Effective Undergraduate Supervision (Life Sciences)

Prerequisites

Why this course might make a difference:

This course complements the supervising training and information your Department will provide. It is a course that consists of: online material introducing the basics of undergraduate teaching in Cambridge; a face-to-face workshop, that is based on discussions and group activities; and follow-up online material that consolidates what you have learned so far.

By the end of this course you will know:

• the purpose of supervisions at Cambridge
• how to deal with common supervision scenarios
• how to provide effective feedback
• the practicalities of starting to supervise

Topics covered:

Stage 1 – Online

• Introduction to supervising (including what supervisions are, format, preparing for them)
• Background information for those who need it (British education system, Cambridge undergraduate system)

Stage 2 - Face-to-face workshop

• Role of a supervisor
• Dealing with different supervision scenarios
• Departmental information

Stage 3 – Online

• Summary of what you have learnt
• Practical tips and advice
• Resources for ongoing support and information

Life Sciences PhD Students and Postdocs

Completion of Pre-Workshop Online Materials

• A short online package will be sent to all participant in advance of attending the workshop
• This on line package will provide some background information on Cambridge’s undergraduate teaching system and the role of the supervisor in enhancing student learning
• This package is interactive in nature and you will be asked to consider your own perceptions about what it means to be a supervisor of undergraduate students

Number of sessions: 1

Please see the Course Description and Topics Covered for the course aims.

Blended learning course consists of introductory online component, face-to-face workshop and follow-up online component. Face-to-face workshop for 20 researchers, comprising of discussions and activities

• After taking part in the face-to-face workshop, you will be given access to a permanent online resource which will include outputs from the workshop session, as well as more detailed information about aspects of supervision practices at the University of Cambridge.
• It will provide information on topics such as effective feedback practices, reporting to college(s) on your supervisions using CamCORS, supervising students with disabilities, and effective questioning strategies.
• In addition, the package will include links to useful discipline-specific materials such as departmental marking criteria and supervision guides.

The course facilitator is Dr Ben Murton who has over 12 years of teaching experience in Cambridge and was an undergraduate here as well. He is now a College Teaching Associate at St John's, a tutor on the Teaching Associates Programme and offers supervision coaching for Life Sciences supervisors. If you have any specific questions please contact him before the course.

Introductory online session: approximately 1hour Face-to-face: 3 hour session, including coffee break Follow-up online session: approximately 1hour

Termly

• Effective Undergraduate Supervision
• Teaching and Learning