1.
Reflections on Teaching Practice:
Trinity’s Special Purpose
Certificate in Academic Practice
Dr Mike Wride |Academic Developer| @WrideMike
Caitríona Honohan |Subject Librarian | @CaitHonohan
Source: https://pixabay.com/en/silhouette-
head-bookshelf-know-1632912/
CONUL Teaching & Learning Seminar
1st November 2018

2.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
The Professional Special Purpose Certificate
in Academic Practice
- Level 9 award focusing on professional development in
academic practice, integrating four interrelated facets:
teaching, learning, research and leadership. 15 ECTS.
- flexible, research-informed and practice-based
- professional development: develop and evidence
knowledge and values
- commitment to supporting an excellent student
learning experience

3.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Who is the course for?
- Academics or academic-related professionals in Trinity:
- researchers with teaching responsibilities, part time or
adjunct teaching staff, or staff with roles in supporting
learning
- Not open to graduate teaching assistants
(separate programme)
- Course focuses on application of theory to practice,
reflection and evaluation: all participants should be in
an active teaching or supporting learning role

4.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Programme Modules
• Assessment + Feedback
• Integrating Research + Teaching
• Developing Creative Teaching + Learning
Approaches
• Reflecting on + Evaluating Your Teaching
• Perspectives on Teaching + Learning
• Curriculum design
• Technology Enhanced Learning
• Leadership
• Research Supervision
• Embedding Reflection in the Curriculum

5.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Librarian as Teacher
As the course developed, I saw a lot of relevance to my own
role especially learning about the dynamics of teaching to
small and large groups and the idea of being a facilitator rather
than just lecturing. By the end of the module, some academics
had a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the role
of the Library in teaching and research.
(David Macnaughton, Subject Librarian)
Facilitating ways to include feedback (among peers, student to
teacher and teacher to student) will have a huge impact on my
teaching and will involve more critical thinking. It will inform
how I design material in the future and help me to understand
what and how students learn.
(Geraldine Fitzgerald, Subject Librarian)

6.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
My Modules
1. Perspectives on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
(Autumn 2017)
2. Reflecting on and Evaluating your Teaching in Higher Education
(Spring 2018)
3. Developing Creative Teaching and Learning Approaches in your
Discipline (Winter 2018)
4. Teaching Portfolio including Teaching Philosophy Statement
(2019)

7.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Collaboration
During the course:
• Peer Learning
• Discussion boards on Blackboard
• Discussion with academic colleagues about Information
Literacy
• Reflective Presentation - written feedback from colleagues
In practice:
• Sharing answers from student feedback questions with
academic colleagues to feed back to students
• Sharing student feedback about the benefits of IL sessions with
academic colleagues

8.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
What I’ve learned
• Scholarly approach to
developing teaching practice
• Teaching Philosophy Statement
• Learning Theories
• Student-Centred Learning
• Active Learning
• Different Learning Styles
• Reflection and Feedback
Source: https://pixabay.com/en/question-mark-note-duplicate-2110764/

9.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
How has it changed my practice?
• Teacher as Facilitator
• Active Learning, e.g. Think Pair Share, workshops
• Different Learning Styles
• Learning Outcomes
• Classroom Assessment Techniques - 1 Minute Paper
• Use of Technology, e.g. Socrative
• Reflection and Feedback

10.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Reflection: Theoretical Framework
Carlile and Jordan in O’Farrell on Reflective Writing:
Reflection as “a key component of critical thinking, to
encourage the clarification of concepts and to indicate the
state of critical thinking at which the student has arrived”
(2007, p. 25).
Corrall on Reflective Practice in Information Literacy
Development: “Within a decade, critical Information
Literacy and reflective pedagogical praxis have moved from
a peripheral prospect to a core concern for teaching
librarians” (2017, p. 40).

