Starting to Teach in Higher Education

Starting to Teach in Higher Education is a blended learning programme in English. It is aimed in particular at international lecturers who would like a basic introduction to teaching at Leuphana and who are running or planning their own course. The programme is also aimed at German-speaking lecturers who teach in English and would also like a basis for planning, implementing and assessing student performance.

The Teaching Service will offer the programme in English for the first time in the winter semester 2023/24. It consists of 30 Working Units (1 WU equals 45 minutes) spread over the first months of the semester (October to November 2023).

Participants will acquire basic knowledge for planning and running their own courses and for competence-based assessment through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous elements. Participation in all modules of the programme and the production of a planning document (e.g. syllabus) for one's own teaching are expected in order to obtain the certificate of participation. In order to take into account the specificities of teaching, participants will exchange views with a lecturer from their own subject area on aspects of teaching organisation and planning.

The programme is designed for (international) lecturers who

•  are new to Leuphana,
•  are taking their first steps in teaching at Leuphana,
•  teach in English and
•  need a solid foundation for planning and implementing teaching and assessment at Leuphana.

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will

•  be familiar with basic aspects of good media-supported teaching,
•  know planning models, methods and tools to support collaborative work in teaching,
•  understand the principles of competency-based teaching and assessment, and
•  be able to engage in reflective dialogue about teaching.

Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (18 WU)

The core of the programme is the module "Teaching and Learning in Higher Education", which consists of three consecutive short workshops (12 WU), supplemented by asynchronous self-study (6 WU). Participants will receive a basic introduction to essential aspects of teaching-learning theory, competency-based formulation of learning objectives, constructive alignment and selected planning models, and will consider current challenges in teaching and reflect on their own scope for design.

Examination and Assessment (6 WU)

In the module "Examination and Assessment", participants deal with the basics of competence- and learning goal-oriented examination. After a preparatory self-study unit, participants are introduced to a concrete assessment scheme in the workshop, which they can reflect on and adapt to their teaching.

Mentoring in the Teaching unit (2 WU)

In the module "Mentoring in the Teaching Unit", participants have a guideline-based discussion with an experienced teacher about the teaching culture of the subject, about the organisation of teaching and about Leuphana-specific features (e.g. subject-specific facilities (FSA)). Participants are also encouraged to discuss the planning document they have prepared with their peers.

Tools and Platforms for Teaching (2 WU)

The workshop in the module "Tools and Platforms in Teaching" provides an overview of the possibilities of media-supported teaching at Leuphana University.

Elective: Dialogue on Teaching (2 WU)

In the elective area "Dialogue on Teaching", participants can choose to use the qualitative feedback format Shift!, participate in a work shadowing of a course, attend a session of the event of the Community of PracticeDecolonising and Diversifying the Curriculum (facilitated by Dr Andrew Brogan) or attend the workshop "Teaching in English: Challenges and Considerations". In this way, they can have an exchange with other lecturers about teaching and deepen reflection on their own teaching.

Synchronous and asynchronous units are offered in an interlocking manner. The programme concludes with the production of a planning document for teaching, such as a syllabus, and provides participants with a basis for their own teaching activities. In addition, the participants have a structured exchange with a lecturer to discuss questions about the organisation of the teaching unit, the subject culture at Leuphana and their own teaching. The programme thus provides three pillars for dealing with the basics of good teaching: synchronous workshops, asynchronous self-study and collaborative exchange about one's own teaching and feedback. These components are present in each module.

There are 12 places available, which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
To participate, you must be running or planning a specific course in the 2023/24 winter term.

Please register by 18 September 2023 by sending an email to lehre-am-start@leuphana.de with the following information: Name, faculty, course title and name of mentor from the community (can also be submitted later).

If you have any questions, feedback or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact colleagues in the Teaching Service at the above email address. They will also be able to advise you on how the programme fits with your needs and previous knowledge.