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Findings, Challenges, and Recommendations for Teaching in Academia

Findings, Challenges, and Recommendations for Teaching in Academia. Susan Rodger, Duke University Patricia Joseph, Slippery Rock University Joyce Currie Little, Towson University Suzanne Westbrook, Univ of Arizona rodger@cs.duke.edu Thursday, Oct 2, 2008 2:45pm-3:45pm.

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Findings, Challenges, and Recommendations for Teaching in Academia

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  1. Findings, Challenges, and Recommendations for Teaching in Academia Susan Rodger, Duke University Patricia Joseph, Slippery Rock University Joyce Currie Little, Towson University Suzanne Westbrook, Univ of Arizona rodger@cs.duke.edu Thursday, Oct 2, 2008 2:45pm-3:45pm

  2. Challenges:Family/Teaching InnovationSusan Rodger, Duke University • About my Teaching Position • Challenge of Family/Work • Challenge of Teaching

  3. About My Teaching Position • Background • Purdue University, PhD CS, 1989 parallel algorithms • Assistant Professor, Rensselaer 1989-1994, tenure-track • Then job offer – Duke University • “Assistant Prof. of Practice” 1994-97 • “Assoc. Prof. of the Practice” 1997-08 • “Prof. of the Practice” 2008-?

  4. Professor of the Practice Track • Focus on Education in Discipline • PhD preferred or Prof. Experience • Regular Rank Faculty – non-tenure • Permanent Contract position • 3 to 10 year contracts, renewable • Promotable – CS education • Grants, papers, visibility

  5. Duke CS PoPs vs Tenured • teach 2 courses/semester vs 1 • Focus on Ugrad curriculum • Cover Intro courses plus others • Supervise Ugrad research • Can also supervise MS and PhD • Advising • Attend Faculty meetings • Salary similar, no “sabatical” • Write Grants/papers – in CS Educ

  6. PoP History at Duke • PoP track added in 1991 • For 2008-09 - 4 PoPs in CS • Arts and Sciences • 526 tenure/tenure-track • 82 PoPs • School of Engineering • 95 tenure/tenure-track • 8 PoPs • School of Environment • 43 tenure/tenure-track • 4 PoPs

  7. Challenge of Family/WorkSpouse/Mother of two boys

  8. Challenges with Family/Work • Virtual Prof (bedrest) 1996, 1999 • Maternity Leave – 1997, 2000 • ¾ Time for 5 years - 2000-2005 • “Leave” – Fall 2004 – write book

  9. Challenges with Family/Work • Get Help • Cleaning, Yard, Babysitters • Use online resources • Sittercity.com – babysitters • Manic Mommies – podcast • Order kids clothes, gifts online • Use rating services – kids books, games • Parent’s Choice Awards • Common Sense Media • Family time - Focus on Your Likes • Our Family cooks together – fresh food • Family hikes

  10. Challenges with Family/Work • To get want you want • By all means “Ask” • Then “Ask again” • Keep asking – be persistent • Examples • Leaves • ¾ time for temp period

  11. Challenges of Teaching • PhDs not trained to teach.  • How do you learn to teach or improve your teaching? • How do you stay innovative in your teaching?

  12. Teaching – Getting Started • Use online resources • Find similar courses – use and modify • Continue to refine every offering

  13. Engage Students • Reading quizzes online – Blackboard • Dial a Picture • Workshop teaching format • Short lecture • Students work a problem – 5 min to 20 min • Discuss • Repeat

  14. Engage Students (cont)FSA built with cookies

  15. Engage Students (cont)Be a Robot

  16. Engage Students (Cont) • Students working in pairs • Workshop format • Prof and UTAs provide support

  17. Where to get Ideas? SIGCSE • SIGCSE is the computer science education conference • Over 1200 people • Papers, panels, special session, workshops, birds of a feather, posters

