New Century Scholars Faculty Development Workshop: Thoughts and Reflections

1. New Century Scholars Faculty Development Workshop: Thoughts and Reflections Eric Williamson Ellen Rathje

2. Why Learn to Teach? • 1990 Seymour & Hewitt study: • Why do undergrads leave SME? • Studied 335 students at 7 institutions • Findings: • 41% of “switchers” cited poor teaching as a factor in the decision to switch. • 98% of “switchers” cited poor teaching as a concern. • 86% of “non-switchers” also cited poor teaching as a concern. We have a problem......

3. Why Learn to Teach? • Few engineering faculty members receive any formal training. • The NSPE Code of Ethics“Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their competence.” Teaching when you are not competent to do so is unethical!

4. Define Exemplary Teaching: Intellectual Excitement • Technical Expertise • Organization • Clarity of Communication • Engaging Presentation • Enthusiasm Interpersonal Rapport • Interest in students as individuals • Interest in students’ learning • Receptive to students’ preferences about assignments and policies

5. Students Effective Course Design Goals & Objectives Course specific goals & objectives Bloom’s Taxonomy Technology Classroom assessment techniques Cooperative learning Instruction Assessment Lectures Other experiences Tests Other measures Labs

6. How do I plan a course? Instructional Objectives

7. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives • taxonomy – the study of the general principles of scientific classification • Knowledge: recognize or recall information (list, identify, outline, etc.) • Comprehension: understand the meaning of information (explain, describe, interpret, etc.) 3. Application: use the information appropriately in different situations (apply, calculate, solve, etc.)

8. Bloom’s Taxonomy (cont.) 4. Analysis: break the information into component parts and see the relationships (classify, derive, explain, etc.) • Synthesis: put components together to form new products and ideas (formulate, design, create, etc.) • Evaluation: judge the worth of an idea, theory, opinion, etc. based on criteria (determine, optimize, evaluate, etc.) Non-Instructional Objectives: Know, Learn, Understand

9. Reasons for Writing Objectives • Identify critical course material • organize presentation • allot appropriate time per topic • Identify and delete extraneous course material • Facilitate construction of in-class activities, out-of-class assignments, and tests • assure comprehensive coverage • exercise all Bloom levels • Tell faculty colleagues what they can expect students who pass this course to be able to do • teachers of follow-on courses • new instructors • curriculum planning committees • accreditation coordinators

10. Seminar Objectives By the end of this presentation, you should be able to … • ExplainBloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives • Identify different Learning Styles • Summarize the consequences of learning and teaching style mismatches • Apply strategies for managing your academic career

11. How Students Learn, How Teachers Teach, and What Goes Wrong with the Process(Richard Felder) Fact 1: What students learn < what we teach Fact 2: How much students learn is determined by • Native ability • Background • Match between learning style and teaching style Fact 3: We cannot do much about their ability, background, or learning style Conclusion: To maximize student learning, all we have to work with is our teaching style

12. Learning Styles • Refer to the different ways students take in information and process it.

13. Focus on sensory input Practical Observant Concrete: Facts and data Repetition Focus on subconscious Imaginative Look for meanings Abstract: Theory and models Variety Intuitive Learners Sensing Learners

14. Methodical Detail Work Complaint: “Not real world.” Tests: Run out of time Quick Concept work Complaint: “Plug and chug.” Tests: Carelessness Intuitive Learners Sensing Learners Are you a sensor or intuitor? How strong is your preference?

15. Verbal Learners Visual Learners • “Show me.” • pictures • diagrams • sketches • schematics • flow charts • plots • “Explain it to me.” • spoken words • written words Are you a visual or verbal learner? How strong is your preference?

16. Reflective Learners Active Learners • Process introspectively • Work quietly • “Let’s think about it.” • Delay starting • Like solo or pair work • Process actively • Think out loud • “Let’s try it out.” • Jump in prematurely • Like group work Are you an active or reflective learner? How strong is your preference?

