Rationale

Effective teaching that facilitates high quality learning is an important mission of NUS, documented in the university’s strategic plan. To achieve this, NUS is continually exploring how it can enhance the quality of its teaching programmes.

In July 2000, the Professional Development Programme (PDP) for new faculty was implemented and now lays the foundation for good teaching practices. While such a programme is helpful, it is believed that more can and should be done for the advancement and growth of all faculty members in NUS. As part of NUS’ overall strategy for faculty development, the Continuing Professional Development Programme (CDPD) has been introduced to encourage all NUS faculty to continually upgrade their professional skills.

Aims and Objectives

The CPDP has three broad aims:

• To encourage academic staff to keep current of trends and thinking in the areas of teaching and learning.
  
• To promote and propagate good practices and techniques in teaching.
  
• To enhance staff awareness of their own teaching, thereby leading to reflective teaching and innovations in teaching for effective learning.

Description of CPDP

The Continuing Professional Development Programme (CPDP) consists of 2 components:

A. Faculty Enrichment Programme (FEP)

The Centre for Development of Teaching & Learning (CDTL) will conduct a series of 2-hour sessions—seminars, dialogue sessions, workshops—for faculty to attend. These sessions will deal with a variety of topics on one or more of 5 identified dimensions of education:

1. Classroom practices
   
   These sessions will focus on instructional skills (e.g. effective lecturing, interactive lecturing, conducting tutorials/labs). They will also deal with mechanics and tools like lecture delivery style (e.g. voice projection, speaking pace, variation, gestures), class management techniques, IVLE, the use of PowerPoint, audio-visual aids, etc.

2. Means of instruction and assessment
   
   These sessions will concentrate on pedagogically sound practices and the means to achieve various learning outcomes (e.g. syllabuses, teaching materials, classroom activities, assessment, use of educational technology).
   

3. Methodological principles
   
   These sessions will deal with the principles underpinning good practices, such as active learning, collaborative learning, interactive teaching, problem-based learning, case study method, and so on. Awareness of the options at this level is the first stage in the shift of focus from the instructor and the process of instruction in the instruction paradigm to the learner and the process of learning in the learning paradigm
   

4. Higher order learning outcomes
   
   These sessions will concentrate on learning outcomes that go beyond understanding and application of knowledge. Such learning outcomes include evidence-based knowledge, learning transfer, independent learning, critical thinking, creative problem solving, independent inquiry (i.e. knowledge construction), and so on. Effective functioning at this level is what distinguishes an outstanding educator from an excellent teacher.
   

5. Issues in educational psychology and pedagogical theory
   
   These sessions will focus on more macro issues such as educational paradigms, constructivism, learning theories, theories of knowledge, goals of higher education, teacher appraisal, and so on. Such sessions will be relevant for: (a) educationists and education reformers (at the department, faculty and university levels), and (b) people in positions of power who make decisions on hiring, promotion, tenure, and policies.
   
   Attendance at faculty-level workshops and courses offered by other institutions of higher learning on pedagogical matters may also be considered on a case-by-case basis as participation in the FEP.

B. Ancillary Activities Programme (AAP)

As part of the Ancillary Activities Programme, faculty members might consider engaging in activities such as the following:

• conducting workshops and seminars,
  
• attending conferences, and/or
  
• writing/publishing papers,

that deal with topics of pedagogical interest and/or are informed by reflection on teaching and learning in the department, faculty or university.

How CPDP Works

To participate in the CPDP, staff members should involve themselves in both the FEP and the AAP. Documentation of such activities is to be included for purposes of review/appraisal in the Teaching Portfolio (Re: Annex A to OHR Paper 0053/2001, Item 3: ‘Participation in Educational Programmes’). For more information about the CPDP, please check: http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/cpdp.