Past Workshop Descriptions
For All Interested Individuals
Third Annual Research and Scholarship in Engineering
Co-Sponsored by the Office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Engineering
Tuesday, 10/14/08, 12 noon – 1:30 pm. Gallery, 1st Floor, Duderstadt Center.
Manyfaculty and graduate students in the College of Engineering are engagedin scholarly work in the field of engineering education. At this postersession, colleagues will share their research and scholarship on topicsthat include understanding how students learn, improving diversity andretention in engineering, learning about faculty and the profession,and applying innovative teaching methods in engineering courses.
Active Learning in Engineering
Dr. Michael Prince, Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bucknell University
Wednesday, 09/24/08, 9:30 – 11:30 am. Johnson Rooms,Lurie Engineering Center.
Activelearning methods encompass a wide range of practices designed to engagestudents, and they can be simple and easy to implement. This workshopwill provide a brief overview of the most common active learningtechniques and will present some of the extensive, research-basedevidence for their effectiveness. Participants will discuss how toimplement active learning in their own classes, and Dr. Prince willaddress concerns about introducing active learning into a traditional,lecture-based course.
Click here to download Dr. Prince's presentation.
Active Learning in Engineering
Tershia Pinder-Grover, Ph.D. - Coordinator of Engineering GSI Initiatives
Tuesday, February 12, 2008, 11:30-1:00. Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
Research indicates that engaging students in action and reflection increases both long-term retention of material and intrinsic motivation to learn. In this session, participants will practice a variety of active learning methods that have been shown to be effective in engineering classrooms of any size. Participants will discuss barriers to using these methods in their classes and will strategize about ways to overcome these challenges.
Research and Scholarship in Engineering Education: Poster Session
Co-Sponsored by the Office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Engineering
Tuesday, October 23, 2007, 12:00-1:15. Atrium of the Duderstadt Center.
Many faculty and graduate students in the College of Engineering are engaged in scholarly work in the field of engineering education. At this poster session, colleagues who will share their research and scholarship on topics that include understanding how students learn, improving diversity and retention in engineering, learning about faculty and the profession, and applying innovative teaching methods for engineering courses.
Instructional technology in engineering courses
Tuesday, January 23, 2007, 1:30-2:30, Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Guy Meadows, Professor, AOSS and NAME
Joanna Mirecki-Millunchick, Associate Professor, MSE
Jeffrey Ringenberg, GSI, EECS
During the seminar, College of Engineering instructors will present examples of their use of technology in teaching (including simulcasting of Engineering 110, screencasting using Camtasia, lecturing using a tablet PC, and collaborative online note-taking using mySpace) and will discuss the process of integrating instructional technology into teaching. Participants will exchange ideas and resources and will examine ways to use instructional technology to teach engineering courses.
Click on the presenter's name to view their presentation.
| Guy Meadows | | Jeffrey Ringenberg |
Research and Scholarship in Engineering Education: Poster Session
12:00 noon - 1:15 p.m., Wednesday, October 18, 2006, Duderstadt Atrium
Lunch will be provided.
There were more than 30 U-M attendees at the 2006 Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education (including engineering administrators, faculty, graduate students, and staff). At least 18 papers were presented on behalf of U-M (including five nominees for the best ASEE paper award), and several authors of those papers have agreed to prepare a poster to describe their work. Work to presented ranges from research to better understand our engineering students to useful strategies for improving student success to innovative classroom pedagogies. This session is co-sponsored by the Office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Engineering.
Applying the Science of Learning to Engineering
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Thursday, October 6, 2005, Johnson Rooms A-C, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
Dr. Milt Hakel, Professor of Psychology, Bowling Green State University
The National Research Council's landmark book How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School begins: "Today, the world is in the midst of an extraordinary outpouring of scientific work on the mind and brain, on the processes of thinking and learning, and on the development of competence." The guiding principles embodied in these research advances can be applied in every educational setting (including the classroom) where learning is expected to take place. Dr. Milt Hakel, Professor of Psychology at Bowling Green State University, will lead this workshop and will focus on "the science of learning." The session will give participants the opportunity to apply the principles to their own work with engineering students and with colleagues in an effort to build an effective learning-centered College of Engineering.
