Apply now to participate in this Introduction-to-University-Teaching program that is 100% recommended by past participants to their MQ colleagues – now with a microcredential on completion!
What is Beginning to Teach (BTT)?
BTT is a professional development program that covers topics that are key to getting started with teaching at university. BTT explores perspectives on student learning; good practice in how to plan and facilitate learning activities; and the fundamentals of feedback and reflecting on your teaching practice. The program also gives participants the opportunity to plan, present, and evaluate a short (‘micro-‘) teaching session.
BTT will be offered in November 2023
The program is structured with a combination of facilitated sessions (including a practice teaching session) and self-paced activities and resources on iLearn. Participants will need to be available to attend 4 facilitated modules on these days/times:
- Tuesday 31 October: 11am – 1pm (via Zoom)
- Tuesday 7 November: 11am – 1pm (via Zoom)
- Tuesday 14 November: 11am – 1pm (option to participate via Zoom or on-campus)
- Friday 17 November: 11am – 1pm (via Zoom)
The facilitated sessions will be run over Zoom with the option to do the (required) micro-teaching activity via Zoom or face-to-face. If you are interested, you can register using the blue button at the end of this post.
Who should do BTT?
This program is suitable for any Macquarie staff members who are new to teaching or who have limited teaching experience – or who would just like to (re)learn the basics of teaching at university! BTT is particularly useful for HDRs, ECRs, tutors, and sessional academics who have just started, or are in their first few sessions of teaching.
No matter your disciplinary background, participating in BTT will help develop your practical understanding of some of the foundational concepts and practices in university learning and teaching and build your skills (and confidence) in preparing, delivering and reviewing your own teaching.
What is the time commitment?
Total overall participation time is approximately 15 hours, which includes 4 x 2-hour facilitated sessions as well as pre and post session work.
Participants receive a BTT Microcredential (digital badge) on completion of all program requirements.
What Macquarie colleagues have said about participating in BTT
| [S]uch a great learning experience. BTT was exactly what I had hoped it would be … the tools (language/terminology) to structure and plan my own teaching, and it has provided me more confidence to facilitate learning in the higher education context. On top of this it was a lot of fun. |
| An absolutely wonderful program! It has honestly helped me so much, I feel so much more confident in what I am doing and what techniques I can use to improve my teaching. |
| Overall a great program and exposed me to new online technologies. Great range of experience in the group too provided good insights. I would recommend this course. |
| A good course to learn and relearn our teaching skills regardless of our years of experience. Great way to refresh and validate our skills from new and older teaching staff… thoroughly enjoyed it. |
| Thank you for facilitating such an inclusive and supportive environment! I haven’t been in a class like this in years! |
| Nothing but praise for the program, the facilitators and the delivery of it. I have learnt so much from the facilitators and peers. …look forward to my students benefiting from it. |
| I am happy attended BTT. Being a from different country and culture it helped me a lot to get an orientation of Macquarie and Australian teaching style and expectations. |
Check out the BTT Program outline
View the BTT Program Outline
Note: If you are interested in participating in BTT in 2024, you can register your interest using the blue button above and we’ll contact you once the 2024 dates have been confirmed.
If you have any questions, please get in touch by emailing professional.learning@mq.edu.au
Banner image: lovelyday12 on Shutterstock
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