As a research fellow, joining a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education is a valuable step in my academic journey. It allows me to enhance my teaching skills, ensuring I can create engaging, inclusive, and effective learning experiences for students. The course deepens my understanding of pedagogy, assessment, and curriculum design, helping me meet the evolving demands of higher education. It also boosts my confidence in balancing research and teaching, two key pillars of academia. By completing the PgCert, I can gain Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), strengthening my credentials and highlighting my dedication to teaching excellence.

This week, I delivered a station rotation activity aimed at helping students develop an argumentative writing piece on the topic "Is strength and conditioning safe for children?" Students were divided into two groups and rotated through three stations, spending approximately 25 minutes at each.

🔁 Station Overview:

• Station 1️⃣: Teacher-Led Activity
  Focused guidance and support on structuring arguments and note-taking techniques.

• Station 2️⃣: Group-Based Task
  Collaborative work to search academic resources and begin developing writing.

• Station 3️⃣: Individual Task
  Independent planning and drafting of key argument points.

🎓 Assignment Application:

Each station was aligned with key skills from the students’ study skills audit. The completed activities at each station served as evidence for their assignment portfolios:

• Station 1️⃣: Evidence of effective note-taking

• Station 2️⃣: Evidence of academic writing and resource searching

• Station 3️⃣: Evidence of academic writing and essay planning

📝 Assessment and Feedback Literacy:

This activity, like many of our other learning tasks, adopts a social-constructivist approach, where students co-construct knowledge around assessment content and curriculum learning. While students receive guidance at each station, the structure encourages self-directed learning and peer collaboration.

📄 Resource Materials:

The attached PowerPoint contains the station rotation instructions and materials that were printed and placed at each station during the session. Planned to be used 18/05/2025

For every workshop I create a worksheet document which students can used online or printed. The worksheet has notes on from the lecture slides and/or activitys for them to complete in session.

The aim of these worksheets is to provide students with an additional small resource to guide their learning. For students who may be behind on content or struggle with academic writing (the topic of the week) then these sheets are aimed to help break down the tasks and scaffold their learning.

Planned to be used 18/05/2025

Context and KSB Development:
My current teaching role involves delivering content on neurophysiological techniques, such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), within cognitive neuroscience. Through this research question, I aim to develop my ability to implement innovative teaching strategies (K1, K9), apply digital tools effectively (K13), and evaluate the effectiveness of my teaching (K6).

Furthermore, this aligns with key skills such as using digital technologies in teaching (S8), designing engaging learning environments (S15), and sharing research-driven insights (S16). By focusing on integrating active, applied learning strategies, I aim to enhance students’ understanding and ability to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios.

Planned Actions:

• Pre-intervention: Survey students on their baseline knowledge and perceptions of neurophysiological techniques.

• Intervention: Introduce hands-on demonstrations of neurophysiological tools, such as Matlab and Homer3, in class.

• Post-intervention: Assess students' engagement levels through qualitative feedback and performance in related assessments.

• Reflection & Evaluation: Analyse the effectiveness of this approach using student feedback and performance metrics, refining my teaching strategy accordingly.

Relevance to Module and Course Challenges:
This research aligns with the need to integrate technology-enhanced learning and foster active student participation. By embedding real-world applications into teaching, this project supports Coventry University’s emphasis on applied and inclusive learning experiences.

A student feedback resource has been uploaded as evidence of my assessment and feedback practices. This feedback reflects students’ perceptions of the clarity, usefulness, and timeliness of the feedback they received on their module.

I plan to incorporate more dialogic feedback opportunities, such as brief one-to-one or small-group tutorials, where students can ask questions and discuss written comments. I will also continue to co-design rubrics with students where possible to support shared understanding of assessment expectations. This approach will further strengthen assessment literacy and promote student agency in the feedback process.

This way I can gather informal in-person feedback. Often we also do this during our course hour to find out general feedback on course experiences and module experiences.

MEQs

We have module evaluations which provide students with the opportunity to review their module experiences. The most recent MEQ is the autumn survey due to be posted at the end of October.

Reflection

As module leader, it is my responsibility to remind students to complete the survey so that I can receive honest feedback. I find these anonymous for of feedback useful to see how students find their overall module experience and how the content is scaffolded towards their assessment. This type of feedback may help me to see how students 1) find my feedback useful that I provide for their assignment 2) how students find the weekly topics link with the assessment 3) how supported they feel on completing their assessment. This will be useful for my A3 sheet and plans for assessment design too as I can see what practice I need to input in future to support students with the assessments.

This feedback has directly influenced my assessment and feedback practice. Firstly, I’ve become more intentional about checking the pace of my teaching, building in more time for consolidation, examples, and student questions. I also realised the value of gathering real-time feedback in simple, structured ways. As a result, I now plan to regularly use tools like Mentimeter, exit tickets, or digital polls to adjust my approach dynamically, rather than waiting for end-of-module evaluations.

Going forward, I will incorporate short reflection breaks during sessions and ensure students have space to process and apply key concepts. This shift toward more responsive, student-informed teaching supports both deeper learning and greater inclusivity in my practice.

