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Teaching Your First Course: Balancing Teaching and Research

Module by: Rice ADVANCE. E-mail the author

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Summary: This is a conversion of a presentation given at the Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position Workshop given on October 14-16, 2007. This presentation was compiled by Richard Baraniuk (ELEC), Mike Gustin (BCB), Jane Grande-Allen (BIOE), and Yousif Shamoo (BCB).

Discussion Topics

How to be a good teacher

How to balance teaching and getting a research program off the ground

Why do we teach?

So that people learn

Who do we teach?

students

colleagues

your chair, your dean

the public

program managers

patent office

…

Teaching Tips – Richard Felder

Developing a good course takes time

learn good time management

What students learn < What you teach

don’t just try to “cover” the material

Learning styles

don’t “teach yourself”

Active learning

“I hear, I forget;

I see, I remember;

I do, I understand”

2 minute paper

Teaching Large Classes – Mike Gustin

Large class teaching: tips

Outline of class topics on board

Avoid powerpoint where possible

1-2 sec pause between points

Be intense

Wait for questions, step into class

Take a break in the middle

Large class teaching: issues

Break into smaller groups?

Clickers?

Quiz at start of class?

Notes on line?

Large class teaching: testing

Exam topics predictable, exact question not

Multiple choice plus short essay (best 5 of 7)

Curve each exam, give letter grades

Mean ± SD, mean = lowest point of B range;

each SD one full grade (B-, B, B+)

Your First Year Teaching – Jane Grande-Allen

  • Plan 6-8 hours of prep time per lecture
  • Don’t expect perfection
  • Do get feedback throughout the semester
  • Don’t expect eager listening faces
  • Do make the time to get to know your students

or at least learn names

Assignment tips

  • Textbooks have typos
  • Work the exams yourself
  • Extra credit: not all that

After: Recap and Revise

  • Fix the lectures that needed the most work irst
  • Every few lectures, work in up to date data to keep things current
  • Get a mentor and meet monthly. Go over how EVERYTHING has been for you
  • Do attend teaching workshops

Evaluations

  • Don’t take the evaluations too harshly
  • “This professor actually discouraged independent thought…”
  • “Dr. Grande-Allen is the most fair & considerate teacher I’ve had at Rice…”
  • “Not enough engineering – too much biology”
  • “The name of the course should surely be changed to Mechanical Properties of ECM because little or no chemistry or biology was discussed”

Time Management / Balance

  • Set office hours and keep to them
  • Give the same course lecture you gave last year
  • Don’t say yes to every undergrad that wants to work with you
  • Focus your time on learning what you need for the research you will be strongest at
  • Do early
    • Write IRB and IACUC
    • Attend regional training seminars by NIH and NSF
    • Sign up for grants mailing lists

Maintain Perspective

  • Get a mentor and meet monthly!
  • Colleagues, other young faculty
  • Get to know some people and faculty outside the department
  • Read At the Helm
  • Check out a few blogs of other women in this position

Points for Discussion

  • How to deal with absent or failing students
  • The students are not like you were/are
  • Should you recycle quizzes/exams?
  • How accommodating should you be to student requests?
  • Where did the day go? Protecting your time
  • What is important and not important?

Compiled/Presented by

Richard Baraniuk (ELEC)

Mike Gustin (BCB)

Jane Grande-Allen (BIOE)

Yousif Shamoo (BCB)

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