Research Assistant Professor
Michigan Technological University, MI
Teaching Development Workshops
Creating Effective Learning Environments
Michigan State University, Certification in College Teaching Institute
May 2018
This workshop focused on the different types of motivation levels and experiences students will have coming into your class, and how to create an effective learning environment that can help all students in your class be successful. Specific topics that were discussed include:
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Student types
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Authentic audience to stimulate deep thinking
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Using internal and external motivators
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Group accountability as a motivator
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Interactive technologies
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Effective assessment
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This workshop helped me better understand the different things that motivate, or fail to motivate, different students. When we understand this, we can tweak the design of our courses and how we assess students to make the class more engaging and to increase student motivation.
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Incorporating Technology in your Teaching
Michigan State University, Certification in College Teaching Institute
May 2018
This workshop focused on introducing different types of technology that can be effectively used in the classroom, and how to best select technology to enhance one's learning objectives for their students. Specific topics that were discussed include:
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Why technology is useful in the classroom
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Technology doesn't have to be complicated to aid in learning
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Using technology to enhance a learning objective and not vice versa
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Working with available and commonly used technologies
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Examples of successful use in the classroom
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This workshop introduced available technologies that could be used in the classroom to me. More importantly though, it provided lots to think about on how the incorporation of technology must be carefully thought out and aligned with learning objectives. Simply using technology in the classroom does not necessarily mean it is enhancing deep learning or showcasing the learning objective of the lesson.
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Understanding the University Context
Michigan State University, Certification in College Teaching Institute
May 2018
This workshop explored ​the different types of higher education institutions we have in the United States and how the goals of the institutions, and the students whom attend them, differ. Understanding the context in which you are teaching is vital as an instructor. This changes the perspective as to what students hope to gain from your course, and what teaching methods will be most effective to help them achieve their goals. Specific topics that were discussed include:
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Different institution types: Mission statements and teaching goals
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Student demographics at different institution types
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Teaching expectations and setting at different institution types
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Adjusting teaching strategy, learning objectives, and assessments for different contexts
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Interviews of currently employed faculty at different institution types
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This workshop provided perspective on the importance of understanding your audience. Many of us are familiar with this as scientists trying to best convey our work to others in our field, but it is extremely important to understand as an instructor in order to effectively teach students. Understanding the university context and adjusting teaching strategy, learning objectives, and assessment accordingly will allow for a far more rewarding experience for both the students and the instructor.
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