Session: Preparing for Your First Day/Week of Classes
As you enter, please sit forming small groups based on discipline:
Engineering
Science
Humanities, Education, Social Sciences
Preparing for Your First Day/Week of Classes
GTA Orientation
Center for Teaching and Learning
September 16, 2016
Overview of Session
•Learning Outcomes •Common GTA Responsibilities •Planning for Your First Day
•Teaching and Learning Strategies
•GTA Challenges and Resources
•Q&A
Presentation Symbols
Approximate time on an activity
Available on your worksheets
Learning Outcomes Learning Outcomes
• Identify common GTA responsibilities and preparations
• Create a plan for setting basic classroom expectations for learning, behavior, and rapport
• Generate a toolbox of teaching/learning strategies
• Discuss potential challenges you may face and identify the resources available to you as a GTA
Logistics
General Duties
Instructor of record
• Responsible for
• delivery and/or creation of material
• grading
• assigning grades
• office hours
• creating a syllabus
• Name in course catalog
• Student range: ~20‐50
General Duties
Lab, recitation, or studio facilitator
• Responsible for
• delivery of content
• creation of materials (and potentially a syllabus)
• grading
• office hours
• Student range: ~20‐100
General Duties
Grader
• Responsible for
• creating solutions (varies)
• grading and recording
• office hours
• Student range: ~20‐150
Logistics: Prior to the first day
Classroom
• Locate the room
• Do you need a key?
• Is there a class before or after you?
•
Use the Webviewer link at: http://oregonstate.edu/registrar/web‐
viewer
• What does the room look like?
Logistics: Prior to the first day
Classroom
•Locate the room
•Do you need a key?
•Is there a class before or after you?
•Use the Webviewer link at: http://oregonstate.edu/registrar/web‐
viewer
•What does the room look like?
Check out the room ahead of time!
Get used to the space!
Logistics: Prior to the first day
Technology
• Practice ahead of time • Computers and projectors
• Projector screen
• Clickers (not available in
classroom)
• Audio
• Canvas
• Smartboards
• Document camera
• “Technology” phones available in the classroom
What else might be important to know about your classroom?
Logistics: Prior to the first day
Disability Access Services (DAS)
• If you are the instructor of record
• DAS will let you know about students
• If you are NOT the instructor of record
• ask the instructor if there are students you need to know about
Complete FERPA training
• Available through your MyOSU account
Logistics: The syllabus
Logistics: The syllabus
Minimum requirements
• Course name, number, and credits
• Pre‐ and co‐requisites
• Learning resources
• Textbooks, lab manuals, etc.; indicate if required or optional.
•
•
•
•
Course Content
Concise outline of topics and/or activities
Student Learning Outcomes
Evaluation of student performance (grading scheme)
• Homework, quizzes, midterms, reports, final, etc.
• Statement regarding students with disabilities
• Available on Disability Access Services (DAS) website
• Link to Statement of Expectations for Student Conduct
• Religious accommodation Instructor information
Course information
Required text
Course overview and structure
Logistics: The syllabus
Suggested sections
• Teaching statement
• Statement of inclusivity
Logistics: The syllabus
Suggested sections
• Teaching statement
• Statement of inclusivity
Indicates to students what you value and that they are in a safe space
Logistics: The syllabus
Suggested sections
•Teaching statement
•Statement of inclusivity
Indicates to students what you value and that they are in a safe space
What else is important to be in a syllabus?
What else makes sense for your community?
What might be important for setting expectations?
Setting Expectations
On the first day
Throughout the term
Small Group Discussion
Describe what a typical classroom looks like in your discipline.
In your favorite classes, how would you describe the atmosphere of the classroom? How were expectations set for learning and classroom behavior?
What would you change for your own class facilitation?
15 minutes
Pedagogical (Teaching) Tools
Pedagogical (Teaching) Tools
Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)
Active Learning Strategies
Understanding by Design
Identify D esired Results
D eterm ine Assessm ent
Evidence
Plan Learning
Experiences and
Instruction
Adapted from W iggins,G .,& M cTighe,J.(2011).The U nderstanding by D esign guide to creating high-quality
units.Alexandria,VA:ASCD
http://w w w .ascd.org/ASCD /pdf/siteASCD /publications/U bD _W hitePaper0312.pdf
Learning Outcomes
What should students know, understand, and be able to do? What enduring understandings are desired?
Learning outcomes are usually statements that contain a verb (an action) and an object (usually a noun).
For example:
Conjugate verb tenses in Spanish.
Understand how to take a derivative. Defend an argument using evidence and examples.
http://w w w .celt.iastate.edu/teachingresources/effective-practice/revised-bloom staxonom y/
Understanding by Design
Identify D esired Results
D eterm ine Assessm ent
Evidence
Plan Learning
Experiences and
Instruction
Adapted from W iggins,G .,& M cTighe,J.(2011).The U nderstanding by D esign guide to creating highquality units.Alexandria,VA:ASCD
http://w w w .ascd.org/ASCD /pdf/siteASCD /publications/U bD _W hitePaper0312.pdf
Assessment
How will you know if students have achieved the learning outcomes? What will you accept as evidence? How will you be fair and consistent?
