowledge and its application to the society. But it does not mean that current universities have already achieved these new goals –far from it. Instead, the traditional classic teaching system (knowledge-centered) still strongly influences the teaching reality. Although most of the university staff recognize that teaching is more than simply transferring knowledge, they are far from being able to develop confidently some other educational methods, apart from lecturing. Furthermore, the new approach (learning-centered) requires complex skills from the professionals. The present good practice is the example of how a group of teaching staff, from two Spanish universities and four different departments, have created a working network to develop this new educational approach: through the creation of a stimulating dialogue process and the exchange of ideas and materials.
Teaching often follows traditional methods with little interaction between students and professors: simply lecturing with little if any time for discussion. Much criticism has been produced concerning traditional teaching, with a recognition that it does not contribute to either long-term learning or independent thinking. To promote different active methods of teaching, our group has created materials and recommendations, and has also worked in their diffusion.
We have elaborated a book, with the support of the Complutense University, with all the activities created and suggestions about how to implementthem.
We have also established contact with international universities from different countries in Europe (Italy, Poland) and abroad (USA, China) to exchange information about innovation at higher education.
We have participated in different seminars to share our experience with others.
But probably the most important result is the positive feedback of our students, both by internal and external evaluations. Some of the members ofthe group have been evaluated through the Docentia Program, and were ranked among the 15-5% top better evaluated.
We also think that our personal satisfaction is an important outcome. Some of the achievements obtained would have not been possible without this
cooperative work.
With the reductions in higher education budgets, the group exchange is a creativity solution to the scarce training opportunities.
To become familiar with new teaching methods is compulsory to experiment them. The group is a safe environment to link theoretical knowledge with practice; not only because of the exchange of ideas, but also taking into consideration the motivational aspect.
To use intellectual engagement methods (rather than the passive absorption of facts and the regurgitation from memory), we need to use intellectual engagement ourselves. A stimulating dialogue helps us to co-create knowledge, without overwhelming professors with extra-work.
guninetwork.org | Ph: +34 93 401 70 08 | Fx: +34 93 401 08 55 | C. Jordi Girona, 31. Edifici TG(S1). E-08755 Barcelona
