Teaching Excellence Workshop

Teaching Excellence Workshop

Geoffrey Gamble, President

Joseph Fedock, Provost

Gregory Young, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education

Marvin Lansverk, Chair, Faculty Council

Jeff Adams, AVP

Lynn Owens, HHD

Our Goals for the Workshop Highlight the characteristics of good

teaching Introduce various instructional and

assessment strategies to improve student learning

Help you prepare for next week! Introduction to P&T and Sponsored

Programs/Technology Transfer Share some wisdom from senior

faculty

Academic Advising Workshop forNew Faculty

Details to be announced (but will certainly involve food) Agenda:

What advising at MSU looks like Questions advisors should ask CORE 2.0 Tips for effective advising Advising resources across campus How the Academic Advising Center and departmental advising work

together

Sponsored by the Academic Advising Center (University Studies) and the Teaching/Learning Committee

Look for an e-mail announcement

What is your level of teaching experience?A. I could probably run this workshop.B. I have as much experience as many

associate professors.C. I have limited experience as the

primary instructor.D. My only teaching has been in labs

or recitations.E. I have no experience.

Introductions Name Where are you from? What department are you in? What is your research area? Describe the courses you will be

teaching this year.

It is now 9:45

What is your comfort level about your teaching assignment(s) this year?

A. TerrifiedB. C. D. E. Totally Compfortable

Observing Teaching Questions to think about while

watching: the strengths and weaknesses of the

instruction the amount of learning you think is

occurring

Questions to think about: Do you want to be remembered? How do you want to be

remembered? Remember your best teacher:

What made them best for you? Were they best for everyone?

Remember your worst teacher: What made them the worst for you? Were they the worst for everyone?

What Constitutes Good Teaching (Guide page 2)* Sensitivity and Concern with Class Level

and Progress Preparation--Organization of the course Knowledge of the Subject Enthusiasm (for subject and teaching) Clarity and Understandability Availability and Helpfulness Impartiality of Evaluation; Quality of

Examinations

(*summary of 31 studies from student and faculty perspectives)

What about Millennials?The five R’s of engagement:

1. Relevance trying to solve problems they find

intriguing, beautiful, or important

2. Rationale – they want to know why3. Relaxed – they are less formal4. Rapport – connect on personal level5. Research-Based Methods – It is all

about engagement.

Coffee Break

We’ll start promptly at 10:45 !!

Active Learning in Your Classroom

To lecture or not to lecture, that is the

question.

What is active learning?

Characterized by: students involved rather than

listening less emphasis on transmission more

on skills

What it isn’t

What is active learning?

Characterized by: students involved rather than

listening less emphasis on transmission more

on skills emphasis on higher order thinking

skills

Taxonomy of Bloom

knowledge

comprehension

application

analysis

synthesis

Evaluation

Teaching goal

What is active learning?

Characterized by: students involved rather than listening less emphasis on transmission more on

skills emphasis on higher order thinking skills Students engaged in activities (e.g.,

writing, reading, discussing) more emphasis on students’ exploration

of their own attitudes and values

Why we lecture It’s the traditional model of higher

education. It’s what was done to us. IT WORKED FOR (MOST OF) US! “Give a faculty almost any kind of

class in any subject, large or small, upper or lower division, and they will lecture.”

-Blackburn, 1980

Is lecturing evil?

A lecture can: motivate model scholarly behavior present current material organize material to benefit a

particular audience effectively deliver large amounts of

information

Six Ways to Discourage Learning in the Lecture Insufficient "Wait-Time" The Rapid-Reward The Programmed Answer Non-Specific Feedback Questions

("Does anyone have any questions?) Fixation at a Low-level of Questioning The Condescending Response

adapted from AAS Education: http://www.aas.org/education/publications/sixways.html

Why don’t they

get it ?

Bad news about lectures ... Most students do not pay meaningful

attention for 50 minutes without breaks. Lectures can encourage students to try

to “process information later.” Lectures have been shown to result in

very low levels of student retention. Remember: Our students are not , for

the most part, younger versions of us.

Taxonomy of AL

Lecture

Time for Questions

Problems/In-class writing

Think-pair-share

Discussion

CSGL

Teaching goal

Active Learning

Cooperative Small Group Learning

Our Mantra:

It’s not what the teacher does that matters; it’s what the students do!

How do you know how it’s going? End of semester student evaluation forms Self-created teaching surveys

1-5 scale or written answer letter to chair

Video tape yourself Peer observation Self-created learning surveys

“one minute” or “muddiest point” papers NOTE: If you ask students’ opinions, you

must respond to it publicly.

Lunch is being served !!!Please sit with colleagues from your college.

We will begin promptly at 1:00 pm!!

Designing an effective syllabus*

Where does your course fit? general education course first course in a sequence required course for majors advanced course with prerequisites

Who are your students? What are your specific course goals? How will you know if you meet your goals? How can you use your syllabus to frame

their expectations?

*See Guide, page 21

Syllabus Checklist course name and number your name, office location, phone number, and

e-mail scheduled office hours policies regarding your availability outside of

office hours including e-mail response Use of learning management system (D2L) or

other e-resources required purchases such as textbooks, rulers,

and protractors

See www.montana.edu/teachlearn

Syllabus Checklist policy on using or having access to calculators,

personal digital assistants (PDAs), Internet, and so on (required vs. optional)

detailed description of how grades are determined

descriptions and goals of assignments and tests dates, times, and locations for all tests or other

out-of-class requirements. policy on missed classes or tests

Syllabus Checklist detailed list of course goals and objectives course calendar including exams, drop

dates, and holidays an explanation of how this course fits into

students’ overall education and the specific university goals

firm statement on academic honesty (conduct code)