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2012 Teaching and Pedagogy Workshop

Previous Workshops: 2011
Hardcopy Documents: 2012 Schedule,  2012 Abstracts, 2012 Bios

 Teaching and Pedagogy Workshops

May 10, 2012

Sponsored by the First Seminar Program and the

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Please register by May 3, 2012.

Session One: 9:30-10:10

  1. Discussion FAQs: How to use a seminar format effectivelyGlenn Steinberg (English), Loser 106 (Powerpoint)

Session Two: 10:20-11:00

  1. Writing Assignments that Help Improve Student LearningMary Goldschmidt (Writing Program), Loser 004
  2. Panel Discussion on Team TeachingLynn Bradley (Chemistry), Christopher Ault (IMM), Teresa Nakra (Music), Andrea Salgian (Computer Science), Yunfeng (Jennifer) Wang (Mechanical Engineering), Loser 106
    Chemistry/Art Powerpoint   IMM/Music/CS/Engineering Powerpoint

Session Three: 11:10-11:50

  1. Using Surveys in the Classroom: Assessing What Matters to YouJason Dahling (Psychology), Loser 106  Talk Powerpoint  Creating Survey Questions
  2. Using peer reviewers effectively: More student writing without more grading, Diane Gruenberg, Loser 004
    Powerpoint


Lunch:  12-1 pm ,
Loser 123

Session Four: 1:00-1:40 pm

  1. Making Useful Comments, Not Noise, Mary Goldschmidt, Loser 004
  2. Coaxing Effective Presentations from Our StudentsGary Woodward (Communication Studies), Loser 106  (Powerpoint)

Session Five: 1:50-2:30 pm

  1. Community Engaged Learning: Best practices for new and returning faculty partnersPatrick Donohue and Paula Figueroa-Vega (Bonner Center), Loser 106 (Powerpoint)

 



Abstracts

  1. Discussion FAQs: How to Use a Seminar Format Effectively, Glenn Steinberg (English), Loser 106

    This workshop will focus on the goals of the seminar format as well as strategies for increasing student participation in class.  It will be a very practical guide to managing and improving class discussion both for the novice and the veteran of seminar teaching.

  2. Writing Assignments that Help Improve Student Learning, Mary Goldschmidt (Writing Program), Loser 004

    This interactive presentation will review model writing assignments from several different types of FSPs to help faculty generate ideas for how to use writing (both formally and informally) to increase student learning.

  3. Panel Discussion on Interdisciplinary Team Teaching,  Panelists:  Lynn Bradley (Chemistry), Christopher Ault (IMM), Teresa Nakra (Music), Andrea Salgian (Computer Science), Yunfeng (Jennifer) Wang (Mechanical Engineering), Loser 106

    This panel discussion focuses on the experiences of faculty involved in the development and teaching of two different interdisciplinary courses offered at TCNJ in the past few years.  One class is an introductory level freshman seminar (FSP) course and the other was offered at an advanced level, engaging students in team work from four different disciplines.

    Lynn Bradley will discuss her experiences in teaching an interdisciplinary freshman seminar course, FSP 141-02, Photography, Metals, and Dyes:  The Chemistry of Creating Art, which was offered in Fall 2011.  In addition, she will describe how the FSP offering has evolved into a study abroad course planned for the summer of 2013 in London. Christopher Ault, Teresa Nakra, Andrea Salgian, and Jennifer Wang will share their insights on the rewards of teaching the Conducting Robots course, highlighting results such as increasing student creativity and graduate school outcomes.  They will address the challenges of designing a high level interdisciplinary course and the logistics of team teaching with four instructors.

    Team Taught Course Information

    A. FSP 141-02:  Photography, Metals, and Dyes:  The Chemistry of Creating Art
    The course examines questions relating how chemistry and art interface. Students will discuss and investigate topics that help answer the following questions:

    • Why does an artist need to understand chemistry?
    • How can a better understanding of chemistry change the way artists practice their disciplines?
    • What materials do artists use?
    • Why do they select certain materials?
    • What is the importance of material durability?
    • What are the benefits and limitations of green and environmentally friendly chemical methods in art?

    Through the exploration of art history, art practice, and the chemistry behind art techniques, students will look at current and past practices in art and explore how the two relate. Three areas of art will form the basis for this discussion: photography, metals and dyes. Hands-on experimental activities will give students an opportunity to discover the relationship between chemistry and the practice of art. Both descriptive and scientific writing will be part of the course.

    B. CSC 470 – Special Topics in Computer Science: Conducting Robots
    ENG 470 – Special Topics in Engineering: Conducting Robots
    IMM 370 – Special Topics in Interactive Multimedia: Conducting Robots
    MUS 370 – Special Topics in Music: Conducting Robots

    An interdisciplinary project-based course that fosters creative problem-solving approaches, and advances computational thinking skills through an open-ended project requiring the synthesis of knowledge in robotics, interactive multimedia, computer science, and music. Students will work collaboratively to design and develop innovative robotic and graphic systems that can conduct a music ensemble and react to the musicians. Topics to be taught include robotics, visual music, abstract animation, computer vision, data processing, conducting theory, and project management. This course will be taught by a team of professors in computer science, mechanical engineering, interactive multimedia, and music.

