Teaching Resources – Page 4 – Centre for Teaching Excellence Blog

Overhead Projectors, Scratched Chalkboards and… Mirrors? Oh MY! – Amy Hackney

This past year I had the opportunity to teach my first university course. Not only was I the sole instructor, but I was also permitted to re-design the course. As a recent participant in both the Fundamentals of University Teaching and the Certification in University Teaching programs, I was extremely excited to apply the information I had obtained throughout the experience. Not surprisingly, I eagerly set to work to incorporate a variety of interactive activities, planned in-class mini assignments where I imagined that groups would work together on the whiteboards or in small pods of desks and even planned to spice up the course material by adding media teaching methods and resources. I was so excited and proud of my new course design. These students were in for the most interactive and engaging learning experience they have ever had, complete with all the bells and whistles.

Boy, was I ever in for a surprise.

No media center…
No moveable tables on wheels…
No white boards…

Instead, I walked into a classroom with an old overhead projector, fold-able chairs with squeaky armrests about the size of a single piece of paper and a worn out chalk board that was so well used it was nearly impossible for students to read off of. And to make matters worse, this “classroom” was an old fitness/yoga studio with mirrors. Yikes.

Cue a mini panic attack.

What was I going to do!?!?!! How was I going to implement everything I had planned and practiced in such an amazing classroom before?!?! This was going to be horrible. But as I stood at the front of the classroom, slightly defeated, wishing and hoping that maybe by slim chance nobody would show up… the door opened and my students walked in. No escape now. So I improvised.

Miraculously, things didn’t go so bad. Sure, there were some bumps along the way and a few friendly laughs at our “ideal” situation but I realized that it’s not the fancy equipment and swanky technology that makes for a good lecture, it’s the quality of the delivery, the time and care put into the planning and the motivation of the students. I didn’t need the desks and chairs on wheels to make discussion groups, or five white boards to demonstrate a topic. I didn’t need PowerPoint to delivery information or a funny video clip to get student’s motivated to participate. All I needed was the skills that I had obtained during my training (and a bit of creativity). Sure, having all these resources available to me would have been helpful and I hope that my teaching situation changes in the future. But for now having some flexibility, a willingness to adapt, a bit of creativity and confidence in my own teaching skills will do just fine.

Teaching Courses = Delivery + Design — Donna Ellis

Late last term, I designed and delivered a workshop with my CTE colleague Julie Timmermans regarding peer review of teaching (PRT). Julie and I have been guiding a learning community (LC) on PRT for the past year and a half with departmental administrators. One key question that has continued to plague our group is: how do you define “effective teaching” in your context? This would seem to be a straightforward question, and yet it’s not. It’s also a very critical question as departments consider what criteria they will use to provide feedback on and/or assess teaching. One way to approach the question that the LC group asked us to explore involved identifying key principles of learning and how they might intersect with and inform PRT practices.

It was a challenge to organize the results from multiple decades of research on human learning, and yet we knew this task was important to help inform the work of the group. In the end, we categorized the main principles into three dimensions:

Cognitive
Motivational
Social

The cognitive dimension includes theories about students’ prior knowledge – the need to link new learning to existing knowledge and find ways to identify and address misconceptions. It also includes theory regarding the differences between novice and expert learners, particularly how they organize information. Cognitive theories also focus on the necessity for students to acquire, practice, and apply learning (knowledge and skills) and the value of metacognition.

Motivation, in the context of learning, “influences the direction, intensity, persistence, and quality of the learning behaviors in which students engage” (Ambrose et al., 2010, p.69). Expectancy-value theory from motivation identifies learning as goal-oriented behavior that is influenced by the value of the goal for students and the expectancy of success. Finally, theories within the social dimension indicate that learning involves building knowledge by interacting with others – both teachers and peers – and benefits from positive, encouraging environments.

The workshop participants worked together to identify specific instructional strategies that could be used to implement these theoretical principles of learning as well as evidence that could be collected for PRT purposes. PRT practices often include a classroom observation component in which behaviours such as organization of material or ways to engage students in class are assessed. But one “a-ha moment” from this activity was that observing classroom instructional behaviours won’t provide a holistic picture of the effectiveness of an instructor’s teaching: teaching also involves course design decisions. For example, social learning may be assessed in class if small groups are used, but social learning may be implemented via group assignments outside of class. Reviewing the course materials related to that assignment would be the only feasible source of evidence about this form of learning. Similarly, reviewing the learning assessments used in a course would provide insights into whether students may perceive they could succeed. And reviewing the results of the students’ learning would provide information about the outcomes achieved as a result of the course delivery and design, in addition to students’ attributes and behaviours as learners.

Recognizing the role of course design fits clearly with the advice we provide in CTE about the amount of time a student should spend on a course: 3 hours in class and 5 to 7 outside of class. This out-of-class time typically involves student work that is directed by an instructor’s course design (e.g., assignments, readings).

