Giving teaching advice meaning: the importance of contextualizing pedagogical instruction within the discipline

Moving a course to a blended, online, or distance environment prompts some level of course evaluation and re-design. Having an understanding of the teaching process, both within and across the disciplines, can have a profound effect in developing a cohesive academic program. With an understanding of pedagogy, an effective course developer can implement positive pedagogical change without undermining a discipline’s integrity. The course developer needs to have an awareness not only of how, but of what and why knowledge is taught within a discipline. An in-depth understanding of a subject cannot be achieved by a few generalized sessions with an academic. In a face-to-face setting, poor course design can often be compensated for by an astute academic where physical cues can be received directly from the students and delivery can be immediately adjusted accordingly. In online or distance learning, however, it can be harder to gauge student concern, so poor course design can have a devastating effect on student learning. This chapter highlights the importance of contextualising pedagogical instruction within a discipline when undertaking course evaluation and/or redesign.