This Week for Graduate Students: Learning by Observing – Effective Teaching Observations
Learning by Observing: Effective Teaching Observations
Observing faculty or peers teaching can be a powerful way to expand your awareness of teaching techniques, train your attention on student learning, and generate reflection about your own instructional approaches. But how can you ensure that an observation leads to all these benefits?
This workshop will provide participants with a model for conducting online or in-person observations of teaching that focus on learning objectives, student engagement, and insights about the observer’s own teaching development. While the session will be immediately useful to participants completing the Advanced Track of CTL’s Teaching Development Program, it is open to all interested graduate students and postdocs.
Date: Friday, November 12
Note New Time: 3:00–4:15 PM
Location: Zoom
Microteaching Practice Online
Want to practice a new in-class activity or just get some more practice before teaching in your virtual classroom? Join peers in an online Microteaching Practice session where you will divide into groups of 3-4 with a facilitator and take turns delivering short samples of instruction to each other. After each teaching sample, your facilitator and your peers will offer structured feedback to support your teaching. Whether you are currently teaching at Columbia or not, all graduate students looking to practice teaching are welcome to attend this Microteaching Practice session.
Date: Tuesday, November 16
Time: 3:00–5:00 PM
Location: Zoom
A Conversation with Todd Zipper, President of Wiley Education Services: Study and Adapt – Top 5 Trends Shaping Higher Ed
On November 15th, Todd Zipper, President of Wiley Education Services, will join us to discuss five trends in higher education to study and adapt during this pivotal time for universities, including education as a benefit, alternative educational institutions, and the rise of the mega-nonprofit.
This talk is part of the Provost’s Conversations on Online Learning (PCoOL) series, which features leading experts and peers on the future of education, specifically around online education. This event is free and open to the Columbia community.
Date & Time: Monday, November 15th; 12:00-1:00 PM
Location: Zoom
Upcoming LTF Events
The 49 2021-22 Lead Teaching Fellows are running workshops and discussions in departments all around Columbia. These are generally advertised locally. Below are a few upcoming events that are open to participants beyond the LTF’s home department.
LTF events count towards track completion in the Teaching Development Program.
Effective Teaching Principles for Scientific Research Presentations
Have you ever been to a scientific conference and sat through a presentation that was so dull you could hardly stay awake? Or a presentation that seemed interesting and important, but was so far over your head you could barely understand it? Part of the work of doing science is packaging it for communication to your peers, to researchers in your field, and to the community. While many teaching skills are tailored for a classroom setting, this workshop will showcase how teaching skills can apply to make your research presentations accessible, interesting, and understandable.
This event is led by Lead Teaching Fellow Dallin Dressman (Pharmacology). It is directed towards students, faculty, and staff in the sciences who present their own research.
Date & Time: November 15, 4:00–5:00pm
Location: Room 312, Hammer Health Sciences Building (CUIMC)
Register: email dd2842@cumc.columbia.edu
Growth Mindset in the Language Classroom: A Discussion of Metacognitive Strategies for Both Students and Instructors
Students often arrive in the language-learning classroom with a variety of prior experiences and many preconceived notions regarding their ability to master communication in a different tongue. This workshop aims to explore growth mindset in the language classroom, focusing on student- and instructor-centered strategies for fostering an inclusive classroom environment in which students can observe and measure their own growth, feel supported when met with a challenge, and ultimately succeed. We will discuss heavily utilized tools such as surveys, verbal feedback, and written feedback as opportunities to emphasize and instill a growth mindset in students. Instructors can expect to leave this session with actionable strategies that they can utilize in the classroom, as well as ways to engage their students in active reflection on their own learning mindset.
This event is led by Lead Teaching Fellow Laura DiNardo (Italian). It is open to current, past, or future language instructors.
Date & Time: November 10, 3:30–4:45pm
Register: email lfd2113@columbia.edu
Being a Film TA – Managing the Workload
Are you stressed about your workload as TA? Are you bogged down with grading papers and reading assignments? The CTL is here to help! Join us for an informative workshop on how to manage your TA responsibilities and improve your skills as a teacher in the classroom. We’ll be focusing on how to make your prep work and in-classroom experience more manageable and enjoyable.
This event is led by Lead Teaching Fellow Jacob Huebner (Film). Current, former, and prospective Teaching Assistants of all experience levels are welcome.
Date & Time: November 11, 12:00–1:30pm
Register: here