Friday, October 23, 2009

Selected Learning Activities

Writing

"Most Versatile": Ben Meyer, Lexi Kvasnicka

"Most Creative": Jeremy Groce, Danielle Teigen

"Best Overall": Lindsay Youd, Heather Wadeson


Cooperative Learning

"Most Versatile": Chris Mattix, Kate Scheller

"Most Creative": Jeremy Groce, Lexi Kvasnicka

"Best Overall": Jeremy Groce, Rachel Mottet


Problem-Based Learning

"Most Versatile": Jennifer Prokopowicz, Amber Rasche

"Most Creative": Alicia Johns, Kate Scheller

"Best Overall": Ben Meyer, Kate Scheller

---

Friday, October 16, 2009

Blog Prompt for October 22, 2009

Next week we will be reading pages 192-252 in Teaching Tips and focusing on active learning.

Here are the prompts for your teaching blog:

1. Using the suggestions given in the reading, design (and describe) three class activities that you could use in the course you are designing for your final project. Feel free to combine multiple suggestions in an activity, but be sure to include at least one suggestion from each of the first three chapters - High-Stakes and Low-Stakes Writing, Active Learning, and Problem-Based Learning.

2. Based on the learning activities we have completed as part of the teaching demonstrations this semester, and your overall understanding of this week's readings, write one or two paragraphs outlining "best practices" for conducting learning activities in class. This section of your blog can address procedural issues (e.g., providing clear directions, telling students how much time they will have to complete a task), demeanor issues (e.g., being enthusiastic about the activity), and pedagogical issues (e.g., summarizing what was learned after the activity is completed).

Be sure to make sufficient and specific references to the readings in your entry. In other words, use the readings to explain WHY the activities you've designed will help your students better learn the material.

Email or IM me if you have any questions about this week's prompt.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Schedule for teaching presentations

September 10

Jeremy Groce
Larry Anenson

September 17

Julie Fudge
Katey Scheller

September 24

Lexi Kvashicka
Heather Wadeson

October 1

Jennifer Prokopowicz
Dennis Frohlich

October 8

Andrea Weber
Chris Mattix

October 15

Alicia Johns
Danielle Teigen

October 22

Rachel Mottet
Amber Rasche

October 29

Richard Wienhold
Lindsay Youd

November 5

Kevin Betts
Kerri Spiering

November 12

NCA / No teaching demonstrations this week

November 19

Ben Meyer
Vikki Miller
Jared Fougner

Friday, October 9, 2009

Reading for Thursday, October 15

The excerpt from Learner-Centered Teaching can be downloaded here. We will also be reading pages 140-171 in Teaching Tips.

The readings for this week focus on making teaching more student-centered, both in terms of adapting one's teaching in response to what one knows about the students, and putting more responsibility for learning on the students themselves.

In your teaching blog for this week, instead of the standard format we have been using for entries, I would like you to answer the following three questions:

1. What is "learner-centered teaching" (LCT)?
(the three chapters present different versions of this concept)

2. Which aspects of LCT could you incorporate in your own teaching?

3. Which aspects of LCT would be difficult (or, in your opinion, unwise) to incorporate in your own teaching?

For the last two questions, remember to explain why you would or would not incorporate each aspect. Remember to make sufficient and specific references to the readings in your entry.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Support services at NDSU

Academic support services

Counseling services

Disability services

In addition, the Office for Equity and Diversity can help you if you feel you are being harassed.

Academic honesty and accommodations

Sample language for your syllabus:

Academic Honesty. All assignments must be the original work of the student, not used for any other course, and completed in a manner consistent with the NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 335: Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct. You are expected to be familiar with these standards and policies; in the event of a violation, ignorance will not be accepted as an excuse. The NDSU Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct can be found at http://www.ndsu.edu/policy/335.htm. Plagiarism – or any other form of academic dishonesty – will result in an automatic F for the course.

Academic Accommodations. Any students with disabilities or other special needs, who need special accommodations in this course, are invited to share their concerns or requests with the instructor at the beginning of the semester, or as soon as possible.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Resources for grading and assessment

Calculating a student's final grade in a weighted system:

(Assignment 1 grade x Weight of Assignment 1) + (Assignment 2 grade x Weight of Assignment 2) + (Assignment 3 grade x Weight of Assignment 3)...

Make sure that the percentages for assignment weight in the equation all add up to 100%

Example:

(90 * .25) + (85 * .20) + (80 * .10) + (93 * .15) + (83 * .30)

22.5 + 17 + 8 + 13.95 + 24.9 = 86.35

Calculating a student's current grade in a weighted system:

((Assignment 1 grade x Weight of Assignment 1) + (Assignment 2 grade x Weight of Assignment 2) + (Assignment 3 grade x Weight of Assignment 3)) / (Total weight of assignments completed / .01)

Example:

((90 * .25) + (85 * .20) + (80 * .10)) / ((.25 + .20 + .10) / .01)

(22.5 + 17 + 8) / (.55 / .01)

(22.5 + 17 + 8) / 55

47.5 / 55 = 86.36

---

Tips on using Blackboard to calculate and distribute grades can be found here.

Non-graded Classroom Assessment Techniques can be found here.

---