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Contents

Acknowledgements
Foreword
Using This Resource

I. Preparing to Teach
Planning a course
--Defining Instructional Objectives
--Teaching and Learning Styles: The   Academic Culture
--Choosing and Using Instructional   Materials
--Writing a Syllabus
--Syllabus Checklist
--Using the Syllabus in Class
--Summary of Course Planning
Addressing Students' Needs
--Importance of Knowing Your   Students
--Planning Considerations
--Getting to Know Your Students
--Students of Different Backgrounds
--Students with Disabilities
--Teaching Strategies: Non-Native   Speakers of English
--Creating a Learning Environment
--Dealing with Disruptive Behavior in   the Classroom
--Common Disruptive Student   Behaviors and Possible Responses
--Dealing with Apathetic Students
--Cultural Differences for International   Instructors
--Summary of Addressing Students’   Needs
Teaching Tips
--Organizing Class
--Ways to Be Accessible Outside the   Classroom
--Six Common Non-Facilitating   Teaching Behaviors
--Wireless in the Classroom: Advice   for Faculty
--Summary of Teaching Tips

II. Teaching Methods
The First Day of Class
--When the Class Meets You
--When You Meet the Class
--Diversity the Instructor Brings to the   Classroom
--Conversing with Students with   Disabilities
--Moving Forward
--Summary of the First Day of Class
Lecturing
--Strategies for Effective Learning
--Advantages and Disadvantages of   the Traditional Lecture Method
--Enhancing Learning in Large   Classes
--Chalkboard Technique
--Writing Assignments in the Lecture
--Engaging Women in Math and   Science Courses
--Formulating Effective Questions
--Summary of Lecturing
Discussion
--Brief Overview
--The “Nuts and Bolts” of Discussion
--Facilitating Discussion of Sensitive   Issues
--Encouraging Student Contributions
--Alternative Instructional Methods
--Potential Problems in Discussions
--Summary of Discussion
Expanding Teaching Strategies
--Practical Examples
--Show and Tell
--Case Studies
--Teaching with Case Studies
--Guided Design Projects
--Brainstorming
Group Work
--General Information about Using   Groups
--Group Work in an Introductory   Science Laboratory
Science Labs
--The Role of the Lab Instructor
--What Do the Students Need to   Know?
--The First Day
--Planning and Running a Laboratory
--Safety Procedures
--Summary of Science Labs
Teaching Outside the Classroom
--Tutoring
--Office Hours
--Teaching Students to Solve   Problems
--Advising and Extracurricular   Activities
--Summary of Teaching Outside the   Classroom
Overcoming Misconceptions
--Societal Attitudes and Science   Anxiety
--Misconceptions as Barriers to   Understanding Science
--Common Difficulties and   Misunderstandings

III. Teaching-as-Research
Assessing Student Performance
--Establishing Objectives for   Assessment
--Assessment Primer
--Formulating Effective Methods of   Assessment
--Helping Students Succeed on   Assignments and Exams
--The Why and How of Tests
--Grading Lab Reports, Problem Sets,   and Exam Questions
--Grading Checklist
--Grading Specific Activities
--Grading Writing
--Summary of Assessing Student   Performance
How to Evaluate Your Own Teaching
--Evaluating Your Own Teaching
--A Note on Teaching-as-Research

IV. Appendices
Inspirational Essays
--Mathematics: The Universal   Language of Science
--Transforming Quizzes into Teaching   and Learning Tools
--Teaching My Students to Fish
--Chemistry: The Other Foreign   Language
--Teaching to Different Modes of   Learning
--Notes from a Career in Teaching
Additional Resources
Websites
Graduate Assistant Handbook Outline
--Department- and Institution-Specific   Information
--18 Questions to Have Answered

Works Cited

Submit Feedback

Clarity and constructiveness are two principles to keep in mind when grading. This section offers a series of tips on effective grading and feedback .

Make Your Expectations  Clear

It is essential to communicate your expectations  to your students before the assignment is due. Be specific: discuss the goals of the assignment, your grading procedures, and guidelines for style and formatting. If students are unaware of the criteria for achieving a good grade, they are likely to make more errors. This will increase your grading time and may frustrate your students.

Use a Grading Rubric

Grading rubrics are tables. Each line in the table includes a description of a grading criterion and a check box to indicate whether the criterion has been met. There are many advantages to using rubrics:

1. Using rubrics keeps grading fair and reduces the influence of personality  or other extraneous factors. To increase your objectivity, you can ask students to write their names on the back of the page.
   
2. Rubrics allow straightforward explanations of grading and easy comparisons of student performance.
3. Rubrics save time.
4. Students gain more information about areas in which they need to improve.

Correcting Student Errors

A good instructor can turn a mistake into a learning experience by responding with specific comments that do not criticize the student directly. Tell students:

1. Sources that they should refer to for more information,
2. Where their mistakes occurred,
3. The location of any logical gaps in their statements, and
4. Where any erroneous assumptions took place.

Students appreciate praise . Tailor the praise  to the assignment, noting specific tasks that the student did well. Also, being given the opportunity to revise their assignments allows students to improve their skills and enhances their learning experience.

Grading For Large Classes

Grading for large courses presents unique challenges. The following tips will assist you in grading quickly and effectively:

1. Skim through students’ answers and note common responses before grading.
2. Divide students’ work into piles based on quality, to make your grading more consistent and efficient.
3. Alphabetize the assignments before recording the grades.
4. Take regular breaks. Set a timer if necessary.
5. When you have graded half the assignments, go back and look at your first attempts. Is your grading consistent?