Core Competency 1: Developing Discipline-Related Teaching Strategies

Developing Discipline-Related Teaching Strategies

Requirement Fulfilled By: Spring Semester 2022 completion of ISE 870 (Teaching College Science)

      Course Instructor: Dr. Matt Oney

Description of Core Competency

ISE 870 – Teaching College Science is offered by the College of Natural Science here in Michigan State University. In Spring 2022, I enrolled in this course to fulfill the requirements for core competency 1. To date most of the STEM (Chemistry) classroom set ups are traditional lecture based which do not allow active student participation. The primary purpose of this course is to introduce different theories and approches regarding student-centered teaching and learning at the college level. It helps participants to comprehend how student-centered learnings such as Model-Based learning; Problem-Based learning; and Argument-Driven learning are more effective than traditional Lecture-Based learning. Throughout the semester, the course trains the participants on developing lesson plans using different student centered instructional approches vs traditional set up to clarify the differences i.e., how student centered approaches ensure effective student engagements and meet the learning outcomes. It helps to understand and, in some cases, helps do practices different teaching and assessment approaches in a peer review clasroom set ups. Furthermore, the course delves into the fundamentals of curriculum design, emphasizing the construction of lesson plans through backward designing. It also highlights the importance of incorporating the concept of bias and equity into teaching. Through collaborative work, it helps us to learn instructional technology, analyze effective science teaching within the university setting. As part of the course, we  crafted a teaching philosophy and create a teaching portfolio.

Artifacts - Designing a syllabus CEM 383 (Introductory Physical Chemistry I)

Artifact Rationale

Designing a syllabus lies in the heart of teaching and learning. A syllabus serves as a roadmap for the course, outlining the topics to be covered, the order in which they will be presented, and the time allocated to each. Designing of a syllabus demonstrate our ability to structure and organize complex subject matter in a logical and coherent manner. An educator needs to set the boundaries of a course, i.e., which parts of the subject s/he wants to teach which aligns with the learning outcomes and students acquires the basic skills or knowledge s/he needs for moving to the next levels. A syllabus not only outline the details of a course but also articulate clear and measurable learning objectives. When you have your learning goals, it is not very difficult to design lesson plans and set tests. Designing the syllabus helps us to design appropirate assessment methods, such as exams, quizzes, and assignments, requires careful consideration of the learnign objectives and skills and knowledge students are expected to develop.Therefore, developing a syllabus helps us to have hands on experiences. It helps us to think about our teaching and learning strategies, such as lectures, discussions, laboratory work, or problems-sloving sessionos, incorporating multimodality aligning with the learning outcomes. Overall, it helps us to show our ability to structure and organize content, and our commitment to fostering effective teaching and learning.

Materials Develped during the Course

Throughout the semester we are able to develop the following materials - Assessment Building Template; Backward Design Lesson plans; Different instructional approaces; Microteaching lecture slides etc

Rationale for the materials developed

In teaching and learning, it is essential to know different techniques available for preparing best lesson plans. In STEM teaching and learning it is important to figure out which mode of instruction gives us maximum outcome for different topics. Therefore, throughout the course time, we have been encouraged to developed lesson plans on different topics of chemistry such as Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, as well as Organic Chemistry based on different student centered teaching methods such as Problem-based, Model-based, Argument-Inquiry driven and compare it with the traditional lesson plans and how the classroom settings should be. These practices helped us to grow sense of chossing effective instructional method, classroom set up (environment) and so on. By developing the syllabus, we learned how to set course objectives, learning outcomes using Bloom's Taxonomy, how to set the tone of class as well as make it attractive to students to enroll. Backward designing helped us to co-relate the lesson plans, instructional methods, and of course assessment aligning with the course objectives to achieve maximum outcomes. 

Reflection for Core Competency I

This course is incredibly helpful to provide plenty of information on what is going on behind the scenes. As a chemistry graduate student, I haven't emphasized much on teaching instead foucsed on research. While talking with my advisor, it appeared that I need to teach even if I become a tenure-tracked faculty. Therefore, it is important as a future educator how I would like to direct my practice. All through the semester, we thought about the materials developed, found their effectiveness which I never did before. I didn't even thought that an educator should have a teaching philosophy, the way he wants to facilitate the classroom, create effective learning environment, brings diersity and equity in the classrooms with the setting of university context. I would love to introduce the methods of teaching I learned here like Problems based learning, Model based learning, Argument driven inquiry etch. And each of these are suitable for each of the topics in chemistry. The micro-lesson plan I developed and practiced with my fellow mates has given me in hand experience. I have learned backward designing model in which I now know how to align the course objectives with learning outcomes, teaching methods and assessments which was completely new to me. Therefore, incorporating all these will enhance my ability as STEM educator. Even though, we have learned a lot from the course, but I need to take time for the fine tune. It's not that I can apply any of the method for each of my class. It's rather to think for each topics which method of instruction best fit i.e., students can feel more engaged and learn the skill they need to develop. It's a iterative process and need to get feedback to optimize. I also was a COLA (colleges of online learning academy) and I worked there how to use formative assessment to get to know the feedback. Using feedback, opting the best instructional method and achieving the learning goals are my biggest challenge right now.