The Math and Science Learning and Education (MSLE) Consortium will meet on the first Tuesday of the month from 11am-12pm in SI 4127. On occasion, invited speakers may be scheduled outside this timeframe to accommodate special interests. Following is a summary of upcoming events that should be of interest to MSLE members:
Tuesday, 5 February 2013 11am-12pm
Development of a Teaching Assistant Boot Camp
Priscilla Burrow Crocker, Vanessa Fishback, Marta Maron, Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Denver Campus
Science 4127, Denver Campus
The incorporation of teaching assistants to conduct recitations and laboratory sections for introductory chemistry courses, such as general chemistry and organic chemistry, is a vital necessity for many institutions. The use of student-teaching assistant interactions has many advantages, as well as a few disadvantages. To the teaching assistant this opportunity provides a forum to review and fix potential misunderstanding of chemical principles, learn how to express oneself in a clear and organized manner, and develop leadership skills. Students often benefit from a learning environment where the instruction is lead by a peer rather than faculty. However, most teaching assistants have little or no experience in teaching techniques and handling the subject matter. The development of a vigorous training program - Teaching Assistant Boot Camp - emerged to overcome these shortcomings of incorporating teaching assistants into introductory chemistry courses. Over the past ten years undergraduate enrollment at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) has increased by 111% in the Department of Chemistry. Currently there are 27 general chemistry, 17 organic, and seven upper division chemistry laboratory sections per semester. The Teaching Assistant (TA) population consists of 22 undergraduates (chemistry majors), six graduates, and two lecturers.
Friday, 22 February 2013 8:30am-4:30pm
2013 Teacher-Scholar Forum at MSU Denver
Auraria Campus
The 2013 Teacher-Scholar Forum at MSU Denver brings together teaching faculty from institutions of higher education throughout Denver and Front Range regions to foster and showcase scholarly teaching and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Multiple presentation formats throughout the day will provide opportunities to discuss, share, and learn from fellow teacher-scholars with a common interest in the intellectual work of advancing student learning and success. The CU Denver Center for Faculty Development (CFD) will provide a limited number of scholarships to cover the registration fee. Please contact the CFD if you have any questions about the submission process or the conference. The submission deadline is November 9, 2012.