TeachWell Framework
The Framework is a set of design principles that contextualise good teaching practice in a university setting.
Download the TeachWell Framework document (PDF 333 KB)
About the TeachWell Framework
Teaching well enables greater success for all our students, and supports them to thrive and excel. At its heart is the centrality of whanaungatanga, the reciprocal relationship between teacher and students in ways that both learn.
The TeachWell Framework promotes a high-quality student experience by outlining the fundamental capabilities that teachers need in order to successfully implement the signature pedagogical practices, outlined in our curriculum framework. It supports the University’s ambition to create a high-quality learning experience for our students and to describe capabilities that are considered reasonable for all university teachers to be able to achieve. The Framework was developed in discussion with Faculty representatives and was approved by Senate in July 2019.
Video: Strategic perspectives
Video: Implementation examples
Video: Reflective conversations
Describing the capabilities
Core capabilities
Core capabilities describe a reasonable level of general capability that we expect to see in our teachers. Examples include: Develop appropriate learning outcomes and design teaching and assessment to align with these; establish a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment to embrace diversity; provide timely feedback for students to focus on improving gaps in their knowledge and skills. Please refer to the Framework document for details.
Design narrative
What informs your design of learning and assessment?
Reflection narrative
What are the student assessments and trajectory of feedback telling you about your teaching? What is changing as a result?
Contribution narrative
How are you contributing to the teaching culture of the department?
Extended capabilities
The Framework document outlines examples of extending your capability to: develop a learning culture to facilitate student engagement/involvement; integrate evidence-based (research-informed) approaches into your teaching and engage in scholarly literature to improve your approach; analyse and respond to feedback from students and peers, including SET and peer observations; proactively engage in your own learning as a teacher. Please refer to the Framework document for details.
Design narrative
What philosophical and theoretical insights inform your design of learning?
Impact narratives
Work samples 1
Is there evidence (as represented in work samples) of students meeting the learning objectives? How does their grasp of the subject differ among them? What does analysis of students’ work tell you about how they are learning the central ideas and to your teaching goals? How are you identifying and addressing errors and misinterpretations?
Distribution
What is the range or distribution of learning across the class? What percentage achieved a high, middle, or low range of success? How is this distributed by gender? For Māori? By equity groups? How might you account for this distribution? Are you satisfied with this? Why or why not?
Research
What evidence are you drawing on to inform ongoing experimentation to improve learning?
Leadership of teaching and learning narrative
How are you influencing the teaching practices of others, within the department, within the University and beyond, to improve learning? How are you being ‘public’ about your teaching?
Professional Learning Series
The TeachWell Professional Learning Series supports the Framework by offering teachers a range of professional learning opportunities to help implement evidence-based educational practice, innovation and excellence.
Page updated 24/04/2024 (added intro video and link to Professional Learning Series)
- Adapted from Bernstein, Daniel, Amy N. Burnett, Amy M. Goodburn, Paul Savoy. Making Teaching and Learning Visible. San Francisco: Anker Publishing, 2006 ↩