Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education La societe pour I'avancement de la pedagogie dans I'enseignement superieur Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Number 36 November 2003 More Members Than Ever Stand Up To Be Counted

Gary Poole, STLHE President

his fall, STLHEheldan unprecedentednumberof elections- sixfornewregionalrepresentativesonthe Steering Committee, and one for President-Elect. There was a time when we had to work hard just to T find a committed person willing to serve as a regional representative on the Steering Committee. Clearly, we have moved well beyond those days. This time around, in Alberta alone, there were seven people nominated to be their regional rep. In all, twenty-four people were nominated from the six regions. Over two hundred members took part in the vote to ratify the nomination for President-Elect.

What do these numbers mean? To me, they mean that the strategic planning work in which the Steering Committee is engaged is more pressing than ever. In this issue of our newsletter, we provide another update on that work. We also provide formal introduction of our latest cohort of 3M Teaching Fellows. Those of you who were able to attend STLHE 2003 in Vancouver will have met this great group. They join a group of Teaching Fellows that now has a Council and a series of excellent projects in its sights. Expect great things.

Through all of this, the landscape of teaching and learning in higher education is ever-shifting. In some quarters, universities with strong teaching reputations are trying to re-position themselves by emphasizing their research prowess, perhaps because they perceive this to be the position that will attract the most financial support. The result could be a decline in support for undergraduate education. At the same time, we have unprecedented engagement in the Society's activities. Could this signal a disconnection between institutional strategizing and faculty will regarding the balance between teaching and .I research? We can't be certain. However, we can know that I there is a critical mass_ofpeople working in higher education I who care about their teaching and the work of the Society. g... ~ g ... -~ ~~_J 2 STLHE/SAPES FroIn Bach to Tupac Using an electronic course portfolio to analyze a curricular transfonnation

By Elizabeth F Barkley

Thefollowing article is reprinted bypermission from the June, 2001 AAHE Bulletin, published by the American Association for Higher Education. In September of thisyear, a number of STLHE members visited our AAHE colleagues in Washington,DC to explore ways in which we could collaborate and learnfrom each other. The meeting was very productive, and so it seemsfitting that we would present an article by one of AAHE s scholars in our newsletter.

There are other reasonsfor including this article. One is that itfocuses on at least two ofSTLHEs Strategic Goals: the scholarship of teaching and learning, and inclusivity. Also, Professor Barkley provides an excellent example of how technology can be used to capture teaching and learning processes.

,,Sometimes I feel like a partner As a Carnegie Scholar, I was they could be used and built on by in an unholy alliance," challenged to design, implement, and others. Thus, course portfolios commented a colleague. "I report on a research project that would provided me with an almost ready- pretend to teach, and my students contribute to the scholarship of made template for delving into this pretend to learn." Recalling my own teaching and learning in my discipline new (for me) territory called "the early experience teaching a general- of music. Like many of my Carnegie scholarship of teaching and learning." education course in music history, I Scholar colleagues, I anguished over smiled at his understatement: In my what to do. Suspicious of educational . Course portfolios seemed to allow course, the handful of students sitting jargon, I was skeptical that I could for the messy complexity that I knew in front of me weren't even pretending design a research project that would characterized teaching and learning. I to learn! They stared at me with tell me anything I really did not hoped that a course portfolio might bored, apathetic faces as I struggled to already know. Or, if it did reveal help me capture the subtle but engage them in a lively discussion on something new and significant, I important aspects of teaching and the structural nuances of a Beethoven worried that the methodology would learning that crisper methodologies symphony. Beethoven? Their music not withstand scholarly scrutiny. might miss. heroes were Tupac and Nine Inch Nails. After considering various project . Because I knew, deep in my heart, ideas and conversing with other that over that period of five years and This curricular crisis was the catalyst Carnegie Scholars who were also before any conscious concern about for a five-year transformation out of struggling with documenting teaching the scholarship of teaching and which I created an entirely new and learning, I decided to construct a learning, I had used my intuitive sense course, Music of Multicultural course portfolio in which I analyzed and natural talent as a teacher to and documented the transformation of America. My efforts paid off. Annual transform that music course in very enrollment increased from 45 to 782, that general-education music course. deep and meaningful ways. A filling my course with enthusiastic portfolio offered the fullest and most students who had enrolled on the Why a Course Portfolio? nuanced way to share this advice of friends. Students testified transformation with other teachers, not only to how much they loved the Course portfolios are a mechanism to disciplines, and institutions. course but also to how much they had help faculty investigate and document learned. what they know and do as teachers in Once I decided to construct a course ways that contribute to more powerful portfolio, it did not take long to move This transformation created student learning. I decided on a course to the next step of making it an considerable attention, and it was on portfolio for three reasons. electronic course portfolio. Electronic an exhilarating wave of success that I course portfolios offered several was selected by the Carnegie .Course portfolios seemed to advantages over their paper Foundation for the Advancement of manifest the essential characteristics counterparts. Much of my own and Teaching as a Carnegie Scholar. (For of scholarship: They could be made my students' work was already in more, visit public, they were susceptible to electronic format, an electronic www.carnegiefoundation.org.) critical review and evaluation, and portfolio could be easily accessed and Number 36, November 2003 3

