TBers, > The posting below presents an interesting perspective on the > continuing research versus teaching issue. It is from Alan Jenkins of > the Westminster Institute Oxford Brookes University and the LTSN > Generic Centre (UK). It draws on Jenkins A , Breen R , Lindsay R and > Brew (2003) Reshaping Teaching in Higher Education : Linking Teaching > and Research , London ,Kogan Page and distributed by Stylus in the > USA. Reprinted with permission. > > BREAK AWAY FROM TEACHING VERSUS RESEARCH > > "I believe that the main hope for realizing a genuinely student > centered undergraduate education lies in re re-engineering the > teaching -research nexus." Paul Ramsden (2001,4) , Pro Vice > Chancellor, Learning and Teaching, University of Sydney. > > In Scholarship Reconsidered Ernest Boyer (1990, X11) challenged US > higher education to "break away out of the tired old teaching versus > research debate." Since then scholars and institutions world-wide > have sought to reshape the potential connections between faculty > research and student learning . In doing this they have developed our > understanding of the research evidence; focused on issues of course > design; and started to reshape institutions in creative ways > > Developing Research Understanding > > At face value much of the research evidence questions whether there > is a positive relationship between (faculty ) research and student > learning. Much research has been statistical, examining mainly at the > level of the individual academic research 'quality' and teaching > 'quality'. In a meta analysis of this research, Hattie and Marsh > (1996, 529) argued that "the common belief that teaching and research > were inextricably intertwined is an enduring myth". However recent > research, often using different research methodologies and focusing > much more on the student experience, does argue for the importance of > the teaching-research nexus. For example Baxter-Magolda (2001) sees > involving students in research and research-like activities as > supporting them in developing more sophisticated conceptions of > knowledge . In a study of an intensive undergraduate summer research > programme (at the University of Oxford ,Ohio ), she concluded that > students who took part in the programme became more confident as > learners and more capable of thinking independently.. Baxter Magolda > (1999, 9) sees such research as validating what she describes as > "constructive development pedagogy Sİ(in which) teachers model the > process of constructing knowledge in their disciplines, teach that > process to students, and give students opportunities to practice and > become proficient at it." Research at Oxford Brookes and the > University of East Anglia in the UK strongly reinforce the benefits > students obtain from research in including 'knowledge currency' and > faculty credibility; but also demonstrate that too often courses and > overall institutional structures do not support them in realizing > these potential benefits. (Jenkins , Blackman ,Lindsay and > Paton-Saltlzberg , 1998 ;Lindsay ,Breen and Jenkins , 2002, and > Zamorski 2002). > > This recent research moves the issue away from the focus on > individual staff and whether the best researchers are the best > teachers to reshaping teaching and research to better ensure they > connect. > > Focus on Course Design > > Consider this course from the geography department at University > College London (UK) , in US terms a 'research one university'. In > term one year one, all students in tutorial groups of about four > interview a faculty member about their research . > > *Individual faculty tutorial groups give tutorial groups their CV and > three pieces of writing which are representative of their research. > > *Before the interview students read these materials and develop an > > interview schedule, etc. > > *On the basis of their reading and the interview, each student > individually writes a report on a) the objectives of the > interviewee's research; b) how that research relates to their earlier > studies c) "how the interviewee's research relates to his or her > teaching, other interests and geography as a whole".( Dwyer , 2001, > 366). > > Clearly the context is particular , small class sizes and all staff > involved in high level research .But aspects of it are relevant to > all institutions; in particular that the nexus is not automatic and > has to be designed into courses. > > Most of the many texts on course design totally ignore how to realize > the nexus . Here is a model of course design from a student learning > perspective that supports faculty in realizing the nexus . > ______________________________________________________________ > Linking teaching and research is achieved when: > > *Students learn how research within their disciplines leads to > knowledge creation. > *Students are introduced to current research in their disciplines. > *Students learn research methods > *Students are motivated to learn through knowledge of and direct > involvement in research. > *Students carry out research. > *Students participate in research conducted by their faculty . > *Students learn and are assessed by methods resembling research > procedures in their discipline. > *Students learn how research is organized and funded. ( Based on > Jenkins ,Breen, Lindsay and Brew 2003). > _____________________________________________________________ > > Departmental and Institutional Structures > > One of the limitations of the correlation based research studies is > that they seldom consider the institutional structures in which > faculty and students work . Much of the international moves to > connect staff research and student learning has sought to reshape > these structures to better ensure fruitful connections . Many > recognize the faculty are a 'mosaic of many talents'. To highlight > some initiatives: > > *US readers will be aware of the influential Boyer Commission ( > University of Stony Brook 1998, 3) and its clarion call that "The > research