Excellence in teaching is central to BRAC University’s core mission of imparting a high quality liberal arts education. The PDC provides opportunities for faculty to reflect on current knowledge about and practice of effective teaching and learning through dialogue, assessment and research. The PDC hosts group workshops and individual consultations for the faculty to develop and share their experiences and explore creative pedagogic methods and resources for different settings and outcomes of student learning. The aim of the faculty development programmes is to promote campus-wide excellence in teaching which supports the professional development of new faculty members in their early careers and enhances student learning.
Each semester, the PDC hosts the faculty orientation programme to introduce new faculty members to the teaching and learning goals at BRACU and to provide an early start to successful teaching careers. During the programme, the participants meet with senior faculty and administrators, take a short tour of the campus and main offices, gain familiarity with the University’s culture and curriculum, and participate in intensive workshops on the goals, techniques and outcomes of teaching, learning and assessment. The workshops introduce new faculty members to a variety of topics, including course design, active and interactive teaching methods, collaborative learning, student profiles, learning outcomes and rubrics, classroom assessment techniques, advising and learning initiatives at the University. The workshops end with panel discussions that enable the participants to meet and discuss teaching issues with senior faculty and chairs of different departments.
As a continuation of the topics introduced during orientation, the semester-long follow-up workshops are offered to explore specific issues of teaching-learning, and provide a forum for dialogue on innovation in education. We evaluate, adapt and implement the findings of current literature on educational development supplemented by our own research into classroom dynamics, cognitive processes, learning outcomes and student learning at BRAC University. In addition, the workshops also explore opportunities for the integration of technology and other high impact practices, such as web-based tools for student learning and classroom management, e-portfolio, BRAC University library services, use of anti plagiarism software, etc.
The faculty of the PDC are always focused on the issues that are moulding the contemporary scenario of pedagogy. Some topics include critical reflection, lesson planning, classroom dynamics, cognitive processes, and learning outcomes, teaching methodologies, etc. During the session, faculty share their experiences of teaching at BRAC University and explore a variety of techniques.
With the goals of reflection, dialogue and innovation in mind, the PDC arranges Faculty Conversations that bring together faculty of all ranks to share their views on teaching and learning, including the expectations, challenges and opportunities that inform teacher-student interaction. The participants have the opportunity to interact with senior faculty, education specialists, and other experienced facilitators, and exchange views on innovative and effective pedagogies based on scholarly research and classroom practices.