The series ran August 31 through September 3, 2009

• Monday, August 31
• Tuesday, September 1
• Wednesday, September 2
• Thursday, September 3

Monday, August 31

New TA Orientation

The first part of the morning session features a Theater for Teaching & Learning performance that explores a TA’s first day of class. The breakout sessions focus on a TA’s join role as a teacher and a student.

The following breakout sessions focus on a TA’s joint role as a teacher and a student.

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Tuesday, September 1

Approaches to Teaching: An Overview

In this workshop, we will pause to name and describe some of the “trees” of instructional approaches (e.g., active learning, cooperative learning, problem based learning) within the “forest” of teaching. This overview of instructional approaches will:

1. help participants understand the distinctiveness and overlap of certain teaching approaches,
2. help participants consider when they might use one instructional approach over another, and
3. provide participants with some practical examples of the different instructional approaches.

Teaching with Technology for the First Time

This workshop introduces instructors new to educational technology to a process for choosing and evaluating technologies and strategies for their courses. Through discussion and hands-on exercises, participants will be introduced to a variety of learning technologies and will consider ways of matching technologies to their learning goals. NOTE: No previous experience with technology or technology-enhanced learning is necessary to benefit from this workshop. At its completion, attendees should be able to take the first steps toward improving student learning through technology.

Cooperative Learning: Beyond “Group Work”

When most students hear the word "group work," they usually can tell you all the negative experiences they have had with it. This workshop will teach and demonstrate the elements of successful and positive cooperative group learning. Participants will learn how to overcome the usual problems of working in groups, such as "free riders," unequal distribution of work, and exclusion of some members from the group, among others. In-class examples will be used to practice the principles of cooperative learning. Finally, participants can learn how to implement cooperative learning within their own disciplines, regardless of discipline.

Active Learning: Matching Teaching to Learning Goals

Many instructors understand the benefits of active learning, but may have questions about how to select and implement teaching methods appropriate to their course goals. What are the options beyond “think-pair-share” and “small group discussion?” What choices best promote critical thinking? Don't require enormous set up time? This workshop will present and model a variety of lesser known but effective active learning techniques such as jigsaws, notes exchange, concept mapping, and case-based learning. Participants will also discuss a framework to connect these teaching strategies to desired learning

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Wednesday, September 2

Anyone? Anyone?* Teaching by Asking and Answering Questions

Asking and answering questions are important—yet challenging—teaching skills. What kinds of questions encourage student participation in class? What should you do if your students don’t answer your questions? What should you do if students ask you difficult or unexpected questions? What strategies might help you handle such situations? Whether you are an experienced instructor or a novice, you will have the opportunity to develop useful strategies for classroom interaction through viewing short video clips as well as introducing and practicing various techniques for asking and answering questions.

*From “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

The Digital Idea Stream: 8 Technologies for Teaching, Learning, and Research

Isn’t there some tool that is more flexible than a PowerPoint presentation? How can I broadcast my review session from home? Isn’t there a simple way to collect information from students online? The answer is yes, yes, and yes! New learning technologies are emerging all the time, and it’s difficult to keep up with the wealth of new opportunities these tools afford us. Let us introduce you to a few new instructional technologies. We'll look at such tools as Com-ment, UStream, and Google Docs.

Harnessing Feedback To Improve Learning: Techniques for Providing Comments to and Eliciting Reactions from Your Students

Prompt, high-quality feedback has a positive effect on student learning. Eliciting feedback from your students may also impact learning. In this interactive workshop we will discuss why is it important to give and receive feedback from your students. We will explore techniques such as grading rubrics for providing effective and efficient feedback to your students. We will also focus on the use of minute papers and mid-semester evaluations to elicit student feedback and describe how you can use this information to improve student learning.

Teaching through Interactive Lectures

This lively, interactive session will focus on strategies to engage students during lectures. Participants will acquire a repertoire of research-based, interactive lecturing strategies to engage both large and small groups. Included will be simple assessment strategies to quickly measure student understanding of lecture material covered. Participants will also learn strategies to cope with "stage fright".

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Thursday, September 3

Facilitating Discussions in Large and Small Classes

Well designed class discussions can help students practice and learn higher level thinking skills, enhance communication, promote collaborative learning, and correct misconceptions. Effective class discussions can be designed for both large auditorium and small classes. This workshop focuses on designing class discussions based on student learning outcomes. We will discuss challenges for facilitating discussions and strategies for designing in-class discussions such as paired discussions, problem-solving groups, base groups, and cooperative learning groups as well as implementing Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) to prompt discussions (e.g., muddiest point, summarize a concept, note check, matrix, concept map).

Best Practices: Preventing and Managing Challenging Classroom Situations

This engaging session will address a broad range of challenging situations currently facing instructors. Participants will strategize ways to effectively prevent or manage a wide range of behaviors including students: napping through class, arriving late/leaving early, plagiarizing work, dominating discussions, undermining professors, attending class unprepared, interacting with hostility or disrespect, and others.

An increasing number of diverse students live with significant challenges that impact their learning such as: attention deficit/hyperactivity, physical or sensory impairments, learning disabilities or even severe psychological problems such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, volatility, substance abuse, and suicide attempts. Participants will review both classroom strategies and current campus collaborations to promote student mental health.

Using Examples to Deepen Student Learning

Examples are powerful, universal ways to illustrate concepts and transfer knowledge in a subject area. Many teachers could benefit from a more informed way to develop and use examples in their courses. Most disciplines have “signature examples” such as demonstrations, diagrams, videos, stories, and models. There are a number of instructional variables that can be altered to deepen the value of examples in a course. Instructional variables may include the representational form of the example, the source of the example, and the level of concreteness of the example. Participants will a) share their most useful examples and discuss why these examples appear to most impact student learning, b) explore how to design highly effective examples using the instructional variables provided in the workshop.

Pathways to a Successful First Day, First Month, and First Semester at the U

In this workshop, participants will have an opportunity to develop and practice strategies that will enable them to address those first day concerns and qualms with confidence. The workshop will address these concerns and more: What are your options for introducing the course in a way that will both motivate student involvement and clarify course expectations? How will you learn about students' expectations and background knowledge in order to connect and engage with them beyond the first day? Why is it important to plan now for sustaining a positive classroom climate throughout the semester? Participants will be able to discuss and review many strategies as well as discuss and plan for their first day of classes.

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