Transcript Teaching Tips, Part 1 - University of Lugano

Teaching Tips, Part 1
1. Introduction
2. Countdown for Course Preparation
3. Meeting a Class for the First Time
Monday, April 10, 2006
Matthias Hauswirth
Chapter 1
Introduction
• University Culture
– Rules & regulations
– Customs
– Expectations of other faculty & students
• Research vs. Teaching
– Do research & teaching have equal weight
• Teaching as Scholarship
– Research on methods of teaching
• Professor: 50 to 60 hour work week
– 10 – 12 hours / work day
– 7 – 8.5 hours / week day
Chapter 2
Countdown for Course Preparation
• 3 Months
– Objectives, Goals, Outcomes
– Order/Choose Textbooks
• 2 Months
– Draft Syllabus
• 1 Month
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Prepare Lesson Plans
Prepare Out-Of-Class Learning
Choose Teaching Methods
Choose Technology
• 2 Weeks
– Check Resources
– Teaching Portfolio
Chapter 3
Meeting a Class for the First Time
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Setting the stage
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Breaking the ice
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Ask informal questions, or use a “background knowledge probe”
Questions and reactions
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Why this book?
Describe how they can use it effectively
Address disagreements between you and textbook
Assessing prior knowledge
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Have them read and discuss it, so they understand your expectations
Give reasons
Introducing the textbook
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Elicit student’s expectations
Introducing the syllabus
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“Social stuff”, introductions, learn names
Problem posting
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Get students focused on your class
Build “learning climate”
Get feedback
Give students a chance to get to know you
Subject matter
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Don’t dismiss class early
Make students feel “this is going to be exciting”
Objectives, Goals, Outcomes
• Why?
– Goals clarify your thinking
– Goals drive assessment
• What?
– Relevant to students now and in future?
– Context (e.g. courses depending on yours)
– Higher-order goals (critical thinking, lifelong
learning, …)
– Content-specific goals
Textbook
• Why?
– Disadvantages
• No single text perfectly covers your topics consistently well
– Advantages
• Less integration effort
• More classroom time (students read before class)
• Textbook is major influence on what students learn!
• What?
– Fit objectives
– Minimize disagreement
– Order of presentation
• How to choose?
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Pick 5
Read a couple of chapters entirely
Pick 3-4 key concepts and compare their presentation
Beware of “seductive” details distracting from basic concepts
Syllabus
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Why?
– Forces you to tradeoff topics/activities against each other (due to resource
limitations)
• Students’ study time per week (in+out of class)
– 6 ECTS: 150-180h/semester = 10.7-12.8h/week
– 8 ECTS: 200-240h/semester = 14.3-17.1h/week
– 10 ECTS: 250-300h/semester = 17.9-21.4h/week
– Correlate out-of-class activities (e.g. assignments) with classroom activities (e.g.
lectures)
– Contract between instructor and students
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What?
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Structure & schedule of the course
Assignments & assessments
Policies
Syllabus construction guidelines
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Specific
Measurable
Agreed (clearly understood)
Related (with clear structure and links between assignments)
Time frame