Schedule

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

This beginning session introduces you to your role in the College of Engineering and the people and resources that are available to support you and your students.

Moderators:
Steve Cramer, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, College of Engineering
Christine Nicometo, EPD & Engineering Learning Center
Ben Yang, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Research Assistant
Kyle Oliver, Engineering Physics, Project Assistant

Facilitators:
David Lacocque, Psychologist, College of Engineering
Paul Oliphant, Computer-Aided Engineering
Diana Wheeler, Wendt Engineering Library
Christine Nicometo, Engineering Professional Development

So, you have an appointment as a TA? What are your responsibilities? What are your common concerns about the first day? How can you get and use feedback from students? How do you make the transition from being an undergraduate student to a TA teaching undergraduates? How do you know the students are learning? Will you also have time for course work and research? Working in small groups, you will come up with answers to these questions. Experienced TAs will share some of their stories. You will also get a chance to critique a videotape of TAs on their first day.

Coordinators:
Aditya Kumar Pidaparthy, TA - Engineering Physics
Eric Saurer, TA - Chemical and Biological Engineering
Justin Madsen, TA - Mechanical Engineering
Bryan Fox, TA - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Levi Straka, TA - Civil and Environmental Engineering
Stephen Strombeck, TA - Mechanical Engineering
Ethan Lippman, TA - Chemical and Biological Engineering
Matt Wiebold, TA - Electrical and Computer Engineering

Facilitators:
Christine Nicometo, Engineering Professional Development
Jeanne Hendricks, Personnel Services, College of Engineering

This workshop deals with teaching strategies in your classroom and multiple approaches to assess student learning.

Coordinators:
Sandra Courter, Director, Engineering Learning Center
Ben Yang, RA, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Coordinators:
This pilot workshop will be an overview of safety awareness. You will have the opportunity to give feedback about the issues. Our goal is to design online modules that will help graduate students understand basic safety issues and strategies. Your involvement will be helpful at this stage.

Facilitators:
Jeff Nytes, Safety Training Director, UW-Madison

Some department level workshops occur in the afternoon. Check with your department.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Steve Cramer, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Engineering

Moderators:
Sandra Courter, Director, Engineering Learning Center

What can we learn from Harry Potter related to teaching and learning? This session will use excerpts from the “Harry Potter” movies to dramatize differences in teaching styles. For example, one video will show Snape, a strict instructor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, intimidating his students. Another will show a facilitative teacher giving his students the opportunity to apply their magical knowledge. (Can you guess who is he?) Although Hogwarts’ instructors teach a very different curriculum than what one might find at a United States university, students in this country have similar educational preferences to the students depicted in the movie. Their preferences may surprise some, especially international TAs. This humorous yet practical session will prepare you for surprises you may encounter. It is based on a successful workshop designed at the University of Colorado – Boulder.

Panelists:
Laura Border, PhD.
Director, Graduate Teacher Program
University of Colorado – Boulder

Preparation and awareness of effective presentation skills will build your credibility as a teacher who knows the material and knows how to help others understand it. This workshop focuses on delivery skills and the opportunities you have to help your students learn. You will have a chance to do a practice presentation and get feedback from your peers.

Coordinators:
Tom Carstens, TA - Engineering Physics
Jared Doot, TA - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Gilbert Haddad, TA - Mechanical Engineering
Ben Yang, TA - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Stephen Kennedy, TA - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Katie Lieg, TA - Mechanical Engineering
Matt Tobelmann, RA - Chemical and Biological Engineering
Liz Tocce, RA - Chemical and Biological Engineering

Facilitators:
Christine Nicometo, Engineering Professional Development

As an instructor, you will face issues that affect student learning; those issues may include race, gender, sexual orientation, and sexual harassment/consensual relationships. This workshop will familiarize you with the issues and introduce policies and available resources. UW-Madison values its diversity; you can help yourself and your students thrive in this place. Plan to explore several case studies that are specific to the engineering classroom. This workshop satisfies the TAA contractual diversity/harassment training requirement for advancement to the "experienced" level and rate.

Coordinators:
Luis Pinero, Assistant Vice Chancellor.
Jeanne Hendricks, College of Engineering
Ben Yang, RA - Engineering Physics

Some departments have presentations planned. Contact your department for further information.