New Lecturers Forum 4 Jan 08

1
New Lecturers Forum 4 Jan 08

• Dr Rachel L Shaw
• r.l.shaw_at_aston.ac.uk
• http//www.aston.ac.uk/lhs/staff/az-index/shawrl.j
  sp

2
Overview

• Introductions
• Identifying your roles prioritizing
• Juggling the big 3 teaching learning,
  research, administration
• Keeping track of time
• Defining your career path
• Networking works!
• Managing your time
• Setting yourself achievable goals

3
Introductions

• Where are you based?
• How long have you been lecturing?
• At what level do you teach?
• What do you teach?

4
Show Tell!

• Break into groups of 4 or 5 answer the
  following questions in turn
• What is the BEST experience you have had so far
  as a lecturer?
• What is the WORST experience you have had so far
  as a lecturer?
• We wont name names, so you can be honest!
• Think of 3 things you can do that will help
  reduce the bad times and increase the good

5
Identifying your roles

• As a lecturer you are expected to have diverse
  skills
• Write programmes assessments
• Manage those programmes cohorts
• Teach engage students
• Communicate effectively with your colleagues
• Write grant proposals
• Build up networks to facilitate your career
• Conduct rigorous research
• Make presentations to engage multi-disciplinary
  and international audiences
• Engage with the media to boost psychologys
  profile
• Add to knowledge in the everyday world

6
Identifying your roles prioritizing

• In your groups, answer the following questions
• What actually do you do day to day as a lecturer?
  
• What different roles are you expected to fulfil?
• With which of these roles do you feel most
  comfortable?
• Are there areas where you need guidance?
• Prioritise the areas which need most attention
• What can you do to improve your skills manage
  your roles better?

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Juggling the big 3
Research
Teaching Learning
Admin
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Juggling the big 3

• Teaching Learning, Research, Admin the 3
  components of a lecturers working week
• Most promotion criteria expect expertise in at
  least 2 out of the 3
• Some institutions prioritize teaching, others
  prioritize research everyone hates admin!
• BUT getting ahead in admin gets you known within
  your institution
• You cant get away with not participating in all
• 3 areas

9
Learning Teaching

• In your groups, answer the following questions
• What are your current learning teaching
  commitments?
• Is there anything youd like to give up/take on?
• In an ideal world, what would you like to
  accomplish in terms of learning teaching?
• What would have to happen for you to accomplish
  this?

10
Research

• In your groups, answer the following questions
• What are your current commitments in terms of
  research?
• Is there anything youd like to give up/take on?
• In an ideal world, what would you like to
  accomplish in terms of research?
• What would have to happen for you to accomplish
  this?

11
Administration

• In your groups, answer the following questions
• What are your current commitments in terms of
  administration?
• Is there anything youd like to give up/take on?
• In an ideal world, what would you like to
  accomplish in terms of administration?
• What would have to happen for you to accomplish
  this?

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The reality

• In reality, how much time do you actually spend
  on
• Learning teaching
• Research
• Administration
• Do you get everything done that you want to do?
• Is there room for improvement?
• What needs to happen for you to make these
  improvements?

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Learning Teaching

• A few tips from colleagues
• Make sure you set aside enough time to prepare
  new material
• Borrow material from others make it your own
• Minimize alterations each year just update, no
  need to re-write (usually)
• Make sure you follow protocol (eg module
  descriptors, lectures available in advance,
  marking criteria, deadlines for marking)
• Ask friends to give feedback on lecturing
• Never use smaller than point 24 font
• Have availability hours stick to them

14
Research

• A few tips from colleagues
• Set aside dedicated research time
• Have a complete day off from teaching learning
  activities
• Speak to people in your institution set up
  collaborations within department/school where
  appropriate
• Sign up for email alerts on new calls for funding
• Use your mentors/superiors expertise
• Choose your specialism, develop a niche for
  yourself