disseminated, it could be layered to interviews, and participation in online students were at highest risk for not include multiple points of entry and academic forums. completing the course (only a 46 ways to navigate through the percent success rate, whereas the information, it could incorporate Multimedia Instruction (Including collegewide success rate for black multimedia, and it had the potential Online). The baseline course had been students was 76 percent). for integrating interactivity. taught in the traditional lecture face- to-face format. The transformed I surmised that a contributing factor What Did I Learn From the course uses blended delivery in which was probably the discomfort and Analysis? students select, on an ongoing and resentment black students might feel flexible basis, where they want to be at hearing a white woman discuss The foundation of my course portfolio on a continuum from traditional face- black history, music, and social was the analysis of the course to-face learning activities to entirely experience. As a solution, I engaged transformation, an extremely Web-based activities. as a teaching partner a black professor instructive analysis. Why was Music who specializes in African-American of Multicultural America so popular? Authentic Assessment. The baseline music and the historical context in Self-reflection combined with analysis course had used traditional, objective, which that music developed. I am of students' comments revealed four and subjective in-class testing. The going to track this trend to see curricular themes: transformed course uses a point whether it will make a difference. accrual system in which, within Content. The earlier version of this clearly articulated guidelines for both What Did I Learn From the L course was based on European quantity and quality, students earn Creation of the Course classical music. Although this their final grades by submitting Portfolio? curriculum remains the standard for multiple and varied artifacts higher education, it simply does not demonstrating their learning. The greatest challenge for me was engage a large percentage of figuring out how best to organize and I investigated these themes using both contemporary students who listen to present the information. Ultimately quantitative and qualitative research popular music and have grown up in (and after many different drafts), I methodologies. Quantitative data an increasingly diverse multicultural decided to organize the portfolio into included enrollment trends, society. The transformed course uses four major sections. "The Project" ethnicity as a central organizing demographic characteristics, and students' success and retention rates provides an overview and contains principle to trace the development of answers to the questions who, what, over six years. To generate qualitative popular musics such as blues, jazz, where, why, when, and how of the country, Tejano, Cajun, and so on data, I conducted surveys, used various classroom assessment course portfolio. "The Data" consists from their roots in the ethnic of a series oflinked PDFs so that traditions of a specific immigrant techniques, and enlisted 15 "student readers can access and download investigators" selected through a group to their development into a information such as syllabi, tests, uniquely American music. controlled random selection process to student comments, and enrollment probe deeper into the learning trends. "The Summary" provides a Empowering Students to Be Architects process. The data I collected have brief narrative of the project, with of Their Own Learning. The baseline been a gold mine of information that I essential information and results. course had been taught in the continue to excavate and that lead to sequential, passive, pyramidal new course strategies. The final section, "Transformation approach of traditional higher Themes," organizes the analysis into education. The transformed course For example, one of the most the four curricular themes identified allows students to select from a interesting pieces of information was earlier (content, empowering students, the increasingly large percentage of variety of activities to construct their multimedia, and assessment) and then students of color in comparison with own learning in ways that meet their addresses these themes in four stages: white students. In fall 1995, the class individual learning styles and personal baseline course, analysis, transformed comprised 66 percent white students interests. Although all students do course, and significant research and and 33 percent students of color. By core readings and work sheets, they findings. Toward the end I added an build on this common foundation by fall 1999, the ratio had inverted, and students of color constituted 67 additional component, "Issue Bin," in choosing activities from a varied which I identified enduring concerns menu that includes concert reports, percent. I was thrilled with this associated with that section and museum and historical site visits, statistic until I pulled apart the various race/ethnicities to find that there was a provided an interactive opportunity attendance at cultural events, Web for portfolio readers to contribute their quests, film observations, book slight but steady downward trend in comments. reports, independent research, black students. Additionally, black 4 STLHE/SAPES

