CIRTL Banner

Seven research universities preparing a national science, technology, engineering and mathematics faculty committed to implementing and advancing effective teaching practices for diverse student audiences

THE CIRTL NETWORK NEWS
 
If you have difficulty viewing this newsletter, please visit the CIRTL web site.

 

CIRTL Pillars In Practice: Learning-through-Diversity

Six teaching behaviors which do not aid learning are:

(1) waiting only a few seconds after asking a question,

(2) rewarding the first correct answer and then moving on,

(3) giving students the answers to questions without allowing them to think,

(4) asking, "Does anyone have questions?" without being specific,

(5) behaving in a self-aggrandizing way toward students, and

(6) asking questions that only require rote memorization.

 

(Adapted from Reaching All Students)

Did You Know?

Alice Pawley, a UW-Madison graduate student who has worked with the Delta Program extensively, has accepted a faculty position in Engineering Education at Purdue University.

Past Presentations:

 

Gillian-Daniel: Enhancing Student Learning Through Inclusive Teaching

 

Gunasekera and colleagues:
Location of Careers in Academia Workshop Series

 

Stiles and Siegl:

An Interactive Course on Instructional Methods for Future Faculty

 

Other recent presentations

Publications:

 

Stiles and Siegl:

An Interactive Course on Instructional Methods for Future Faculty (conference materials will be posted later in the semester)

 

Other recent publications

 

Leaders' Update (CIRTLNet login required)

 

Fall Events

CIRTL Network and National Advisory Board Meeting, October 2nd-4th - Madison, WI (CIRTLNet login required)

Research Team to Visit Network Campuses

 

Network Connections:
Diversity Resources Workshops Gain Momentum at Network Universities
After participating in the spring 2007 CIRTL Diversity Resources Workshop, graduate student facilitators are now presenting the resources at Vanderbilt University and the University of Colorado-Boulder – two universities from the CIRTL Network.

The Diversity Resources Workshop attracted faculty, staff and graduate students from CIRTL Network universities and other institutions. Read more...

Ask a CIRTL Graduate Student!

Q: How has your involvement with CIRTL changed your perspective on teaching?
Janice Hall Tomasik, Ph.D. Student in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison: I feel I have become a more effective and dedicated educator after my involvement with CIRTL. Now, I evaluate my teaching effectiveness and adjust my approach to become a better teacher. I now hold my teaching to the same standards as I would any other research. CIRTL has also helped me perfect my teaching strategies to reach a more diverse audience.

 

News from the Field

Ten Easy Ways to Engage Your Students -

20 years of examining various teaching methods shows that making courses interactive is an excellent way of increasing student retention of information. There are several ways for teachers to actively include students in the learning process: assigning readings and daily quizzes, taking the time to inquire about students' previous knowledge through Q&A sessions or multiple choice questions, and assigning one-minute papers or peer discussions at the end of the day's lecture. In summary, a more engaging classroom leads to more engaged students.

Gray, T. & Madson, L., College Teaching, 55(2), 83-87.

 

Teaching Math and Science May Get Boost From Congress (Chronicle login required) - On Aug. 2, Congress decided in the favor of the bill HR 2272, more commonly known as the America Competes Act. This new bill focuses on improving science education at the most basic levels – elementary and secondary school. This improvement is the stepping stone to creating informed and skilled citizens. U.S. students' knowledge is beginning to lag behind that of their peers in competing nations. The actual bill provides no funds (scholarship programs and tax credit enhancements have been ignored), but rather enacts policies for the next three years that will produce more high-quality science teachers and train scientists in important topics such as ethical research and public communication. Funding for the programs is being discussed separately.

Brainard, J., Chronicle of Higher Education, 53(49), A1.


For questions or to make contributions, contact Katherine Friedrich (newsletter@cirtl.net).

Next newsletter: October, 2007
Deadline for announcements and contributions: September 24th, 2007

 

To view previous newsletters, visit the archive.

 

This newsletter is published by the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning, 1025 W. Johnson Street, Madison WI 53706, newsletter@cirtl.net, http://www.cirtl.net/. To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit cirtl-newsletter.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0227592.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.