The Teaching &
Learning Methods Unit
Get to know who we are
People are at the heart of everything we stand for. Our goal is to improve the fundamental processes involved in teaching and learning at PNG University of Technology.
We act as a resource to the PNG University of Technology academic community to enhance instructional practices and deepen student learning; inform its practice through using and engaging in pedagogical research; and contribute expertise to the broader external discussions in Higher Education. The Teaching Learning Methods Unit exists to inspire teaching excellence, innovation, technology use and inquiry in teaching and learning within and beyond the Papua New Guinea University of Technology. We encourage interactive collaboration with individuals, academic departments, and academic support units to foster capacity and community around teaching and promote an institutional culture that values effective student-centered teaching and meaningful learning. To achieve our mission, we:
- support exploration, integration, and evaluation of different approaches to teaching and learning
- listen to, question, encourage, and celebrate PNGUoT Educators
- anticipate and address evolving issues and opportunities within higher education
- offer expertise locally, nationally, and internationally to foster leadership in Teaching
- provide cross-disciplinary, institution-wide Professional Development programs
- support instructional and curriculum development for individuals, departments, and faculties
- communicate and support best practices in teaching and learning at PNGUoT
- provide research support and resources to PNGUoT students and staff
Our Core Activities
TLMU runs a Post Graduate Certificate in Student Centered Teaching; a program that equips Academics with introductory learning and teaching concepts and strategies. While this course focuses on ICT and its teaching tools, it also equips the participants with awareness and appreciation of current pedagogical trends in global higher education. Since inception in 2015, over 40 staff members have graduated from this program that runs from 4.00-6.00pm weekly. This program is housed in the Communication for Development Studies Department of the University.
Meet our Team
Eric Gilder - Acting Director
Eric Gilder is currently the Acting Director of TLMU and Professor Dr habil. in the Department of Communication and Development Studies at PNGUoT. A citizen of the United States of America, he holds a PhD in Communication from The Ohio State University, USA (1992), and a habilitation doctorate in Philology (English language) from the Lucian Blaga University in Romania (2020). Professor Gilder’s professional academic experience spans decades of teaching undergraduate and post-graduate programs at universities in the USA, Romania, Korea, and Liberia, as well as being a higher education specialist writer/editor and consultant for organizations such as the Open Society Foundation, Romania, UNESCO’s European Centre for Higher Education and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
Since coming to PNGUoT in 2013, Professor Gilder has taught in and coordinated the Postgraduate Course in Student-Centered Teaching and chairs the University-wide Academic Quality Assurance Team (AQAT). He has continued to publish research relevant to these topics and is a member of the DHERST Panel of Experts.
Ms Dora Kialo, Assistant Director
Assistant Director, Ms Kialo is a PhD Scholar who knows that to be a complete intellectual and to have a more wholesome perspective of education, it is necessary to know a bit more every day. Dora is open to new ideas because she knows that one way or another all of them are interconnected especially when it comes to education in an engineering university.
Lorraine Senginawa, Administrative Officer
Lorraine is a vibrant officer who assists with the collection of AQAT Files from lecturers, collection of student responses in the Student Online Evaluation of Teachers and ensures the office is functioning and operational all year round.
Lemuel Dom, IT Officer
Lemuel is the Units IT Officer. He is primarily in charge of collecting responses from the Student Online Evaluation of Teachers. Lemuel is available to assist all students and staff members who need technical assistance with IT related issues.
