Teaching and learning summer school for award-winning Chinese lecturers

Posted 25 July 2016

A group of award-winning lecturers from China have been visiting Harper Adams University to learn more about teaching and learning practices.

The international teaching summer school sees 18 participants from China’s North West Agriculture and Forestry University visit three British universities, including Harper Adams.

Dr Lydia Arnold, Educational Developer, helped coordinate and design the programme. She said: “The programme has allowed Harper Adams lecturers to share their teaching expertise and pedagogic research.

“The days have been filled with lively discussion as we compare and contrast methods. We have all learnt a great deal about teaching methods in China. 

“The visiting staff are award-winning lecturers from a range of disciplines, including agriculture, art and design, biology, history and computer studies, and the university’s teacher education centre.

“Alongside the daytime classes, the visiting lecturers have also enjoyed exploring Shropshire and Staffordshire on some gloriously sunny evenings.” 

One of the participants, Jinghui Xu said: “I’m finding this visit to Harper Adams University very interesting and helpful.

“The methods of teaching in the UK and China are very different. I think that we’re able to learn something from each other.

“I’m a young teacher, and I’ve been taught to pass on knowledge. Here, we are being taught a number of theories and it’s giving us time to think of different approaches.

“I’ve found it particularly interesting to hear about the mark schemes and I think it can help us think about how to mark the work and providing feedback to our students.”

The participants will now move onto Keele University and Reading University as part of the summer school.