STEMskiller: Skill Set Map for Mentors of Early Career Researchers

LEARNING, TEACHING, AND SUPERVISING

Learning, teaching and supervision basics for early career researchers

Definition:

Learning theory (when referring to humans and not computer science based on cognitivist and not behaviorist theories), refers to “the process of gaining information through observation.”^[1] Many theories about this process—which includes absorbing, processing, and retaining knowledge—exist. Ideally, learning theory should enable instructors to improve the learning process for their students/mentees by designing instructional materials that incorporate theoretical premises.

[1] Schulte, O. (2018). Formal learning theory. In Zalta, E.N.(Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2018/entries/learning-formal/.

Useful resources on Learning, teaching and supervision basics for early career researchers:

Berkeley Graduate Division Graduate Student Instructor Teaching & Resource Center. (2020). Learning: Theory and research. https://gsi.berkeley.edu/gsi-guide-contents/learning-theory-research/ 

Comprehensive overview to this topic, including: overview of learning theories, behaviorism, cognitive constructivism, social constructivism, neuroscience and how students learn, cognitive science: memory and learning, anthropology: situated learning in communities of practice, psychology: motivation and learning, education: organizing the learning process, and education: learning to think in a discipline. Includes summary PDF.

MIT Teaching+Learning Lab. (n.d.). Teaching Resources. https://tll.mit.edu/teaching-resources/ 

How to design a course and teach, description of how people learn, creating inclusive classrooms, and assessing learning and teaching. 

Wikipedia. (2020). Learning theory (education).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_theory_(education)

Clear outline of the different threads in current educational theory (philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, anthropology, and others). Includes history of this realm of inquiry as well as links to additional information. 

Tags: All IPS; all PSR; all GL; all Comp

Peer Review: None

Table of contents:

2.1. Learning, teaching and supervision basics for early career researchers

2.1.1. Teaching and learning theories, styles, and methods
2.1.1.1. Teaching skills: concepts, examples, definitions
2.1.1.2. Roles and expectations: concepts and definitions; resources for learning more
2.1.1.3. Learning outcomes & lesson plans: concepts and definitions, resources for learning more

2.1.2. Training, mentoring, and supervising PhD students and postdocs
2.1.2.1. Graduate assistant (GA), graduate teaching assistant (GTA), or graduate research assistant (GRA) training: definition, examples, why important
2.1.2.2. Recruiting international doctoral students and postdocs
2.1.2.3. Working with your international students

2.1.3. Teaching for researchers/mentoring for scientists
2.1.3.1. Mentoring and supervising students
2.1.3.2. Inclusive mentoring
2.1.3.3. Continuing education, ongoing self-education, and curiosity
2.1.3.4. Online teaching and learning

 

Author: Stephanie Krueger

Peer Reviewer(s): None

Last Updated: October 28, 2021