Best Practices in Writing Effective Tests for Engineering
10:00 am-12:00 noon, Wednesday, March 9, 2005, Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
Mary Piontek, Evaluation Researcher at CRLT
This workshop will provide an overview of essential assessment concepts, including the advantages and disadvantages of commonly used test formats and general guidelines and strategies for grading. Participants will be invited to provide examples of test items from their own courses for critique, and time will be provided for discussion of participantsÌ concerns about improving their tests.
Using Personal Response Systems to Promote Active Learning in Large Classes
1:30 - 2:45 pm, Thursday, February 3, 2005, Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
Erping Zhu, Instructional Technology Consultant at CRLT
In this session, faculty members in engineering and biology will share their experiences using the personal response system in their courses. Participants will also hear student perspectives about the system and learn strategies for using it to track attendance and promote student interaction.
Faculty Talk about Effective Teaching
9:00-11:00 am, November 11, 2004, Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
James Holloway, Noel Perkins, Kenneth Powell, and Ann Marie Sastry will share successful approaches they have identified for efficient, effective teaching. This session will include time for an open discussion.
Click on presenter's name below for a copy of their presentation.
Effective Lecturing in Engineering and Science
10:00 am-12:00 pm, November 1, 2004, Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
Facilitators: Cynthia J. Finelli and Chris O'Neal, CRLT-North
This seminar will focus on preparing and presenting lectures that promote student learning. Issues of effective structure and organization will be discussed, the benefits and drawbacks of lecturing will be examined, research on ways to maximize student learning in a lecture will be presented, and efficient strategies for keeping student engaged and involved during lectures will be demonstrated.
Efficient, Effective Teaching
10:00 am-1:00 pm, October 12, 2004, Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center. Lunch will be provided.
Guest speaker: Dr. Phillip C. Wankat, Purdue University
Methods for developing a good course and hints on lecturing, testing and improving rapport with students will be presented. Alternatives to lecturing will also be explored and a path for future development will be suggested. This event is co-sponsored by the Engineering Teaching Academy.
Using Groups Effectively in Engineering and Science Courses: A CRLT Theatre Performance
10:00 am-12:00 pm, October 27, 2004, Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
This interactive performance will present a classroom scenario featuring an instructor?s attempt to use groups. The audience will engage in discussion about the relative success of the instructor?s approaches and will suggest ways to improve the group work. The scenario will then be re-enacted, incorporating audience suggestions.
For Faculty Only
Using Students Teams in Engineering Classes
Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 12:00pm - 1:30pm. Room 1210, Lurie Engineering Center.
Teamwork is an integral component of the engineering curriculum, but it is often difficult to ensure that all students are engaged, included, and successful in groups. In this session participants will hear about research that supports the use of cooperative learning in classes, learn strategies to form and supervise teams,and discuss ways to assess students in teams in the engineering classroom.
Faculty Talk about Effective Teaching
Wednesday, March 5, 2008, 3:30-4:30. Room 1210, Lurie Engineering Center.
Professors Amy Cohn, Ken Powell, and Steve Skerlos will share successful approaches they have identified for efficient, effective teaching. This session will include time for an open discussion.
Faculty Advising Faculty: A Performance by the CRLT Players
Co-sponsored with the NSF ADVANCE Project at U-M
Tuesday, September 25, 2007, 12:30-2:30. Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Lunch will be provided.
This sketch explores the senior faculty-junior faculty mentoring process and examines the many factors, both individual and institutional, that can help or hinder junior faculty from getting the career advice from senior faculty that they need to succeed. The sketch is based on published research as well as interviews with faculty at U-M. The performance lasts approximately 15 minutes. For the remainder of the program, audience members dialogue with the characters and talk with one another about ways to maximize the effectiveness of faculty advising.
