This is the ACES Research Informed Learning and Teaching wiki at Sheffield Hallam University.
What is Research Informed Learning and Teaching (RILT)?
Research-Informed Learning and Teaching makes explicit the systematic enquiry into the teaching and learning process itself through research activity.
What does RILT mean at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU)?
We want students to create their own knowledge through active learning and engagement with others. In particular we want to explore innovative practice that already exists within the Faculties and share this practice to further enhance the student experience at SHU.
A key objective for SHU is to make the link between research, learning and teaching far more explicit. We believe that this will be achieved by promoting an enquiry-focused, learner-centred approach to learning, teaching and assessment.
We believe that RILT starts from day one of the Higher Education experience, and is not just the 'preserve' of final year UG or Masters learners.
I already use research to inform my teaching...
Excellent! The student HE experience should of course include discipline research within the curriculum. Any module that has subject content based around the research interests of the teaching staff might be considered as Research-Led, particularly if there is a tendency to attempt to interpret the findings rather than understanding research methods.
Students also need to be familiar with research as a process, so that they can take charge of their own development after university. To achieve this the curriculum would emphasise the understanding of how knowledge is produced through inquiry. Such an approach could be classified as Research-Oriented teaching.
If you actively promote your experiences within the curriculum, and you teach using inquiry-based activities, then there may be a tendency towards a Research-Based approach to teaching.
Research-Informed Learning and Teaching makes explicit the systematic enquiry into the teaching and learning process itself through research activity.
Of course as practitioners we often combine the different aspects of these approaches in our normal practice. But RIT specifically emphasises the importance of understanding how we learn, how we develop, how we teach and ultimately how we conduct inquiry.
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So isn't it just pedagogic research?
Pedagogy is important since we need to understand the process of learning. RILT is much broader than 'just' pedagogic research. If we are to pro-actively forge stronger, more explicit links between discipline research, learning and teaching then we must take a more holistic view and focus upon the needs of the learner.
As professionals we understand values and should take a scholarly approach to our teaching. RILT is a way of maximising the impact of our own professional development upon the learning process.
...but scholarly activity isn't proper research!
Research is a spectrum of activities; commercial, 'income generation', primary and secondary research, discipline research, scholarly activity and professional development are all aspects of research activity.
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But what about RILT in practice?
RILT Case Studies @ SHU.
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What are other people doing?
Here are some examples of other Institutions.
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