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Faculty seminar on university teaching

Seminar Overview

In this Seminar, Faculty will discuss various approaches to university teaching; use their experiences to demonstrate or analyze issues relevant to university teaching; reflect on their teaching practices vis-�-vis topics presented; and in groups, develop teaching materials based on Seminar sessions. The Seminar will emphasize interaction and sharing of ideas among faculty members in an atmosphere of collegiality. 

Objectives

This Seminar assists faculty to:

1-      Reflect on their definition of effective university teaching;

2-      Develop, state and refine course objectives;

3-      Develop course syllabi;

4-      Discuss and analyze different effective teaching methods;

5-      Evaluate teaching and student learning;

6-      Have a forum to discuss teaching with colleagues.

 

Conduct of Seminar

The Seminar will meet once a week for eight weeks in a collaborative learning environment. Each segment will be facilitated by discussion leaders from among your colleagues and will be attended by participants from diverse disciplines to provide an excellent base for discussion of Seminar topics from different points of view.  Participants will review readings that will provide a common basis for theory and "expert" advice, then they will share their own ideas and experiences with their colleagues, design various instructional activities and develop their strategies for assessing teaching and learning.  Using discussion, interaction and hands-on activities, and group presentations, the Seminar will build on what Faculty know and at an array of approaches that will serve current needs and future developments.  The atmosphere is collegial and intended to encourage open exchange among AUB Faculty about approaches to teaching so that we can benefit from each others' experiences.

Group Presentations: The purpose of the group presentations and critiquing in Session 5 is to provide participants with an opportunity to apply the concepts that have been discussed in sessions 2, 3 and 4 and to provide concrete examples of teaching that can be discussed and shared by the participants.  Consequently, volunteers, composed of a group of participants, will be asked to prepare a mini-lesson (approximately 25 minutes).  The group members collaborate in preparing the lesson, but only one person presents it. During the presentation, other participants will play the role of "students". The lesson is videotaped. All participants view the tape, analyze it, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson as well as the specific strategies used in the presentation, and recommend changes if appropriate.

Resources

       McKeachie, W. J. (1999). McKeachie�s teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (10 th ed).  Boston: Houghton Mufflin Company

       Palmer, P. J. (1998). The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher�s life. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.

       Emerson, D. M., Johnson, R. N., Milner, S. & Plank, K.M. (1997). The Penn Sate Teacher II: Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn. University Park, PA: Penn State University Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

       Davis, B. G. (1993). Tools for teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Seminar outline
 

Week 1- March 5

Introduction

         Basis of effective college teaching

         Accreditation

         Our students' characteristics

 

Facilitators:      Provost P. Heath

Prof. W. Nasr

 

Week 2 - March 12

Specifying what is to be learned

         Identifying and stating objectives

         Preparing course syllabi

 

Facilitators:      Prof. M. Harajli, FEA

Prof. M. Henningsen, FAS

 

Week 3 & 4

Effective Teaching Methods

 

Week 3 - March 19

Teacher-oriented methods (lecture, discussion, handling large classrooms, demonstrations, lab experiences)

 

Facilitators:      Prof. R. Souweid Afifi, FHS

Prof. A. BouZeineddine, FAS

Prof. M. Khattar, FAS

 
Week 4 - March 26

Student-oriented methods (active and collaborative activities, case studies, problem-solving, project management, student presentations/seminars)

 

Facilitators:      Prof. T. Araysi, Faculty of Medicine

Prof. K. Abdallah, School of Business

 

Week 5 - April 2

Group Presentations and Critiquing

         Presentation Topics:

*          Effective Teaching Methods (teacher-oriented)

*          Effective Teaching Methods (student-oriented)

         Videotaping of presentations will take place.

         Critiquing by colleagues will follow

 

Facilitators:      Prof. S. BouJaoude, FAS

                      Prof. R. Zurayk, FAFS

                      Prof. N. Dajani, FAS

 

Week 6 & 7

Measuring and evaluating teaching and learning

 

Week 6 - April 9

Evaluating student learning:

         Student assessments

         Course grading

 

Facilitators:      Prof. K. El-Hassan, FAS

Prof. F. Alkhal, FEA

 

Week 7 - April 16

Evaluating teaching: Creating a Teaching Portfolio

 

Facilitators:      Prof. N. Ghaddar, FEA

Mrs. N. Dumit, School of Nursing

 

Week 8 - April 23

Incorporating technology into university teaching

 

Facilitators:      Prof. H. Yaghi, FAS

Prof. A. Feghali, School of Business

Prof. M. Al Ghoul, FAS

 
Week 9 - April 30

 

Wrap-up session and evaluation; dinner hosted by Provost and Associate Provost

 

Facilitators:      Provost P. Heath

Prof. W. Nasr

Prof. S. BouJaoude

Prof. A. BouZeineddine

 
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Last modified: Tuesday, 13-Oct-2009 16:46:35 EET