Week 1: Teaching as Research - Part 1
Introduction to Teaching as Research
We start by exploring Teaching as Research, an approach to evidence-based teaching in which instructors collect, analyze, and act upon evidence of learning as they design and facilitate learning experiences for their students.
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
Describe the outcomes of a TAR experience for the TAR participant.
Define and describe Teaching-as-Research, compare and contrast TAR with scientific teaching, and scholarship of teaching and learning.
Outline the steps of a TAR project.
Develop and/or comment on a rubric for TAR assessment.
Evaluate and analyze a completed TAR project in their discipline.
Week 1 Introduction (0.1.1)
Dr. Derek Bruff from Vanderbilt University and Dr. Trina McMahon from the University of Wisconsin introduce the concepts and content that will be covered in the first week of the course.
What is TAR?
Teaching as Research Welcome (1.1.1)
Bennett Goldberg provide a detailed introduction to Teaching-as-Research, including the overall structure and learning goals.
What is TAR? (1.1.2)
For the first 5 minutes, graduate students and postdocs discuss their interpretation of the purpose of and the steps of Teaching-as-Research. They reflect on the process of inquiry in teaching and learning that is TAR. In the second 5 minutes, faculty from the University of Rochester, University of California San Diego, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison discuss their interpretation and steps of Teaching-as-Research.
Discussion: What are the similarities and differences between TAR, SOTL, and scientific teaching? Post in the discussion below.
Discussion: Where might you go to publish a teaching related article in your discipline? Look up some journals, or ask someone who has published where they have, and then comment on what you find there. Post in the discussion below.
The Steps of TAR
Steps of TAR (1.2.1)
Bennett Goldberg describes the step of a Teaching-as-research project. He goes through each step, following an info-graphic that helps illustrate the process.
Discussion: Teaching-as-Research is generally about teaching and instruction, but does it have to be? Comment on whether TAR can encompass learning communities, broader learning environments, educational technologies, classroom structure and design, and learning through diversity. How can TAR encompass diversity in the classroom?
TAR Challenges (1.2.2)
For the first 4:30, graduate student and postdocs who have completed TAR projects discuss the challenges they faced and describe how they overcame them. For the remaining 5 minutes, faculty from the University of Rochester, University of California San Diego, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell, and Boston University talk about the common difficulties students face and suggest approaches to overcome them.
Discussion: What concerns you most about developing a Teaching-as-Research project? Post in the discussion below.
The Value of TAR
TAR Impact (1.3.1)
Teaching-as-Research graduate students and postdocs from across the CIRTL Network are interviewed and discuss how planning and doing a TAR project has changed their perspective and often, their future plans.
Value of High Engagement TAR Programs (1.3.2)
Faculty and administrators from MSU, Cornell, University of Rochester, University of California San Diego, and University of Wisconsin-Madison discuss the impact that Teaching-as-Research has had on their campuses and with their graduate students, postdocs, and even faculty.
Value of TAR Learning Community (1.3.3.)
Graduate students and postdocs discuss the value of doing a Teaching-as-Research project and how it contributes to both a local and national CIRTL learning community. TAR participants all present locally at the conclusion of their projects, and many present across the CIRTL network either online, or at conferences and forums. These TAR students describe how valuable it was to them to have a community that shared their values around teaching and learning.
Week 1 Review
Project Design (1.4.1)
Bennett Goldberg describes the final peer graded assessment for the module. Participants are required to use the provide TAR rubric, apply it to a chosen TAR poster from among a set provided, and then submit their analysis of the poster for peer grading.
Week 1 Wrap-Up (0.1.2)
Dr. Derek Bruff from Vanderbilt University and Dr. Trina McMahon from the University of Wisconsin summarize the concepts and content that were covered in the first week of the course.