This session left me with one key takeaway:

To truly review our peers’ teaching, we need to focus on more than what happens in classrooms – course design materials are critical sources of evidence of effective teaching as well.

If you or one of your colleagues wants to explore more about course design, the Teaching Excellence Academy may be a great next step. Contact your department Chair or School Director in mid-February to discuss being nominated. Let me know if you have any questions about this multi-day workshop or about the peer review of teaching.

Reference:

Ambrose, S.A., Bridges, M.W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M.C., Norman, M.K. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

The ISW (Instructional Skills Workshop) Annual Reunion – Monica Vesely

The ISW (Instructional Skills Workshop) Annual Reunion – Monica Vesely

Since the initial offering of the Instructional Skills Workshop in May of 2008, 120 participants from across all six faculties have completed ISW at the University of Waterloo. On Wednesday, November 13^th, a group of ISW past participants gathered in EV1 241 to (re)connect with their fellow ISW alumni. This ISW Reunion has now become an annual event taking place in the fall term and allowing for ISW graduates to touch-base with not only their ISW cohort group but all past ISW participants. Through both formal and informal discussions, the transformative value of ISW is considered and encouraged to grow.

The Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) is an intense 24-hour peer-based workshop that involves participants in cycles of mini-lessons accompanied by written, verbal and video feedback. It challenges the participants to explore new approaches to their teaching while at the same time being intentional about their lesson planning approach. The program started in 1978 in British Columbia and subsequently spread across Canada and the US. It is now an internationally recognized and facilitated program.

The Instructional Skills Workshop is offered within a small group setting and is designed to enhance the teaching effectiveness of both new and experienced educators. ISW encourages participants to reflect on the underlying processes behind the experience of teaching and learning. For many, the greatest value of the workshop lies in the opportunity to participate in and reflect on instruction from the experience and perspective of a learner.

Attendees at this year’s ISW Reunion had the opportunity to hear more formally from three past participants (Lisa Doherty, Shirley Hall, and Markus Moos) who shared their ISW story and how it shaped their subsequent teaching. After the panelists had shared their thoughts, the discussion opened up to include comments from the group at large. Past participants reflected on how the ISW experience had influenced their approach to teaching and what take-aways had made their way into their classrooms. Some even wondered about repeating the experience now that a significant amount time had passed since their own ISW participation.

If you are an ISW alumni, I encourage you to save the date for our next reunion, tentatively set for Wednesday, November 5, 2014. If you are interested in taking the Instructional Skills Workshop, please visit the CTE events page for future offerings. Our next ISW is scheduled for February 18-21, 2014 (Reading Week).

Good Teaching, Scholarly Teaching and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning – Monica Vesely

I recently had the good fortune to attend the New Faculty Developers Institute in Atlanta where I attended a session on Supporting SoTL (the scholarship of teaching and learning). As many of us are now preparing for the start of a new academic year in September, this topic area is, if not top-of-mind, at least a component of the many thoughts swirling in our brains. With this mind, I thought I would share my synopsis of this session with you.

The presenter, Thomas Pusateri from Kennesaw State University, opened the session by citing excerpts from Hutchings and Shulman that endeavoured to make the distinction between good teaching and scholarly teaching, and ultimately, the scholarship of teaching and learning (from “The Scholarship of Teaching: New Elaborations, New Developments,” in Change, September/October 1999. Volume 31, Number 5. Pages 10-15.)

Hutchings and Shulman proposed that “all faculty have an obligation to teach well, to engage students, and to foster important forms of student learning” and they concede that “this is not easily done” and that “such teaching is a good fully sufficient unto itself”.

The authors go on to say that “when it (the practice of good teaching) entails, as well, certain practices of classroom assessment and evidence gathering, when it is informed not only by the latest ideas in the field but by current ideas about teaching the field, when it invites peer collaboration and review, then that teaching might rightly be called scholarly, or reflective, or informed”.

They suggest that the final step of “making one’s scholarly teaching public (“community property”), open to critique and evaluation, and in a form that others can build on” transforms the scholarly teaching into the scholarship of teaching and proceed to define it as follows:

“Scholarship of teaching will entail a public account of some or all of the full act of teaching—vision, design, enactment, outcomes, and analysis-in a manner susceptible to critical review by the teacher’s professional peers and amenable to productive employment in future work by members of that same community.”

If we choose to take up the torch, how can we navigate the path from good teaching (in and of itself a laudable goal) to scholarly teaching and then, to the scholarship of teaching and learning? Below I have gathered just a few of the many resources available to help guide your way:

On-campus: University of Waterloo Resources

External Conferences and Professional Organizations

Journals

Happy travels!