Student Teams in Engineering
Facilitated by Dr. Cynthia J. Finelli
Thursday, November 1, 2007, 12:00-1:30. Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Lunch will be provided.
Teamwork is an integral component of the engineering curriculum, but it is often difficult to ensure that all students are engaged, included, and successful in groups. In this session participants will hear about research that supports the use of cooperative learning in classes, learn strategies to form teams and assess their success, and discuss ways to deal with common problems when using teams in the engineering classroom.
12:00-1:30, Monday, May 14, 2007, Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Panel: The perspective of four recent CAREER recipients
- Domitilla Del Vecchio - Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Russell Green - Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Michael Mayer - Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering
- Anna Michalak - Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences
Perspectives from NSF
- Larry Seiford - Past Program Director, Division of Design, Manufacture, and Industrial Innovation, NSF and Chair and Professor, Industrial and Operations Engineering
- William Schultz - Program Director, Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems, NSF and Professor, Mechanical Engineering
| William Schultz's presentation | | Larry Seiford's presentation |
Who is cheating in engineering and why? A research talk
12:00-1:30, Wednesday, March 28, 2007, Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Lunch will be provided.
Cynthia Finelli, Managing Director, CRLT North
Alarmingly, upwards of 80% of undergraduate students report they have cheated at least once during their college careers. The percentage of undergraduates who self-report cheating differs by college major, with engineering students reporting some of the highest rates of cheating in college over the past forty years. Since 2000, a team of engineering educators has worked collaboratively to understand the underlying causes of academic dishonesty in undergraduates. This presentation summarizes some important findings of the team from three major studies that surveyed more than 1200 engineering and humanities undergraduates at eleven institutions.
| Dr. Finelli's presentation |
Active Learning in Engineering
12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, November 9, 2006, Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
Facilitators: Dr. Tershia Pinder and Dr. Chris O'Neal, CRLT
Research from a variety of studies indicates that engaging learners in action and reflection increases both long-term retention of material and intrinsic motivation to learn. In this workshop, participants will experience a variety of active learning methods that have been shown to be effective in engineering classrooms. We will also discuss challenges of implementing these strategies in U-M engineering classes.
Enhancing Engineering Classes with Active and Cooperative Learning
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 31, 2006, Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
Click here to download a copy of the presentation.
Dr. Karl Smith, Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor & Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota
This session focuses on strategies for actively engaging students in large enrollment classes and demonstrates active and cooperative learning, including simulation and video examples of structuring student-student interaction during class time. Rationale for using active and cooperative learning will be provided for students and faculty, and the instructor's role in student participation, grading, fairness, and group intervention will be discussed. The session will include modeling of hands-on activities, video examples, small and large group discussion, and presentation. This event is co-sponsored by the Engineering Teaching Academy.
CRLT Players: Rackham Mentoring Graduate Students
12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m., Thursday, February 16, 2006, Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
This interactive performance by the CRLT Players uses theatrical vignettes to explore common dynamics and possible dilemmas in the faculty-graduate student mentoring relationship. As with all CRLT Players' performances, the sketch is based on a solid research foundation. The theatre troupe will present a series of faculty-graduate student interactions, and the audience will engage in discussion about ways to improve the mentoring relationship. The scenario will then be re-enacted, incorporating audience suggestions.
Faculty Research on Student Retention in Engineering
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Thursday, March 16, 2006, Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
Click here to download a copy of Dr. Holloway's presentation.
Click here to download a copy of Dr. Meadows' presentation.
Dr. James Holloway, Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences and Dr. Lorelle Meadows, Assistant Research Scientist in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
Universities face increasingly difficult challenges in broadening the diversity of the engineering field. The Engineer of 2020 recommends that, to remain competitive in a global environment, the engineering community should "aspire to be an engineering profession that will effectively recruit, nurture, and welcome underrepresented groups into its ranks." Several efforts are ongoing at the College of Engineering to understand issues related to this challenge, and this session will feature two faculty presentations about ongoing research projects on student retention.
