• UTAL 5000 Syllabus

    In this course we will examine the theory and practice of university teaching. The course is designed for graduate students who have some teaching experience and who wish to further develop their ability to design and teach university-level courses. Topics include: the philosophy and goals of higher education, theories of learning and the design of learning environments, constructivist pedagogies, lecturing, discussion facilitation, collaborative learning, the development of critical thinking and writing skills, the use of technology in teaching, the evaluation of learning and the evaluation of teaching.

    Course Goals
    To enhance your understanding of teaching and learning processes as a basis for making decisions about course design and for selecting particular teaching, learning and assessment methods in various instructional situations.
    To build a broad repertoire of teaching and assessment methods, and to consider how to adapt them to teaching in your particular discipline.
    To develop the attitude and habits of a reflective practitioner in education.

    Students will be expected to attend classes (1005 TEL), to complete the assigned readings and exercises on time and to participate in small-group discussions of the course material.

    Course Director
    Photo of Ron Sheese
    Ron Sheese
    Department of Psychology, and
    Centre for Academic Writing
    321 Calumet College
    rsheese@yorku.ca
    416 736-2100, ext. 20363

    Required Readings
    Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education (2nd ed.). London: RoutledgeFarmer.
    Davis, B. G. (1993). Tools for Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (We will use the online version)

    Course Evaluation
    Class Attendance – 10%
    Reading Response Papers – 20%
    Annotated Bibliography Assignment – 20%
    Course Design Assignment – 30%
    Teaching Philosophy and Growth Plan – 10%
    Microteaching Session & Report or Experienced Teacher Interview – 10%

    Attendance. You are expected to attend classes regularly as our discussion there is the most important element of the course. If you are unable to attend a particular class, please notify me in advance whenever possible. You are expected to have completed the assigned readings and exercises for each class and to participate effectively in the small-group discussions which will be a regular part of the class meetings.

    Response Papers. A set of readings and exercises will be assigned for each class and for most classes you will be asked to prepare a written response to some aspect of the assigned material. These responses are to be posted on the UTAL 5000 Dialogue Forum. You will also be expected to post comments and questions in reply to at least a few of the other students’ response papers each week. The Reading and Exercises page lists the work expected for each class.

    Annotated Bibliography. The class will work collaboratively to prepare an annotated bibliography of readings that would be useful to a beginning university instructor. The bibliography will be compiled in the form of a wiki, a format that facilitates both collaboration among the authors and access for potential users.

    Course Design Assignment. For a subject of your choice you will prepare a full syllabus, one that seeks to incorporate the ideas developed in the UTAL 5000 course. The syllabus is to be accompanied by a brief paper or set of annotations describing the rationale for your various choices.

    Teaching Philosophy and Growth Plan. Many departments ask applicants for a teaching philosophy statement when they apply for a position. These statements take a wide variety of forms and some examples will be provided in the course. I am imagining that you will include a description of reading and activities you would like to undertake in the next few years to monitor and improve your teaching.

    Microteaching Session. Groups of four or five students choosing this option will book two 90-minute sessions in the CST meeting room outside of normal class time for this assignment. For each session, at least two students will prepare to teach a learning segment, approximately 10-15 minutes in length, that prompts the learning of a specific skill or concept and that employs appropriate teaching/learning strategies. Each presentation will be videotaped and followed by feedback and discussion as well as a final reflection on the group’s learning. (You will need to purchase a videotape for this assignment). You are also required to prepare a written report assessing your learning through this assignment, both from giving and from receiving advice.

    Experienced Teacher Interview. You will prepare a set of questions and use them to interview an experienced university instructor, preferably someone who has taught courses in the same area that you expect to be teaching. You will submit a recording of the interview and a report in which you comment on the relation of the interview content to our study of university teaching and assess your learning through this assignment.