Training Teachers and Serving Students: Applying Usability Testing in Writing Programs

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather McGovern
Keyword(s):  
Novice Teachers ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Technical Writing ◽  
Usability Testing ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Writing Programs ◽  
Course Materials

Teachers often test course materials by using them in class. Usability testing provides an alternative: teachers receive student feedback and revise materials before teaching a class. Case studies based on interviews and observations with two teaching assistants who usability tested materials before teaching introductory technical writing demonstrate how usability testing can make novice teachers more confident about and help them predict student experiences with their assignments. By helping to train teachers, usability testing can also help better serve students.

Using Multimedia for Instructor Presence in Purposeful Pedagogy-Driven Online Technical Writing Courses

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-52
Author(s):  
Heidi S. Harris ◽  
Michael Greer
Keyword(s):  
Course Design ◽  
Technical Writing ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Engaged Learning ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Instructor Presence ◽  
Course Outcomes ◽  
Writing Instructors ◽  
Student Projects

Teaching and composing with multimedia humanizes online technical writing and communication classes. However, students do not always see the connection between multimedia instructional materials, multimedia assignments, and the course learning outcomes. Purposeful pedagogy-driven course design uses multimedia instructional materials to connect assignments, course materials, and assessments with course outcomes. Technical writing instructors can integrate synchronous and asynchronous multimedia elements to address not only the what and why of online technical writing instruction but also the how of multimedia instructional materials. Example multimedia instructional materials and student projects discussed in the article can increase student retention and promote engaged learning.

Social Issues and Problem-based Learning in Sociology

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 212-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daina S. Eglitis ◽  
Fran L. Buntman ◽  
Dameon V. Alexander
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Social Problem ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Sample Case

This article discusses the use of problem-based learning (PBL) in the undergraduate sociology classroom. PBL shifts students from the role of passive listeners and learners to active knowledge builders and communicators through the use of concise and engaging social problem cases. PBL creates opportunities for building substantive area knowledge, research skills, and problem-solving capacities and fosters student enjoyment. This teaching note describes the key characteristics of PBL, discusses practical approaches to its use in a variety of sociology courses, and offers sample case studies. We evaluate student experiences with PBL and consider its broader applicability.

scholarly journals Graduate Students as Independent Instructors: Seven Things to Know about Teaching Your Own Course while in Graduate School

2010 ◽  
Vol 43 (03) ◽  
pp. 557-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward M. Burmila
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Novice Teachers ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Graduate Student ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Graduate School ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Undergraduate Instruction ◽  
Graduate Instructors

AbstractDespite being responsible for a large percentage of undergraduate instruction, graduate students often receive little preparation for their first solo teaching assignments (J. D. Nyquist et al.,Change31 (3): 18, 1999). Furthermore, the existing literature on pedagogy fails to address the unique challenges faced by graduate students who are asked to serve as course instructors rather than teaching assistants. This article presents seven pieces of advice intended to better prepare the predoctoral graduate student to assume the role of the professor before assuming the title. By understanding the attitudes of undergraduate students toward graduate instructors, preparing in advance to handle the mistakes that novice teachers often make, and recognizing the correlation between outward confidence and student perceptions of instructor quality, graduate students can derive the most benefit from a stressful and time-consuming assignment. Most important, graduate instructors can learn to effectively manage the time spent on teaching duties to ensure that other responsibilities such as coursework, qualifying exams, and dissertation research do not suffer.

The Humanities Program

2016 ◽  
pp. 363-399
Author(s):  
Kathleen Jasonides ◽  
Janet Karvouniaris ◽  
Amalia Zavacopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Performing Arts ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Interdisciplinary Team ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
Innovative Approach ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Visual And Performing Arts ◽  
Essential Questions ◽  
History Of

Innovative since its inception, the ACS Honors Humanities program has a long history of more than 40 years as an interdisciplinary team-taught course that examines essential questions through literature, visual and performing arts, philosophy and history. This innovative approach has continued to motivate successive teaching teams to modify and enhance a program that challenges students academically, utilizing the best possible resources and taking advantage of new technology. The program consists of two year-long, completely integrated i2Flex ACS Athens Honors diploma courses and three i2Flex 20-week enrichment courses accessible to students anywhere. This chapter presents two case studies which explain the transformation of the Honors Humanities course from Face to Face to i2Flex. The authors describe and present examples of how they redesigned the courses. They present data on student feedback and findings regarding the benefits and challenges of adopting the i2Flex methodology for this program. This chapter is intended as a reference for teachers, teachers in training and professionals who train teachers.

