Research-Led Teaching And Learning At VUW Discussion Paper
Case 3: Humanities (Level 2 and Masters)

[At the suggestion of the AVC, three VUW academics were interviewed for the purposes of collating cases of good practice in RLT for inclusion in this paper. They have not been identified.]

As noted previously, our proposed model of Research-led Learning and Teaching (RLT) incorporates three distinct (but not unrelated) approaches:

• Research-led Teaching
• Inquiry-based Learning
• Research on Teaching and Learning.

The cases of good practice we have briefly investigated on our own campus provide evidence that many academics (and importantly, students) are engaged in activities which encompass more than one of these dimensions. Core elements of those activities, as reported by academics teaching at undergraduate level, are summarised below.

• The academic's approach to teaching involves combining her own experience in research with her teaching; sharing their own experience in research methods with students; and 'giving students independence in their own research'
• In one course students carry out a research project on a NZ publisher. Since little material is available on individual publishers, and simply finding sources is a challenge, 'students feel they are breaking new ground'
• As part of this project, students write a Marsden grant proposal to train them not only in how to carry out research but also in how to present it succinctly
• Students also 'enfold their own experience into their research', for example by way of research on downtown graffiti where they log, categorise, and carry out content analysis as well as researching related issues such as censorship
• Assessment in the major develops a range of academic, professional and generic skills by way of requiring an oral presentation, a group printing project, and an essay
• Former students are readily employed in a wide range of occupations both in NZ and overseas, including libraries and museums
• Students entering at Masters level now regularly upgrade to a PhD