Support for teachers
Last changed: 22 April 2024
As a teacher at SLU, you are responsible for the course components you teach. On this page, you will find information about support and service functions at SLU that may be useful to you when you plan your teaching.
Photo: Jenny Svennås-Gillner
Below you will find information on the following:
Communication
Guide on searching and writing
The guide on searching and writing is a web guide with useful tips for information retrieval and writing. The guide has been compiled with the help of students and teachers, and is a resource for teaching general competences. The guide contains several film clips, and as a teacher you can embed material from the guide in Fronter.
Read more about the library's Centre for Academic Language.
Use the correct system when communicating with the student
Today, there are primarily four systems that you should use to disseminate information to students.
Apps for academics
The SLU Library has a web page with suggestions for how to use your phone or tablet to become more efficient at work.
Contact the SLU Library.
Using images in teaching
The images in the SLU image bank depict various activities within the university, and they can be used freely. On these web pages, you will also find tips on choosing the right images and how to best use them.
Visit the SLU image bank.
Document templates
Use the SLU templates for documents and presentations - that way you do not have to create your own, and you can be sure that the colour palette, fonts etc. are in accordance with the SLU brand manual.
Templates are available for Word and Powerpoint.
Language (Swedish and English)
On these pages you will find language-related tips and tools, such as the SLU style guide and a Swedish-English glossary. You will also find guidelines on plain language to help you get your message across efficiently.
Read more about plain language or look at the style guide or the SLU glossary.
News for staff and students
If you have news for staff or students that concern teaching, contact the Division of Communication or the Division of Educational Affairs - for news to be published on the web, email adm-press@slu.se, for the staff magazine Resurs, contact resurs@slu.se.
Laws and regulations
All teachers at SLU have a professional mission by virtue of their scientific and educational competence and their experience.
SLU's teachers are also expected to be familiar with the laws and regulations that apply to Swedish universitites, as well as SLU's own regulations such as those on teaching students with an impairment.
You will find more useful information on the page Planning and running courses: course leader.
Media
Video conferencing
At times, you may want to broadcoast a lecture by video. AV Support will help you connect to other SLU campuses.
Recording lectures and educational material
If you need help recording a lecture, contact Educational Media. They can also produce educational film clips, instructions or record selections of your teaching.
Produce your own film clips
Do you want to find out more about using video in your teaching? Do you want to be able to record your own film clips? Educational Media can help you get started.
Interactive media and learning
Ineractive media is about the user interacting with the web - the content changes depending on the user's actions. If you need help creating interactive media for teaching, Educational Media can help. Using interactive media in teaching is something that is often appreciated by students.
Help with animations and illustrations
Animations and illustrations can strengthen your message and make it clearer. An animation or an illustration can be a way of describing concepts that are harder to grasp if they are only presented in writing.
Teaching
Teaching in higher ecucation
EPU, the Centre for Educational Development, offers courses on teaching in higher education.. Some of the courses offered are:
- Teaching in higher education, step 1
- Teaching in higher education, step 2
- Supervising doctoral students
- CPD courses for teachers, with varying themes
Read more abou the courses and who to contact if you have questions.
Course design
Do you need help designing a course? The EPU offers support through consulation to working groups or groups of staff responsible for a course or a programme.
For more information, please contact the EPU.
Improve your teaching
Do need help improving the pedagogy aspect of your teaching? The EPU offers consultations for teachers and work groups. The can also support teachers in the use of Fronter, focusing on the possibilities this course platform offers as well as potential problems.
For more information, please contact the EPU.
Courses at the SLU Library
The SLU Library cooperates with programme directors of study, teachers and course leaders on integrating library courses with SLU's programmes. Here is a sample of what you can include in your courses:
- Search strategy and search process
- Locating and accessing scientific information
- Source criticism
- Citing, referencing and writing a bibliography
- Copyright issues
- Plagiarism
- Electronic publishing and Open Access
Contact the library to discuss the content of your course or programme.
Centre for Academic Language
Do your students need help developing their written and oral presentation skills? The Centre for Academic Language can help by offering student support and by teaching on programmes.
Examples of the kind of support we offer:
- Presentations and workshops on scientific writing, the writing process and oral presentation.
- Review of the progression of written and oral presentation skills in degree programmes.
- Feedback on programme structure and suggestions on how the writing can be integrated as a support resource.
Our presentations and workshops will be adapted to your needs, and all planning takes place in cooperation with those teaching the course.
One-to-one sessions with students
Please inform your students or Phd students the opportunity to book an one-to-one session with a tutor. We also have drop-in hours.
We can help with:
- Getting started, overcoming "writer's block" or "speech fright"
- A work plan
- Language and style
- Structure and outline
- Abstract technique
- Opportunity to practice and get feedback on your oral presentation skills
- Study technique
What we cannot do is help with the content, or proofread text. Our support is intended to serve as an aid to self-help.
Contact us at: academic-language@slu.se
Read more here about our support for your students.
Workshops
The Library organises workshops around different themes of interest to both staff and students. Some examples:
- Creating an inspiring presentation
- Excel – not just for lists
- Reference management tools – which one should I choose?
The EPU also organises various workshops such as:
- How to write transparent grading criteria
- Methods for defining and assessing the progression of sustainable development in teaching
If you have suggestions for workshop themes, please contact the EPU. First, check the workshops already scheduled.
Teachers' lunches
The EPU arranges teachers' lunches during the semester, with the aim to provide inspiration in a relaxed setting.
In case of problems
As a teacher, you may sometimes experience problems in your teaching - it may not work the way you wish, and the role of teacher may feel stressful. In addition to the staff at your department, your faculty and the HR Unit may be able to help.
Your department
The head of department is responsible for his/her staff and for the working environment. He/She also has the main responsibility fo courses offered by the department, however this responsibility is often delegated to the programme director of studies and the course leader/examiner.
Faculty programme directors
- The LTV Faculty: Vacant (Contact: Kristin Andersson, 040-41 50 03)
- The NJ Faculty: Helena Eklund Snäll, 018-67 22 42
- The S Faculty: Anders Jäderlund, 090-786 84 66
- The VH Faculty: Karin Camp, 018-67 21 46
The HR Unit can help on issues related to working environment and health as well as professional development and career.
There are also support functions specifically for students.
Support
Logins
The IT Support Unit can help with logins to the SLU network.
Sound and image
For questions about image and sound on your own computer, please contact IT Support.
For questions about image and sound on other equipment than your own computer, please contact IT Support.
Systems and support
AV Support has guides for the video conferencing equipment.
Book a librarian
Do you need more in-depth help with something library-related? On the page Book a librarian, you will find answers to some commonly asked questions, for example on information retrieval, reference management, copyright, cheating and plagiarism and electronic publishing.