    • Prerequisites:  CSC260 and CSC310 with a minimum grade of C,
    • or ENG212, and ENG272 or MAT386,
    • or IMM 270,
    • or declared music major status.

    This panel discussion focuses on the experiences of faculty involved in the development and teaching of two different interdisciplinary courses offered at TCNJ in the past few years.  More details can be found in the abstracts.

  4. Using Surveys in the Classroom: Assessing What Matters to You, Jason Dahling (Psychology), Loser 004.

    This workshop is focused on developing, delivering, and using informal feedback surveys to improve your teaching. We will discuss how informal surveys bridge the gap between your learning objectives and formal evaluations, how to put together a survey that students will actually complete, and what to do with the results to make mid-course corrections, if necessary.

  5. Using Peer Reviewers Effectively: More Student Writing Without More Grading, Diane Gruenberg (Tutoring Center), Loser 106

    This workshop will share Writer’s Place strategies that you can incorporate into your FSP to help students learn how they can talk with classmates about getting started on writing assignments and revise drafts.

  6. Making Useful Comments, Not Noise,  Mary Goldschmidt (Writing Program), Loser 004

    This interactive presentation will review the top five guidelines for giving feedback on drafts of formal papers. Too much feedback on too many different issues (no matter how morally obligated you feel to mark up that paper!) will simply result in students zoning out.  Learn how to best target your feedback for maximum gain.

  7. Coaxing Effective Presentations from Our Students, Gary Woodward (Communication Studies), Loser 106

    This interactive session will consider when in-class presentations make sense, and offer useful guidelines for helping students become effective presenters and advocates.

  8. Community Engaged Learning: Best practices for New and Returning Faculty Partners, Patrick Donohue and Paula Figueroa-Vega (Bonner Center), Loser 106

    Community Engaged Learning projects provide us with the opportunity to connect the classroom to the world around us in direct and profound ways. We can significantly enhance the educational process while making it possible for students to address an unmet local need – in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, juvenile jails, city schools, urban community gardens, and many other locations. We will provide concrete examples of successful projects, touch upon the positive data on student impact, and clarify the resources available to support faculty who partner with the Bonner Center.

     

 



Biographical Information

Christopher Ault is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Interactive Multimedia Program at The College of New Jersey. His teaching, research and creative efforts span a range of subjects, from internet art to user experience design to digital media production and literacy. He is also a consultant in the area of web accessibility. Previously, Ault was a researcher and adjunct professor in NYU’s pioneering Interactive Telecommunications Program. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas, and a master’s from ITP at NYU.

Lynn Bradley is Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Chemistry at The College of New Jersey.  She served as chair for the department from 2003-2006.  She teaches courses in organic chemistry, has developed several advanced lab-based courses, and created a career development seminar series for chemistry majors.  She has recently developed an interdisciplinary course in chemistry and art in The College’s FSP program.  Since joining the faculty in 1993, she has worked with several undergraduates in her research program which focusses on mechanistic and kinetic studies of organic reactions, development of advanced undergraduate experiments, and the study of reactions leading to heterocyclic ring systems.  This work has resulted in numerous presentations at national meetings and several journal articles.   She is currently serving as a coordinator and mentor for PERSIST (Program to Enhance Retention of Students In Science Trajectories in Biology and Chemistry).  Dr. Bradley received her B.A. degree in Chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA in 1985 and her Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry from Duke University in 1990.

Jason Dahling is an assistant professor and coordinator of the industrial/organizational psychology specialization at TCNJ. His research, teaching, and consulting focuses on problems with self-regulation at work. He has written over 20 refereed journal articles and book chapters on this topic and has consulted with many educational and corporate clients concerning effective human resource management, particularly in the areas of feedback and performance appraisal. He is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the Academy of Management, and the Society for Vocational Psychology. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Akron in 2007.

Patrick Donohue is the Director of the Bonner Center and an affiliated member of the Political Science Department. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Rutgers University, where he was the student Vice-Chair of the U.S. Public Interest Research group while an undergraduate.  Before becoming Director of The Bonner Center for Civic & Community Engagement at TCNJ, Patrick was a political science professor at Middlesex County College for 11 years and also founded Democracy House, the oldest replication Bonner program in the country. He is the co-author of several journal articles and one book on community engaged learning and civic engagement. A past Board President of Isles Inc. and volunteer with local youth programs, Patrick works most directly with TCNJ Bonner students on juvenile crime and prison re-entry in addition to directing the Center.

