How to thrive at UST: What Faculty Development offers Ann Johnson and Nancy Hartung August 2013

Structure for our session: What we can learn from the BEST teachers Some tips for early success: Week 1 What Faculty Development offers to help you thrive Presentation of the major features of an integrated course design model (Fink) Application to a course you will teach

What can we learn from the BEST college teachers? Who are these best teachers? What do they do that makes them exceptional?

What the Faculty Development Center offers to help you thrive at UST Workshops Grants New faculty lunch discussions about teaching and learning Individual classroom consultation

Interested in Improving Student Learning? Initial Grade Distribution Number of Students From: Workshop by Karl Wirth, Macalester College, 2009

What can make a difference? Cohen (1987): Learning can often be improved by as much as two standard deviations with alignment of course objectives, assessment and learning activities. From: Workshop by Karl Wirth, Macalester College, 2009

Integration of the Course Learning Goals Assessment Learning Activities Situational Factors

1.Sizing up the Situation Kind of students Role of this course for those students Where does the course fit in the curriculum? External standards? Internal requirements? Your strengths as a teacher Learning space you will use

Assignment (Worksheet 1): Choose a course you will be teaching this year Fill out Worksheet 1 with key information about the Situation for that course Identify situational factors for which you need to get more information

Integration of the Course Learning Goals Assessment Learning Activities Situational Factors

Starting with Key Goals/Objectives Puts the focus on student learning Focuses on skills and abilities that are central to the discipline Helps inform students about faculty intentionsIncreases learning! Helps integrate your planning with IDEA– our student ratings of instruction system

How will they get there… …if they dont know where they are going ? Why Not Give Them A Map? From: Workshop by Karl Wirth, Macalester College, 2009

2. Choosing Key Goals How would you want your students to be different from those who did not take your course? In 3-5 years, what should your students Know Be able to do What attitudes would you want them to have?

Blooms taxonomy: From:

Five years out…… Do you want your students to….. Remember enduring concepts Transfer knowledge to new situations Engage in critical analyses Be curious and engage in learning Know how to get quality information Communicate well Seek, respect and use diverse perspectives See ethical problems and make ethical choices

When Choosing a KEY Goal: ASK yourself whether: Goal will be ASSESSED LEARNING ACTIVITIES will be used to promote that goal/objective

Assignment (Worksheet 2): Identify Learning Goals for Your Course Make a list of learning goals you have for this course -- many examples are provided at your table. Choose 3-5 would you find to be important or essential for students in that course? Write these on the Worksheet 2

Integration of the Course Learning Goals Assessment Learning Activities Situational Factors

3. Evidence of learning? Assessment How will you know that your students have learned what you hope they will learn? Remember: How you assess learning will drive how your students study, approach the course

Assessment Can Be Backward looking -- We have covered topics X, Y and Z. Did you get it? Forward looking -- Imagine yourself in a situation where people are using this knowledge. Can you use your knowledge of X,Y and Z to do [some type of realistic application of this knowledge]?

Forward looking(authentic): Realistic Require judgment and innovation Ask the student to DO the subject Replicate contexts adults face in the workplace, civic life, personal life Educative in nature Wiggins, 1998, Educative Assessment

Assessment can be Formative-- theCoach role Is evaluative but not part of the grade Provides information on how to improve Is done in dialogue Is frequent, immediate

Classroom Assessment Short non-graded assignments that provide feedback to the students and to you about how the learning is going Minute Paper Muddiest Point Clicker questions (class participation pts) Our first lunch/discussion will look at a variety of methods for formative feedback!

Assignment: For your course– On Worksheet 2: For each goal, list at least one assessment Share one goal and its assessment with 1-2 people around you.

4. Learning Activities Learning Goals Assessment Learning Activities Situational Factors Model: L. Dee Fink, Creating Significant Learning Experiences, 2003 Plan learning activities that help the student make progress on EACH goal

Learning Activities ASK yourself: Whos doing the work?? From:

Memory Processes From:web.pdx.edu/~caskeym/caskey_web/Brain_NMSA02.ppt by Micki M. Caskey Barbara Ruben & Lorraine Morgan

Working & Long-Term Memory From:

Brain-Based Learning Theory Learning is an active process of constructing knowledge Students connect new ideas to what they already know For long term retention– ideas need to be connected in meaningful ways (conceptual framework) Brain image from: Concepts from: & from: Mastascusa, E. et al. Effective Instruction for STEM Disciplines, 2011, Jossey-Bass

Learning Activities might: Provide context & application; opportunities to organize concepts Give constructive feedback Have students develop/compare conceptual frameworks Have students self-assess their own learning (metacognition)

Plan In Class and Out of Class Activities Castle Top Diagram In class Outside of class Problem solving homework In class problems: compare and contrast Review Exam Read & answer questions Short lecture with clicker questions; application problems

Watch Out for Breaks in Integration of the Course Learning Goals Assessment Learning Activities Situational Factors

References Cohen, S.A., 1987, Instructional alignment: Searching for a magic bullet: Educational Research 16:8, p Fink, L. D., 2003, Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J Understanding by Design. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Wirth, Karl, 2009, Getting Aligned II: Aligning the Elements of a Course using Reverse Design (workshop) Mastascusa, E. et al Effective Instruction for STEM Disciplines, 2011, Jossey-Bass: San Francisco