How Did the Electronic Aspects can only be enhanced and emiched by How Has the Course Portfolio of the Course Portfolio Hinder the creative connections and "genius Helped Students? or Help Success? solution" flashes of insight that come from nonlinear thinking. In this era of Again, I need to separate the course In several ways, going electronic information overload, it may be portfolio from the electronic course made the course portfolio more important to keep distilling portfolio. There is no question in my difficult. For example, to make it information to its essentials. Ifwe mind that the thoughtful and reflective electronic, every document needed wish to continue to communicate analysis of my course was, and first to be created as a Word or effectively in the contemporary continues to be, highly beneficial to graphics file and then converted to environment (especially with our my students. But I was already doing HTML and positioned in a series of students who have come of age in a that during the five years of course linked Webpages. This process of visual and digital milieu), we may transformation that antedated the creation and conversion was very need to constantly update our visual portfolio. time-consuming and, I am sure, at literacy and our technological least doubled the work. Plus, once knowledge. The added value of the course created, an electronic site requires portfolio was that it moved me constant maintenance and updating if The electronic portfolio has other beyond intuition and anecdote to a it is to remain viable. benefits. First, the Web has emerged culture of evidence. The course as the current communication medium portfolio also created a framework The construction of an electronic of choice. By creating my portfolio that organized the investigation in course portfolio poses other online, I had the glorious self- such a way that I was forced to gather challenges. I am accustomed to satisfaction that I was up to date with data that did teach me things that I did thinking in the linear mode of print contemporary trends. Second, the not know. Although I had a general media. Because of the multilayering multimedia capabilities provide a sense that emollment was growing and navigational options of the Web, much richer and more complete and that racial and ethnic diversity constructing documents suitable for picture of the course, because was increasing, I did not know the this environment forced me to think in graphics and video and audio clips specifics until the portfolio framework a nonlinear manner. allow nuances impossible to achieve required that I investigate it. Students through conventional print media. In have been helped because, as a result It also required brevity: There is only addition, I could make accessible to of this information, I have identified so much information that fits on a readers an extensive number and new interventions that I hope will single Web page, and one needs to variety of documents through PDFs improve instruction. minimize the number of linked Web that would have been much too pages because the portfolio reader's cumbersome as print attachments. The electronic aspect of the course computer must go back to the server Third, through the multilayered and portfolio is less obvious, but I can see to retrieve them. This back and forth navigational qualities of the Web, at least three advantages for students. process interrupts, slows down, and readers can customize and hence First, constructing the Web-based potentially aggravates the reader. And pursue efficiently those aspects of my portfolio has forced me to learn to there is the gnawing fear that this course portfolio in which they are think in the digital and visual ways constant distilling for near "sound specifically interested. that I believe dominate many of my bite" simplicity sacrifices significant students' ways of seeing and knowing. depth, accuracy, and nuance. Finally, the Web-based electronic Narrowing the gap between us must portfolio allows me an exportability certainly help clarify communication Finally, website construction requires and interactivity that paper portfolios and emich their learning. Second, I attention to visual appeal to sustain simply cannot possess. The portfolio plan to use the Web-based portfolio to readers' interest. To create an for this course has already attracted provide students with an easily appealing site requires visual literacy attention all over the country, and I no accessible and much richer "picture" that includes not only aesthetics but longer need to say, "I'll mail you of my course than I can currently also good choices about what verbal information." Because of the provide them with the conventional information is most effectively electronic portfolio and its location on paper course syllabus. Third, the replaced by graphics. the World Wide Web, readers can public nature of the course portfolio investigate numerous aspects of my has put me in touch with teachers of Certainly, many of these negatives course at any time they wish and with similar courses, enabling us to share have their flip side. For example, I minimum additional effort on my part. materials and strategies that suspect that logical, linear thinking strengthen and emich all of our courses. Number 36, November 2003 5