Dr. Lorelle Meadows studies the effect of service-learning on underrepresented students (URS), including women, in engineering. The initial goal of her project is to establish a baseline inventory of recent historical student retention data for URS in engineering, and her long-term goal is to study persistence in engineering based on evaluations of student perceptions of their first-year experience and the climate of the college and university. Dr. James Holloway studies factors influencing motivation in Engineering 101, and his project identifies factors that help or hinder the success of URS in Engineering 101. Both projects represent different phases of research that will allow the community to better understand the influence of teaching methods and student choices on persistence in the engineering disciplines.
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Monday, March 27, 2006, Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
Click here to download a copy of the presentation.
Dr. Cindy Finelli, Managing Director of CRLT North and Dr. Matt Kaplan, Associate Director of CRLT
Faculty would not leave their research undocumented, so why should they surrender the sole documentation of their teaching to students? A teaching portfolio is a means to provide evidence of teaching effectiveness that can serve as a valuable tool for both faculty self-assessment and administrative review. Participants in this interactive workshop will discuss appropriate contents of a teaching portfolio and will begin to develop a reflective statement on teaching. This workshop is co-sponsored by the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Supporting Undergraduates in Learning
1:30 - 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 27, 2005, Johnson Rooms A-C, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Dr. Elliot Soloway, EECS Department
In this session, Dr. Elliot Soloway of the EECS department will describe his experiences teaching undergraduates. He will focus on his research in motivating students and will briefly describe the theory on this topic. In addition, Dr. Soloway will present practical tips for supporting undergraduate students in learning.
Integrating Chemistry Lab and Lecture in a Studio Environment
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2005, Johnson Rooms A-C, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Dr. Amy Gottfried, Chemistry Department
This session describes a project underway in the U-M Chemistry Department to integrate the typically separate lecture and laboratory general chemistry courses into a studio environment. In the traditional engineering curriculum, the two components are taught separately, but the current effort allows students to practice scientific inquiry, explore models to deepen conceptual understanding, and accommodate creative endeavors. This novel approach to fundamental chemistry has been piloted at U-M, and this session describes the studio environment and presents an initial evaluation of the project.
First-Year math Courses for Engineering Students
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Thursday, November 10, 2005, Johnson Rooms A-C, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Drs. Robert Krasney, Karen Rhea, and Dale Winter, Mathematics Department
Math is a fundamental component in the engineering curriculum, and the first-year math courses form a basis upon which subsequent courses can build. In this session, a panel of faculty from the math department will describe the introductory courses in Mathematics, focusing primarily on Math 115, 116, and 156. The panelists will discuss the student composition, philosophy, expectations, and goals of the courses.
Engaging Students in Engineering Education: Lessons from Research (Three independent sessions)
12:00-1:30 pm, Tuesday, January 25; Thursday, February 10; Wednesday, February 23, 2005,
Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center. Lunch will be provided.
Cynthia Finelli, Managing Director at CRLT North
This series of focused discussion sessions will allow faculty to explore research about best teaching practices for engaging students in engineering education. Readings will be assigned prior to each session to guide the discussion. Each session is independent of the others, and faculty may attend one or more.
- Session 1. Active learning in the classroom. 12 noon - 1:30 pm, Tuesday, January 25, 2005.
Lunch will be provided.
This focus of this session will be Prince, M. Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research. Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 93, No. 3, July 2004, pp 223 - 231. The article examines the evidence for effectiveness of active learning. It defines common forms of active learning most relevant for engineering faculty and critically examines the core elements of each method. The article presents findings that indicate that there is broad but uneven support for the core elements of active, collaborative, cooperative, and problem-based learning.
- Session 2. Effective student teams. 12 noon - 1:30 pm, Thursday, February 10, 2005.
Lunch will be provided.
