Initiative idea

To enhance the exchange of experiences among faculty members and share best teaching practices, the Deanship of Development and Quality Assurance launched the idea of presenting distinguished teaching practices in the form of illustrative posters. The contributions included experiences that improved teaching, assessment, or classroom management from the faculty’s perspective.

Believing in the importance of enhancing the student learning experience and valuing student voice, students were also invited—through the Jusoor program supervised by the Alumni Office—to participate by sharing their views on effective teaching practices. Students highlighted practices that influenced their learning experience, whether through a course they studied or through distinguished teaching practices they observed elsewhere (in other courses or even in other universities) and wished to see implemented at King Faisal University to improve the overall teaching and learning experience.

Initiative Objectives

1. Equip faculty members with techniques and knowledge related to teaching and its technologies.
2. Foster innovation and creativity in teaching and learning among faculty members.
3. Encourage the active exchange of ideas between faculty members.
4. Emphasize the importance of involving students in the educational process.

Implementation Requirements

Phase 1:

Program design by the Educational Empowerment Unit to provide faculty with skills in teaching and learning technologies. A two-day training program was delivered to 32 faculty members who wished to participate in the newsletter.

Phase 2:

Participants applied the acquired skills in their courses with students over a period of nine weeks.

Phase 3:

Collection and evaluation of submissions, selecting the best ones for inclusion in the newsletter, based on design and content criteria set by the Deanship of Development and Quality Assurance.

Target Groups

• Faculty members.
• Students.

Importance of the Initiative

• Enhance the exchange of expertise and experiences among faculty members through sharing best teaching practices.
• Incorporate students’ perspectives on teaching practices that positively shaped their learning.
• Bridge the gap between faculty members’ teaching practices and students’ evolving needs, thus improving the overall educational experience.

Implementation Activities

After collecting submissions from faculty members and students, the most outstanding contributions were selected based on creativity and design. These were then compiled into the Excellence in Teaching Practices Newsletter, published on the Deanship’s webpage and shared with the university community through the Sharek system.

Summary of Achievements and Number of Beneficiaries

Faculty Participation:

16 faculty members from the following colleges: Clinical Pharmacy, Education, Agricultural and Food Sciences, Science, and Engineering.

Student Participation:

9 students from the following colleges: Law, Business Administration, Science, and Engineering.

Expected Outcomes

• Diversification of teaching methods and enhanced exchange of expertise among faculty members.
• Greater recognition of students’ input in shaping and improving the learning experience.