Would I Do It Again? listened to, in their world view. Electronic Portfolios Absolutely. Transforming my course into one that A Tool for Students, Faculty, and bridged the gaps while not Institutions When I was finished, I felt that the compromising academic integrity portfolio really did provide a seemed an impossible dream. Too Professor Barkley's essay is excerpted framework to analyze, capture, and young to retire, however, I began the from the AAHE publication, represent the reality of the course process of change. Electronic Portfolios: Emerging transformation. And, like all good Practices in Student, Faculty, and research, it raised issues that pointed My electronic course portfolio Institutional Learning (2001, 224 pp). me toward additional research. For attempted to analyze and document In the volume, 19portfolio example, in fall 2000, I took much of that transformation. The analysis has practitioners describe the constructing the information I have learned from perhaps raised as many questions as it of electronic portfolios by: the course portfolio and applied it to a has answered, but I believe I am resurrected version of myoId course moving in the right direction. Students to display and reflect on on WesternEuropean classical music, Teaching no longer feels like an . work for a specific course or program planning to investigate to what extent "unholy alliance," but instead like a the three noncontent curricular healthy and invigorating partnership . Faculty to document and reflect on interventions (empowering students, in which my students, colleagues, and their classroom practice and allow multimedia delivery, and more I work together to achieve more comment by colleagues or others authentic assessment) will affect powerful learning. . Institutions to demonstrate students' enrollment and engagement accountability to their stakeholders in the original baseline course. I will Elizabeth F. Barkley is professor of and as a vehicle for institution-wide construct another electronic course music at Foothill College. Contact her reflection, learning, and improvement. portfolio to document and analyze this at [email protected]. process. To view her electronic course For ordering information, visit portfolio, visit the Carnegie AAHE's online catalog at Six years ago I found myself Foundation s Knowledge Media www.aahe.org/catalog. or call 202/ wondering whether trying to teach Laboratory at 293-6440 x780. today's students had become my kmI2.carnegiefoundation.org. Then worst nightmare. Most of the students follow these steps: (l)select were different not only from me but "Gallery" from the left-side menu; (2) Copyright ~ 2003 - American from one another - in race and Browse collection (upper left) by Association for Higher Education ethnicity, in their preparation for "Higher Education"; (3) choose college education, in the music they Elizabeth Barkely.

Strategic Plan Update

Vancouver, B.C. - June, 2003

n the first day of the 2003 STLHE conference, the Steering Committee met to finalize details for a presentation to the Annual General Meeting, scheduled for later that same day. The Committee also addressed remaining issues related to a not-for-profit corporation proposal and STLHE's role in that initiative. The NFP I O . has adopted the name: The Institute for the Advancement of Teaching in Higher Education (lATHE). ...

At the AGM, the Strategic Plan was presented, including a description of the Society's 4 Strategic Goals. The r presentation also included a proposal to restructure the Steering Committee such that Vice-President positions would be created corresponding to each Strategic Goal. In addition, other positions were proposed that correspond with other Society projects. The plan was endorsed strongly at the AGM. The positions are as follows: ~ 6 STLHE/SAPES

In allocating Committee members to For the next eight months, the a. Secretary these positions, the Committee needed Committee members have agreed to b.Vice-Presidents to be mindful of people's unique skills take on positions as follows: i. Scholarship of Teaching VP and interests, as well as the realities of ii. Inclusivity VP their demanding workloads outside of Position Committee iii. Advocacy VP STLHE. Committee members iv. Partnerships VP volunteered for positions, either as a Member( s) c. Directors/ Officers lead or a support person. We then i. Accreditation Director sorted out preferences and optimal Secretary, Dieter Sch6nwetter ii. Communications Officer collaborations when more than one VP, Scholarship of Teaching, Harry d.Coordinators person had expressed an interest in a Hubball i. TeachingAwards Coordinator Support from Alan Wright, Margaret position. The Committee decided to Wilson, Dieter Sch6nwetter ii. Publications Coordinator proceed on a trial basis, with people 111. Francophone coordinator holding positions for 8 months, until VP, Inc1usivity, Andre Bourret, UQAM Support from Bluma Litner, Aline iv. Annual Conference STLHE 2004 at the University of Germain Rutherford Coordinator Ottawa (hence, the coining of the VP, Advocacy, Julia Christensen Hughes e. Representatives phrase "Ottawa to Ottawa" to describe Support from Gary Poole, Debra Dawson i. Council of 3M Teaching the duration of the allocations). Fellows rep Committee members will also be VP, Partnerships, Aline Germain Rutherford ii. Educational Developers expected to provide a progress report Support from Arshad Ahmad Caucus rep in Halifax next February. At that f. Treasurer Electronic Communications Officer, time, they will provide the following: Carole Dence

