Teaching Excellence in Engineering Institute - Course Structure Overview

Engineering Teaching Excellence Institute Kathryn Dimiduk

Place in curriculum prerequisites follow-on courses co-requisites Prior year s content Textbook Professor s list of major topics (by name not textbook chapter) Math, computer, other skills students have or need

Outline of course by topics Skills to be learned Novice to Expert Thinking

University Calendar Exams How many, in class or evening Lectures How many Length Events (using class time)

Assignments Type How often How many

Class organization Teaching methods Content grid Topics Skills spread out across course Thinking guide towards more expert patterns

Main topic Main topic Sub topics Sub topics Needed skills Needed skills Skills to be taught Skills to be taught Notes: Lab, HW demo, readings, active learning Notes: Lab, HW demo, readings, active learning

Main topic Main topic Subtopic Subtopic Needed skills Needed skills Skills be taught Skills to be taught to Notes Notes Electro- statics 30% of course Charges, Conductors insulators, background Demo: electroscope, action at a distance, charging by induction Superposition activity Coulomb s Law Electric Forces Gauss law Calculus Superposition Vector Calculus Symmetry to simplify Colored chalk to show structure of examples Demo: van der graaf generator Electric potential Divergence

Main Topic Main Topic Subtopic Subtopic Skills needed Skills needed Skills to be taught Skills to be taught Notes Notes Capacitors Capacitor energy storage - bang Group hard algebraic problem: how to check work Clicker Q Circuits 10% of course Series, parallel Kirchoff Algebra Linear algebra Calculator matrix sol Error checking Capacitors, resistors, inductors Conceptual checks of answers, Conceptual understanding

Detailed Schedule on Calendar Days for lectures Fit grid on calendar adjustment days expand or contract content so fits as semester progresses Exams

Week 1 Week Date Jan 19, 2009 Date Lecture Intro Charges materials Charging Coulomb s Law, Superposition & activity Lecture Reading Ch 1: 1-3 Reading HW HW Jan 21 Ch 1: 4-5 Jan 23 Ch 1:6-8 2 Jan 26 Gauss law Ch 2: 1-2 HW 1 due Ch 1: p 4, 17, 23 and See blackboard

Plan whole semester in advance Hand out one of following Entire calendar One month at a time Until the next test A less detailed version Shock absorber days to adjusting timing Less important material Applications that can be added or omitted Label calendar Tentative

Blank and sample course planning spreadsheet Course calendar for spring 2009 for MWF course and for TR course Detailed outline of this talk University information Exams Rooms Services .

Lets you do the planning just once Keep on track, less worry Adjust content to fit schedule chapter by chapter Don t skip last chapter(s) due to poor planning Take Notes on schedule for next time

Clickers Real time feedback Easy to collect teaching data Students learn more effectively Questions get easier to write with practice

Clickers Think Pair Share Minute Papers Clear Muddy Simulations Worksheets Hands-on activities Attend active learning talk for more information

(A) 1 hour or less (B) About 2 hours (C) 3-5 hours (D) 6 or more hours (E) Just wing it

(A) About a day (B) About a week (C) At least a month (D) All available time and more (E) Why didn t someone tell me I was teaching before the course started?

(A) 1 hour or less (B) 2-3 hours (C) 4-6 hours (D) 7-9 hours (E) 10 or more hours

Course description or content or goals What are you teaching How are you teaching it Why is it important

Basic course information Course name and number Class time and location Prerequisites Credit hours Grading options if available

Instructor information Your name (and rank?) Your email Your office or dept. office Phone number yours or dept. office Any contact encouragement or rules Office hours

Other teaching staff Team teachers TA(s) Grader(s) Lab TA(s) For each give name and appropriate contact info

Required materials Textbook Course packet Lab manual Calculator or computer or programs Other required materials

Course Policies What do the students need to know right away What needs to be in writing Attendance rules No cheating How to hand in work

How will the course be graded What will be graded? What weight will be given to each component? Will any grades be dropped Late policy Excused and unexcused absences What is allowed What will happen What documentation is needed

How will the course be taught Lectures Active Learning Homework Reading Papers or reports Labs ..

Verified Disabilities will be accommodated Tutoring through . Extra help available through . Office hours other

Technology Blackboard Class website Blackboard Wiki Clickers etc

What material will be covered in the course Tentative schedule for covering material or approximately how much of the course is on each topic When will exams be given When are major assignments due Any special events

Components - select and add as needed Reread for tone does the syllabus welcome the students and share the excitement of learning? Proof read first contact with students Errors make a poor first impression Have someone else proof read Make enough copies or post to website

Questions?