Success for our Teachers

This post has been contributed by Patricia McKellar Associate Director, Undergraduate Laws.

University of London UG Laws has over 50 Teaching Centres which provide support to students studying for the UG Laws programmes all over the world. UG Laws enjoys a strong relationship with the Centres and values the contribution made by many of the tutors who deliver the programmes to our students. To enhance the professional development of our tutors, UG Laws has provided bursaries to study the University of London PG Certificate in Learning & Teaching. The course, which is studied online, develops skills in understanding of, and strategies in, teaching, learning and assessment in face to face teaching. Tutors engage with successful digital and online learning and develop skills through direct hands-on experience. In addition the course provides an opportunity to work with colleagues across the globe, in a community of practice.

We are delighted to announce that three tutors who received the first bursaries have now successfully graduated with the PG Certificate.

Sarah Tarar is the Head of the Law School at University College Lahore, Pakistan. Sarah graduated from University of London with an LLB and LLM and has taught for 16 years. However Sarah had not had any formal training in learning & teaching and she welcomed the chance to develop her own skills. In particular she found the exposure to such wide literature on learning theories increased her understanding of how to support learning, undertake assessment and provide feedback. She enjoyed reflecting on her own practice when asked to make lesson plans, provide student feedback and post comments in the discussion forums after having taken a teaching session. She started seeking solutions to challenging questions about learning generally and her own practice particularly which has contributed to her own professional development. Sarah says ‘this course has given me a lot to think about. I hope this makes a better learner as well as a teacher out of me’.

Sayed-ul-Haque (Dinar) was Head of Laws at the British School of Law, Bangladesh where he taught for eight years. Dinar found the high level of flexibility in the PG Cert programme particularly attractive and this allowed him to combine study with practice, which enhanced the effectiveness and the quality of the knowledge gained. He enjoyed studying technology enhanced learning, which included the introduction of innovative methods of communication, ways of involving students in the educational process, preparing reports, making presentations, and conducting guided and feedback lectures.He appreciated the teamwork and interaction with peers whom he found had a wealth of knowledge and different perspectives on teaching practice. In addition Dinar found that the programme provided him with a good theoretical and practical base which has allowed him to gain self-confidence and made him a more efficient and reflective teacher.Dinar says ‘ I am sure that I will transfer this experience to my further career as it has given me more opportunities to achieve my goals’.

Gary Ng Boon Hui is also a graduate of LLB & LLM from University of London. He is Head of Law Studies at Crescendo International College in Malaysia. He saw this programme as a good opportunity to evaluate himself after ten years of teaching and to support him in providing a better learning experience in higher education for his students. The programme encouraged Gary to consider a more student-centred approach together with an emphasis on learning outcomes. He discovered that increased student diversity such as ethnicity, academic orientation and commitment has challenged teaching and this programme gave him a better understanding as well as strategies to support diverse learners. Gary became aware of the importance of active learning through using a variety of methods such as quizzes, wikis and flipped classrooms to engage students as active participants in their learning. The course enabled him to transform from merely ‘presenting information’ to ‘making learning possible’ through engagement with the subject matter. Gary says ‘I believe I have grown and developed myself with this programme. My view on how to teach has changed and this course certainly helped me to provide a good learning experience to my learners’.

We offer our many congratulations to the graduates who have worked hard to gain this qualification which will allow them to develop and improve their teaching practice in delivering the UG Laws programmes to our UG Laws students. UG Laws University of London tutors who wish to apply for a bursary to study the University of London PG Certificate in Learning & Teaching please get in touch with your employer Teaching Centre who will advise on the criteria.