universities have too often failed, and continue to fail, > their undergraduate populations." Much of the reform movement that > this report helped stimulate has focused on institutional policies > with respect to undergraduate research , first year inquiry based > courses and capstone seminar,s etc. A recent study clearly > demonstrates the "considerable headway that research universities > have been making in recent years Sİ(but) that most efforts have been > directed at the best students ; the challenge Sİis to reach a broader > spectrum of students" (and institutions) . (Boyer Commission on > Educating Undergraduates in the Research University, 2002, 2) . US > organisations such as the Council on Undergraduate Research > http://www.cur.org/ and the Conference for Undergraduate Research > http://www.ncur.org/ do invaluable work outside the research elite > . The Reinvention Center focuses support on research universities > http://www.sunysb.edu/Reinventioncenter/ > > *In Canada, institutions such as McMaster University with an > institutional focus on inquiry in year one and now upper level > courses, and the University of British Columbia with a major redesign > of the undergraduate curriculum are reshaping teaching to support the > links . > > *In Australia a government sponsored research study revealed how > three very different institutions have sought to develop the nexus: > the 'sandstone' research rich University of Western Australia , the > more technology professional based Curtin University and the regional > access focused Ballarat. (Zubrick ,Reid and Rossiter 2001) . > Sydney University has a strategic plan to bring teaching and research > > together, and is experimenting with performance funding for > departments to 'encourage' the link . > > *In the UK there have been a range of initiatives including the > research on the student experience described above. See > http://www.exchange.ac.uk/issue3.asp Many institutions are making > awareness of the nexus and course design to deliver it a central > component of the ( compulsory ) courses for new academics that are a > significant part of the UK scene . The accrediting body for such > courses, the Institute for Learning and Teaching is requiring > established faculty seeking accreditation to demonstrate how 'you > draw on your subject research, scholarly activities or other > professional activities in the support of teaching and learning.' At > Oxford Brookes University a major redesign of the undergraduate > curriculum is requiring all courses to demonstrate how they link > teaching and research. > > *National and international disciplinary associations can also play > key roles in supporting the nexus. UK national funding has initiated > two such projects -the materials of which are available world wide: > Project Link > http://www.brookes.ac.uk/schools/planning/LTRC/index.html and Linking > Teaching and Research in the Disciplines > http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/genericcentre/index.asp?id=17221. > > *In New Zealand in 2000-2001 all universities were audited nationally > for the extent to which they were linking teaching and research > .This stimulated much effort to achieve the nexus. > > Conclusion > > Internationally, faculty and institutions are moving away from > teaching versus research and succeeding to link them creatively. We > have still much to learn as to how to effect these links . We often > face evident problems of under-funding, the failure of institutions > worldwide to really value teaching, and the dominance of discovery > research that is not connected to other university roles. But we have > moved forward and our (potential ) students and society need our best > efforts to build on this good work. > > References > > Baxter Magdola, M B (1999) Creating Contexts for Learning and > Self-Authorship, Vanderbilt University Press, Nashville, Tenn. > > Baxter Magdola, M B (2001) Interview with Alan Jenkins, April > > Boyer, E L (1990) Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the > professoriate, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, > New Jersey. > > Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research > University. Shirley Strum Kenny, Chair .University of Stony Brook ( > 2002) Reinventing Undergraduate Education : Three Years After the > Boyer Report , University of Stony Brook , University of Stony Brook. > http://www.sunysb.edu/pres/0210066-Boyer%20Report%20Final.pdf > > Dwyer, C (2001) Linking research and teaching: a staff-student > interview project, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 25, pp > 357-76. > > Hattie, J and Marsh, H W (1996) The relationship between research and > teaching: a meta-analysis, Review of Educational Research, 66 (4), pp > 507-42. > > Jenkins A , Breen R , Lindsay R and Brew (2002) Reshaping Teaching in > Higher Education : Linking Teaching and Research , London ,Kogan Page > and distributed by Stylus in the USA. > > Jenkins, A , Blackman, T, Lindsay, R O and Paton-Saltzberg, R (1998) > Teaching and research: student perceptions and policy implications, > Studies in Higher Education, 23 (2), pp 127-41. > > Lindsay R , Breen R and Jenkins A ( 2002) "Academic Research and > Teaching Quality: the views of undergraduate and postgraduate > students, Studies in Higher Education, 27,(3), 309-327. > > Ramsden, P (2001) Strategic management of teaching and learning, in > Improving Student Learning Strategically, ed C Rust, OCSLD, Oxford, > 1-10. > > University of Stony Brook (1998) The Boyer Commission, Reinventing > > Undergraduate Education: A blueprint for America's research > universities, Stony Brook, New York. > > Zamorski B ( 2002) Research-led Teaching and Learning in Higher > Education; a case. Teaching in Higher Education, 7 (4) , 411-427. > > Zubrick , A ,Reid I and Rossiter P ( 2001) Strengthening the Nexus > between Teaching and Research , Canberra , Department of Education > ,Training and Youth Affairs. > http://www.detya.gov.au/highered/eippubs/eip01_2/default.htm