‘STEM’
Getting Students to Do the Reading: Pre-Class Reading Quizzes Using Blogs
Apr. 1, 2010—CFT assistant director Derek Bruff authored a guest post on the group blog ProfHacker last week. In the post, he described his use of pre-class reading quizzes in the math courses he teaches to motivate his students to read their textbooks before class. By asking students to respond to open-ended questions about the reading before...
Opportunity for Junior Faculty in Science, Math, and Engineering – STEMES Workshop in May
Mar. 12, 2010—Vanderbilt is a member of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) Network, a NSF-funded group of six universities working to prepare future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty members to implement and advance best teaching practices. One of the CIRTL Network’s signature programs is the Science, Technology, Engineering, and...
In Defense of Multiple-Choice Exam Questions
Mar. 8, 2010—CFT assistant director Derek Bruff authored a guest post on the group blog ProfHacker last week. In the post, he offered a defense of the use of multiple-choice questions on exams, arguing that they do more than save time grading. He described the kinds of multiple-choice questions he includes on exams, ones that are tied...
The CIRTL Coffee Hour – Online, Informal Conversations for STEM Grad Students and Faculty
Feb. 22, 2010—The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) is an NSF-sponsored network of six universities interested in enhancing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education through professional development of future STEM faculty. Vanderbilt is a member of CIRTL, and Vanderbilt STEM grad students, postdocs, and faculty are invited to participate in the...
One Professor’s Vision of Graduate Student Mentoring
Feb. 11, 2010—On February 2, 2010, the Center for Teaching held a conversation on teaching titled “Mentoring Graduate Students in the Sciences and Engineering” featuring three faculty panelists. After the session, one of the panelists, Isabel Gauthier, professor of psychology, wrote a one-page description of her “vision of graduate mentoring,” which she allowed the CFT to share. ...
Notes from Last Week’s “Mentoring Grad Students in the Sciences and Engineering” Session
Feb. 10, 2010—On February 2, 2010, the CFT held a conversation on teaching titled “Mentoring Graduate Students in the Sciences and Engineering” featuring three faculty panelists. At the start of the session, participants were asked to share questions they had about mentoring graduate students. Each question fell into one of five broad categories, listed below. Also listed...
Highlights from Richard Cyr’s Talks on Faculty Careers, Large Classes
Jan. 20, 2010—Richard Cyr (Biology, Penn State University) came to campus yesterday as a guest of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL). He gave two talks, an informal lunch discussion of faculty careers in the sciences and an afternoon presentation about teaching large science courses. The Center for Teaching attended both talks...
Episode 18 – Dealing with Student Misconceptions
Nov. 3, 2009—In this episode, we feature a panel discussion with Kathy Friedman, assistant professor in the Biological Sciences Department and Ann Kindfield, senior lecturer in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Peabody College. During this panel discussion, Kathy Friedman talks about student misconceptions she has encountered when teaching biological sciences and what she does to...
Episode 17 – Guil Gualda on Student Projects in Google Earth
May. 12, 2009—In this episode, we feature an interview with Guil Gualda, assistant professor of earth & environmental sciences. In the interview, Guil describes a course on the geology of national parks that he co-taught with his colleague Brendan Bream last fall. The course featured a field trip over fall break to the Grand Canyon, as well...
Episode 15 – Ellen Fanning on Undergraduate Journal Clubs
Apr. 7, 2009—In this episode, we feature an interview with Ellen Fanning, professor of biological sciences. In the interview, Ellen describes her methods of helping undergraduate biology students learn to read scientific literature, develop scientific reasoning skills, and gain an interest in science that lasts beyond their coursework. Ellen uses a journal club format that she has...