Creating Praxis for Pre-Service Teachers

2021 ◽  
pp. 339-358
Author(s):  
Allison Ivey ◽  
Julie L. Begbie
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Critical Pedagogy ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Book Clubs ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Narrative Form ◽  
Methods Courses ◽  
The World ◽  
Pre Service Teacher ◽  
Education Courses

This chapter introduces a storied learning model to create opportunities for praxis within teacher education courses in order to humanize student experiences through book clubs. As many argue that people perceive the world in narrative form, embedding book clubs within methods courses creates opportunities for pre-service teachers to explore and reflect upon unfamiliar experiences, identities, and stories in order to cultivate their critical consciousness. Building off of Bishop's metaphor of mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, as well as existing literature that discusses the use of book clubs in pre-service teacher methods courses, two case studies are offered highlighting theoretical and practical ways for book clubs to be embedded within methods courses. Case studies are followed by a framework for implementation that considers research in both critical pedagogy and reading comprehension.

Examining the “Digital Divide”

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 27-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Bangou
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Novice Teachers ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
Master Of Education

Since the concept of “digital divide” first appeared, many researchers have argued for a more nuanced definition that highlights its complexities and better reveals its impact on the appropriation of ICTs. In this paper, the author analyzes the experiences of six Master of Education (M.Ed.) pre-service teachers learning to integrate ICTs into their practice. These case studies demonstrate how novice teachers’ learning processes can be impacted by the unequal distribution of the temporal, material, mental, social, and cultural resources available (van Dijk, 2005). A number of pedagogical and curricular recommendations for the M.Ed. program are then provided.

Novel Methods of Incorporating Security Requirements Engineering into Software Engineering Courses and Curricula

2009 ◽  
pp. 98-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy R. Mead ◽  
Dan Shoemaker
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Requirements Engineering ◽  
Security Requirements ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Security Requirements Engineering ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Future Plans

This chapter describes methods of incorporating security requirements engineering into software engineering courses and curricula. The chapter discusses the importance of security requirements engineering and the relationship of security knowledge to general computing knowledge by comparing a security body of knowledge to standard computing curricula. Then security requirements is related to standard computing curricula and educational initiatives in security requirements engineering are described, with their results. An expanded discussion of the SQUARE method in security requirements engineering case studies is included, as well as future plans in the area. Future plans include the development and teaching of academic course materials in security requirements engineering, which will then be made available to educators. The authors hope that more educators will be motivated to teach security requirements engineering in their software engineering courses and to incorporate it in their curricula.

Developing a Technical Writing Theory and Pedagogy Course in an English Department

1980 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 337-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald J. Alred
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Technical Writing ◽  
Writing Programs ◽  
English Department ◽  
English Departments ◽  
Writing Theory ◽  
Theoretical Issues

As technical writing programs grow, English departments may alleviate the problems of the unprepared instructor by offering technical writing theory and pedagogy courses. Such courses should combine theory and pedagogy with assignments that are practical and introduce graduate students to the theoretical issues in the field. This article provides a syllabus and the reactions of students who completed such a course.

scholarly journals Synthetic Biology for Teaching Control Engineering: A Case Study in a Student-Directed, Collaborative Environment

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Euler ◽  
Radhakrishnan Mahadevan
Keyword(s):  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Chemical Engineering ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Control Engineering ◽  
Collaborative Environment ◽  
Research And Teaching ◽  
Advanced Control ◽  
Biological Control System

 Abstract –As the bio-based economy expands, Chemical Engineering graduates will find themselves in new contexts for which they must be prepared. The broad shift toward including biology in departmental research and teaching activities reflects this, but relatively little formal thought has been given to the pedagogy of biology within Chemical Engineering curricula. The case study presented here is centered on the use of a biological control system in a lab setting as the means by which advanced control concepts can be taught to upper-year and graduate students within a constructivist framework. This approach was successfully applied to achieve all of the learning outcomes for the lab, but student feedback indicated that structured collaboration and metacognitive activities should have been given higher priority to improve student experiences. A re-iteration of this framework for upper-year lab curriculum design based on student feedback is presented.

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