Preparing Doctoral Students to Teach - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Preparing Doctoral Students to Teach

Janelle Heineke

Director, Center For Excellence and Innovation in TeachingSlide2

This varies by program. Could be to prepare students for:

Pure research roles.Advanced practice.Careers in academia.

BU Doctoral Programs: Primary GoalSlide3

To be successful in academia, graduates must be prepared to be:

Excellent researchers.Strong teachers.Good colleaguesIn their own schools/universities.In their professional fields. Our programs focus on the content – which focuses on preparation for the research role.

We also need to prepare students for the other dimensions – including teaching.

Preparing for Academic CareersSlide4

Around BU

School

Department

Program

CAS*

Biology

Required learn-to-teach

workshop

Taken

concurrently with first semester of

teaching.

Nine

meetings over eight weeks, including completion of five short papers and an evaluation of a classroom teaching

.

CAS*

English

Required

one day workshop for new

TFs

Full semester course in pedagogy with Writing

Program

Director.

CAS*

History of Art and Architecture

TFs register for GRS AH 699 “Teaching Art History.”   

Instructors meet at least once a week with TFs. 

Doctoral candidates who are not TFs receive no formal training

ENG

One day Graduate Teaching Fellow training.

SAR

Required 4-credit

course  (HP 790: Teaching Skills)

Optional 2-credit

practicum with classroom involvement  

SED

Training

handled by faculty in mentorship model.

STH

CEIT orientation and STH orientation.

Two

required 2-credit courses: Junior teaching internship and Senior teaching

internship.

Required

colloquia: two

7-hour

sessions on

pedagogy.Slide5

Semester 1

Interview a strong teacher in your department.Ask about:What is challenging.What is rewarding, How the instructor became so strong in the classroom.Tips he/she may offer about teaching. Write a summary of what you learned.Semester 2Observe a teacher in your department in the classroom. Write a summary of what you observed about the process.  

Preparing for Academic Careers: One Model (SMG)Slide6

Semester 3 or 4

Take the role of Teaching Assistant. Arrange with the instructor of record to have you present some topic or lead a discussion at least once during the semester.  Write a summary of:How you prepared.How the sessions went.What you learned. ORInterview a strong instructor outside your department. Prepare a summary of what you learned.  

Preparing for Academic Careers: One Model (SMG)Slide7

Semester 4 

Participate in the doctoral seminar on dissemination of knowledge, which will include some content on teaching.  Preparing for Academic Careers: One Model (SMG)

Session

Topic

1

Professional Societies and Journals

2

Presenting at professional meetings and conferences

3

Writing for scholarly publication.

4,5

Defining yourself as an academic; writing a journal article

6

Good writing and … not so good writing

7

Navigating the journal review process

Strategies for publishing

Targeting journals

Meeting submission criteria

8, 9

Principles of adult learning

Teaching styles: lecture; lecture/discussion; case method; simulation.

10, 11

Teaching Fundamentals

12, 13

Presentations

14

Using technology to enhance learningSlide8

Years 3 and 4Teach a course or discussion section as instructor of record.  Arrange to have at least one session videotaped.  Review with instructor as a follow-up to the doctoral seminar.  Redo videotaping and feedback until the video is ready to post as part of the e-Portfolio. Preparing for Academic Careers: One Model (SMG)Slide9

Throughout the Program

Maintain an e-Portfolio tracking your scholarly work and teaching as part of your package to provide to prospective employers. Preparing for Academic Careers: One Model (SMG)Slide10

Overview of Teaching ContentSlide11

Know thyself. What’s important to you?

At work?Research?Teaching?Making things happen?In other aspects of your life?If you know yourself, you can find the position that fits you in a school that emphasizes what you care about.

Finding Balance: First StepSlide12

Research/scholarly activity:

How this is defined varies.Journal publications.Books, chapters, other publications.Presentations.Involvement in professional societies.Both quantity and quality matter.

Seems to be increasingly important in all schools.

Finding Balance: Second StepSlide13

Teaching:

Student evaluation of teaching.Variety of courses taught.Contribution to course development/pedagogy.Student advising.May also include:Casewriting.

Materials development.

Finding Balance: Second Step

(continued)Slide14

Service:

To the institution.Contribution to department’s/school’s/ university’s activities.Committee work.Program development/management.To the Profession.Involvement in professional societies.Journal reviewing/editorships.

To the community.

Finding Balance: Second Step

(continued)Slide15

Finding Balance: Second Step

(continued)

Research

Teaching

Service

Casewriting,

Textbook

contribution

Course Design,

Program

Leadership

Involvement in,

Leadership of

Professional SocietiesSlide16

There will always be more to do than you can get done.

More to learn.More to write.More students to help.More events to attend.Remember what matters to you and keep it in focus!

Finding Balance: Be True to YourselfSlide17

Some people are born teachers, most are not.

Everyone can be better! Even if you’re a terrific teacher, the needs of students change over time, so you need to continuously adapt and improve.

What It Takes to Be a Good TeacherSlide18

Be yourself.

Adapt your style to your audience.Adapt teaching “tricks” from others – don’t “adopt” them wholesale.Teach in CharacterSlide19

Of students and their opinions.

Of student diversity.Of the faculty team.Of program goals.Be RespectfulSlide20

Prepare lecture notes, case plan, game process.

Prepare for common questions.Keep notes in good order.Use a class agenda.Hand out as many materials/assignments as possible at the start of the term.Prepare for different “paths” through the material.

Be OrganizedSlide21

We learn and remember after one month...

14% of what we hear.22% of what we see.30% of what we watch others do – demonstrations.42% of sensory redundancy - classroom rituals that repeat seeing, hearing, and doing important skills or concepts.72% of “movies of the mind” - learning that is linked to remembered or imagined life experiences of the learner.83% of performance of a life-challenging activity - first-time or demanding action that applies the new learning.92% of what we teach others!

Gary Phillips, Vancouver B.C., Canada

Teach, Don’t TellSlide22

Set high expectations.

Be friendly, but be clear about who’s in charge.Be clear about your grading criteria.Think about your goals and plan/implement tactics in the first class (particularly for class participation.“Cold calling.”Depth of analysis behind responses.Be tougher with grading early; it’s easier to curve up than down!Set the Tone EarlySlide23

Offer reasonable office hours.

Use technology.E-mail.Course support software.Solicit feedback early in the term.Use a method that provides actionable information (SSC).Be clear about what you are willing – and not willing – to change.Be Accessible and ResponsiveSlide24

Plan assignments to make it possible for students with strengths in different areas to be successful (papers, exams, class participation) - and to minimize the risk of cheating.

Grade thoughtfully - and make it a policy not to change grades.Remember students are taking other classes, too!Don’t burden students with busywork.Be FairSlide25

“Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, tell them what you told them.”

Use class agenda.Summarize at end of class (you or student).Connect to other classes.Connect to “real world.”Reinforce!Slide26

Connect to the “real world.”

Consider the age of materials; if age doesn’t matter, discuss it in class!Think About RelevanceSlide27

Observe other teachers.

Have other teachers observe you.Reflect on what makes a class great – or mediocre.Listen to your students.Take the time to develop good materials – so you can use them again and again.“Mix it up” in the classroom. Change the pace. Change the pedagogy.Be aware of the rhythms of the semester.Give your students your best.

Some Tips: