University News & Insights

Observation as a way to ‘notice’ and enhance reflective practices As we reach the close of our recent round of teaching observations, feedback and discussions, I want to use this bulletin to reflect on what we have being doing together and the impact this has on our learning culture and our teaching and learning practices. The intention behind the way in which the observation cycle has been designed, and the follow-up processes that accompany it, is to ensure that observations are not viewed as mere checkpoints of quality. Instead, they should be seen as opportunities for professional dialogue, for insight, and for growth. Observations are also useful activities to encourage and engage in developing ‘teacher noticing’, something I will return to in a later bulletin and will become a focus of one of the TLC seminars. The observation process helps us look closely at our practice: how we prepare, how we teach, how we engage, and how we respond to our students in real time. It also offers space for reflection, that is, moments to ask guiding questions, raise awareness of elements in our teaching that could improve, and share in collective professional development. Our observations aim to explore elements that shape the learning experience: lesson preparation and structure, achievement and clarity of learning outcomes, relevance of material, activity design, responsiveness to student needs, and the professionalism with which we conduct ourselves in class. This focus aligns with Advance HE’s Professional Standards Framework (PSF), which places self-awareness, professional identity, and evidence-based improvement at the centre of teaching excellence. Through observation, each of us can evidence and show our direct engagement with the PSF’s three dimensions (activity, knowledge, and values) demonstrating our ability not only to teach, but to reflect on what we do and why it matters. When approached professionally, observation shifts to an activity of shared scholarship. Schön’s (1983) notion of reflection on action provides a useful tool which encourages us to view observations as catalysts for revisiting lessons, analysing decisions, and considering alternative strategies for future sessions. Our observation framework aims to support this process. When we, as academic lecturers, take time to discuss teaching materials, interaction quality, or the use of formative assessment, we engage in reflective practice (this links to the previous bulletin). This reflection, which can be further enhanced through the observation cycle, leads to ‘noticing’, asking questions, and finding shared answers: •            What worked well and why? •            How did my students respond? •            How might I adapt next time? As Colomer et al. (2020) note, reflective learning transforms experience into insight, enabling educators to develop responsive and sustainable teaching practices. A means of enabling the reflection is through observation when done in the right way. Atkinson and Bolt (2010) note that teaching observations are most effective when they become collaborative spaces for feedback and reflection, rather than evaluations imposed upon us. For staff, observation should offer affirmation and insight. It seeks to enhance the confidenc of the lecturer while providing a structured opportunity to question and refine practice. Feedback from the Teaching and Learning team helps us see not just what happened in the classroom, but how our teaching aligns with our intentions and desired learning outcomes. This process aims to strengthen professional identity, enabling each of us to view teaching as an evolving practice. For the organisation regular observations build collective confidence in the quality of learning and teaching. They also foster a community of shared standards and support, echoing Advance HE’s vision of ‘a sector that learns from itself’. At EUB, this means being a university that reflects, learns, and grows through its practices and its own reflective process. For our students, the benefits are clear. When staff engage in reflective observation cycles, the result is teaching that is more responsive, inclusive, and evidence-informed. Students see that their lecturers are invested in continual improvement as well as being open to feedback and committed to providing the best possible learning experience. Transparency is key to cultivating professional confidence. When observation feedback is shared collegially and viewed through the lens of improvement rather than judgement, it builds trust. Our most recent observation cycle shows that staff value opportunities to discuss how lesson sequencing, activity design, and feedback mechanisms aim to support student learning. This spirit reflects Atkinson and Bolt’s (2010) emphasis on peer dialogue and professional learning communities and resonates with Advance HE’s commitment to embedding continuing professional development (CPD) within institutional practice. When we open our academic sessions to one another this normalises professional curiosity. To foster this further the TLC will be looking to promote a future phase of observations which will aim to integrate peer observations into our T&L cycle. The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) continues to support observation as a developmental process, not an isolated event. We can work with you to: Our collective aim is to nurture a reflective culture that celebrates what we do well, while encouraging continuous improvement. Observation, reflection, and professional dialogue should help build the confidence and transparency that underpins our work at EUB and develops a professional, learning-oriented academic community. Thank you to all of you for participating in the observation cycle and enhancing EUB’s culture of teaching and learning. References Atkinson, D. and Bolt, S. (2010) Using teaching observations to reflect upon and improve teaching practice in higher education. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10(3), pp.1–19. Colomer, J., Serra, T., Cañabate, D. and Serra, J. (2020) Reflective Learning in Higher Education: Active Methodologies for Transformative Practices. Sustainability, 12(9), p.3827. Harrison, J. (2012) ‘Professional Learning and the Reflective Practitioner’, in Dymoke, S. (ed.) Reflective Practice and Professional Development in Education. London: Sage Publications. Schön, D.A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books.