Participants at this session will discuss Oakley, B., R.M. Felder, R. Brent, and I. Elhajj. Turning Student Groups into Effective Teams. Journal of Student Centered Learning. Vol. 2, No. 1, 2004, pp 9 -34. The paper is a guide to the effective design and management of team assignments in an engineering college classroom where little class time is available for instruction on teaming skills. Topics discussed include forming teams, helping them become effective, and using peer ratings to adjust for individual performance. The article includes a section on frequently asked questions as well as sample forms and handouts. - Session 3. Peer instruction. 12 noon - 1:30 pm, Wednesday, February 23, 2005.
Lunch will be provided.
The final session will focus on Crouch, C.H., and E. Mazur. Peer Instruction: Ten Years of Experience and Results. American Journal of Physics. Vol. 69, No. 9, September 2001. pp. 970 - 977. The article reports on data from ten years of teaching with Peer Instruction in calculus and algebra-based physics courses. Innovations included use of pre-class written responses to readings and cooperative learning in lecture and discussion sections. Results indicate increased student mastery of both conceptual reasoning and quantitative problem solving.
For GSIs Only
What is it like to be an Engineering Faculty Member?
Thursday, May 9, 2009, 12:30pm - 2:00pm. Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
This session features three panelists:
- Jennifer Linderman - Professor, Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering
- Jamie Phillips - Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Shu Takayama - Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Graduate students will hear about faculty life from a variety of perspectives. Panelists will be prepared to discuss issues such as faculty work-life, strategies for success during the job search, and the early years of a faculty career.
Seven (Simple) Strategies to Improve Your TeachingMarcial Lapp, Amor Menezes, and Fernando Tavares
Wednesday, January 14, 2009, 12:00pm - 1:30pm. Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
Educational research has identified seven principles for effective college teaching. This session highlights these principles through a series of engaging activities providing GSIs with a number of suggestions to apply to their own courses.
"Using Groups": A Sketch by the CRLT Players
Wednesday, October 8, 2008, 11:30 – 1:30 pm. Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
TheCRLT Players present provocative performances based upon researchconcerning the experience of faculty and students. In this interactiveperformance, the troupe will perform a sketch portraying thecomplexities that often accompany assigned group work in the classroom.After the sketch, there will be a facilitated discussion between theaudience and the characters from the sketch, prompting reflection onissues related to group work such as the importance of effectiveinstructions, problematic group dynamics, and the instructor’sresponsibilities regarding classroom climate.
Work-Life Balance
Nick Bisek, Mark Hodges, and Kristen Tebo – Engineering GSI Mentors
Thursday, October 2, 2008, 12:30 – 1:30 pm. Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center
Jugglingthe competing demands of doing research, taking and teaching classes,and maintaining a personal life can be challenging for both new andexperienced graduate students. Sometimes, it may feel as if therearen't enough hours in the day to get everything done. In this session,participants will discover ways to establish and maintain an effectivebalance between the various aspects of graduate student life.
Classroom Assessment Techniques
Tabish Maqbool, Shawn O’Connor, and Michael Senra – Engineering GSI Mentors
Thursday, September 11, 2008, 10:30 – 11:30 am. Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.
Classroomassessment techniques (CATs) are simple ways to gather information onwhat, how much, and how well students learn in a specific classsession. Instructors can use the results of CATs to create a moreeffective learning environment. This session will introduce and model aset of CATs and provide participants with an opportunity to reflect onwhich methods will be the most effective in their courses.
Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement for Engineering
Irina Dolinskaya and Kristen Tebo - Engineering GSI Mentors
Wednesday, March 12, 2008, 3:30-4:30. Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center
The statement of teaching philosophy is becoming an increasingly common part of applications for academic jobs in engineering. In this interactive session, participants will focus on the benefits of writing a teaching philosophy, will examine sample philosophies, and will work through activities designed to help them start writing their own statements.
Student Teams in Engineering: Turning Dysfunctinal into Functional
Eugene Daneshvar and Amor Menezes - Engineering GSI Mentors
Tuesday, January 22, 2008, 10:30-11:30. Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center
Teamwork is an important component of the engineering curriculum, but it often causes stress for GSIs and their students. In this session participants will hear about research that supports the use of cooperative learning in classes, learn strategies to deal with dysfunctional teams, and discuss alternatives to deal with common problems when using teams in the classroom.
