Workshop: Critical Thinking and the Art of Asking Questions – 28th February 2019

(PGT) Critical Thinking and the Art of Asking Questions

• Thursday 28th February 2019 @ 13:10-16:00

Jonas Salk, the scientist whose team discovered one of the first successful polio vaccines, once said: “What people think of as the moment of discovery is really the discovery of the question.”

This advanced questioning skills masterclass will teach students a new approach to enquiry and critical thinking.

The method emphasises humility, finely tuned listening, empathy, and Eastern and Western perspectives on mindfulness. The format features short video clips of interviews conducted by today’s top TV reporters and hosts in the US, UK and Canada to reinforce principles and techniques.

Throughout the session, students will work in small groups on a short exercise and a case study designed to apply what they’ve learned to research pursuits. Students will learn the Seven Deadly Sins of Asking Questions, the principles of great questions, the fundamentals of developing a research/dissertation question, and the techniques to develop a compelling question path, including leading someone into the moment of the topic and discovering and exploring “change points”.

Students will emerge from the workshop with enhanced questioning skills and a new level of critical thinking.

To book a place, please click here.

You can see all upcoming workshops here.

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Online Workshop: Zotero Web (Bibliographic Tool) – 27th February 2019

(PGT – Online) Zotero (Bibliographic Tool) Tutorial

• 27th February 2019 @ 10:00-10:50

This session is intended for any online distance learner who would like get help or advice for using Zotero to keep a database of literature sources and create reference lists easily in essays and other written work. This workshop is also open to PGR and UG students.

*Before* the workshop, you should

1. Sign up for a Zotero account https://www.zotero.org/user/register/

2. Download both the Firefox plugin and the standalone client: https://www.zotero.org/download/

3. Follow these video tutorials for getting started https://www.zotero.org/support/screencast_tutorials

4. Try to use Zotero before the tutorial – you’ll get more out of the tutorial if you do.

This session will take place via blackboard collaborate (virtual classroom). Booking is required in order to receive the workshop link and further information about how to join the session.

To book a place, please click here.

You can see all upcoming workshops here.

PGT Newsletter (February 2019)

The Institute for Academic Development PGT Newsletter (February 2019) is now live. You can download it from  http://edin.ac/16wZUnc

The newsletter provides further information about:

• What does the IAD do?
• The Festival of Creative Learning
• Upcoming PGT Workshops
• Featured Workshop: Critical Thinking and the Art of Asking Questions
• U21/PwC Innovation Challenge
• 5 Ways to Wellbeing

 

Workshop: Developing Your Research Question – 11th February 2019

(PGT) Developing Your Research Question

• Monday 11th February 2019 @ 10:00-13:00

Research is about answering questions. These may arise in our day-to-day work, our studies or unexpectedly, apparently out of the blue. But, there is a difference between an idle thought and a meaningful research question. This workshop is about this difference and takes participants through those important first steps in the research process, helping them develop their own research questions and to begin thinking like a researcher.

After the workshop each participant will:

•  be familiar with the history of the research process
• understand the range of different types of questions and be able to identify those that may be defined as research questions
• be familiar with examples of good and bad research questions
• understand the importance of an hypothesis
• have a working strategy for developing their own research question.

To find out more and to book a place, please click on the following link:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

Online Workshop: Getting Started with Your Studies – 23rd January 2019

(PGT – Online) Getting Started with Your Studies

• Wednesday 23rd January 2019 @ 19:00-20:00

Starting a Masters programme can be an exciting but stressful time. You will have to fit a lot of challenging work around your other commitments. This online, interactive workshop will be based on participant responses to the question:

What’s the one thing do you want to know about starting your studies but were too afraid to ask?

Depending on responses, the workshop may cover:

• Differences between undergraduate and postgraduate learning environment
• Academic expectations
• Getting the most out of your course

Participants are encouraged to ask questions and raise issues they would like to discuss during the workshop.

This online workshop will duplicate some topics discussed in the on-campus workshop ‘Getting Started at Masters level’, please click here for further details. Students are advised to attend either one, or the other.

What does this workshop include?

