Last week in EDHI 9040 we had an informative discussion about using clickers. I have never used them in my class because none of the classes I have taught are very large. I believe that while they could be used in smaller classes, there are more appropriate and successful engagement and assessment techniques that one can utilize in a small class. Next Fall I will have the chance to teach either undergraduate Cellular Biology or Biochemistry so I may try to integrate clickers there.
Unfortunately, next week we will not have a chance to see Dr. C., but our team has decided to meet anyways to work on our tech talk. Sometime following the tech talk workshop, a select group of FFP (sub-FFP) are going get together and mingle/spread the good word.
Jeremy and I met with the second faculty candidate for the Biological Sciences Educator Faculty position. This candidate was internal unlike the previous one and overall we enjoyed having the chance to speak with her. I am looking forward to the 3rd and 4th candidate in the upcoming weeks. Everyone seems to have their respective strengths so any decision at this point would be a good one.
I have also decided to give a weekly research update. An old friend Dave and I have been doing a behind the scenes collaboration using some of my Alzheimer's disease mice. Our endeavors have been very fruitful and have now created a new collaboration between my lab and his. We are scheduled to have our first group meeting with our bosses next week so Dave and I get to explain our respective data to everyone. I have some histology to finish over the next few days, which will greatly enhance the directionality in which our project moves. As it stands this new work is outside the scope of my thesis and was really something I was passionate about pursuing and which gave me a chance to be a completely independent scientist.
How does the internal candidate work in Bio Sciences- is this a PhD student or lab worker, etc.? I am curious because in other departments (Geology & Anthropology for example), it is very hard for an alum to be hired; these departments are staunch about flinging their alumni out into the world.
ReplyDeleteSee you tomorrow for out meeting- has a location been decided?
The internal candidate is a post-doc here at UGA doing teaching related research. I have mixed emotions about internal hires. First, that person is well versed in the research endeavors of a department. Almost all research is a continuation of your Post-doc, Therefore, if you were hired at the same university there could be pre-established and very fruitful collaborative opportunities.
DeleteSecond, departments are family and an important consideration when hiring is looking for a good personality fit as well. If a former post-doc/grad student gets along well with a department then maybe they are the right choice (all else equal). Unfortunately, much of life is who you know so internal candidates typically get higher preference. Going back to the department/family analogy I think that hiring too many former alumni is inbreeding and diminishes the quality of any program.
Sub-FFP plus Carrie!
ReplyDeleteIt seems especially hard in biochem if you're content focused to use clickers, because I'm imagining lots of visual things that in a small class would spark more input with direct contributions (like equations, molecular structure, etc.).
BUT, I was struck last time about how clickers could help you get opinions from the whole class, not just your biochem-friendly students. And I think that all the topics you listed for your dream course could benefit from anonymous clicking. I have similar real-world goals for my dream course, and plan to start each lesson with a real-world scenario and question based on what they did outside the classroom for reading and homework. Yours seem so ripe for sparking discussion, like: the ethics of genomic medicine in practice, nutrition preconceptions, bio-fuel stigmas, etc.
Your last post's point that Pinterest may be a girl thing is a very interesting point. It will make me think for sure.
I like Virginia's idea for starting class with a real-world scenario and question! If you do this every class period, students know what's coming and can be prepared for learning. Nice!
ReplyDeleteMatthew, I wonder if you would be more interested in clickers, even for small classes, if everyone had one?