Instructor: Martin Dickey (Sieg 423). Office hours: check my schedule.
When and where: Tuesdays, 2:30-3:20 PM. Usually in EE1-025, but some meetings may be held elsewhere
Goal: To give participants an opportunity to improve their knowledge of teaching and their own teaching skills, through reading, practice, observation, and reflection.
Content Overview: During the early part of the quarter, we will focus on two issues of immediate concern to new teaching assistants: what to do in the classroom, and how to deal with students outside of class. Later topic selection can guided by the interests of those in the seminar. We'll enjoy the participation of the Center for Instructional Development (CIDR), and perhaps be joined by a mystery guest or two along the way. CIDR will assist with some "microteaching" sessions: observation and discussion of actual teaching episodes by seminar participants, live or on video.
Credit: Students can earn one hour of academic credit by selecting completing a number of activities. The student is expected to participate actively in every class meeting; to read the handouts and engage in reflection and discussion of them; and to meet individually in conference with the instructor at least twice in the quarter.
Textbook and Readings: (Optional) textbooks. I did not order them for this course, but the University Bookstore often has them in stock, in the "Education" textbook section:
Other readings and handouts may be assigned.
Tentative topic list (not meant to imply a week-by-week schedule)
1. The first day of class
2. Learning styles and teaching styles
3. The active classroom
4. Microteaching (held in a special location TBA)
5. Challenging situations
6. Lecturing and leading discussions
7. Diversity in the classroom
8. Projects, papers, and presentations
9. Assessment
10. The computer science curriculum
11. Education with a capital 'E'
12. Classroom observation
13. Teaching as theater
14. Reflective teaching