. Position description - one page Public Relations Officer, Debra Dawson maXImum; Support from Andre Bourret, Christine Ottawa, Ontario - October, Priorities/Short-term objectives to Kurbis 2003 . be achieved by June, 2004; Teaching Awards Coordinator, Arshad . Longer-term objectives associated Ahmad Given that six new regional with the strategic goal; Support from Margaret Wilson representatives had been elected to the An update regarding what has been Publications Coordinator, Alan Wright Steering Committee, it was decided . done, what should be done, and that an additional face-to-face meeting Francophone Coordinator, Andre Bourret what we shouldn't be doing. should be convened to bring them into Annual Conference Coordinator, Margaret the process and to allocate members Remember that all the new positions Wilson to the positions identified in are linked to one or more of the Support from Christine Kurbis, Aline Germain Rutherford Vancouver. The general descriptions Society's four strategic goals: of the positions were refined and Council of 3M Teaching Fellows Rep, reviewed. The Accreditation Director 1.Pursuit of scholarship in teaching Alex Fancy position was tabled, possibly to be and learning Educational Developers Caucus Rep, discussed among the Educational 2. Advocacy for teaching as a priority Carole Dence Developers Caucus. The in higher education Treasurer, Christine Kurbis Communications Officer position was 3. Promotion of inclusivity in all our expanded to create two positions: an endeavors Electronic Communications Officer 4. Establishment of strategic and a Public Relations Officer. partnerships Number 36, November 2003 7

3M Teaching Fellows 2003

MAUREEN CONNOLLY JUDITH JOHNSTON Department of Physical Education and School of Audiology and Speech Sciences Kinesiology University of British Columbia Brock University [email protected] [email protected]

Maureen Connolly's students in the Department of Physical Education and As a teacher of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Judith Johnston sees Kinesiology universally praise her energy, honesty, and empathy. One herself as a path-maker, who "indicates the direction of travel, puts signs writes, "Professor Connolly is a shining star, an extraordinary teacher," up where the road splits, and strategically positions a few benches to and another notes that "her risk-taking empowered me to take my own encourage pauses for reflection." Her students appreciate that guidance risks." That engagement with student learning has already been recognized and praise her insight, deep knowledge, and infectious enthusiasm. As one in the Brock University Distinguished Teaching Award. According to her put it, she "pushes a student to the top of her ability but never beyond, " University President, "In my nearly thirty years of university life, I have and her students consistently rate her teaching most highly, with an met few faculty who exhibit her level of commitment to students and their average of 4. 7 on a 5-point scale over more than a decade. She has success. " already been recognized for her achievements as a teacher, starting with the prestigious Lily Teaching Fellowship in 1981 and the AMOCO Prof. Connolly's influence extends throughout Brock University and the Foundation Teaching Award in 1986, and in 2002, she received a UBC Niagara region. According to one colleague, "she has contributed at every Killam Teaching Prize. level of excellence; through classroom presentation, innovative course development, curriculum and educational materials, undergraduate and She merits the 3M Award both for exceptional teaching and for her graduate teaching, graduate thesis supervision, administrative leadership original vision and leadership: she transformed her school's clinical and scholarly publications." Her significant commitment to Brock's Centre education program and since 1982 has been awarded over a million for Teaching has led to an unprecedented number of workshops in the dollars in funding for eleven educational projects. An active supporter of areas of evaluation, seminar teaching and feminist pedagogy, and she has the UBC's Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth (TAG), she chaired served as Interim Director of the Instructional Development Office. Her its most important committee through its formative years. She is, as one scholarship includes an impressive eighty presentations and publications student put it, "a wonderful teacher and mentor." on teaching. She is, in her own words, dedicated to "creating the conditions for passion for the subject matter, and deep regard and attentive wonder for each other." CLAUDE LAMONTAGNE School of Psychology University of Ottawa ALEX FASERUK [email protected] Faculty of Business Administration Memorial University of Newfoundland [email protected]

