Teaching methods
Teaching is delivered in the Department using a variety of methods, both online and face to face. The methods outlined below are not an exhaustive list
Lectures: Lectures are presentations by a lecturer to a large group of students. Lectures are effective for conveying information and when used in conjunction with other methods, such as set reading, seminars and tutorials, they can provide a useful overview of a subject and help students to make sense of their other work.
Seminars: Seminars are usually small group sessions facilitated by a lecturer on a specific subject which may have been outlined in an associated lecture. The seminars support the student to apply the information from lectures to practice and/or their other academic work.
Tutorials: Tutorials refer to one to one meetings with your supervisor enabling you to look specifically at your academic progress and pastoral support.
All of the methods are used to deliver knowledge, to interpret and explain difficult concepts and to illustrate their use. In most sessions you will find that you need to consolidate your understanding of the content by undertaking extra reading. An important skill to develop is the ability to write a coherent set of notes covering the essential points of each session.
Electronic information sources will also be provided for you to access through Yorkshare – the ‘Virtual Learning Environment’ (VLE) which is a web-based portal for the exchange of academic materials. You will need your University username and password to access the VLE.
Please always try to arrive for sessions in good time. Late arrival prevents a prompt start and disturbs other students as well as the lecturer. You must not make or receive telephone calls or text messages during lectures and you should ensure mobile phones are switched off/silent before entering a teaching room.
Teaching timetable
Your timetable is available via the Student Home Page. You will need your University username and password to log on.
On this page, you are able to view your timetable and, should you wish to do so, link this up with your Google Calendar, smartphone or tablet. Please note that it is your responsibility to configure your smartphone or tablet correctly and that you must have regular internet access.
It is important that you check your personal timetable using a personal computer on a regular basis.
For any queries about your timetable you should contact the Central University IT service in the first instance.