Teaching is on course 1

The spate of letters whingeing about courses for new lecturers reminds me of students who, when they bother to show up at all, sit sullenly at the back of the lecture hall, fall asleep halfway through a lecture and then complain that they haven't learnt anything. You get nothing out if you put nothing in.

In fact, the methods and concepts taught in most of these courses are backed by a great deal of evidence that they work, when used appropriately. These include: providing learning outcomes to indicate depth and breadth of learning, small group teaching, peer observation, interactive lectures, reflective writing, blueprinting and standard setting for assessments and, yes, even the much-maligned handouts. These all can contribute to improved learning and (more important) better retention as well as greater coherence in programmes and sharing of good practice among colleagues.

Moreover, these courses also raise awareness of legal and ethical responsibilities such as supporting disabled students and supervising postgraduates, and help guide new lecturers through the maze of university committees and procedures such as personal development planning and the research assessment exercise.

But mostly, these courses are about giving new lecturers some knowledge and dedicated time to think about their teaching, develop and find their own style, and have the skills to critique and analyse the results. The brave souls who run these courses are themselves often ex-lecturers who have declared their interest in helping new academics to improve the student experience and should be applauded, not reviled by small-minded academic colleagues. It appears that Christopher Ricks ("No rest for the smitten", May ) was correct when he bemoaned the "institutionalising of ingratitude" when it comes to teaching.

Jean McKendree
Hull York Medical School