Introduction of Theme II
Practicum is categorized as part of the Certificate Course “Introduction to Teaching in Higher Education”, under Theme II.
New academic/teaching staff, who have less than one-year full-time teaching experience in Higher Education are mandatory to complete Practicum to facilitate their professional development on teaching in higher education. Each Department/CLE will plan practicum activities for at least 6 hours. It provides new academic/teaching staff with opportunities to receive support from peers on their teaching practices, enhance their strategies and skills in discipline-based learning and teaching and obtain advice for future planning and development. For target participants, their class should be observed at least once during the six-hour Practicum.
Apart from the mandatory class observation, the Practicum may include self-learning online materials, initial teaching experiences, supervision on field experience, department/ discipline-based teaching practice, issue of human care (if appropriate) etc., based on the provision of the individual department/CLE concerned.
Upon completion of Practicum, participant is required to complete the Practicum Form with a reflective statement on the attendance of the Practicum (250 to 500 words), with the endorsement of the Head of Department/Head of CLE. They are also required to submit Practicum Reports written by their mentors/observers to the HoD/Hd(CLE) for review and comment. Faculties will be suggested to collect the Practicum Reports for review and comment. A standard form is developed to facilitate the writing of Practicum Report, colleagues may also use other report forms provided by their department if deemed appropriate.