1998 January Teaching Workshop

Monday, January 12, 1998

Sponsored by the Teaching Resource Center and the University Teaching Fellows Program.

The January Teaching Workshop provides both experienced and less experienced instructors, whether faculty members or graduate teaching assistants, an opportunity to explore new perspectives about teaching our disciplines. Please attend whatever sessions you can. Part of keeping ourselves professionally active as teachers involves taking time to discuss and analyze teaching issues with our colleagues.

8:00-8:45 Registration & Reception, Lobby outside Ruffner Auditorium, G004A

8:45-9:00 Welcome, Ruffner Auditorium, G004A
Barbara Nolan, Vice Provost & Robert C. Taylor Professor of English

9:00-10:15 Plenary Session: Teaching With the Case Method, Ruffner Auditorium, G004A
Pamela S. Karlan; Professor of Law; SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award, 1997; All-University Teaching Award, 1996
Experience a case discussion. This session will discuss the use of the case method in large classes. We'll actually learn by doing, since the session itself will involve a case about teaching about cases.

10:15-10:30 Break (Refreshments available in the lobby.)

10:30-11:45 CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Reinventing the Classroom, Ruffner Auditorium G004A
Alan Howard, Director of American Studies Program, Dept. of English;Teaching+Technology Fellow, 1997-98
Participants will explore using the new technologies to teach traditional skills and information by transforming students into people who produce information rather than consume it. Alan invites those interested to view his website in advance of attending this session: http://xroads.virginia.edu.

Do Grades Reflect What We Value?, Ruffner 175
Marva Barnett, Director, TRC; Department of French
Bill McAllister, Faculty Consultant, TRC; Department of History
To advance the conversation about grade inflation initiated by the College of Arts & Sciences, this session will provide an opportunity to discuss grading standards, grading methods, and the relationship between grades and other aspects of professional life. Participants will also receive some practical and theoretical information about grading.

Outgrowing that "Awkward" Stage: Evaluating Student Writing, Ruffner 223
Dan Philippon, Graduate Instructor, Department of English
Tired of scrawling "awk" and "vague" in the margins of your students' papers? In this workshop, we'll explore the theory and practice of student writing, review a sample essay, and discuss how to prepare students better for their assignments and how to write constructive comments. This workshop is most appropriate for humanists and social scientists.

Oral Presentation Skills for Teachers, Ruffner 283
Gerry Kasarda, Consultant In Presentation Skills, Washington, DCTense? Nervous? Strained voice? Dull delivery? If you've experienced any of these conditions when teaching, this participatory workshop will help you increase concentration, use nervousness to your advantage, develop vocal strength and variety, and create a relaxed and assured physical presence.

11:45-12:00 Break (Refreshments available in the lobby.)

12:00-1:00 CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Sticky Predicaments: Anticipating the Unexpected, Ruffner 223
Jann Lacoss, Faculty Consultant, TRC; Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures
How do you handle student apathy? Grading issues? Challenges? Participants will confront situations common to TAs and faculty alike and formulate strategies for reasonable and mutually satisfactory resolutions.

The Instructional Toolkit: Web Utilization for the Non-Computer Geek, Auditorium G004A
Robert Kelly, Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science; University Teaching Fellow, 1996-97
Explore an easy-to-use interface that allows virtually any U.Va. instructor with access to the web to develop functional web pages. The session focuses on maximizing classroom learning while minimizing the instructor's investment of time. The presenter, a self-described non-computer geek, will address these issues in language comprehensible to non-technophiles.

Case Teaching: How to Do It, Ruffner 175
Richard De Mong, Virginia Bankers Professor of Bank Management, McIntire School of Commerce
Felicia Marston, Associate Professor, McIntire School of Commerce
This session will consider varying strategies for implementing case teaching and give hints about avoiding common pitfalls. Issues addressed will include deciding when use of cases is most appropriate, matching learning objectives to case teaching methods, recognizing the ways in which gender and cultural issues influence case-related discussions, creating group assignments, managing student work groups, and grading class participation.

Teaching Lab Courses: The Next Dimension, Ruffner 283
Jennifer Secki, Graduate Student Associate, TRC, Department of Biology; Outstanding GTA Award Winner, Biology Department, 1995-96 ; Honoree, Seven Society Graduate Fellowship for Superb Teaching, 1997.
Now that you've mastered the basics of lab instruction, how do you get beyond "going through the motions" to foster a sense of discovery? This workshop focuses on how to enhance student engagement and learning during labs.

1:00-2:00 Lunch break, Ruffner 187
If you would like to meet new colleagues, spend time with familiar ones, or simply stay out of the cold, join us for all-you-care-to-eat pizza, cookies, and soft drinks or juice in Ruffner Hall!

2:15-3:30 CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Using Newsgroups Efficiently, Ruffner Auditorium, G004A
Kevin Sullivan, Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Margo Figgins, Alumni Board of Trustees Teaching Award, 1993
Margo will describe her use of newsgroups for a variety of purposes, including extending the conversation beyond classroom walls and halls, studying the ways in which a speech community becomes shaped in cyberspace, and as a vehicle for gathering feedback about her own teaching practices. Kevin will describe his use of a moderated newsgroup within an integrated class support system that also uses the World-Wide Web; electronic mail exchanges with teaching assistants featuring guaranteed rapid response time; and an anonymous feedback form for students. The system is now supporting the teaching of a class of over 200 students.

Teaching Portfolios: How Useful Are They? Why Create One?, Ruffner 175
Judith Reagan, Associate Director, TRC; Department of Drama
Peter Brunjes, Professor, Department of Psychology
Mike Millner, TA, Department of English