Collaborative inter-institutional teaching

Venkatesh Merwade and David Maidment, University of Texas at Austin

Interdisciplinary aquatic modeling workshop, July 21, 2005

Overview

• Collaborative inter-institutional teaching (CIIT)

• Benefits to faculty members and students• Effective Inter-institutional collaboration• Collaborative teaching techniques• Collaborative teaching examples from UT,

Austin– GIS and Water Resources– Hydrology

Inter-institutional collaborative teaching

• What is collaboration?– Common goal by sharing responsibility,

authority and accountability

• What is collaborative teaching?– Teachers collaborate in setting instructional

goals and designing instructional activities

• Inter-institutional collaborative teaching– Teachers across campuses/institutions

participate in collaborative teaching

Reasons for collaboration

• Helps fulfill institutional mission– Commitment to the overall improvement of human

education

• Respond to external competition – Advanced course offerings, increased enrollment

• Put in place practices and programs that are benefit to the college, faculty and students.– Outreach, professional development, strategic

alliance

Faculty benefits

• Professional development– Negotiation, communication, leadership

• Stimulates creativity– Curriculum development, new ideas

• Increase productivity while maximizing resources– Collaborative efforts expand course offerings to a

greater audience

• Learning from group– Teaching styles, ideas, perspectives

Students benefits

• Access to specialized courses– Expanded course offerings, advanced topics

• Broad exposure – to approaches and specializations

• Easy access to resources – Online presentations, notes, reading material

• Motivation – Ownership, active participation, new skills

Effective Collaboration

• Is sustainable

• Is viewed positively

• Generates positive outcomes

• Creates opportunities for open and equal communication

• Provides mechanism to achieve common purposes

An effective collaboration is one that:

From Russell and Flynn (2000)

Factors contributing to effective collaboration

1. Willingness to listen to other partners

2. Mutual respect

3. Long-term commitment

4. Frequent communication

5. Flexibility in working styles

6. Selection of partners

From Russell and Flynn (2000)

Teaching Styles

• Instructor-Centered Teaching

• Community-Centered Teaching

Student

Instructor

University Without Walls

Traditional Classroom CommunityInside and Outsidethe Classroom

Collaborative Teaching Models• Lead/Supplemental Instructor

– Lead instructor designs the course, supplemental instructors only teach in few sessions

• Multiple Instructors– Instructors collaborate in all aspects of the course

• Guest Lectures – The main instructor is responsible for all aspects of

the course. Invites guests to lecture on special topics

Lead/Supplemental Instructor Model

Lead instructor Supplemental instructor

Multiple Instructor Model

Guest Lecture Model

Examples from UT, Austin

• GIS and Water Resources

• Surface Water Hydrology

Faculty Innovation Center at UT

The FIC provides media, instructional, and faculty development services to support faculty in enhancing their teaching, both with and without technology.

General purpose distance learning class-room with remotely controlled cameras and microphones

State-of-the-art distance learning class-room

FIC studio for faculty meetings, video-conferencing, etc.

Classroom set-up at UTFor Faculty For Students

1. Crestron control system

2. Electronic white board

3. Wireless microphone

a) Multiple whiteboards

b) TV Screens

c) Microphone

The state-of-the-art classroom seats 40 students, and also has DVD/VCR facilities

Control room

Controls cameras, speaker phones, and computers. Provide general help with technological issues during the class.

GIS and Water Resources

• Course Objectives– To teach the principles and operation of geographic

information systems, focusing on ArcGIS and its Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst extensions.

– To develop a geospatial description of the water resource features of the landscape using the Arc Hydro data model

– To link Arc Hydro to engineering analysis of flooding, water pollution and water supply.

– To develop individual experience in the use of GIS in Water Resources through execution of a term project.

Collaboration with USU

Dr David Tarboton –students at Utah State University

Dr Tarboton presents lectures onon spatial and terrain analysis with grids

Dr David Maidment –students at UT Austin

Other Universities

Other Universities

Teaching Model (Multiple Instructor)

University of Texas Utah State University

Six Basic Course Elements

• Lectures– Power point slides– Video streaming

• Readings– “Arc Hydro: GIS in

Water Resources”

• Homework– Computer exercises– Hand exercises

• Term Project– Oral presentation– HTML report

• Class Interaction– Email– Chat room

• Examinations– Midterm, final

Lectures

• Class meets two days a week– Tuesday (presentation) and Thursday (exercise)

• Timing– 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM (Central Time)

• Class exercises– Point and click type of exercises

• Working groups– For class exercises and term projects

• Class exercises– All programs are loaded in advance on all computers in the lab– Students interact via chat room /emails to resolve issues

Course Syllabus

Class Videos

Term projects

Term Project Website

Participating Groups

• Environmental and Water resources engineering

• Geology• Geography• Marine Science• Architecture• Transportation

Engineering

• Civil and Environmental engineering

• Utah Water Research Lab

• Plants, soils and biometeorology

University of Texas Utah State University

Class Enrollment at UT

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004Year

No

. of

Stu

den

ts

Water Resources Environmental Geology/GroundwaterTransportation Other

Examples from UT, Austin

• GIS and Water Resources

• Surface Water Hydrology

Surface Water Hydrology

• Objective– Study the movement of water in a watershed– Construction of water balances for the various

components of the hydrologic cycle.

• Topics– Atmospheric Water – Surface Water – Sub-surface Water

Course Elements

• Lectures – Power point slides– Video recording

• Readings– Applied Hydrology– Handbook of Hydrology

• Homework– Computer exercises– Hand exercises

• Term Project– Oral presentation– HTML report

• Class Interaction– Email– Chat room

• Examinations– Midterm, final

Teaching Model (Guest Lecture)

Guest Lecturers

• Dr. Joanna Curran (Geography, Texas Tech)• Dr. Marcy Litvak (Biological Sciences)• Dr. Liang Yang (Geological Sciences)• Dr. Venkatesh Merwade (Civil Engineering)• Dr. John Sharp Jr. (Geological Sciences)• Dr. Jay Banner (Geological Sciences)• Dr. Michael Goodchild (Geography, UC Santa

Barbara)

Instructor Contribution

Dr. David Maidment

Dr. Joanna Curran

Dr. Venkatesh Merwade

Dr. John Sharp Jr.

Dr. Jay Banner

Dr. Liang Yang

Dr. Marcy Litvak

Term Projects

• Groundwater balance for Barton Springs• Residence times in Texas Bays• Bacterial Loadings to Copano Bay• Comparison of Evaporation data with NARR• Comparison of NEXRAD and gage data• Water transport in jet stream winds• Impact of urbanization• Base flow in San Marcos basin• Surface water and ground water interactions• Other studies related to hydrologic conditions

Questions?