  18. Other Resources • Education conferences – SIGCSE, FIE, ITiCSE, ASEE, CCSC • Education journals • Campus resource center on teaching? • Duke – Center for Teaching

  19. Challenges for Teaching in Academia Patricia A. Joseph Slippery Rock University of PA patricia.joseph@sru.edu

  20. Who is Patricia Joseph? • Tenured Assistant Professor • Represented by a Labor Union • State-Owned University • Single & Content

  21. My Story • 1st Tenure-Track Woman in department • 1st Information Systems person in a CS department • B.S. Ed., M.A. English, M.S. Information Science, etc. • Career as public school teacher • Do not have a Ph.D.

  22. My Experience What I wish that someone had told me…

  23. Types of Institutions • Large Research • Undergraduate • 2-Year & Community Colleges

  24. Types of Positions • Temporary or Adjunct • Contractual or Limited Term • Teaching Professor • University of California system “potential for security of employment”

  25. Opportunities • Interviewing for the Position • Understanding Union Contracts • Negotiating • Salary & Rank • Office & Hardware/Software • Travel Budget • Student Help

  26. Challenges • Finding a Mentor—either in your department or elsewhere at your institution • Being Aware of Politics in your department and in your college http://cs.southwestern.edu/CEOHP/

  27. Details • Qualifications • Pay Scales • Typical Benefits • Requirements in Contract vs. Requirements for Tenure

  28. The Reality It’s still a “chilly climate” for women in academe” … Be aware of it so that you won’t be blind-sided. http://dynamic.uoregon.edu/~jjf/chillyclimate.html http://www.bernicesandler.com

  29. THANK YOU!

  30. San Diego State, grad ass’t + , THEN Goucher College, CC Dir, Instr; THEN Community College of Baltimore, & during: Chamberlayne Junior College; THEN Towson University, since 1981 (Founding Department Chair 1984) Joyce Currie Little, ProfessorComputer & Information SciencesTowson University

  31. WHAT A JOY - LOVE IT! CONTINUING TO LEARN! KEEPING CURRENT SCHOLARLY COLLEAGUES EAGER STUDENTS HELPING NEXT GENERATION FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING A DECENT LIVING GRADING PAPERS KEEPING UP-TO-DATE NOT-SO-EAGER STUDENTS TOO BUSY - MANY CONTINUING DUTIES UNPREDICTABLE DEMANDS GENERATIONAL CHALLENGES, BOTH STUDENTS/FACULTY A DECENT LIVING TEACHING IN ACADEMIAWHAT’S GOOD * WHAT’S BAD

  32. PROBLEMS FOR WOMEN ?WHAT? HOW ?? • CONFLICTING DEMANDS FOR TIME • NOT ALWAYS WELCOMED BY COLLEAGUES • ESTABLISHING REPUTATIONS • JUGGLING THE VARIETY OF DEMANDS • HAVE LOTS OF PERSISTENCE • SHOW YOUR CAPABILITIES • BE HELPFUL • EARN TRUST • EXPECT EQUALITY THROUGHOUT • LEARN TIME MANAGEMENT

  33. Data can Help ! • Demographics, by field, by gender, by rank, by salary • Number of eligible qualified graduates by discipline • Number of those entering industry • Number left who are interested • Number who support equity rights • Number who encourage others • Number serving as mentors

  34. Trends and Influences • Corporate leanings in academia • Need for flexibility for management • Tendency to move to contractual workforce in the professoriate • Move to decrease faculty governance rights • Move to eliminate tenure • Decrease in “permanent” faculty • The shift to “professors of the practice”

  35. Recommendations • Educate new entering faculty about the “professoriate” • Mentor new entering faculty (both tenure-track & contractual) to help move them toward tenure • Advocate higher percentage of tenured faculty • Encourage rights and responsibilities (both) of tenured faculty • Work for change in rigidity of policies

