E-mail this pageFrequently Asked Questions on Teaching
For New Faculty at SUNY Plattsburgh
Where do I get information on teaching related issues here at Plattsburgh State?
You can go directly to the website of the SUNY Plattsburgh Center for Teaching Excellence. Or, call the Director of the CTE, Becky Kasper, Ph.D. at ext. 3043.
Who are my students?
The Fall, 2007 incoming freshmen of SUNY Plattsburgh were accepted at a rate of 47%, with a mean high school average of 84-90%, and a mean SAT average of 1069. The class is 15% ethnically diverse, and 15% come from out of state (including Japan, China, and India). They have a lot of promise, but it is important to remember that they are in their first-year experience of higher education.
Some key issues to be aware of for all students
All students require structure, clarity of purpose on your part, and a great deal of patience. It is most helpful to them and to you to have clear learning objectives stated in your syllabus so that they know exactly what you expect them to accomplish.
A successful class will be the outcome of a continuous, self-reflexive, four step process:
- Establish learning goals,
- Determine the conditions necessary to achieve those goals,
- Evaluate to what extent the goals have been achieved,
- Redesign.
If you find that you misjudged your audience, it is perfectly okay to redesign those goals and even redesign the course, as long as the students are aware of what you are doing and why.
What do students expect for workload?
It's fairly obvious that our workload expectations for our students are somewhat different from theirs. Faculty generally tell students to spend a minimum of two hours to every hour spent in class. That probably is not very realistic - studies show students actually spend six hours or fewer each week on all their studies (Gardiner, 1994). This is not to say that you shouldn't assign all the work and readings that are appropriate for learning, but it does mean that the quality of the assignments is absolutely a priority over quantity, which necessitates true thoughtfulness about how each assignment helps the student achieve your learning objectives.
How prepared are my students for doing research?
Unless they are able to pass a proficiency exam, all Plattsburgh State students must take LIB 102 or LIB 105 to fulfill the Information and Technology Literacy General Education requirement. It is true, however, that students may take this course at any time in their degree program at Plattsburgh State, and it is likely that not all of your students have the same level of research skills. You may, therefore, want to determine what skills are necessary for any project you have in mind and adjust your expectations accordingly. If you are teaching a 300 or 400 level course and require your students to do an in-depth research paper/project/presentation, you may request that a librarian come to your class to provide specialized information research instruction. Learn more about requesting a course-related library session online at the the Library and Information Services website.
What is the best way to grade?
Every faculty member has his or her own method of grading, usually a version of accumulated points or weighted grades. If you are unsure about which to use, first consider what your assignments are and what role you envision for these assignments as learning and evaluative tools, and be careful to tie your assignment objectives to your overall learning objectives. If you use grading as a way of teaching, and not just, well, grading, then your students will have far more confidence in your feedback and will be less likely to initiate confrontation over their grades. Constructing rubrics for grading helps you to stay consistent, facilitates constructive, learning-centered feedback, and saves time. Being an "easy grader" does not lead to positive student evaluations of teaching; on the contrary, students give high marks to instructors who have high standards, are fair, and whose grading and evaluation are not perceived as arbitrary but as integral aspects of the learning experience.
How do I use technology in my classroom?
Read a list of workshops offered by the Instructional Technology unit of Library Information Services on the IT unit website. These workshops provide you with detailed instruction on using the ANGEL course management system as well as other IT and multimedia tools. Faculty may use the Instructional Technology Resource Center located in Feinberg 302; simply present a faculty ID at the circulation desk in order to obtain the room key.
- Questions concerning computer services can be directed to the Helpdesk at ext. 4433.
- For information on and assistance with instructional technology, contact Peter Friesen at ext. 2446.
How do I create a productive class environment?
Students understand passion even when they don't quite understand the material you are passionate about. If you let them know from the outset that you truly care about your discipline, and if you let them see your excitement for it, they will be more likely to engage with you. That engagement is the oxygen of a positive learning environment because the best learners are active and responsible in their own learning. Having both a disciplined and energetic classroom is a matter of grounding your relationship with the students on healthy foundations:
- Be respectful,
- Listen,
- Be constructive,
- Be fair,
- Admit your mistakes,
- Be prepared,
- Expect the best,
- Love what you do.
How do I deal with classroom incivility?
Just because you are engaged and caring doesn't mean you aren't responsible for maintaining control in your classroom. Students will look to you as the authority, and they need you to make sure that some student behaviors don't create anger and tension that will undermine all of your good teaching efforts. Be calm, patient, and firm with students who act disrespectfully towards you or other students. Talk to students in private when you can, and if you must address a behavior while in the classroom, be as dispassionate as you humanly can.
How can I get my students to participate in class more?
One strategy that some professors use is weighting a portion of the final grade on participation. The drawback of this approach is that class participation then becomes an evaluative piece that is actually difficult to track and honestly assess. Participation alone is not really what an instructor wants. It's quality participation that contributes to the learning objectives and enriches the teaching. So it is best not to give credit just because someone asks a question.
One means of developing a class in which students are prepared and motivated to discuss course material is through the use of course preparation assignments (CPAs). Directions for the use of CPAs are included in your packet, and are also available on the CTE website. Other quick hints for increasing class participation:
- Students want us to get in their space. Don't wait for a response to a question posed to the entire class population, ask students questions directly; if they get accustomed to being called upon, human nature will lead most to be prepared for the next time.
- Shuffle index cards. Have every student write his or her name on an index card during the first week of class and then use the cards to ask questions of the students. The random nature of the shuffled cards may inspire students who don¡¦t usually take the opportunity to participate but have something to contribute.
- Stop lecturing! This seems like our bread and butter, but too much lecturing leads to too little learning. Take breaks from the lecture to have students write one-minute assessment papers or "muddiest point of the lecture" cards and immediately use that feedback to stimulate class discussion. Give your students responsibility for wrestling with new ideas and let them teach each other.
- Don't be a stickler for keeping a discussion on a certain track - let the students cultivate a sense of joy in intellectual play.
- Give the students a chance to collaborate in their learning in class by devising assignments that require them to use theories in concrete applications, and then have student recorders report to the class as a whole in a student-led discussion.
Becky Kasper ¡V CTE ¡V 9/4/07
Contact Information
For more information about the Center for Teaching Excellence, please contact:
Becky Kasper, Ph.D., Director
SUNY Plattsburgh
301 Feinberg Library, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Phone: (518) 564-3043
Fax: (518) 564-5100
E-mail: kasperrb@plattsburgh.edu