"I remember him telling me that the best teacher would be one who gave the impression of having taught nothing, and yet taught everything, of having made the least of efforts, and yet given heart and soul, so that the Students in Alex Faseruk's Finance courses at Memorial University might students may see their own genius at work rather than the few guiding find themselves not in the classroom but in a bank, evaluating the nudges that give birth to it." This apparent ambiguity is from a quotation customer waiting times, or hanging out at McDonald's and Burger King to of one of Claude's students. It is at the heart of the pedagogical dialogue compare fast-food business strategies. That field research, combined with that Claude so effectively creates. Winner of the Award for Excellence in real-time data and case-based learning, make his classroom a lively place, Teaching at the University of Ottawa as well as the Ontario Confederation in which, as he says, "the experienced instructor learns to act more like a of University Faculty Associations Award this year, Claude Lamontagne referee than a reference book." personifies all of the leadership qualities we so value in our community.

Dr. Faseruk has already received an impressive sixteen awards for his Amongst Claude's numerous curricular innovations, his course, teaching, and his course evaluations show why; he is, according to his Psychologie de I'intuition statistique is but one example where his students, "always willing to help," "funny," "demanding," and "effective": students engage in the unique process of discovery learning. So popular or as one put it, "Excellent, excellent, excellent!" He has also dedicated among students, this course consistently has a waiting list, is taught in hundreds of hours and had unparalleled success coaching Memorial's both French and English, and has led to the creation of a research teams to victory in National and International Case competitions. program.

His vision and leader were recognized in 1999 with The National Post's For Claude, teaching and learning is represented in educational "Leader in Management Education" award, and he shares his devotion to encounters which aim at genuinely valuing and fostering the growth of student learning with new generations of teachers, through workshops and the learner. According to Claude, his pedagogy is not one of showing supervision in Memorial's Graduate Program. He has, as one former knowledge, much less stamping it with one's professional expertise. student put it, "touched the lives of so many students. . . in so many lasting Instead, his objectives are rooted in the Socratic conception of teaching, ways." that of being a "midwife to truth." 8 STLHE/SAPES

DAVID POOLE ALASTAIR SUMMERLEE Department of Mathematics Ontario Veterinary College Trent University University of Guelph [email protected] [email protected]

David Poole's teaching can turn even self-confessed 'math-phobes' into The 3M Teaching Fellowship is gaining a member in high places: Dr. "math-philes," and his passion for his subject is a source of great delight to Alastair Summerlee, master teacher and tireless advocate for the his students. As one former Trent University student says, "Professor Poole improvement of university teaching, is also Guelph's President Elect. has inspired this would-be English teacher with the confidence to teach mathematics, which I now do every day." A strong advocate for problem-based learning in his own field of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Summerlee has made profound contributions to His mission to make math accessible to a wider audience led him to write Guelph's learner-centered mission. His infectious enthusiasm has helped the university text currently used by more than 35 institutions. A colleague foster a culture that values teaching, and it has led to curriculum describes him as "both an exemplary and innovative teacher in his own innovations, teaching awards, teaching-focused appointments, innovative university classroom, and a visionary crusader, dedicated to new technology projects, and program collaboration with Humber College. educational strategies that reach beyond the university to elementary and Through a variety of administrative positions, including Dean, Associate high school teaching of mathematics." That dedication has been Vice President, Provost & Vice President Academic and now President, he recognized already, both with Trent's Symons Award for Excellence in has continued to champion the cause of university teaching in observable Teaching and with three Merit Awards for Excellence in Teaching. and concrete ways.

He has also worked effectively to improve the quality of instruction on his He is also, according to the Director of Teaching Support Services at own campus. In 2002, Trent created the position of Associate Dean of Arts Guelph, "an absolutely exceptional instructor, who brings an unrivalled and Science (Teaching and Learning), and David's impressive history of passion and commitment to the learning process." "Dr. Alastair workshops, talks, and leadership in teaching development made him the Summerlee," writes one student, "was a breath of fresh air who in no time natural choice for the post. at all, had swept our collective feet out ITom under us, immediately captivating our class through his instruction of anatomy, of all subjects! We were loud, raucous, enthusiastic and most importantly, engaged."