This is a general workshop designed to clue participants into starting their masters studies. It will not be an in-depth workshop on any particular topic(s). The IAD (and some programmes) provide detailed workshops on study-related topics later in the semester.

This session will take place via blackboard collaborate (virtual classroom). Booking is required in order to receive the workshop link and further information about how to join the session.

 

To book a place, please click here.

You can see all upcoming workshops here.

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2019 at the IAD!

Happy New Year and welcome for those returning to their programmes and those starting to study their new programmes!

The Taught team at the Institute for Academic Development offers a varied programme of support for MSc students across the University of Edinburgh for 2019.

• Workshops

We run a range of courses and workshops on-campus and online tailored specifically for Masters Student’s throughout the year. More details about our upcoming workshops for 2019 can be found at the IAD postgraduate workshops website: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

• Study Skills Consultations

We offer face to face and online study skills consultations for Masters students, these are with one of our Study Development Advisor’s. More details about Study Skills Consultations can be found here: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/study

• Learning Resources

There are a series of Learning Resources designed for Masters students on the IAD website, these cover a range of topics including advice on preparing for exams and writing dissertations.

• Blogs, Tweets and Newsletter

We regularly post to the iad4 masters blog, advertising upcoming workshops and highlighting advice. We have an twitter account, from which we promote workshops and events that may be of interest. Every month we also send out a Newsletter (via email) which you can receive through your school. You can also find the newsletter online.

Workshop: Critical! (Reading, Writing, Thinking) – 9th November 2018

Critical! (Reading, Writing, Thinking)

• Friday 9th November 2018 @ 10:00-13:00

‘Critical’ is a word that is frequently used in academic discourse. Students are advised to think, read and write ‘critically’. But what does ‘critical’ actually mean in an academic context? In this workshop we identify qualities that are core to a critical engagement with academic work, and we explore through examples how you can apply critical values to your reading, writing and academic practice.

To book a place, please click here.

You can see all upcoming workshops here.

PGT Newsletter (November 2018)

The Institute for Academic Development PGT Newsletter (November 2018) is now live. You can download it from  http://edin.ac/16wZUnc

The newsletter provides further information about:

• What does the IAD do?
• PTAN Lunch – Student Rep Invitation
• Exam Bootcamp
• Upcoming PGT Workshops
• Mini Writing Bootcamp
• engage networks
• 5 Ways to Wellbeing

Online Workshop: Improving Your Grammar and Punctuation – 6th November 2018

(PGT – Online) Top 10 Tips for Improving Your Grammar and Punctuation

• 6th November @ 19:00-20:00

Grammar should be like the background music in a film. If it’s good you hardly notice it. If it’s bad, it jars and distracts you, and does not allow you to focus on what’s important. We write to communicate our ideas, opinions and discoveries. If the way we write obscures these goals in any way, then we have to rethink our approach. Some people think grammar is unimportant, being a secondary issue to the main thrust of their writing. However, if your use, or misuse, of grammar and punctuation leads your reader to stumble over your meaning, you have failed. Grammar is important.

In this online session, we will look at the most common problems faced by technical writers when it comes to grammar and punctuation. And, using a lot of examples we will learn how to avoid these problems.

This session will take place via blackboard collaborate (virtual classroom). Booking is required in order to receive the workshop link and further information about how to join the session.

To book a place, please click here.

You can see all upcoming workshops here.

Online Workshop: Being Critical for Assignments – 1st November 2018

(PGT – Online) Being Critical for Assignments

• 1st November 2018 @ 19:00-20:00

As a masters student, you will have probably been told to demonstrate critical thinking in your assignments. But what does this mean and how do you do it?

This interactive online workshop will give you some tips and strategies on how to practice and communicate critical thinking in your assignments.

It would be useful for students to have with them an assignment they have been set, and any marking criteria. Alternatively, students could have a previous assignment and any feedback they have been provided.

Students are encouraged to comment and ask questions during the workshop.

This session will take place via blackboard collaborate (virtual classroom). Booking is required in order to receive the workshop link and further information about how to join the session.

To book a place, please click here.

You can see all upcoming workshops here.