Best Teaching Practices: Perspectives of Experienced GSIs
Mark Hodges, Smita Krishnaswamy, Tabish Maqbool, Michael Senra, and Annie Simon - Engineering GSI Mentors
Thursday, January 10, 2008, 11:30-1:00. Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Lunch will be provided.
In this session, first-time GSIs, those returning to teach a new course, and others will have the opportunity to discuss concerns with a panel of experienced GSIs. Probable topics to be covered include overcoming nervousness, dealing with disruptive students or those who challenge your authority, getting students actively involved in class, handling problems with the course instructor or fellow GSIs, and assessing your success as a GSI. Panelists will also share lessons learned and useful reference materials.
Research on Best Practices in College Teaching
Facilitated by Marcial Lapp, Mark Liffiton, and Chandresh Mehta, Engineering GSI Mentors
Monday, September 17, 2007, 11:30-1:00. Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Lunch will be provided.
Educational research has identified seven principles for effective college teaching. This session highlights these principles through a series of engaging activities where GSIs can reflect on ways to apply the seven principles to their own courses. New and returning GSIs are encouraged to attend.
Effective Lecturing
Facilitated by Emine Cagin, Mark Hodges, and Fernando Resend, Engineering GSI Mentors
Thursday, October 4, 2007, 11:30-1:00. Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
This seminar will focus on preparing and presenting lectures that promote student learning. Topics to be covered include issues of effective structure and organization, the benefits and drawbacks of lecturing, research on ways to maximize student learning in a lecture, and efficient strategies for keeping student engaged and involved during lectures.
Developing a Productive Relationship with Your Research Advisor
Facilitated by Irina Dolinskaya, Amy Kao, and Amor Menezes, Engineering GSI Mentors
Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 11:30-1:00. Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
This session focuses on how to develop good relationships between graduate students and their current faculty advisors. Advisor classifications will be covered, and some strategies that graduate students can use to develop a more productive relationship with their advisor will be discussed.
Best teaching practices: Perspectives from experienced engineering GSIs
Thursday, January 11, 2007, 12:30-1:30, Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Lunch will be provided.
Michael Cherry and Sarah Root, Engineering GSI Mentors
GSIs often have concerns about being a first-time GSI or teaching a new course for returning GSIs. For this session, participants will have the opportunity to ask these questions and discuss these issues with a panel of experienced GSIs. An interactive dialogue between experienced GSIs will investigate topics of interest, such as, handling issues with students, classroom strategies, and lessons learned.
Monday, February 5, 2007, 12:30-1:30, Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Lunch will be provided.
Alina Chu and Amy Kao, Engineering GSI Mentors
In this session, participants will discuss ways in which GSIs can help students acquire the problem solving skills and techniques they will use in their careers. Several examples and situations will be used to explore students' problem solving capabilities at various stages in their academic career, to determine where the problem solving process breaks down, and to discuss strategies to guide students through difficult problems without simply providing the answers.
Graduate student mentoring: A performance by the CRLT Players
Wednesday, February 14, 2007, 1:30-3:00, Johnson Rooms of Lurie Engineering Center.
Jeffrey Steiger, Director of CRLT Players
In this production, the CRLT Players use theatrical vignettes, monologue, and music to explore common dynamics and possible dilemmas in the graduate student-faculty mentoring relationship. Throughout the performance, the participants are invited to dialogue with the characters, who later repeat parts of the productions incorporating audience suggestions.
Conversations about Teaching (3-part series) facilitated by Engineering GSI Mentors
Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center.
