dB-SERC Faculty Retreat May 2016 - Focus on Undergraduate Assessment
At this retreat, discussions focused on course-level assessments for undergraduate majors and how to align learning objectives, instructional design, and assessment. Departments shared ideas and got feedback on their own department's course-level assessments. Click here to see pictures and a summary of the event: 2016 dB-SERC Faculty Retreat
Workshop for New Faculty Members (usually held at the end of August)
- In this workshop we discuss
- basic strategies to improve student learning based on cognitive research and practical considerations
- strategies to assess the extent to which course goals have been achieved
Workshop for New Graduate Teaching Assistants (usually held at the beginning of September)
- In this workshop we discuss evidenced based strategies for improving the effectiveness of recitations including
- improving use of formative feedback
- assessing student learning
- improving student participation
- fostering collaborative learning
- creating a TA teaching community
- The workshop builds upon CIDDE’s workshop for new TAs
Workshop for New Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (usually held at the end of January)
- In this workshop, we will discuss evidence-based strategies for improving the effectiveness of homework sessions and recitations/labs including
- creating a UTA teaching community
- fostering collaborative learning
- improving student participation
- tailoring help provided based upon students' prior knowledge
Past Professional development workshops organized by dB-SERC:
- May 5, 2014, dB-SERC conducted a workshop titled "Improving Student Learning in Large Classes" (see Home page, events).
- August 19, 2014: dB-SERC conducted a workshop for new Natural Science faculty members at Pitt.
- August 29, 2014, dB-SERC conducted a workshop for new Natural Science TAs at Pitt.
- October 16, 2014: dB-SERC/CIDDE Workshop: "Practical In-Class Formative (Ungraded) Assessments"
- Workshop leader: Meiyi Song, Teaching and Learning Consultant, CIDDE
- November 13, 2014: "Implementing a simple solution to improving science education"
- Workshop leader: Dr. Robin Wright, current Director of the Division for Undergraduate Education at the University of Minnesota.
- January 23, 2015: dB-SERC will conduct a workshop for Undergraduate TAs in natural science departments
- February 9, 2015: Workshop on Modelling Instruction pedagogy
- Workshop leader: Dr. Eric Brewe, now Drexel University
- March 19, 2015: Incorporating writing in STEM disciplines
- Workshop leader: Dr. Kathleen Harper, now Case Western University
- August 28, 2015: workshop for new Natural Science faculty members at Pitt
- September 4, 2015: workshop for new Natural Science graduate teaching assistants at Pitt
- January 22, 2016: workshop for New Natural Science undergraduate teaching assistants at Pitt
Future Professional development workshops organized by dB-SERC:
dB-SERC Faculty Retreat: May 2023
dB-SERC New Faculty Training: August 2023
dB-SERC New TA Training Workshop: August 2023
dB-SERC New UTA Training Workshop: August 2023