Teaching Assistant Workshop Mechanical Engineering Fall 2013

1. Teaching Assistant WorkshopMechanical EngineeringFall 2013

2. Outline • Overview of TA expectations • Demo.. Class room scheduling, moodle site features • TA presentations on key topics Handouts: To do list, FERPA summary guide, Topics to discuss with course instructor

3. 12 hrs/week Overview of TA Expectations TA appointment dates: Augsut 26 through January 8, 2014 Last final date: xxx Final grades due: xxx 25% appt = 10 hrs/week 196 hours • grading • teaching labs/recitations • Proctoring exams • copies • office hours • preparing homework solutions • creating and maintaining course website Possible tasks

4. What are the evaluation criteria? How to Get Great TA Evaluations Read your evaluations (see Jeanne Sitzmann)

5. Student Comments Positive Had very helpful discussion sessions and provided examples Very well prepared both in examples and to answer questions Very approachable Homework solutions were clear Got better at teaching as the semester progressed Negative Late (for office hours) which was very aggravating Late for Lab I suggest TA’s work problems ahead of time so that they know the concepts better During recitation, worked through example problems from the book… pointless to stay for recitation because I could just read it Did not seem like s(he) understood the material nor appreciated the subject Got flustered or confused in a problem easily and was not confident in work Messy writing on board Didn’t have anything prepared (for recitation)

6. Comments From the Students Communication Skills Speak loudly Talk to class not the board Too slow Too fast Don’t read from the book, solution manual Confident Knowledge of Material Work through problems before office hours, recitation Set up lab before students arrive Promptness Respond to emails On time for office hours/labs/recitations

7. Offices, Keys, and Copies Offices TA resource room in Shepherd Labs 452: work space, computers, a printer and lockers. Access this room with your U-card. Keys Access to the building and the TA resource room is with your U-card Copies Please use the copier on the 1st floor, ME 116 (opposite ME 125), access after hours with your U-card Books, solution manuals Request from course instructor

8. Office Hours Please hold office hours in a location separate from your “shared” office space Request a room for office hours • If expecting less than 8 students: contact Jennifer Dahal (jdahal@me.umn.edu) • Otherwise, work through room scheduling (https://astra-prd.oit.umn.edu/AstraProd/calendars/default.aspx) • Locate a room, be sure to check all weeks of the semester, check both the departmental and the general classroom schedule (check ME 321 or ME 460)

9. What is FERPA? Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. http://onestop.umn.edu/faculty/grades/records_policies.html

10. FERPA: Educational Records This means the education record includes, but is not limited to: grades, transcripts, WebCT /Moodle information, advising information, financial aid information, student information in UM Reports and the Data Warehouse, and student photos. If you have student information in your possession, you have a legal responsibility to protect it. 

11. Public Vs Private Information Name Address Email address Grades Course taken Major Advisor Schedule Student ID number Test Scores Telephone number Academic Awards and Honors Enrollment Status (full time/part time)

12. Public Vs Private Information Public Private Name Address Electronic (E-mail) address Telephone number Dates of enrollment Enrollment status (full/part time, not enrolled) Major Adviser College Class Academic awards and honors Degree received Grades Courses taken Schedule Test scores Advising records Educational services received Disciplinary actions Social Security Number Student ID Number

13. Student Record Privacy in ME Classes • Emails: Use bcc • Grades: • Record grades on a secure site • Do not save grades to a laptop (must be encripted) or flashdrive • Delete grades after 1 year • Returning Hw, Exams, Labs: • Return in an envelope, or other to the individual • Do not leave unattended (outside office door, etc) More details in the FERPA handout

14. To Do List • Request a room for office hours • If expecting less than 8 students: contact Jennifer Dahal (jdahal@me.umn.edu) • Otherwise, work through room scheduling to locate a class room: https://astra-prd.oit.umn.edu/AstraProd/calendars/default.aspx; • Have Instructor Request a moodle (http://www1.umn.edu/moodle/) site • Complete required University course: https://moodle2.umn.edu/course/view.php?id=8265&topic=1 • Email web@me.umn.edu with a 1 page pdf of your course syllabus for our ME website http://www.me.umn.edu/courses/index.shtml • Develop a secure method to record grades and return homework • Former TA’s must see Jeanne Sitzmann (in 1120) to read past TA evaluations • Review Checklist for discussion with supervisor