Teaching and learning
A landing page for teachers to help them find services and support related to teaching and learning.
Teaching practices
Aalto University is a multidisciplinary university, and its six schools have different teaching traditions and teaching needs. What students do can therefore vary in many ways from, for example, how they write (text, code, equations, formulas, etc.) to their designs, products, artwork, and projects to their overall portfolios and productions. These all require different approaches to learning objectives, teaching practices, and assessment. In addition, each teacher has their own personal style and preferences for teaching. They themselves choose how to conduct teaching in their own classroom, studio, or other learning environment.
Nevertheless, there are some common measures that teachers need to take in each course, both administrative and pedagogical. To make everything go smoothly, a teacher needs to confirm student registrations for a course, design and distribute the learning materials, give assignments, and manage submissions, assessment, and feedback.
Nevertheless, there are some common measures that teachers need to take in each course, both administrative and pedagogical. To make everything go smoothly, a teacher needs to confirm student registrations for a course, design and distribute the learning materials, give assignments, and manage submissions, assessment, and feedback.
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Teaching practices in the lifespan of a course
Below, you can find a checklist for teaching practices and steps that need to be taken over the entire lifespan of a course, as well as some of the pedagogical considerations they are based on. There are also links to useful information for teaching at Aalto University.
Practices for teaching and academic advising can vary between the schools. For more detailed information, contact your school's Learning Services or Teacher Services.
If you are just starting out as a teacher at Aalto, please, read the Teacher onboarding page first.
Before the course
- Look up the course contents and description. They can be found on student information system Sisu.
- Check that you have access to the online learning environment MyCourses workspace for your course. Log in MyCourses with your Aalto.id in here.
- Remember to check the feedback from the previous implementation of the course, and reflect on the key take-aways.
- Plan how the student communication will occur, when and through what channels.
- Update the syllabus and design the course structure on MyCourses.
- Prepare learning materials, e.g. lectures and assignments, and make sure that learning materials, videos, and MyCourses course pages are accessible. Also, plan assessment and feedback methods, as well as feedback practices.
- Upload the learning materials to the MyCourses workspace and set up learning activities.
- Confirm student registrations for the course, in Sisu. After that, the student information will transfer automatically to MyCourses.
In case you have IT related matters to consider for ensuring a smooth start for a course, you can find more information via this link.
Pedagogical considerations
- Reflecting on your own teaching philosophy: what do you think about teaching and learning and your own role as a teacher?
- Planning carefully the teaching methods to be in line with the course objectives and intended learning outcomes. Also the number of students in the course affects the teaching methods that you are able to use.
- Familiarizing yourself with medical reasons for individual study arrangements and aiming at creating course practices and learning situations that support the learning of all students.
- Designing your course in a way that supports participation and inclusion, for example, using Universal Design for Learning framework and tips collected from Aalto students' course feedback. Familiarize yourself also with EDI Learning Hub and Back to Studies cards.
- Designing methods to actively engage students in your class, for example with MyCourses or Presemo.
- Preparing and producing engaging teaching materials.
- When designing the assignments, calculate the student workload.
- Designing assessment principles and feedback methods.
If you need help, contact Teacher Services or Book a session with a specialist.
During the course
- Deliver course lectures - onsite, hybrid, or online.
- Remind students of their right to individual study arrangements and ask them to contact you at the beginning of the course or when registering for the exam if needed.
- Build a safe atmosphere for interaction together with students using support material.
- Go forward with course activities, assignments, and assessments.
- Follow student activity, for example with MyCourses Attendance activity.
- Facilitate student interaction and collect mid-course feedback with the course feedback tool in MyCourses.
- Aim for continual feedback and assessment.
Pedagogical considerations
- Designing the methods of facilitating learning and delivering the course content.
- Fostering interaction through discussions and assignments, e.g. designing for individual or group work and peer assessment.
- Remembering continual assessment and continual feedback.
See also Aalto University's Teamwork First-Aid Kit for supporting teamwork.
If you need help, contact Teacher Services or Book a session with a specialist.
After the course
- Assess the student outcomes in line with the learning outcome expectations.
- Export the final grades to Sisu.
- Study the course feedback.
- Reflect on developing yourself as a teacher and the course.
Pedagogical considerations
- Conducting final assessment and grading.
- Developing the course based on the student outcomes and course feedback.
If you need help, contact Teacher Services or Book a session with a specialist.
Academic calendar
Aalto University teaching periods and other key dates
Related information
Tools and tips for teaching
Digital platforms for teaching and learning in Aalto University
Course feedback in Aalto University
Student perspectives
The Aalto University Learning Services helps students with studies related matters. Important information for students can be found in the Student Guide.
Central to community and inclusion is that the community members feel accepted and valued as themselves. Belonging to a study community means gaining experiences of the relevance of studies and identification with the student community. The sense of belonging is unique and can only be triggered if students identify themselves with the community. That is why it is important to think how to create and promote the sense of inclusion in your teaching.
Guidance and support for study planning, study wellbeing, and career reflections for Aalto students.
Aalto University Learning Services (LES) is responsible for all services which facilitate the smooth progression of studies at the university.
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