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The perception that new lecturers do not have time to learn to teach is an interesting one. Do we just assume that the skill of teaching is inherent in anyone who has a PhD?

In running postgraduate certificates in teaching and learning in higher education, institutions are offering a chance to short-circuit the process of acquiring teaching skills. The arrogance of suggesting that because new lecturers have been through the education system themselves they do not need to learn to teach is akin to believing that you are able to perform surgery because you once had your tonsils out.

Perhaps the skewed sample quoted in the article was just unlucky.

Karen Thomson
Lecturer in higher education educational development
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