Reflection on Action: Making Reflection a Shared Professional Practice During our Teaching and Learning seminar on Reflection on Action, colleagues explored what it means to pause, examine, and learn from our teaching experiences. Drawing on Donald Schön’s influential concept of reflection on action, we discussed how reflective practice can deepen our professional learning and shape our approach to teaching. What is Reflection on Action? Schön (1983) described reflection on action as the deliberate, critical examination of one’s practice after the event that is the process of looking back on what happened, analysing decisions made, and considering how they might inform future action. In a simplified framework, it’s about transforming experience into learning by asking: What happened? Why did it happen that way? What might I do differently next time? This form of reflection moves beyond instinctive reaction. It invites us to unpack the assumptions, strategies, and values that underpin our practice, revealing what Schön termed our “theory-in-use” which are the implicit or unspoken principles that guide our teaching decisions. As Harrison (2012) notes, it is through a framework of reflection that teachers begin to build genuine professional knowledge and move from technical reflection (“what went wrong?”) toward critical reflection (“why do I teach this way, and to what end?”). Why Does It Matter? Teaching is dynamic, and our academic sessions are full of moments that deserve a second look. Reflection on action allows us to transform these moments into insights. It helps us frame and reframe our understanding of teaching challenges and reminds us that learning to teach is an ongoing, evolving process. Critically, reflective practice also prevents teaching from becoming routine or mechanical. As Schön warned, when reflection-in-action (the decisions made in the moment) is not followed by reflection-on-action, professional knowledge can become stagnant. Instead, engaging in structured reflection which is improved when supported by dialogue with peers can create a space for growth and innovation. During our seminar, colleagues where able to discuss the implications of the theory as well as teaching experiences, questioning not only what worked but why it worked, and how student responses might have been shaped by our choices. How Can We Make It Work in Practice? In higher education, reflective practice can take many forms from informal conversations after class to structured peer review or written reflection. What matters is that reflection is purposeful, evidence-informed, and dialogic rather than solitary. At EUB, we are beginning to frame reflection on action through three complementary modes: These stages mirror Harrison’s (2012) conception of professional reflection as a movement from noticing and analysing towards transforming one’s understanding of practice. In our seminar, participants explored this progression by working through Schön’s What? So What? Now What? model a simple way of structuring reflection. Reflection and Professional Learning Reflection is most effective when it is shared. Schön himself cautioned against what he called “echo chambers of self-limiting reflection,” arguing that professional growth happens through dialogue and collaboration. This resonates strongly with the collegial culture we are building at EUB. By engaging with each other’s experiences in seminar sessions, peer observations, or informal discussions we aim to improve our individual practice but also contribute to collective professional learning. How the Teaching and Learning Centre Can Support You The Teaching and Learning Centre at EUB supports staff in embedding reflective practice across their teaching. We offer structured opportunities to engage in reflection through our seminar series, peer learning groups, and individual consultations. Our goal is to make reflection a sustained, shared process helping you to analyse your practice, identify areas for development, and experiment with new strategies. Schön’s notion of reflection on action reminds us that teaching develops through inquiry, experimentation, and continual adaptation. References Harrison, J. (2012) Professional Learning and the Reflective Practitioner. In Dymoke, S. (ed.) Reflective Practice and Professional Development in Education. Sage Publications. Schön, D.A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic Books.

