This is how I teach
This month we spoke with Associate Professor Tania Crotti, Medical Researcher and Education Specialist in the School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.
As the Manager of Postgraduate Coordinators, School of Biomedicine and PGC for the School of Biomedicine, School of Allied Health and Practice, and the Adelaide Medical School (AMS), Tania works with Higher Degree Research (HDR) candidates across the faculty, while actively supervising Honours and PhD candidates in her fields of research.
Tania has also recently taken on the role of Co-chair of the Adelaide Education Academy Executive Committee.
Here Tania explains how her role as PGC allows her to be at the leading edge of project design and how much she loves learning about the work of our HDRs as their projects progress.
How would you describe your approach to teaching/your teaching philosophy?
My approach to teaching at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level involves my need to ‘understand their why’, implementing authentic content and assessment and the pedagogy of social learning. Understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic drivers for someone choosing a specific course or pursuing postgraduate study helps me frame content during workshops and in course communications. For postgraduate candidates, this can influence project design, ensuring alignment to individual interests, circumstances and/or career aspirations. I openly share my journey through clinical and fundamental research to demonstrate how my ‘why’ has changed over time.
As a course coordinator (since 2012) I have involved clinicians and scientists from across medical research areas in the design and delivery of course content and assessments. I am cognisant that students question the need to know certain information so by involving active professionals I ensure content is current and relevant. I not only enjoy reviewing the resources they provide but I can ensure critical concepts are reinforced through workshops and align to assessment tasks. As the course progresses, I love hearing the students gain confidence when discussing methods and techniques because they are becoming aware of complementary approaches that are critical to clinical and fundamental research. As a Co-Lead in the Higher Degree Research Supervision Community of Practice (HDR CoP), I have also engaged with the pedagogy of social learning.
By actively recognising the value of prior knowledge and experience and encouraging the sharing of experience undergraduates, postgraduates and experienced professionals can engage better with content, develop confidence in their knowledge base and continually learn from their peers.Tania Crotti
What do you like most about teaching in your discipline?
As an education specialist in the School of Biomedicine I have taught into various clinical programs but my ‘baby’ is a 3rd year course, Investigative Cell Biology (ICB). Having coordinated ICB since 2013, I have had the opportunity to work with an amazing array of biological, pathological and clinical researchers across the Faculty of Health and Medical Science. This course provides students (and me) with an understanding of research currently being undertaken in Adelaide while in turn it provides our researchers with the opportunity to share their field of interest with future scientists, clinicians and potential policy makers.
As a Postgraduate Coordinator (PGC) in the FHMS, I am at the leading edge of project design in medical research. I am constantly in awe of the work our HDRs undertake. As a PGC, I constantly learn of pathologies and techniques beyond my training and field of Osteoimmunology, enabling me to take a broader and more systemic approach to my own research design and interpretation as well as in my design of ICB.
I have been fortunate to be well supported by my school and disciple as I transitioned to an Education Specialist role, enabling me to engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). As captured by Kreber (2013), this has enabled me to work as “a response to a felt sense of duty or commitment to act in the important interests of those we are there to serve“ (pg 7). In my case, serving the undergraduates, HDR candidates, supervisors and PGCs I work with.
How does your teaching help prepare students for their future?
I encourage my undergraduates and postgraduate candidates to be lifelong learners, irrespective of their chosen career path. To not only question but know why they are questioning and do so respectfully with sound reasoning. My workshops are a place of respectful learning, encouraging undergraduates, postgraduates and supervisors to draw from their own life and research experience and to share those learnings with their peers.
"Going after the unknown is always fascinating, I think. It becomes part of your life, this desire to know"- Mark Oliphant
Which approach to educating students about academic integrity have you found to have the most impact?
I find educating to improve awareness rather than from the negative stance of what not to do, better engages the students. A proactive and informative rather than punitive approach. Where possible I sign post links to information, referencing support and student resources on Academic Integrity provided by the university integrity officers and web-based platforms.
Prior to submission date I provide reminders on what will be reviewed and how while reassuring them about when they can check similarity prior to the final submission date, what it is assessed against (eg student repository (former group submissions), website content, periodicals, journals and publications), and that I will review submissions independently if a percent shows as high to cross check why. By encouraging them to retain versions of their work they are safeguarded against integrity challenges and loss of versions.