- Teaching Strategies: 11:30 - 1:30 p.m., Tueseday, September 26, 200
Lunch will be provided.Emine Cagin, Daniel Georgiev, and Amy Kao, Engineering GSI Mentors
When teaching in lab sections, recitation sections, or office hours, GSIs frequently engage in one-on-one teaching with students. In this "hands-on" session, GSIs will develop skills for effective one-on-one teaching and learning. Methods for promoting critical thinking, teaching problem-solving, and creating a productive learning environment will be emphasized. - Work-Life Balance: 2:00 - 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Refreshments will be Provided.Alina Chu, Marcial Lapp, and Sarah Root, Engineering GSI Mentors
Juggling the competing demands of doing research, taking and teaching classes, and maintaining a private life can be a challenge for both new and experienced graduate students. Sometimes, it may feel as if there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done or to do everything well. In this session, participants will explore strategies to establish and keep an effective balance between the various aspects of graduate student life. This session will also explore strategies for cultivating successful relationships with faculty supervisors and mentors while teaching or conducting research. - Ethics of College Teaching: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, October 19, 2006
Lunch will be provided.Michael Cherry, Irina Dolinskaya, and Alireza Tabatabaeenejad, Engineering GSI Mentors
In this session, participants will discuss how ethical concerns can arise in various aspects of college teaching, such as developing course material, grading, and interacting with students inside and outside the classroom. Since many ethical questions have no clear-cut answers, participants in this session will learn ways of thinking that will help them decide how to act ethically when difficult situations arise.
Conducting an Effective Class Session
12:30 - 2:00 p.m., Monday, January 23, 2006 , Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
This session will allow GSIs to explore teaching strategies and principles that may contribute to a better experience in the classroom. Strategies will be applicable to many settings, including discussions, recitations, lectures, office hours, labs, and even research activities. In particular, facilitators of the session will discuss ways in which lectures are useful and ways to make them as effective as possible. The facilitators will also explore the advantages and disadvantages of using alternatives to a lecture format.
Developing a Productive Faculty Relationship
12:00 - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, February 2, 2006, Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
This session focuses on the importance of good relationships between graduate students and their faculty advisors. Topics to be covered include the stages of a graduate student?s development and graduate student supervision from the faculty?s perspective. Some tips for graduate students on developing a more productive relationship with their advisors will be provided.
Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement for Engineering
12:00 - 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 14, 2006, Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
The statement of teaching philosophy is becoming an increasingly common part of applications for academic jobs in engineering. In this interactive seminar, participants will focus on the benefits of writing a teaching philosophy, will examine sample philosophies, and will work through activities designed to help them start writing their own statements.
Teaching Problem-Solving Skills
11:30 - 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 22, 2006, Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center
Lunch will be provided.
In this session, participants will discuss ways in which GSIs can help students acquire the problem solving skills and techniques they will need in their careers as engineers. By examining several examples and case studies, participants will learn to diagnose students? problem solving capabilities, to determine where the problem solving process breaks down, and to discuss strategies to guide students through difficult problems without simply providing the answers.
Managing Student Teams
12:00 - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, September 22, 2005, Johnson Rooms A-C, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center.
Lunch will be Provided.
Sarah Root and Warren Sutton, Engineering GSI Mentors
Conversations about Teaching (3-part series)
12:00 - 1:30 p.m., Johnson Rooms, 3rd Floor, Lurie Engineering Center. Lunch will be Provided.
- One-on-One Teaching: Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Peter Hamlington, Sean Holleran, and Damon Williams, Engineering GSI Mentors
- Academic Integrity: Wednesday, October 12, 2005
David Lorch, Sarah Root, and Warren Sutton, Engineering GSI Mentors
- Classroom Incivility: Thursday, October 20, 2005
Shankara Kuppa, Michael Moffitt, and Sarah Womack, Engineering GSI Mentors
GSI, Student, and Researcher: Balancing your Roles
12:00-1:30 pm, Thursday, October 28, 2004, Boulevard Room, Pierpont Commons. Lunch will be provided.
This session is an opportunity to exchange ideas about teaching and learning with other engineering GSIs who share similar interests. Participants will share strategies to become more effective in the classroom and to develop more efficient time management skills.