PHILIP SMITH PIERRE ZUNDEL Department of Psychology University of Prince Edward Island Faculty of Forestry and Environmental [email protected] Management University of New Brunswick [email protected]

More than 300 students flock each year to Philip Smith's 8:30 am Introductory Psychology class at UPEI; and it's easy to see why. He makes UNB's Dead Poets' Society is not a student group; it's a fellowship of an effort to know each ofthem; he encourages a "service-learning" university professors, co-founded by Pierre Zundel, who meet to share a assignment, in which students work with commnnity organizations; he meal and ideas. The topic is teaching, a subject about which Dr. Zundel is believes in "learning to write and writing to learn" and devotes time daily both expert and passionate. to student writing; his WebCT bulletin boards let students talk through their fingers and respond to issues raised by their peers; and a volunteer He believes that "The most important component of education is not student feedback team keeps him in touch with the needs of all his teaching but learning," and his students recognize and value that students. As one of those students put it, "this Dr. Phil deserves an A+!" commitment. As one writes, "under his leadership, how much one learns is a function of how much one is willing to 'think outside the box' for These efforts to reach his students have already been celebrated, both with answers." His learner-centered approach led him to spearhead an the UPEI Award for Teaching and the CASE Canadian Professor of the innovative curriculum using problem-based learning and team teaching in Year Award in 2000. As Dean of Arts, he championed new programs for the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, and he helped students, such as a writing- across-the curriculum initiative, an office to design UNB's Renaissance College program in interdisciplinary assist learning-disabled students, and an university writing minor. He leadership studies. volunteers with the First-Year Advisement Centre, mentors in the Teaching Partners Program for new faculty, and developed an Arts Seminar course A winner of the first UNB Teaching Professor Award and of the 2002 using student peer educators. In the classroom and among his peers, Philip Atlantic Association of Universities Instructional Leadership Award, he is a model educator. has been an outspoken advocate of excellence in teaching throughout the university, and he does all ofthis with infectious enthusiasm, boundless energy, and a master teacher's sense of when to criticize and when to praise. Number 36, November 2003 9

Some Comments on University Teaching r David D. Cass, Professor,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta 3M TeachingFellow

would like to raise a few participation, contact with the such a person survived the teaching concerns I have about university instrnctor, the managing of term or semester, it might jade that Iteaching. First, this is an examinations, students actually being person's view of teaching for a long extremely important part of what able to identify with the instrnctor time. Further, students in his or her happens at universities. I do not think because they are physically closer to class might come away with less than that it exceeds research in importance, the frontofthe class- all thesethings, favorable impressions about but teaching in our universities is and probably more, would be university teaching. Such an essential and must be of high quality. improved. experience might change their mind Students in undergraduate courses are about the major they were potential majors in our departments Even though I handled this large class contemplating or completely turn and, down the road, are potential pretty well, the class did give me them off university. Let me tell you alumni who will carry impressions some difficulty. The big thing was that about my course evaluations for that

about their university experience with I had never taught the class before - I course. Many were great, both them for the rest of their lives. had to do some serious homework to numerically and written comments. prepare lectures for the course. Some of the written comments were My first concern has to do with class Another difficulty was all the things downright nasty. One said that I was size. I know that this issue is not new that students at this level expect from "mean and unapproachable". I was and will be difficult to address and their instructor. Many of my students somewhat bruised by that and some solve given the financial condition wanted access to my Powerpoint other written remarks on the that most of our universities find slides before the actual lecture - in evaluations. I was hurt, but I am themselves in at the present. Last some cases, the expectation was that getting over it. A more junior January I taught an entry-level course they would have access about 24 professor might be completely with a beginning enrollment of 431 hours before the lecture. I had a bit of devastated and might be very reluctant students. I am an experienced trouble keeping up with those to teach such a course in subsequent university professor; as a result, I was expectations at the beginning, but I years. In any case, such negative able to handle that course reasonably later learned how to get the job done. comments might have a long-term well. My recommendation to my effect on his or her future teaching. department at the end of that course is Now, here is my second and, perhaps, that we should seriously consider more significant concern. I am a 3M Here is my bottom line. We 3M cutting the enrollment in such a Teaching Fellow; I have also been the Teachers should try to do something course in half. A course with an recipient of previous teaching awards about class size in our universities and enrollment of 200 or so is very at my university. If I had some trouble also try to make sure that mostly different IToma course with an with this entry-level course, how (only?) experienced professors be enrollment of over 400. I believe that would it be for an instructor who had assigned to entry-level curses. How the experience in a course with about been on staff for only I or 2 years? we do either of these things is not 200 students would be far better for My guess is that some could handle it immediately obvious, but such issues both the student and the instrnctor just fine. Others would be very need discussion. than a course with over 400. In-class nervous and with good reason. Even if 10 STLHE/SAPES

