Page 7 - FP Newsletter March 2022

NEW COMMITTEE

Teaching & Learning

Enhancement Committee

In the past, Foundation Program had a Research
Committee and a separate Professional Development
Committee. This academic year, we combined the two
groups to make a stronger committee focused on
enhancing teaching and learning among staff. As the
goal is to support the professional development and
research goals of all staff, we made sure that each FP
unit has representation on the committee; therefore,
members include teachers from IT, Math, and English.

Research is always a big focus. How What are some of the new approaches
can T&LE support staff endeavors T&LE has utilized and hopes to utilize
related to research? related to offering professional

T&LE provides sessions throughout the development?
year that focus specifically on research. One of the newest approaches we
We want to provide guidance on the have utilized is holding monthly
logistics of research, as well as highlight online discussions about various
recent research conducted by research articles. Using Moodle,
researchers both in the FP and more our online learning platform, the
broadly throughout the Sultanate of committee hosts a forum for staff
Oman. In addition, staff are encouraged to read articles relating to Math, IT,
to submit their research proposals to our and English, and then discuss the
committee so the DU Research Board research with one another even
can approve the projects. when time is in short supply.

Looking ahead to Term 3, what events are
scheduled for the staff to take advantage of?

For Term 3, we have three exciting journal articles ranging from topics
such as applying flipped classrooms in IT to establishing a reading
culture in Arabic and English. We’re excited to read the reflections and
questions this research inspires. We also have two engaging Lauren Mertens
workshops planned for staff. Our Math committee members have Co-chair of T&LE
Committee
organized a training for using MyLab for instruction, and our final
workshop for the year will blend our research and professional
development objectives: two of our very own staff members will share
their recent research findings with us in May.