Talking About Teaching
Fall 2009

Please join us for a new term of Talking About Teaching, a weekly series (Friday 12:00-1:00 PM) where faculty gather together to discuss teaching, learning, students, and other related topics. Discussion leaders will share an experience, frame a question, or introduce an idea to get the discussion started. Lunch will be provided and no RSVP is necessary.

September 25 – Dan Hornbach, Biology & Environmental Studies, “Developing a Departmental Assessment Plan”
During 2008-2009 the Environmental Studies Department developed its assessment plan. In the spring of 2009 we began implementation of this plan. Hornbach will discuss the process we used and the challenges and opportunities associated with this process.

October 2 – Satoko Suzuki, Asian Languages & Cultures, “Working with Diversity in Communication Styles”
There are books such as Deborah Tannen’s You Just Don't Understand, in which women’s communication style is portrayed quite differently from men’s. There are also books which maintain that people in the East communicate dissimilarly from people in the West. Although these books represent extreme views, diversity in communication styles do exist among us. How do we deal with it when it comes to classroom interaction? Participants are encouraged to bring their stories of working with this kind of diversity.

October 9 – Kelly MacGregor & Raymond Rogers, Geology, “Helping Students Read & Understand Peer-reviewed Journal Articles”
Have you ever assigned an important journal article for class discussion, only to realize the students didn't really understand it? Or worse yet, they focused on the details without grasping key concepts? MacGregor and Rogers will share a few different strategies used to teach students HOW to approach dense research articles to maximize their comprehension. They hope to trigger a discussion of how we share and explore scholarship in the classroom through reading peer-reviewed works.

October 16 – Andrew Beveridge, Math & Computer Science, “Real World Assessment”
In real world assessment (or authentic assessment), students perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills. This strategy has been very successful in Math 135: Applied Calculus, whose main learning objective is to develop skills that can be transferred to other disciplines. As an example, Beveridge will talk about the applied calculus consulting projects, which require students to write a professional proposal addressed to a (fictional) client that solves a messy, real-world problem.

October 23 – Karin Aguilar-San Juan, American Studies, "Transformative Reflection in the Classroom"
If we want to teach about things that really matter to our students, that might require helping people to create meaning out of experiences that originate outside of and transcend the classroom. Aguilar-San Juan will share some thoughts about “transformative reflection” and its connection to the academic learning process.

November 6 - Ann Minnick, Academic Programs, "Perfecting the Art of Effective Advising" Advising is an art, not a science. The advice you give, and the way you give it, may vary from student to student, and even with the same student, over time. Context is key. Therefore the best way to perfect your art is to practice it and to talk about what you do with other "artists". This session will use advising scenarios to facilitate discussion of best practices.

November 13 – Ahmed Samatar, International Studies, “Strange Matrix: The Craft of Teaching & Study Abroad”
This presentation will share experiences of teaching at Macalester's spring program at Maastricht University. The discussion will be organized into three brief sections: (a) a comparison between teaching at the home campus and abroad, (b) an explanation of the nature of the lead seminar, and (c) a sharing of some student achievements that make the program distinctive.

November 20– Brad Belbas, Supporting students’ development as self-directed learners (and living to tell about it)
As committed educators, we strive to provide engaging learning experiences that help students increase their capacity as self-directed learners. There are times, however, when students don’t appear to understand, appreciate, or value the pedagogies we use to get them there. The goal of this session is to increase understanding of why students find self-directed learning difficult and identify strategies that can make it more meaningful for students and their instructors.

December 4– Kristina Curry Rogers, Biology & Geology, “Active Learning in Large Classes: Examples from Dinosaurs”
Connecting with students in large classes can prove challenging, and making sure that they are truly processing the material you lecture on can be even harder. Curry Rogers will provide a few examples of ways to connect from Dinosaurs, an introductory level Geology course she teaches to ~50 students every year.

December 11 – TBD