17. Global Learners Sequential Learners • Function with partial understanding • Steady progress • Explain easily • Analysis, details (the trees) • Need big picture to function • Initially slow, then major leaps • Can’t explain easily • Synthesis, systems-thinking (the forest) Are you a global or sequential learner? How strong is your preference?

18. LearningStylePreferences Undergrads Faculty Sensing 59% 36% Intuitive 39% 61% Visual 73% 73% Verbal 25% 26% Inductive 37% 58% Deductive 63% 40% Active 50% 38% Reflective 47% 60% Sequential 75% 70% Global 24% 27%

19. Most Engineering Instruction Favors: sensory - intuitive visual - verbal inductive- deductive active - reflective sequential -global

20. Consequences ofTeaching-Learning Mismatches • Many students can’t get what’s being taught. They may • become bored, inattentive, or disruptive in class • do poorly on tests • get discouraged about the course, the curriculum, and/or themselves • change to another curriculum or drop out of school

21. Consequences ofTeaching-Learning Mismatches • Professors observe low test scores, hostile or unresponsive classes, poor attendance, dropouts & know something’s wrong. They may: • get defensive or hostile (making things even worse) • question whether they are in the right profession • Society loses potentially excellent professionals. • visual, active learners (most students) • sensing learners • global learners

22. Teaching-Learning Mismatches • You’ll find students of all learning styles in your classes. • We need all types in the engineering profession. • We need to address all styles in our classes, not just one!

23. Addressing Different Learning Styles • For sensory learners, include practical example problems (with real numbers). • For visual learners, use sketches, graphs, pictures, demonstrations, and video clips. • For inductive learners, work a problem or show an application first, then develop the theory. • For active learners, use small group exercises in class, and allow students to collaborate on homework. • For global learners, discuss the relevance of the subject and relate it to concepts from other lessons and courses.

24. Assessment • Assessment of Students’ Learning • Exams • Classroom assessment techniques • Assessment of Teaching • Teaching Evaluations

25. Examinations Tests perceived by students as unfair (e.g., too long, too “tricky”) may be the leading cause of poor student evaluations of teaching. How can I create tests that are both fair and meaningful?

26. Tips for Tests • Review instructional objectives before and after writing each test • Consider handing out a study guide before each test • Minimize speed as a factor in performance • Design 10-15% of test to discriminate between A and B-level performance • Always work out a test from scratch after you develop the final version

27. Tips for Problem-Solving Tests • You should be able to work out the test in 1/3 the time the students will have to do it • Closed-book exams test memory, open-book exams test understanding. Summary sheets are a good compromise. • Be generous with partial credit • If the average is 35, consider the possibility that the test was lousy

28. Classroom Assessment Techniques Students need opportunities to give and get feedback on their learning before they are evaluated for grades. • Muddiest Point Paper • Minute Paper • Background Knowledge Probe • Misconception/Preconception Check • Student Generated Test Questions

29. Teaching Evaluations Preconception Check

30. Student Ratings: Myth vs. Fact • MYTH - Students lack the wisdom and experience to assess teaching effectiveness. • FACT: Student ratings correlate highly with ratings by: • Faculty peers • Administrators • Alumni • Graduating seniors Wankat & Oreovicz Chapter 16 Felder ChemEngEd, 1992

31. Student Ratings: Myth vs. Fact • MYTH - Students who give an instructor low ratings today will come to appreciate that instructor in later years. • FACT:Student ratings are highly stable over time.

32. Student Ratings: Myth vs. Fact • MYTH-Student ratings are just popularity contests. Easy graders get higher ratings. • FACTS: • Teachers who assign more work are rated as most effective. • Teachers who assign more difficult work are rated as most effective. • There is little or no correlation between grading practices and student ratings.

