Training in Teaching Skills
This section provides a summary of the training and resources available to support you in developing your teaching skills.
MPLS and its departments provide two introductory stages to training in teaching skills. These are Preparing for Learning and Teaching at Oxford (PLTO) and Developing Learning and Teaching (DLT).
PLTO
PLTO is the introductory stage and is provided by departments. Your departmental PLTO session will: introduce you to how undergraduate teaching works at Oxford and in your department; outline departmental administrative processes; discuss ways to get started with your teaching; and provide the opportunity to discuss potential challenges. Your department will also provide opportunities for you to reflect on and discuss your teaching, and how to further develop your skills once you have had some initial teaching experience. To find out more about your departmental PLTO session please contact your head of teaching or your departmental administrators.
Reviewing your first teaching experience
If you have had your first teaching experience and would like to review it and plan how to further develop your skills, the MPLS provides a workshop to help you do this. See Teaching: Reviewing first steps and developing the next.
DLT
If you have completed PLTO in your department and are going to be teaching at Oxford, you may want to consider completing the Developing Learning and Teaching (DLT) programme. This is a short accredited programme for DPhil students and postdoctoral researchers which will introduce you to teaching in Higher Education and support and further develop your teaching skills. You will attend three workshops over a term, undertake teaching activities and submit a 2,500 - 5,000 word portfolio for assessment. The programme is accredited by the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) and you will receive a SEDA PDF Support Learning Award on successful completion of your DLT portfolio. The award is aligned to the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education, at Descriptor 1.
See more about the DLT programme.
In order to participate in the programme you will need to have completed a PLTO course or equivalent and be teaching registered Oxford University students in the interval after you begin the DLT programme and before you submit your portfolio (up to 3 terms after you start the DLT). Please see the DLT application form, DLT Teaching Requirements FAQs and the Core DLT Handbook for 2018-19 for more information on these pre-requisites.
Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in HE (PGCertTLHE)
For those with an interest in developing their teaching skills further, the Centre for Teaching and Learning offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in HE (PGCert TLHE).