Highlights and Recap: CTLE Hosted Professional Development Event on Evidence-based Teaching and Learning

On 3 September, 2025, the Centre for Teaching and Learning Enhancement (CTLE) hosted a half-day professional development event on Evidence-based Teaching and Learning, attracting about 55 UM colleagues. The event featured a dynamic programme focused on practical approaches to support diverse learners and improve assessment effectiveness.

Prof. Michael Hui, Vice Rector (Academic Affairs), welcomed faculty to the event in his opening remarks. He said that evidence-based teaching and learning emphasized using research, instructor observations and student feedback to inform teaching practices, encouraging active engagement to enhance teaching for this academic year. (Watch Prof. Hui’s opening remarks)

Dr. Greg Siering (Indiana University Bloomington) delivered an engaging online workshop, introducing the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework, which can enhance student outcomes, particularly for underprepared and second-language learners. The TILT model emphasizes purpose, tasks and criteria for success, improving learning, confidence, belonging and metacognitive skills, with lasting impacts on persistence.

Dr. Siering engaged the audience interactively by having participants critique sample assignments using TILT. Attendees also had the opportunity to review their own assignments, exchanging peer feedback to refine clarity and structure. Dr. Siering addressed using generative AI to generate examples. Key strategies discussed during his workshop include:

• Articulating purpose (course, major, life relevance);
• Detailing tasks with clear steps and pitfalls;
• Providing rubrics and examples for success;
• Encouraging student feedback for refinement; and
• Supporting second-language learners with structured processing time.

The slides, handouts and video of Dr. Siering’s presentation are available on our website.

Led by Prof. Katrine Wong (DCTLE), the Faculty Mini-Presentations highlighted innovative, evidence-based teaching strategies:

• Maggie Hoi (ICMS) shared her evidence-based teaching strategies for teaching and learning of pharmacology, a challenging subject for students. She designed engaging assignments, such as asking students to create YouTube-style explainer videos on Botox, connecting concepts to daily life, as well as asking students to critique AI-generated content. Slides and video of Prof. Hoi are available on our website.
• Morris Liu (FBA) discussed teaching Financial Accounting in Hospitality and Gaming, using a team project on financial leasing for airlines in Portuguese-speaking countries. In class, he provides templates, anonymized past assignments and feedback to guide students. The project encourages active participation, real-world application and progress recognition. Slides and video of Prof. Liu are available on our website.
• Nick Groom (FAH) outlined his English literature teaching, using study groups, close reading and frequent formative assessments to promote collaboration and metacognition. He used his course on Tolkien as an example, in which he gamified the Battle of Maldon to engage students with Anglo-Saxon literature and encouraged creative outputs like board games to connect historical texts to modern contexts. Slides and video of Prof. Groom are available on our website.

At the technology session, Dr. Chris Fulton introduced practical strategies for technology-enhanced assessment (TEA) and tracking student progress in Moodle. The session covered specification-based grading, feedforward practices, and demonstrated tools like rubrics, quizzes with feedback, and polls. Participants also explored Moodle’s reporting features—such as activity completion and course participation—to monitor engagement and support learning effectively. Slides and video of Dr. Fulton are available on our website.