33. Student Ratings: Myth vs. Fact • MYTH- Teachers who get higher ratings aren’t really doing a better job of teaching. • FACTS:Teachers rated as most effective by students tend to be those whose students: • Perform best on achievement tests • Score higher on common exams • Elect advanced courses in those same subjects • Choose to major in those subjects

34. Define Exemplary Teaching: Intellectual Excitement • Technical Expertise • Organization • Clarity of Communication • Engaging Presentation • Enthusiasm Interpersonal Rapport • Interest in students as individuals • Interest in students’ learning • Receptive to students’ preferences about assignments and policies

35. How can we develop interpersonal rapport with students?

36. Developing Interpersonal Rapport: Get to Know Your Students • Learn students’ names: • As early as possible in the course • Learn what they want to be called • Use “student data sheets” to familiarize with: • Home town • Academic interests • Extracurricular activities • Participate in student organization activities • Attend athletic events and extracurricular activities

37. Developing Interpersonal Rapport: Be Available • Come to class early, and stay after class. • Assistance outside of class: • Always make time to see a student who asks for help. • Seem eager to see a student, even if you are not. • Don’t be punitive. • Be accessible: • Use e-mail

38. Developing Interpersonal Rapport: Be Fair, Flexible, and Responsive • Ensure that grading is as fair and objective as possible. • Solicit feedback, and respond to it. • Demonstrate flexibility on the scope and timing of requirements, when appropriate.

39. Developing Interpersonal Rapport: Establish a Positive Classroom Environment • Let your own personality show through. • Have a positive disposition. • Use humor (except in Thermodynamics). • Maintain contact with your students. • Avoid cynicism about students.

40. Developing Interpersonal Rapport • Utilize questions during class • Proper questioning clearly establishes who is in charge. • Proper questioning requires that you know your students (names and personalities).

41. Developing Questions A few questions are spontaneous, but most are preplanned. Good clear questions take some time and effort to prepare. Wankat & Oreovicz, Ch. 6

42. Helpful Hints • Listen to student responses. • Be very sensitive to your response to student answers (especially “yes” and “correct”). • Separate wheat from chaff; grab onto wheat, and ignore chaff. Remember the real reason you’re asking questions!

43. Joseph LowmanMastering the Techniques of Teaching “Outstanding teachers have often expressed the sentiment that to become a great classroom instructor, one must genuinely like college-age students and identify with their interests, both serious and foolish.”

44. Summary of Teaching & Learning • Provide an orientation: • Why is this important? • How does it relate to prior knowledge? • Provide learning objectives. • Provide information. • Stimulate critical thinking about the subject. • Provide models. • Provide opportunities to apply the knowledge: • In a familiar context. • In new and unfamiliar contexts. • Assess the learners’ performance and provide feedback. • Provide opportunities for self-assessment.

45. BUT…HOW CAN I MANAGE IT ALL??

46. Strategies for Managing an Academic Career • Develop a vision for your career • Does this vision match the university’s vision? • Set goals • Short-term and long-term goals • Re-evaluate goals after each semester • Document your work • Learn to say “no”

47. Urgent Important Not-important Importance Paradigm Non-urgent Covey et al. (1994)

48. Importance Paradigm • Obviously, we spend a lot of time in Quadrant I • But, we spend too much time Quadrant III • Quadrant II – “Quadrant of Quality” • If we spend more time in Quadrant II (I.e., long-term planning and preparation), we can avoid Quadrant I • How can we spend more time in Quadrant II? Establish Your Absence

49. Establishing Your Absence • Set aside time on a weekly basis for long-term, important tasks • Focus on: • Research • Paper writing • Course development • Keeping this appointment with yourself is key • Don’t cancel this appointment!

50. Important Advice for Junior Faculty Denise Denton Dean, University of Washington • Delegate – empower and relinquish control! • Plan ahead • Get a support network • Cultivate mentors/allies • Choose your battles • DON’T over prepare • DON’T burn bridges • DON’T say yes to everyone