Profession philosophy lecturer

Philosophy lecturers are subject professors, teachers, or lecturers who instruct students who have obtained an upper secondary education diploma in their own specialised field of study, philosophy, which is predominantly academic in nature. They work with their university research assistants and university teaching assistants for the preparation of lectures and of exams, for grading papers and exams and for leading review and feedback sessions for the students. They also conduct academic research in their respective field of philosophy, publish their findings and liaise with other university colleagues.

Personality Type

• Social / Enterprising
• Social / Investigative
• Social / Artistic
• Social / Conventional
• Social / Realistic

Knowledge

• Philosophical schools of thought

  The various sets of philosophical ideas and styles throughout history up to the present such as Calvinism, hedonism and Kantianism.

• Metaphysics

  The philosophical study that is concerned with uncovering and explaining the first principles of things and the fundamental ideas by which people classify the world such as being, time and objects.

• Curriculum objectives

  The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

• Philosophy

  The different philosophical systems, their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices and their impact on human culture.

• History of philosophy

  The study of the development and evolution of philosophers, philosophical concepts, and ideas throughout history.

Skills

• Compile course material

  Write, select or recommend a syllabus of learning material for the students enrolled in the course.

• Apply teaching strategies

  Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners' level, goals, and priorities.

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Prepare lesson content

  Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.

• Perform classroom management

  Maintain discipline and engage students during instruction.

• Apply intercultural teaching strategies

  Ensure that the content, methods, materials and the general learning experience is inclusive for all students and takes into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Explore individual and social stereotypes and develop cross-cultural teaching strategies.

• Develop course outline

  Research and establish an outline of the course to be taught and calculate a time frame for the instructional plan in accordance with school regulations and curriculum objectives.

• Teach philosophy

  Instruct students in the theory and practice of philosophy, and more specifically in topics such as morality, philosophers throughout history, and philosophical ideologies.

• Give constructive feedback

  Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.

• Write work-related reports

  Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.

• Assess students

  Evaluate the students' (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.

• Demonstrate when teaching

  Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.

• Monitor developments in field of expertise

  Keep up with new research, regulations, and other significant changes, labour market related or otherwise, occurring within the field of specialisation.

• Liaise with educational staff

  Communicate with the school staff such as teachers, teaching assistants, academic advisors, and the principal on issues relating to students' well-being. In the context of a university, liaise with the technical and research staff to discuss research projects and courses-related matters.

• Liaise with educational support staff

  Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues relating the students' well-being.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB