Teaching Excellence Workshop Waded Cruzado, President David Singel, Associate Provost Ron Larsen, Associate Provost Carl Fox, Dean of Graduate Education Norm Peterson, Executive Director of International Education Marvin Lansverk, Faculty Senate Marilyn Lockhart, Interim Director of Faculty Development Ritchie Boyd, Academic Technology Specialist

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 Give you opportunity to share experiences

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.Terrified B. 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 (Video clip)

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 (from MSU faculty instructional guide) * Sensitivity and Concern with Class Level and Progress Preparation--Organization of Course Knowledge of the Subject Enthusiasm (for subject and teaching) Clarity and Understandability Availability and Helpfulness Participatory Instructional Methods Impartiality of Evaluation; Quality of Assessme nt (*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 why 3.Relaxed – they are less formal 4.Rapport – connect on personal level 5.Research-Based Methods – It is all about engagement.

Coffee Break

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 Evalu ation 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

Lectures The Good The Bad The Ugly ………….Discuss

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

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

Active Learning Exercise Discuss your experiences and activities that you have done with your classes using active learning If this is new to you, discuss ideas you may now have for intergrating active learning into your class(es).

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.

MSU Teaching and Learning Committee Resources Tracy Dougher – New Faculty Mentoring

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

Designing an effective syllabus* Where does your course fit? CORE 2.0 course (IA, IN, IH, IS, CS, D, R, Q, W, US) 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 Scheduled office hours Policies regarding your availability outside of office hours including response Use of learning management system (D2L) or other e- resources Required purchases such as textbooks, rulers, and/or on-line resources See

Syllabus Checklist Detailed list of course goals and objectives Descriptions and goals of assignments and tests Details on how grades are determined Course calendar including exams, drop dates, and holidays Policy on missed classes or tests Firm statement on academic honesty (conduct code) Statement on accommodating disabilities CORE 2.0 goals (if appropriate): see montana.edu/core2

Other Important MSU Resources for faculty Disability, Re-entry and Veterans Services, Brenda York MSU Counseling & Psychological Services, Pat Donahoe MSU Faculty Handbook online:

Our Favorite Book About Teaching McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Professors. By Marilla Svinick & Wilbert McKeachie. Houghton Mifflin, Publishers.