Paula Figueroa-Vega is the Associate Director of the Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement at The College of New Jersey.  In her role, she is in charge of the Community Engaged Learning graduation requirement of the first year students, ensuring that every student (over 1200 students) fulfills 8 hours of community service.  Most of the students at TCNJ are connected to service projects in the local Trenton area; offering enrichment programs at Hedgepeth/Williams School, creating murals at Trenton Central High School, working at Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity and Rescue Mission among others.  Prior to working at the college, Paula dedicated 13 years in the non-profit sector, managing and directing social service programs that addressed drug and alcohol recovery, domestic violence and sexual assault, stabilizing services for children who are at risk, and other similar issues.  Currently, she serves in the board of Womanspace, Inc., the lead agency for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Mercer County.  Paula received a BA in Psychology, BS in Exercise Science and Masters in Public Administration from Rutgers University.

Mary Goldschmidt is the Director of the Writing Program at The College of New Jersey.  She teaches both Academic Writing and First Year Seminars at TCNJ, and has recently published on the role of meta-cognition in teaching writing. Her current research examines students’ tacit knowledge of their development as writers in their majors. Using in-depth, semi-structured and text-based interviews, her study analyzes how students learn to master the genres of their major’s discourse community as a way to better understand how they transfer learning from early to more advanced courses in the curriculum. Her research is supported by the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning at Elon University and is part of a national, multi-institutional study called “Critical Transitions: Writing and the Question of Transfer.”  Dr. Goldschmidt received her B.A. in English from La Salle University in 1987, and her Ph.D. in English and Certificate in Women’s Studies from Emory University in 1992.

Diane Gruenberg directs the College Tutoring Center & Writer’s Place.  Prior to joining the professional staff at TCNJ, she taught literature and writing at Upsala College, Rutgers, NYU, and Yunnan Teachers University (People’s Republic of China), and she has served as a writing and assessment consultant for Educational Testing Service working on PRAXIS, GMAT, GRE, and SAT/Verbal tests for too many years to reveal.  Diane earned an MA in literature from Long Island University and an EdS in Educational Administration  from Rutgers.

Teresa Marrin Nakra is an Associate Professor of Music at The College of New Jersey, where she teaches courses in Music Technology, Music Theory, and Interactive Multimedia. She runs Immersion Music Inc., a non-profit organization that provides technical solutions for performing arts organizations, museums, and schools.  Her interactive conducting experiences (You’re the Conductor and Virtual Maestro) have been showcased in public venues across the United States and Europe. Teresa completed her doctorate at the MIT Media Laboratory; her dissertation project, the Conductor’s Jacket, was included in the MIT150 Exhibition, celebrating 150 years of the institute’s history. She recently served as a fact witness in a case involving the Nintendo Wii video game platform at the International Trade Commission.

Andrea Salgian is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at The College of New Jersey. Her research interests include computer vision, human computer interaction and artificial intelligence. Recently she has been the PI on a project funded by the National Science Foundation, where together with coPIs Christopher Ault, Teresa Nakra, and Yunfeng Wang she developed a team-taught course on conducting robots that fostered student creativity. Andrea received her PhD in computer science from the University of Rochester. Prior to joining TCNJ she was a researcher at Equinox Corporation, a small research and development company in New York focusing on computer vision.

Glenn A. Steinberg is an Associate Professor in the English Department at TCNJ and teaches a wide range of courses on western European literature through the Renaissance, Shakespeare, literary theory, and the Bible as literature.  His research focuses on the reception of classical and medieval texts in England during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance with a particular emphasis on the evolving reputations of Virgil, Dante, and Chaucer from the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries.  He taught for four years at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, before coming to The College of New Jersey in 1998 and served as coordinator of TCNJ’s First Seminar Program from 2005 to 2010.  He has also served as (co-)coordinator of TCNJ’s Classical Studies program since 2003.  He holds a B.A. from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Indiana University.

Yunfeng (Jennifer) Wang is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at TCNJ. She received her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to her appointment at TCNJ in 2002, she was a post-doctoral associate in the Field and Space Robotics Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for one year. Her research interests include robots kinematics and dynamics, multirobotic systems, and autonomous vehicles.

Gary C. Woodward, Professor of Communication Studies, has degrees in Communication and Rhetorical Theory from California State University at Sacramento and the University of Pittsburgh (Ph.D. 1972).  A native of Colorado, he has taught in England as well as in the United States, and has undertaken research supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the LBJ and JFK Libraries, and The College of New Jersey.  In addition to reviews, articles and commentaries, Woodward is the author of Center Stage: Media and the Staging of American Politics (Roman and Littlefield, 2007), The Idea of Identification (State University of New York Press, 2003), Perspectives on American Political Media (Allyn and Bacon, 1997), Persuasive Encounters: Case Studies in Constructive Confrontation (Praeger, 1991), and co-author (with Robert E. Denton, Jr.) of Political Communication in America, Third Edition (Praeger,1999), and Persuasion and Influence in American Life, Sixth Edition (Waveland, 2008).  His most recent book is The Perfect Response: Studies of the Rhetorical Personality (Lexington Books, 2010).  He is currently working on a book entitled “Fantasizing Motives:  Attributing Intentions in Human Affairs.”