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~z g. (1) .... w .0', Z 0 -< (1) The International Consortium 8 cJ (1) for Educational Development .... tV 0 0 w Defining a profession, re-defining actions: the convergence of goals of University Professors and Faculty Developers www.uottawa.ca/services/tlssjICED2004

Definir une profession, re-definir nos actions: vers une convergence de buts de l'enseignant et du formateur en pedagogie universitaire. www.uottawa.ca/services/saeajICED2004 Universite d'Ottawa University of Ottawa Ottawa, Canada June 21-23 Juin

SAEA SERVICE D''''''UI Universite d'Ottawa A L'ENSEIGNEMENT ETAL''''''RTLS; Universityof Ottawa TEACHING AND LEARNING " SUPPORT SERVICE (" 12 STLHE/SAPES

STLHE Steering Committee

Would you like to contribute British Columbia:Harry Hubball, UBC Alberta: Margaret Wilson, Alberta to the STLHE newsletter? Saskatchewan/lV1anitoba:Dieter Sch6nwetter, Manitoba OntarioSouthwest:Debra Dawson, Western Ontario Central:Judy Britnell, Ryerson Articles related to teaching and OntanaNortheast:Aline Germain Rutherford, Ottawa learning in higher education Anglophone Quebec:Bluma Litner, Concordia FrancophoneQuebec:Andre Bourret, UQAM (up to 2500 words in length) Nova Scotia:Margaret-Anne Bennett, 51.Mary's can be submitted electronically Newftundland/New Brunswick/PEI' Roger Moore, 51.Thomas at any time for consideration Ex-officio to [email protected]. President:Gary Poole, UBC PresIdent-Elect:Julia Christensen Hughes, Guelph j Past PresIdent:Pat Rogers, Windsor Chair,PublicatzansCommittee:Alan Wright, Universite de Quebec Tt'easurer:ChristineKurbis, 5FU

Electronic discussion forum

The STLHE electronic mail forum has been active since October 1988 and has over 500 subscribers. The purpose of the forum is to exchange opinions, ideas and experiences of concern to STLHE members and others who are interested in the subject of teaching and learning in higlier education. The forum also posts STLHE announcements and news.

To subscribe to the forum, contact the list coordinator, Russ Hunt, by email: [email protected]. or send the following on-line message to [email protected] SUB STLHE-LYourfull name

After receiving confirmation of your subscription :fi:omthe listserv, your correspondence to the Forum should be addressed to [email protected]

Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Newsletter of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, No. 36, November 2003

Editor: Gary Poole. Teachingand Learning in Higher Education is published by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE/SAPES). STLHE is a national association of academics interested in the improvement of teaching and learning in higher education. The society sponsors an annual conference, the 3M Teaching Fellowships, an electronic discussion forum, and a variety of other initiatives and publications. The membership is comprised mainly of faculty and teaching and learning resource professionals from post-secondary institutions across Canada and beyond.

Material in Teachingand Learning in Higher Education may be reprinted or photocopied for internal use within Canada. Please note appropriate credit and, as a courtesy to the author, forward two copies of the reprint to STLHE/SAPES. Address all correspondence to: President STLHE/SAPES, c/o Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth, University of British Columbia, 6326 Agricultural Road, Vancouver,British Columbia, V6T lZ2. Tel: (604) 822-9164, fax: (604) 822- 9826, email: [email protected], http://www.tss.uoguelph.ca/stlhe/

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