Teaching your first course: balancing teaching and research

Discussion topics

How to be a good teacher

How to balance teaching and getting a research program off the ground

Why do we teach?

So that people learn

Who do we teach?

students

colleagues

your chair, your dean

the public

program managers

patent office

…

Teaching tips – richard felder

Developing a good course takes time

learn good time management

What students learn<What you teach

don’t just try to “ cover ” the material

Learning styles

don’t “teach yourself”

Active learning

“I hear, I forget;

I see, I remember;

I do, I understand”

2 minute paper

Teaching large classes – mike gustin

Large class teaching: tips

Outline of class topics on board

Avoid powerpoint where possible

1-2 sec pause between points

Be intense

Wait for questions, step into class

Take a break in the middle

Large class teaching: issues

Break into smaller groups?

Clickers?

Quiz at start of class?

Notes on line?

Large class teaching: testing

Exam topics predictable, exact question not

Multiple choice plus short essay (best 5 of 7)

Curve each exam, give letter grades

Mean ± SD, mean = lowest point of B range;

each SD one full grade (B-, B, B+)

Your first year teaching – jane grande-allen

• Plan 6-8 hours of prep time per lecture
• Don’t expect perfection
• Do get feedback throughout the semester
• Don’t expect eager listening faces
• Do make the time to get to know your students

or at least learn names

Assignment tips

• Textbooks have typos
• Work the exams yourself
• Extra credit: not all that

After: recap and revise

• Fix the lectures that needed the most work irst
• Every few lectures, work in up to date data to keep things current
• Get a mentor and meet monthly. Go over how EVERYTHING has been for you
• Do attend teaching workshops

Evaluations

• Don’t take the evaluations too harshly
• “This professor actually discouraged independent thought…”
• “Dr. Grande-Allen is the most fair&considerate teacher I’ve had at Rice…”
• “Not enough engineering – too much biology”
• “The name of the course should surely be changed to Mechanical Properties of ECM because little or no chemistry or biology was discussed”

Time management / balance

• Set office hours and keep to them
• Give the same course lecture you gave last year
• Don’t say yes to every undergrad that wants to work with you
• Focus your time on learning what you need for the research you will be strongest at
• Do early
  • Write IRB and IACUC
  • Attend regional training seminars by NIH and NSF
  • Sign up for grants mailing lists

Maintain perspective

• Get a mentor and meet monthly!
• Colleagues, other young faculty
• Get to know some people and faculty outside the department
• Read At the Helm
• Check out a few blogs of other women in this position

Points for discussion

• How to deal with absent or failing students
• The students are not like you were/are
• Should you recycle quizzes/exams?
• How accommodating should you be to student requests?
• Where did the day go? Protecting your time
• What is important and not important?

Compiled/presented by

Richard Baraniuk (ELEC)

Mike Gustin (BCB)

Jane Grande-Allen (BIOE)

Yousif Shamoo (BCB)