15
Administration

• A few tips from colleagues
• Familiarise yourself with the senior management
  system
• Attend University/school committee meetings so
  you know whats going on
• Identify committees you could get involved with
  join them
• Set up external administrative positions to boost
  your esteem (eg journal reviewing, BPS
  Division/Section committee, external examining
  etc)

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Working the system for your benefit

• Homework
• If you dont know already, find out what your
  institution/departments procedure is for
  appraisal
• Do you have a mentor?
• Do you need to complete a CPD log for the BPS (eg
  if you have a practising certificate)?
• Use these resources to organise your time make
  your ambitions work for you

17
Taking your mind for a walk

• Get into groups of 3
• 1 of you will be the person, the other 2 are the
  persons two minds
• The person must go for a walk in silence while
  the 2 minds prattle on in the background about
  nothing in particular
• It is the persons job to try to ignore the 2
  minds carry on with their own route
• After 2 minutes, swap over, then swap again after
  another 2 minutes so each of you has been the
  person
• At the end spend 1 minute walking in silence

18
Taking your mind for a walk

• How did it feel to have 2 minds walking around
  behind you?
• Did you notice anything different when you were
  walking in silence?
• Which did you prefer?

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Mindfulness

• Moment-to-moment non-judgemental awareness
• A quality of behaviour that includes full,
  flexible, non-defensive, non-reactive, and
  present-focused contact with experienced events
• Paying attention in the moment, on purpose,
  non-judgementally, as if your life depended on it
• Acknowledgement Lance McCracken
  http//www.bath.ac.uk/pain-management

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Take time out to plan

• The importance of reflection we need to engage
  in reflective learning as well
• Dont get bogged down with the day to day hussle
  and bussle
• Keep an eye on the wider picture
• Learn how to say no my new years resolution!
• Use the people at your disposal your mentor,
  colleagues, research collaborators, research
  group
• Learn from (others and) your own mistakes

21
Continuing Professional Development

• CPD is mandatory for all with a practising
  certificate
• Most institutions have an appraisal scheme
• Identify your development needs each year
• Set yourself targets with specific plans of how
  to satisfy those needs
• Sign up for email lists of research training
  events relevant to your own areas of interest
• Check our your own institutions staff
  development programme especially for training
  in management/finance/equal opps etc.

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Defining your career path

• Homework
• If you dont know already, familiarise yourself
  with your institutions promotion criteria
• Identify the University/School committees which
  you could engage with
• Identify the key people in your School/Department
  to talk to about promotion possibilities
• Set goals to fulfil these criteria

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Networking works!

• In academia it is important to make yourself
  known both at your own University and within
  the wider psychological/scientific community
• Attend research seminar series
• Join special interest groups/BPS
  sections/divisions
• Attend conferences national international
• Apply for travel/dissemination grants
• Seek internal and external research collaborators

24
Managing your time

• Time management is crucial in any job, but
  especially when there are multiple roles to
  fulfil
• Some tips from colleagues
• Buy a big clock for your office
• Create maintain a do-able STD (stuff to do)
  list
• Keep a diary use it
• Try to ensure dedicated time for each of the big
  3 each week
• Limit attendance at meetings to 1 hour if
  possible
• Manage your email, dont let it run your life!

25
The Olympic challenge!

• Setting yourself achievable goals
• Take some time on your own to think about what
  youd like to achieve in the next 5 years
• Write down 5 discrete things you would like to
  have done by 2012 make sure they are realistic
• Discuss your objectives in your groups provide
  each other feedback/tips on how you might achieve
  them
• Devise your plan

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Summary

• Weve shared stories of successes and challenges
• Were aware of just how difficult our job can be!
• Weve learned the importance of reflecting on our
  own development needs
• Weve learned how crucial it is to manage our
  time
• The difficult part the Olympic challenge is
  to devise a personal development plan that is
  realistic and then stick to it
• Good luck!