I am a Research Fellow in Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Science at Coventry University, where I teach and supervise across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. My teaching contributions span several modules, including 4025SPO Introduction to Sport and Exercise Science, 4030SPO Introduction to Motor Learning and Control, 5015SPO Measurement and Evaluation, 5017SPO Principles in Sport and Exercise Psychology, 5019SPO The Applied Sport and Exercise Scientist, and postgraduate modules such as 6017SPO Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology and 6009PSY Clinical Neuroscience. Across these modules, I contribute to the design, delivery, and assessment of content, often integrating contemporary research examples and translational applications drawn from my work in exercise–cognition and neurophysiology.

My pedagogical approach is underpinned by constructivist and inquiry-based principles, emphasising active participation, problem-solving, and the application of concepts to authentic scenarios. In measurement and cognitive testing workshops, for example, students are encouraged to critically interpret data, question methodological choices, and collaboratively reflect on findings. This approach aligns with my broader research ethos of helping learners become analytical thinkers capable of interrogating evidence rather than passively receiving it. My reflective journey through the PGCert modules has strengthened this commitment to learner-centred facilitation, adaptability, and inclusive practice.

The module I have chosen to focus on within the module delivery plan is 5015SPO Measurement and Evaluation, a core research-methods module that presents inherent challenges for students due to its quantitative focus. Historically, engagement has fluctuated between more conceptual lectures (strong engagement) and applied data-analysis workshops (more variable engagement), as highlighted in my mapping document. Brookfield (2015) reminds us that critical reflection is essential for exposing the assumptions structuring our teaching. In my case, this includes examining how complexity, pacing, and students’ research self-efficacy influence their engagement with research methods.

A particular strength in my teaching practice is structured curriculum planning aligned with Biggs’ (2003) principles of constructive alignment. For the modules I contribute to, I systematically break down learning outcomes and scaffold content across weekly sessions, ensuring that practical tasks directly prepare students for assessments. This is especially important in modules such as 5015SPO and 5017SPO, where students often report anxiety around scientific writing and statistical interpretation. Clear sequencing and transparent rationale help students navigate these challenges while maintaining a strong connection between theory and application. Another strength lies in collaborative teaching and shared reflection with colleagues across the Sport and Exercise Science curriculum. Regular consultations with module teams allow us to identify common issues across modules, align expectations, and share teaching strategies that improve student learning. These collaborations have been particularly valuable in refining research-skills teaching across the curriculum, ensuring students receive consistent messages about assessment criteria, scientific writing, and evidence-based practice.

An area identified for development concerns assessment and feedback practices (A3). Although formal student evaluations consistently report high satisfaction, student comments reveal opportunities to make feedback more specific and actionable, particularly in research-heavy modules. Similarly, the mapping document highlighted variability in engagement between session types, suggesting the value of collecting more fine-grained in-class feedback to determine whether disengagement stems from content difficulty, delivery format, or assessment clarity. In addition, I have identified opportunities to expand the use of peer feedback within research methods teaching. Peer-feedback approaches, as noted by Bijami et al. (2013), can help students become less dependent on instructor guidance, build confidence in critiquing scientific work, and enhance engagement through collaborative learning. Embedding structured peer-review activities within 5015SPO and 5017SPO could strengthen students’ analytical skills while reducing the perceived barriers often associated with quantitative content.

Through this reflective process, I have identified evidence-informed strategies to enhance the quality of my teaching and supervision. Improving curriculum alignment through structured design, deepening collaborative reflection with colleagues, and refining assessment and feedback processes will support greater engagement and clearer learning pathways for students. Expanding opportunities for peer learning and feedback will further strengthen students’ confidence and autonomy, ultimately contributing to richer and more inclusive learning environments.

This process strengthened my understanding of UKPSF A1 (design and planning of learning activities) and K1 (subject material), as I examined how foundational concepts in motor control are introduced and scaffolded at Level 4. One of the most significant insights was the misalignment between practical sessions and assessment tasks, which has contributed to reduced student engagement. Reflecting on this allowed me to recognise the need for clearer constructive alignment (A1, K2, K4) and the incorporation of formative, assessment-relevant practical activities throughout the semester. Moving forward, I intend to revise practical components so that they explicitly support assessed learning, ensuring students can see the relevance and purpose of each session.

The mapping process also required me to consider where active, applied, social, and inclusive learning opportunities are embedded across the module, addressing UKPSF A2 (teaching and supporting learning) and V1–V2 (respect for learners and promoting participation). Workshops that use peer-led tasks, video analysis, and group discussions already foster active and collaborative learning, while tutorials provide space for structured reflection. Recognising this helped me deepen my appreciation of how social learning reduces cognitive overload and strengthens belonging, especially on intensive teaching days (K3: how students learn). This reflection also highlighted opportunities to expand peer feedback strategies, which support autonomy and confidence (A3: assessment and feedback; K5: methods for learning and teaching). In future practice, I will build in more explicit formative checkpoints, peer-review tasks, and inclusive approaches to ensure each session is accessible and meaningful to diverse learners (V2, V3).

Overall, the process has enhanced my ability to design coherent learning experiences grounded in evidence-based pedagogy (K6) and aligned with institutional expectations. This will continue to inform my approach to curriculum development, ensuring my teaching is well structured, inclusive, and clearly connected to assessment and student progression across modules.