ILT is an introductory suite of courses in higher education learning and teaching. It is aimed at anyone who has, or expects to have, a teaching, training, tutoring or laboratory-demonstrating role, or can be taken just out of interest by staff members, including PGRs, at the University of Birmingham.
Note that for PGTAs the introduction to the programme, ILT001, is compulsory before starting to teach; a second workshop then needs to be completed before or during teaching.
The short online courses are all available to take on Canvas from September to June, and take up to three hours each. Please note that ILT010: Open Classroom will differ slightly, as this involves participant-led activities, such as organising teaching observations.
You can simply pick and choose any topics that are of interest. The nine courses all stand alone, but we recommend taking the introductory course first. Anyone who completes five courses can apply for a certificate of attendance.
Once enrolled on a course, participants will need to complete an 'End of course activity' to confirm completion. This is usually a discussion board or individual submission to encourage reflection. Participants are generally expected to complete the course by the end of the month they request to complete the course. For those studying on ILT010, participants are expected to complete by the end of the 'Term' they register for.
Please note that these courses are not accredited.
If you are a PGTA
You must take two ILT workshops in order to be allowed to teach as a PGTA at the UoB.
Under the university's Code of Practice you are not allowed to start teaching unless you have taken ILT001 (the only exception being if your department has authorised an exemption e.g. based on higher education teaching qualifications). You should then take your second workshop soon afterwards.
If you are asked to teach and have not taken your two ILTs yet, your department will pay for the six hours. If you have already taken them, there is no retrospective payment. If you are not sure about your status on the training and whether or not you will be paid, you should raise this with your department/ School.
We recommend that you take ILT001 BEFORE you take any other workshops (see below for the list). If you teach small groups in labs, we recommend that for your second workshop you take ILT002; if you teach seminars we recommend ILT003.
We recommend ILT004 for anyone who will be giving feedback to students or assessing as it is useful to get you thinking before you get your department-specific training. Because of the importance of creating inclusive environments, we also suggest ILT006 and ILT009 (Teaching International Students). But of course you can choose what is most appropriate to your situation and interests, e.g. Teaching Academic Writing, or Teaching Large groups (Lectures).
Further Information
If you take a total of five ILT sessions, you are entitled to the Horizon Award for postgraduate teachers (a HEFi certificate of attendance of at least five workshops).
When you have completed five or more, contact pgcertcoursebookings@contacts.bham.ac.uk to request your certificate.