Learning Outcomes: Linking Constructive Alignment and Employability Skills I recently led a Teaching and Learning seminar that focused on how we write, use, and reflect on learning outcomes. The session explored constructive alignment (Biggs and Tang 2011) and how our learning outcomes can do more than list intentions. Learning outcomes should become active tools for designing meaningful learning experiences. In addition to this we looked at ways we can complement good learning outcomes in ways that help our students develop employability skills alongside academic knowledge. What are learning outcomes? Learning outcomes articulate what students should be able to do, demonstrate, or understand by the end of a session, module, or programme. Biggs and Tang (2011) describe constructive alignment as the process of ensuring that learning outcomes, learning activities, and assessments work together in an integrated way to support deep, active learning.In the seminar we focused on the framework, thinking about the following questions: When these three questions align, the outcome verbs (“explain”, “analyse”, “apply”) drive the learning design. Activities should engage the same verbs, and assessments should allow students to demonstrate them. As the presentation and ppt slides aimed to emphasize “learning is about what the student does, not what we as teachers do”. Why does this matter? The concept of constructive alignment is influential in higher education because it connects curriculum design directly to student learning. However, as Loughlin, Lygo-Baker, and Lindberg-Sand (2021) note, alignment should not be treated as a bureaucratic exercise but reclaimed as a professional tool that helps lecturers think deeply about the purpose and coherence of their teaching. When learning outcomes are genuinely student-centred, they become more than statements for quality assurance validation. Learning outcomes help clarify the intent of a module, guide student engagement, and make assessment transparent. Most importantly, I believe they allow us to build in transferable and employability skills that prepare students for life beyond the classroom. How can we seek to integrate Learning Outcomes and employability skills in practice? The simple answer here is to make explicit what it implicit in the actions and activities our students participate in. As lecturers we can raise awareness in our students of the type of activity or task they are doing and how this links to employability skills. It gives purpose to the task. Our discussions during the session showed that constructive alignment is most effective when it is lived in the design of classroom activities. For example, in the Law Unit 1 session, lecturers explored how the verbs used in outcomes (“explain”, “discuss”, “analyse”) could guide activity design that develops specific employability skills. Some examples included: Each of these activities supports both the intended learning outcome and a transferable skill such as collaboration, problem-solving, or communication. In turn this aligns academic learning with employability development. Embedding employability skills through outcomes Employability at EUB is not an add-on but integral to our graduate journey. By writing outcomes that reflect both disciplinary knowledge and transferable skills, we can show students how classroom learning connects to the competencies valued by employers and society. For instance: Through constructive alignment, the learning outcomes we select and the activities we design to support them can explicitly nurture the attributes and employability skills we value across the university. How the Teaching and Learning Centre can support you As the seminar aimed to demonstrate The Teaching and Learning Centre works with academic staff to refine and align learning outcomes, teaching activities, and assessment design. We provide guidance on writing outcomes that integrate both academic and employability dimensions, as well as workshops and peer-sharing sessions that showcase effective practice. Constructive alignment is not a checklist. It is a way of thinking about teaching that aligns learning and skills development. By consciously aligning our outcomes, activities, and assessments, we not only make our teaching more coherent but also empower students to become active, employable learners ready to shape their own futures. In future seminars, we will continue to explore ways of connecting constructive alignment with employability frameworks, ensuring that our students can clearly see the skills they develop through their studies. References: Biggs, J, and Tang C. (2011) Teaching for Quality Learning at University: What the Student Does. 4. ed. SRHE and Open University Press Imprint. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill, Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press. Loughlin, C, Lygo-Baker, S & Lindberg-Sand Å (2021) Reclaiming constructive alignment, European Journal of Higher Education, 11:2, 119-136, DOI: 10.1080/21568235.2020.1816197