  36. POLICY LEVEL HELP: THE AAUP AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS: POLICY DOCUMENTS AND REPORTS (THE “RED BOOK”) • 1940 STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND TENURE, WITH 1970 INTERPRETIVE COMMENTS

  37. AAUP, CONTINUED • 1940 STATEMENT ON GOVERNMENT OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES • STATEMENT ON PRINCIPLES ON FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACADEMIC WORK • THE STATUS OF PART-TIME FACULTY • ON FULL-TIME NON-TENURE TRACK APPOINTMENTS • CONTINGENT APPOINTMENTS AND THE ACADEMIC PROFESSION • INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEGAL DAMANDS ON FACULTY • STATEMENT OF CORPORATE FUNDING OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH

  38. PLACES THAT HELP • ASSOCIATION FOR UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS (AAUP) • NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, & COMMITTEE ON WOMEN IN SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE • COMMISSION ON PROFESSIONALS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY • BY DISCIPLINE: EDUCATOR GROUPS – ACM SIGCSE, MAA, ETC • BY DISCIPLINE: WOMEN COLLEAGUES THE WORLD OVER • YOUR FAMILY, IF YOU ARE LUCKY! • YOUR DAD AND OTHER DAD’S

  39. Challenges: Considerations in Choosing a Teaching-Focused Position Suzanne Westbrook Senior Lecturer and Associate Head University of Arizona (Tucson!) sw@cs.arizona.edu

  40. Challenge: Choosing the Right Teaching-Focused Position • About my position • Are teaching faculty valued? • What indicates value? • Opportunities • Things to consider • Recommendations to Education Leaders

  41. About My Teaching Position • Background • University of Southwestern Louisiana, (now University of Louisiana-Lafayette) PhD in CS, 1998, research in multiparadigm languages • Northern Arizona University • Lecturer 1993-1998 • Associate Professor 1998-1999 • University of Arizona – 1999-now • Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Department Head

  42. Senior Lecturer position at UA • Non-tenure track – focus on undergraduate education • PhD preferred • Three year renewable contracts (I’m starting my 4th one) • No research expectations, but is appreciated (CS Education Res) • Teach two courses/semester (TT faculty teach one) • No sabbatical!

  43. Associate Department Head • Primarily over Undergrad program • No additional salary, but one course relief per semester • Work with faculty, staff, dept head on variety of issues (course scheduling, faculty assignments, student problems, etc.) • Run the undergrad TA program • More committees, represent department in college and univ.

  44. Are Teaching-Focused Faculty “Valued”? • What indicates “value”? • Recognized for contributions (teaching, service, research) • Rewarded for contributions • Opportunities for advancement • Opportunities for professional development (travel and workshops) • Atmosphere in department

  45. What are the Opportunities? • Is CS education valued both within and outside the department? • Department view of CS education research – does it help with promotion opportunities? • Department committees • Department leadership roles • College/University committees • Relationships with industry and community

  46. Does a Teaching Focused Position Fit You? • How does this type position fit with your career goals? • Do you know your career goals?  • Research interests • Need for status (respect) • Advancement • Mobility • Family

  47. Recommendations to Education Leaders • Regard CS education research as “real” CS research • Include CS teaching-focused faculty even at large institutions • Work to get CS included as a core discipline in high schools -> will need CS high school teachers -> will lead to more emphasis on CS teaching faculty at universities and CS education research!

  48. Questions? Susan Rodger, Duke University Patricia Joseph, Slippery Rock University Joyce Currie Little, Towson University Suzanne Westbrook, Univ of Arizona rodger@cs.duke.edu

  49. References • K12: Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA): http://www.csta.acm.org/

  50. Resources Computing Educators Oral History Project. http://cs.southwestern.edu/CEOHP/ “The Classroom Climate: A Chilly One for Women?” http://dynamic.uoregon.edu/~jjf/chillyclimate.html “Women Faculty at Work . . .” http://www.bernicesandler.com/id29.htm

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