11.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Case Study
Library Resources for Literature Reviews
Year 3 Undergraduate students
Piece of Reflective Writing written 30 minutes after the session
Source: https://pixabay.com/en/amazing-beautiful-beauty-blue-736881/

12.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Reflection on the Session through the Kreber +
Cranton (2000) Model: Instructional Domain
Content Reflection: What should I do in course design, selecting
materials, and methods?
• Workshop-style - Each student has a computer
• Demonstration/Workshop on developing a Search Strategy
• Flip Chart to brainstorm ideas for keywords etc.
• One-Minute Paper at the end

13.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Process Reflection: How did I do? Were my
methods, materials, and course design effective?
Workshop-style - Each student has a computer - This seemed to work
quite well, although I didn’t go around to each student as I usually do in
a workshop, because of the number of students and the room layout.
Demonstration/Workshop on developing a Search Strategy - Feedback
suggests that this was the most successful element of the session.
Flip Chart to brainstorm ideas for keywords etc. - “This was the first
time I tried this, and I’ll definitely do it again. It enabled good
explanation of AND and OR in a clear way I think.”
One-Minute Paper at the end - What was the most important thing you
learned today?

14.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Premise Reflection: Why does it matter what methods, materials
or course design I use?
• Learning Outcomes
• Student-Centred Learning
• Different Learning Styles
• Social constructivism - Making meaning

15.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Reflection on Feedback
Almost all the students mentioned the Search Strategy and
the databases as the most important things they learned. This
is a good result, but I should also focus more on the concept
of Evaluating Information.
Sample Answers:
“Demonstration and theory on how to correctly query databases to find
relevant articles”
“How to access the databases and search the keyword AND/OR etc”
“Filtering searches by using limits, Boolean terms and quotations”
“The possibility of broadening and narrowing down the literature search
by combining keywords”

16.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Takeaways
For Caitríona:
- SPCert exposed Caitríona to new ways of thinking about teaching and
facilitating student learning
- Facilitated her own personal growth as a reflective practitioner
For Mike:
- Affirmation that the SPCert teaching is being put into practice in a
meaningful way to support student learning
- As a developmental biologist by training, Mike appreciates the
relationship between the parts and the whole of the course and how
this is enabling staff CPD at TCD.
- A more holistic, integrative and constructivist approach that aligns
with the Trinity Education Project

17.
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
References
Accardi, M. T., Drabinski, E., & Kumbier, A. (2010). Critical library instruction : theories and methods. Duluth, MN: Library
Juice Press.
Booth, C. (2011). Reflective teaching, effective learning : instructional literacy for library educators. Chicago, Ill.: American
Library Association.
Corrall, S. (2017). Crossing the threshold: reflective practice in information literacy development. Journal of Information
Literacy, 11(1), 23-53. doi:10.11645/11.1.2241
Freire, P. (1972). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and
Teacher Education, 11(1), 33-49. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/0742-051X(94)00012-U
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress : education as the practice of freedom. New York ; London: Routledge.
Kreber, C. & Cranton, P. A. (2000). Exploring the Scholarship of Teaching. The Journal of Higher Education(4), 476.
doi:10.2307/2649149
McGuinness, C. (2011). Becoming confident teachers : a guide for academic librarians. Oxford: Chandos.
Moon, J. A. (2004). A handbook of reflective and experiential learning : theory and practice. London ; New York:
RoutledgeFalmer.
Nicol, D. J., & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self‐regulated learning: a model and seven principles
of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), 199-218. doi:10.1080/03075070600572090
O’Farrell, C., & Fitzmaurice, M. (2013). Academic developers using narrative to support our professional development.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 50(3), 227-237. doi:10.1080/14703297.2012.760776
O'Farrell, C. (Ed.). (2007). Teaching portfolio practice in Ireland a handbook. Dublin: Centre for Academic Practice and
Student Learning, Trinity College Dublin.
Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco ; London: Jossey-Bass.

18.
Thank You
Dr Mike Wride| @WrideMike
Caitríona Honohan | @CaitHonohan