Teaching RolesTeaching Rolesof Librarians: of Librarians: New VariationsNew Variations

OrOrEverything I Needed to Know I Everything I Needed to Know I

Learned When Teaching Learned When Teaching Kindergarten!Kindergarten!

Computers in Libraries 2005Missy Harvey

Carnegie Mellon Universityharvey@andrew.cmu.edu

March 2005

OverviewOverview

• What Qualifies Me?

• Becoming a Great Teacher

• How Does Teaching Online Differ from Teaching In-Person?

• Skills and Techniques for Teaching Online

What Qualifies Me?What Qualifies Me?

• Degree in Elementary Education

• Ten Years Teaching for Library Schools

• Teaching Kindergarten was My Favorite

• Find the BEST Means to Enable Students to Learn

Becoming a Great TeacherBecoming a Great Teacher

• Product of My College

“…we envision our graduates as realizing themselves as learnersstill growing and changing, still acquiring new knowledge, still developing new questions.”

Becoming a Great TeacherBecoming a Great Teacher

• Anyone Can Teach Mindset

• Can Everyone Write Well?

• Limitations and Abilities

• You Do Not Know Everything

• We May Not All Learn the Same Way

• Use More Than One Approach

Becoming a Great TeacherBecoming a Great Teacher

• Approach from a New Point of View

• Opportunity to Rethink/Reconsider

• Respect

• Be Sensitive

• Handle Questions Delicately

• Provide Positive Reinforcement

How Does Teaching Online Differ How Does Teaching Online Differ from Teaching In-Person?from Teaching In-Person?

• Considerably More Work

• Good Communication is Vital

• State Expectations Up-Front

• Requires More Self-Discipline

• Preconceived Ideas of the Necessary Time Commitment

How Does Teaching Online Differ How Does Teaching Online Differ from Teaching In-Person?from Teaching In-Person?

• Listen to Your Students

• Jump In If Necessary But Do Not Dominate

• Contentious Discussions

• Managing Chat Sessions

Skills and Techniques for Skills and Techniques for Teaching OnlineTeaching Online

• Good Organization is Key

Skills and Techniques for Skills and Techniques for Teaching OnlineTeaching Online

• Deliver Segments Weekly

• Provide Clear and Detailed Instructions

• Set Consistent Due Dates

• You Have to Be the Person Who is Consistent and Reliable

• Immediate Feedback

Skills and Techniques for Skills and Techniques for Teaching OnlineTeaching Online

• Increase Communication Efforts

• Encourage Students to Share Ideas with Each Other

• Rely on Digital Dropbox

• Email Confirmations of Receipt of Each Assignment

• Provide More Handouts than Normal

Skills and Techniques for Skills and Techniques for Teaching OnlineTeaching Online

• Provide More than a Syllabus

• Links to Additional Resources

• Make Yourself Accessible More than for a Traditional Class

• Encourage Contact

• Never Ignore Student Emails

• Do Not Forget Praise

Skills and Techniques for Skills and Techniques for Teaching OnlineTeaching Online

• For Successful Online Courses, Students Ask that Instructors:

– Complete Grading in a Reasonable Turnaround and Return Items with Comments

– Post Expectations for the Course Clearly and from Week One

– Provide Lots of Feedback

– Most Important, Keep Communication Lines Open

Backbone of MyBackbone of MyTeaching PhilosophyTeaching Philosophy

Principles Taught in My Education Degree

• Teachers have a moral obligation to act in the best interests of the students they serve

• Teachers should possess such qualities as: – intellectual curiosity, open-mindedness, judgment,

imagination, and self-discipline—in addition to such virtues as empathy, fairness, respect for others, and patience

• We are strongly encouraged to:– be willing to reflect on our teaching– to engage with others in questioning and discussing the

activities of teaching, the place and value of teaching, the processes of inquiry

– and to evaluate current trends and time-worn practices in education

Additional InformationAdditional Information

• Teaching Best Practices (Carnegie Mellon)

http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/resources/

• A Berkeley Compendium of Suggestions for Teaching with Excellence

http://teaching.berkeley.edu/compendium/

• Designing Principles for Online Instructionhttp://www.fgcu.edu/onlinedesign/

• Department of Education Mission Statement (Concordia College)

http://wwwfac.cord.edu/education/dept/mission.htm