ENGR 888 Seminar for Teaching Assistants in Engineering
Section 1: Tuesday, 3:35-5:30 pm, 111 Sackett
Section 2: Tuesday, 6:30-8:25 pm, 307 Hammond
Section 3: Wednesday, 3:35-5:30 pm, 308 Hammond
Instructor:
Mary Lynn Brannon
201 Hammond Building
814-865-6292
Email: mlbrannon@engr.psu.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Reading Materials:
Required:
Wankat, P. C. & Oreovicz, F. S. (1993). Teaching Engineering. New York,
NY: McGraw Hill. Available as an online book at
http://www.knovel.com/web/portal/basic_search/display?_EXT_KNOVE
L_DISPLAY_bookid=1287. We will have reading assignments from this
text
Optional: (Highly Recommended):
McKeachie, W. J. (2005). McKeachie’s Teaching Tips. Boston, MA: Houghton
Mifflin Company. This book will be invaluable to you as you teach. It is a
practical approach to the craft of teaching.
Note: Additional reading assignments will be provided throughout the semester.
Course Goals and Format:
New teaching assistants in the College of Engineering will learn teaching theory,
methods and skills that will help them to be more effective in their teaching
assignments.
The course will be conducted in seminar format primarily using discussion and
group activities. Since we all learn by doing, students will have opportunities
both in class and via assignments to try out what we discuss in class. Class
participation is expected, and a portion of the grade will be tied to in-class active
participation and attendance. If you are unable to attend a class session, please
email or phone the instructor in advance. ANGEL will be used to disseminate
course materials, submission of assignments and class communication.
An important component of this course is an observation of two actual class/lab
sessions for which the student is responsible. Prior to observation, the student
will be required to submit a lesson plan for that session (learning goals, problems
to solve, theories to understand, etc.). One observation will be a peer observation.
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You will be observed by a peer student in this course. We will select peers during
the second class meeting. More on the responsibilities of being a peer observer
will be discussed during class. The second observation will be by your instructor.
This observation will be video taped in order to give you feedback. A
consultation will follow each observation. More details on scheduling
observations and consultations will be discussed in class. We will begin to
schedule the observations during the second week of class using the Calendar in
ANGEL. No observations by your instructor will be scheduled on Fridays.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of ENGR 888, students should be able to:
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Practice strategic course planning by aligning various components (i.e. objectives,
instruction, and assessment) for a specific course
Write clear and concise objectives for a course they are teaching
Identify advantages and disadvantages of various instructional methods (i.e.
active learning, problem-based learning, discussion, collaborative learning)
List methods of classroom assessment including the advantages and
disadvantages of each (multiple-choice tests, constructed-response tests, projects,
etc)
Understand the services for Academic Integrity, Affirmative Action and CAPS.
Critique and give constructive feedback to a peer.
Grading Scale:
The course grade is based upon completion of assignments, class attendance, and
participation. An “A” will be earned if all assignments are completed in a professional
and high-quality manner, and attendance and participation are satisfactory. Attendance is
a required component of the course. If an absence is necessary due to an acceptable
reason, please contact the instructor.
Grades will be calculated by the following points scale, 100 pts total.
Class assignments (3)
10 pts. each; 30 pts. total
Reflections (2)
10 points each; 20 pts. total
Course observations (including 20 points
developing class plan and
individual meeting)
Peer Observation Feedback
Assignment
Attendance and participation
Grade Scale
A
95-100 pts.
C+
20 points
10 points
70-74 pts.
2
A90-94 pts.
B+
85-89 pts.
B
80-84 pts.
B75-79 pts.
Academic Integrity:
C
D
F
65-69 pts.
60-64 pts.
<60 pts.
“Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible
manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The
Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are
expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the
University’s Code of Conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity,
respect other students’ dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an
environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.” Section 49-20,
University Faculty Senate Policies for Students.
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/cyberplag/cyberplagstudent.html
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is the act of passing off someone else’s work as your own. This can be as
simple as buying, borrowing or stealing a paper to turn in as your own work. It can also
be more complicated. Because of the nature of this course, it is important that the
teaching assistant understand and recognize various acts of plagiarism. As a teacher it is
your duty to not tolerate plagiarism. Attached to this syllabus is a document from the
Department of English that discusses plagiarism in order that the student be better
informed. Plagiarism in ENGR 588 will be penalized.
Note to students with disabilities:
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational
programs. If you have a disability-related need for reasonable academic adjustments in
this course, contact the Office for Disability Services, ODS located in room 116 Boucke
Building at 814-863-1807(V/TTY). For further information regarding ODS, please visit
their web site at www.equity.psu.edu/ods/ Instructors should be notified as early in the
semester as possible regarding the need for reasonable academic adjustments.
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ENGR 888 Schedule – Fall 2008
Readings should be completed before the class for which it is assigned.
“Teaching Engineering” (TE) – Online book for the course:
http://www.knovel.com/web/portal/basic_search/display?_EXT_KNOVEL_DISPLAY_bookid=1287
McKeachie, W. J. (2005). “McKeachie’s Teaching Tips”, Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company
Date
Week 1
August 26/27
General Topics
Getting Started: The Basics
Group discussion on What is an
Effective Teacher; Active
Learning Introduction;
Readings
Due this week
Complete background questionnaire (in
class)
Week 2
September 2/3
Strategic Course Planning
lecture (Course goals,
objectives, outcomes);
Discussion on answering
students questions;
Explain Peer Evaluation project;
Handout on Peer evaluation and
feedback questions
Assignment on objectives
TE – Chapter 1, 4
Upload class/lab syllabus
Schedule observation time
Reflection I (10%)
Observation and Lesson plan (20%)
Schedule two observations on ANGEL
calendar first with peer and second with
instructor.
Post lesson plan in ANGEL before
observation dependent upon your
scheduled date
Week 3
September 9/10
Instructional techniques
(Lectures and discussion);
Assignment on teaching
methods; Lecture on How
Students Learn; Discussion and
activity on “the biggest teaching
challenge”.
TE – Chapter 6, 7 (pages 115-121 only)
Assignment I: Writing objectives (10%);
Mid-semester evals in ANGEL
Begin submission of peer evaluations to
drop box (this will be open for rest of the
semester)
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Week 4
September 16/17
Instructional techniques
(continued)
(Active learning, collaborative
learning, problem-based
learning); Assignment II;
Discuss mid-course evals;
discussion and activity on
leading class discussions
Felder article “The ABC’s of Engineering
Education: ABET, Bloom’s Taxonomy,
Cooperative Learning, and so on”
Week 5
September 23/24
Classroom assessment
(Testing, rubrics, grading,
evaluations); Discussion on
what is the purpose of
assessment; Assignment III;
update on observations
TE Chapter 11, 12, 16
Assignment II: Teaching methods exercise
(10%)
Week 6
September30/
October 1
Understanding your students
(Motivation, individual
differences, problem students);
Learning styles inventory;
discussion on inventory;
Reflection II
McKeachie, Chapter 5
Assignment III: Classroom assessment
exercise (10%)
Follow-up
December 9/10
Observation Feedback and Class
Wrap-up; Speakers from
Affirmative Action, Judicial
Affairs and CAPS
Reflection II (10%)
Note: Please hold October 14/15 for alternate class session if any of Weeks 1-6 sessions need to be canceled for any reason.
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