Synopsis

There is overwhelming evidence that there is no correlation between an academic’s level of research productivity and their ability to teach; some productive researchers are good teachers while others are not. Similarly, there is no evidence to suggest a relationship between a department’s research productivity and the quality of their teaching. In fact, there is evidence that universities with strong research orientations damage student learning outcomes. It appears that the ‘research-teaching nexus’ does not benefit undergraduate students very much. Research universities around the world are responding to this evidence with changes that ensure their undergraduates benefit from their research strengths. This workshop provides a brief review of the evidence about research-teaching links. It also outlines a framework to consider possible benefits students can enjoy from studying in a research-intensive environment, with practical examples from the world’s leading research universities. Participants are also invited to share similar examples and discuss how their own students might benefit more from their research.

About the Speaker

Professor Graham Gibbs was Director of the Oxford Learning Institute at the University of Oxford until 2007, during which time he helped launch an initiative to ensure Oxford’s undergraduates enjoy the full benefits of its research strengths. He established an international network of leading research universities, which includes Oxford, Stanford, MIT, Princeton and NUS to discuss how teaching can best be conducted and developed in research environments.