eSTEeM Community Event: Theories of Learning and Pedagogy for Scholarship

Faciltator

Andrew Potter

Overview

In our day-to-day work in teaching and supporting students, what we do is – consciously or unconsciously – underpinned by the theories, assumptions and beliefs we hold about what learning is (theory of learning), and how best to do it (pedagogy).

It is especially important to be conscious of this when it comes to conducting Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, where our actions as investigators are influenced by our assumptions about what good teaching and learning looks like.

In this session, we will collectively take a step back from our daily professional practice and reflect upon what we believe – and why – about how teachers teach and how learners learn. 

We will look at the most influential schools of thought from the past 75 years, and discuss the advantages and shortcomings of each, and reflect upon how these theories impact the choices we make as teachers and supporters of student learning. 

This session is for anyone who wants to explore their understanding of teaching and learning – whether they have prior experience of theories of learning and pedagogy or are completely new to it.

Learning Objectives

By attending this session, you will:

• Develop your understanding of the most influential theories of learning from the past 75 years
• Be able to critically reflect on your own practice, using theories of learning as a basis for exploring your own assumptions
• Be able to justify and discuss with others your choices as a practitioner
• Understand how theories of learning and pedagogy underpin the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

About the facilitator

Andrew Potter is a Senior Lecturer and Staff Tutor in Mathematics & Statistics. Before joining the Open University as an Associate Lecturer in 2014, he worked in both Secondary Education and Further Education. He has an MA in Online and Distance Education and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Registration

This session is open to all OU STEM colleagues. Please visit My Learning Centre by Friday 4th December 2026 to register.

For any queries regarding this session, please contact [email protected].