1. Wicked Problems in Teaching
Faculty Teaching Mentors
Kim Hellemans, Wayne Horn, Adrian Chan & Chris Motz
Neuroscience Mathematics & Systems & Computer Psychology
Statistics Engineering
1:00-2:15 Thursday August 15, 2019
Room 431 Tory Building
Connect with a Teaching Mentor in your department/faculty! carleton.ca/edc

2. Our Goals for This Session
What is a Wicked Problem?
Breakout session: What are our wicked problems?
Back to full group: Share our wicked problems and discuss solutions
Case studies in wicked problems
After today: What do I do when I encounter a wicked problem?
To access the agenda, slides, & handouts for NFO, visit carleton.ca/edc/nfo

3. What is a Wicked Problem/Issue?
A problem/issue that is difficult/impossible to solve
incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements
different stakeholders will have different perspectives
Each wicked problem is unique
thus, solutions don’t necessarily carry forward
no single right-wrong solution, just better or worse

4. What are our Wicked Problems?
Breakout Session:
Small group discussion (10 minutes)
As we are about to begin our faculty careers…
What are some of the fears/concerns that we have about teaching?
What are some teaching-related problems/concerns that might be difficult to define and challenging to resolve?
What are the features that make these “wicked problems”?

5. What are our Wicked Problems?
Back to the big group!
Going around the room: Share, and we’ll discuss one of the wicked problems that was generated by your group
(we’ll go around 2-3 times depending on time)

6. Teaching Mentors: Case Studies in Wicked Problems
Each Teaching Mentor could generate their own “case study” of a situation that is/was a Wicked Problem
•Ideas include…
•Student mental health
•Course design to minimize academic offenses and plagiarism
•Remaining sane
•Dealing with “high needs students”

7. Case Study Example #1
You have a student that repeatedly raises their hand throughout lecture to ask questions that are only tangentially related to the course content.
What do you do?
[Expert level: student also relates all course content to their own life...e.g., lecture about anxiety disorders relates to the student’s recent trip to the ER…]

8. Case Study Example #2
A student bombs the midterm and comes to you before the final exam, claiming that they have not been doing well throughout the term so could you maybe just maybe re-weight the final exam to be worth more?
What do you do?

9. Case Study Example #3
While lecturing on a topic that you know less well than others, a student brings to your attention that they learned this content in another course, and the way you are teaching it is “wrong.”
How do you deal with this?

10. Case Study Example #4
You have a student who comes to your office hours, sits down, doesn’t say much, but seems content to stay there the entire time slot...and is reluctant to leave when your official time is up.
What do you do?
[Expert level: student asks questions that are of a personal nature]

11. Case Study Example #5
You have a student who is struggling with a mental health issue (documented through PMC). The student has missed the midterm and also the makeup midterm.
What do you do?

12. Case Study Example #6
You hold office hours each week - but rarely have students show up. You know there are student who are struggling and are at risk of failing - you’ve reached out - but still no one is showing up to office hours.
What do you do?

13. Case Study Example #7
You have discovered several students with the exact same answers (and mistakes!) on an assignment. You discover that the assignment had been posted to a note sharing website like CourseHero.com or Chegg.com, and that students have copied their answers directly from the answers provided there.
What do you do?

14. Case Study Example #8
A student comes to you after final course grades are submitted and asks you to increase their grade in order to prevent some hardship (e.g. loss of scholarship, removal from their program, etc.).
What do you do?

15. Case Study Example #9
A student is engaging in disruptive behaviour during your lecture.
What do you do?

16. After Today – what do I do with my wicked problems?
Remember:
It’s a wicked problem, not a wicked person (student)
Take a moment to reflect before making a decision. There is almost always time to gather information and support.
The objective is to find better ways to manage the circumstance (not necessarily a “resolution” or a “win”)
The pathways forward are often revealed through conversations (with the student and/or with other faculty members)
Got a question about teaching at Carleton? Send us a tweet! #cuNFO2019 twitter.com/CU_Teaching
Connect with a Teaching Mentor in your department/faculty! carleton.ca/edc

17. After Today – where do I go for help with my wicked problems?
Many Departments have their own Teaching Mentor
Your Department Chair can put you in touch with an experienced faculty member – someone who has already taught that course
The EDC, as part of TLS, provides ongoing support
Got a question about teaching at Carleton? Send us a tweet! #cuNFO2019 twitter.com/CU_Teaching
Connect with a Teaching Mentor in your department/faculty! carleton.ca/edc

18. Coming up! 2:30-2:45 2:45-3:45 IMS Resources Overview (431 TB)
Teaching 101: Tips for Survival & Success (431 TB)
realme4nowon.files.wordpress.com

19. Register for an Upcoming Workshop!
Review & register at carleton.ca/edc/events
EDC 4th Floor Dunton Tower
Room 410