Assessment
How will you know if students have achieved the learning outcomes? What will you accept as evidence? How will you be fair and consistent?
Note: this is important for anyone who will be grading; consult grading policy with lead instructor.
Assessment
How will you know if students have achieved the learning outcomes? What will you accept as evidence? How will you be fair and consistent?
Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment
Formative Assessment
Monitor student learning through continual feedback
Used by instructors to improve instruction
Used by students to improve learning
Typically low stakes
1‐minute paper
Concept maps
Clicker questions
Summative Assessment
Evaluate student learning at the end of a unit
Typically high stakes
Midterm exam
Final exam
Final paper
Examples of Assessment
Formative:
5‐minute quiz asking students to conjugate verb tenses
in Spanish.
Homework problems to practice taking a derivative. In‐class writing assignment prompting students to defend an argument
using evidence and examples.
Summative:
In‐class presentation in which students must conjugate verb tenses in Spanish.
In‐class exam where students need to take derivatives. 5‐page persuasive essay where students must defend an argument using evidence and examples.
Understanding by Design
Identify D esired Results
D eterm ine Assessm ent
Evidence
Plan Learning
Experiences and
Instruction
Adapted from W iggins,G .,& M cTighe,J.(2011).The U nderstanding by D esign guide to creating
high-quality units.Alexandria,VA:ASCD
http://w w w .ascd.org/ASCD /pdf/siteASCD /publications/U bD _W hitePaper0312.pdf
Active Learning Strategies
Turn to a partner
Think/pair/share
Jigsaw
Individual presentation
Group discussion
Why Active Learning?
“Students entering science careers in the next century are likely to rely little on factual information conveyed by their teachers. They will rely more heavily on problem‐solving skills, collaborative work skills, and an enthusiasm for the rapidly changing challenges in their fields” (Goodwin et al., 1991, p. 719).
Goodwin, L., Miller, J. E., & Cheetham, R. D. (1991). Teaching Freshmen to Think: Does Active Learning Work?.
Bioscience, Vol. 41(10), pp. 719-722.
Why Active Learning?
Freeman et al. (2014) found that, “[A]verage examination scores improved by about 6% in active‐learning sections, and that students in classes with traditional lecturing were 1.5 times more likely to fail than were students in classes with active learning” (p. 8410).
Freeman, S. et al. (2014). Active learning increases student performances in science, engineering, and mathematics.
PNAS of the US, Vol 111(23), pp. 8410-8415.
Examples of Active Learning
● Turn to your partner and practice speaking on a specific topic in foreign language. ● Give presentation of solved homework problems. ● Complete a worksheet in groups of three where you derive the derivative of a function. ● Peer‐review scientific report or technical writing paper. Ask your lead instructor which active learning strategies they prefer. Learning Outcomes
• Identify common GTA responsibilities and preparations
• Create a plan for setting basic classroom expectations for learning, behavior, and rapport
• Generate a toolbox of teaching/learning strategies
• Discuss potential challenges you may face and identify the resources available to you as a GTA
Learning Outcomes
• Identify common GTA responsibilities and preparations
• Create a plan for setting basic classroom expectations for learning, behavior, and rapport
• Generate a toolbox of teaching/learning strategies
• Discuss potential challenges you may face and identify the resources available to you as a GTA
Imposter Syndrome
What is this?
“…people are seen as successful by external measures, but internally they feel themselves to be frauds, undeserving of their success and in danger at any moment of being exposed.”
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/grad_school/docs/about‐us/Hugh%20Kearns/2014%20Imposter%20Syndrome.pdf
Individual Reflection
Most graduate students experience this at least once. To help combat these feelings, spend time time thinking about:
What skills or attributes do you already possess that have helped you to be successful?
5 minutes
Imposter Syndrome
If you do experience Imposter Syndrome…
What other resources and people are available to you to help you continue to be successful?
Finding Community, Mentoring, and Support as a GTA
Other graduate students and instructors in your department
Graduate Student Success Center (GSSC)
Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE)
Center for Teaching and Learning
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Words of Wisdom
● Allow plenty of time for grading.
● Be strategic about what you assign and how you will grade it.
● Try the classroom technology ahead of time. ● Be enthusiastic! You can have a big impact on whether students consider what they’re learning to be worthwhile.
Q&A
Events after Grad Welcome Week:
•University Day ‐ Sept. 19 •Webinar on Facilitating Online Courses ‐ Sept. 20 •CGE Welcome Back BBQ ‐ Sept. 23
•CGE Fall General Membership Meeting ‐ Oct. 21
How did we do? Please complete Event Assessment Form.