Abstract:
What does it mean to be an ‘excellent’ teacher? What is best practice in tertiary teaching? What is it that makes a genuine difference for learners? To better understand the complex and multi-faceted notion of ‘teaching excellence’, this research used narrative inquiry to investigate the stories of 12 national Tertiary Teaching Excellence awardees in New Zealand, exploring their trajectories and practice, including views on their identity and on excellence in tertiary teaching. This presentation focuses on selected findings resulting from almost 14 hours of discussion, highlighting themes occurring across the set of stories. In this seminar, I will discuss the model − ‘The Keys to Teaching Excellence’ – which captures the principal elements of excellence in practice. Five over-arching keys are each made up of characteristics inherent in a teacher’s personality, and skills which can be developed through practice and reflection. Findings highlight awardees’ views on their identity and practice, including a genuine love of learning, a willingness to recognise there is always more to learn, and the importance of reflecting on practice. Educators, mentors, and teacher developers can gain a deeper understanding of teaching excellence, which may enable different interventions to develop excellent practice from staff, raise standards, and encourage teachers to embrace personal development and lifelong learning. I hope, too, that educators will recognise elements of themselves and their practice, and will feel (re-) motivated, (re-)energised, and inspired to share these with their peers.
Biography:
Claire Goode is a Principal Lecturer in Otago Polytechnic’s Learning and Teaching Development team, and works alongside academic staff to build their capabilities in multiple aspects of pedagogical practice. This role brings together skills, knowledge, and practice acquired throughout more than 27 years in a variety of education contexts in New Zealand, France, and the UK. Claire is particularly interested in teacher development and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She is a 2024 recipient of a national Te Whatu Kairangi Aotearoa Tertiary Educator Award. Links: LinkedIn Research Gate
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