What are Teaching Squares? – Monica Vesely

The beginning…

Teaching Squares is a concept created by Anne Wessely of St. Louis Community College. It started when Anne Wessely, chair of the accounting department at the Meramec campus in Kirkwood, was leading a committee looking into peer evaluation. By her recollection: “We were sitting around and we had the hedonists, the relationship builders, and the task-oriented people just as you usually do. The relationship builders were saying ‘we just meet to get together,’ and the task-oriented people were talking about peer evaluation and were thinking of a developing formal component for our evaluation system.” Out of this discussion emerged the Teaching Squares approach as a non-judgmental, evaluative process that fosters in-depth reflection about teaching in general and in context. The program builds community across disciplines and provides an opportunity for instructors to engage in discussions about teaching.

The description…

The Teaching Squares approach involves a self-reflective process about teaching gained through observation of one’s peers. It is not a peer evaluation exercise but rather a self-evaluation process which takes place in a confidential and mutually supportive environment. The aim of the Teaching Squares approach is to enhance teaching and learning through a structured process of classroom observation, reflection and discussion (leading to a plan for revitalization).

The mechanics…

A square is formed by four instructors who visit each other’s classes over the course of one term. Those being visited are encouraged to provide peer visitors with a copy of their course outline, to comment on why students are taking that particular course, and to share any material that would enhance the observation experience. The peer visitors are instructed to take notes during the classroom visit which would include such particulars as teaching methods, attitudes, classroom materials, and classroom management. The visits are preceded by an organizational meeting and followed by a debrief meeting where the participants share their experiences (the positive aspects of what they have learned and how they might improve their own teaching).

In conclusion…

By allowing instructors to be “learners” again in their colleagues’ classes, Teaching Squares opens up unique spaces for reflection and conversation about teaching. During their classroom visits, the Teaching Squares participants have the opportunity to experience a variety of contexts and challenges which leads to a greater appreciation of the quality of and commitment to good teaching already in existence on campus and, at the same time, it provides the catalyst for growth as participants gather ideas on different teaching approaches and consider how they could be used to improve one’s own teaching.

If you are interested in learning more about the Teaching Squares Program at the University of Waterloo, please contact Monica Vesely at mvesely@uwaterloo.ca

Update Your Lectures: Re-Thinking PowerPoint in the Classroom – Zara Rafferty

Oh, how I loved PowerPoint as a student. When the lights at the front of the room clicked off and the PowerPoint projector clicked on, my peers and I took that as our cue to sit back, relax, and start surreptitiously texting under our desks. What was class time for, really, if not to catch up with the latest Facebook news?

Silly faculty, I thought, don’t they realize that, by posting the lecture slides, they are eliminating the need for me to listen in class? As for the few wily instructors who left blanks in the slides? Well, they eliminated the need to study for tests, as we could be fairly sure those blanks would comprise the bulk of our quiz questions.

It was only when I became an instructor that I realized how vital PowerPoint was for me. The slides helped keep me on-track, allowed me to share images or embedded videos, and ensured that I touched upon key discussion points.

But, as I gazed out at my students, not-so-covertly texting, nodding off, or staring at me with vacant eyes, I realized I was doing something wrong. I was using PowerPoint as a crutch and not as an effective communication tool. I turned to PowerPoint to organize my notes when I had not left myself enough time to plan a thoughtful, engaging lecture. I thought that by using a different font (hello, Rockwell!) and selecting a colourful PowerPoint template, I was somehow pioneering educational technology.

Wrong.

I had to face the sad fact that I didn’t know how to use PowerPoint effectively. I didn’t, and you probably don’t either. And that’s okay. We can fix it! Here are my top 5 resources for reinventing how you use PowerPoint in the classroom:

1. You Suck at PowerPoint: 5 Shocking Design Mistakes to Avoid
2. Re-Think Your Use of Visuals: Dance vs. PowerPoint, a Modest Proposal (from John Bohannon, who also created the Dance Your PhD project)
3. PowerPoint Inspiration: 28 Creative PowerPoint Designs
4. Active Learning with PowerPoint Tutorial
5. Try other PowerPoint-esque programs, like Prezi, Keynote, or SlideRocket

Of course, you could always get rid of PowerPoint altogether, but I suppose that’s a topic for a future post…

Happy designing!

(Image via)

Teaching Orientation Days – Monica Vesely

In August, before our students hit the books and before our instructors “hit” the podium (real of otherwise), our new faculty had the opportunity to attend teaching workshops particularly tailored to their career stage and offered in a concentrated format at a timely point before the start of the fall term. For the second year in a row, two days in August (8^th and 9^th) were dedicated to Teaching Orientation. New faculty members were invited to attend any or all of four teaching workshops that form the core of the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE)’s new faculty offerings. Continue reading Teaching Orientation Days – Monica Vesely