Fundamentals of the PhD education at SCIENCE - module 3 - K1
PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE at University of Copenhagen
The purpose of the IUP module is to prepare PhD students to provide university-level instruction in a variety of teaching assistant/teaching situations, e.g., laboratories, exercise sessions, supervision of student projects, feedback on assignments, assisting in lectures, etc.
Therefore, all students will receive instruction rooted in research-based pedagogical tools and theories in how to design appropriate learning outcomes and activities, prepare lessons, and give feedback while using inductive and dialogic teaching techniques. Also, students will be equipped with tools on how to reflect on own teaching practices.
The overall aim of module 3 of the career management element of the module is that PhD students start identifying the skills they are developing and how they match the different career options they are considering.
The career management element of this module will cover the following topics:
• Identifying skills, strengths, and potentials
• Skills for a career in academia
• Tools for exploring career opportunities incl. informational interviewing.
• Skills gap analysis and upskilling strategy
Learning outcome
The learning outcomes for the three elements are given below. Each outcome is marked K for Knowledge, S for Skills, or C for Competences.
IUP element:
• Deliver teaching and explain those instructional choices based on constructivist theory and practical experiences (K).
• Design teaching using active learning principles based on constructivist theory (S)
• Create intended learning outcomes and align teaching to them (S).
• Use inductive learning techniques to facilitate student learning (S).
• Use dialogic techniques to facilitate student learning (S).
• Evaluate teaching and give formative feedback to facilitate student learning (C).
• Reflect on designing and delivering teaching to improve (C).
Career Management element:
• Differentiate different types of skills and their transferability (K).
• Identify different ways to learn about their own personality traits and preferences (K).
• Identify and articulate the skills they are developing during their PhD (S).
• Discern and outline the abilities necessary for a continued career in academia (S).
• Conduct an informational interview for professional development (S).
• Systematically explore relevant career options using selected tools (C)
• Perform a skills gap analysis and articulate an up-skilling strategy (C).
Target group
Module 3 is about 12 months into the PhD programme
All students must be accepted into the SCIENCE PhD program.
Remarks
The PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE is committed to building a learning environment that welcomes, includes, and empowers all its PhD students. By building a Faculty-wide peer community of PhD-students with the Fundamentals course, we secure that all PhD candidates are given adequate instruction in a range of essential competences that lie outside the core scientific research skills offered through supervision, tool-box and specialized PhD courses. Moreover, we build bridges between different research programmes at the Faculty of SCIENCE and offer diverse, multidisciplinary fora of exchange strengthening the PhD candidates’ scientific and social networks and laying the foundation for a strong alumni culture.