The Campus Curriculum for Instructional Excellence, being initiated this fall on the Urbana campus, will give instructors the opportunity to enhance their teaching skills by learning from three of the university’s Distinguished Teacher/Scholars.
Shelly J. Schmidt, professor of food chemistry; James A. Gentry, professor of finance; and Michael C. Loui, professor of electrical and computer engineering, were selected as 2001-2002 Distinguished Teacher/Scholars by the Teaching Advancement Board (TAB) last spring. As part of their appointments, they will offer teaching seminars during the fall and spring semesters. The seminars are open to anyone on campus interested in teaching.
On Thursdays during September, Schmidt will offer a four-part conference on the challenges faced by instructors who teach classes with enrollments of 100 or more students. The seminar, titled "Improving Pedagogy in Large Enrollment Classes: Sharing Best Practices," will cover topics such as constructing and evaluating exams, establishing rapport with students in large classes, and using technology.
During October, Gentry will offer a workshop, "Learning From Exemplary Teachers," during which participants will observe a colleague recognized for his or her instructional excellence as he or she presents a brief lesson.
Participants will then learn how to incorporate the same effective teaching strategies, techniques and styles into their own instructional repertoires, Gentry said.
Beginning Oct. 25, Loui will conduct a four-part workshop, "Successful Groups and Teams in the Classroom," which will show instructors how to organize and implement student work groups effectively to maximize learning.
"There’s something for everybody here," said Steven Helle, chair of TAB. "This is an incredible opportunity for everybody on campus interested in teaching to see what master teachers do and to hear about topics of widespread interest."
The Campus Curriculum for Instructional Excellence and the Distinguished Teacher/Scholar program are two means through which TAB is trying to achieve its missions of honoring exemplary teachers and providing developmental opportunities for teachers.
"The Distinguished Teacher/Scholar program engages some of our most accomplished colleagues as mentors to other faculty members who are exploring new methods and as consultants to departments seeking to revitalize their teaching programs," said Richard H. Herman, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Gentry, Loui and Schmidt were appointed Distinguished Teacher/Scholars by TAB based upon projects they proposed undertaking during the 2001-2002 academic year to enrich teaching and learning on campus.
Recognizing that the projects proposed by Gentry, Loui and Schmidt would form a cohesive group of work, TAB collaborated with them over the summer to integrate the three projects into one comprehensive program, creating the Campus Curriculum for Instructional Excellence.
During the Distinguished Teacher/Scholar program’s previous two years, the projects undertaken by the honorees were more individualized and addressed more specific topics, while this year’s seminars have coalesced into a single program with the potential for campuswide impact, said John Braden, a professor of agricultural and consumer economics and director of the Environmental Council.
He served as the provost’s liaison to TAB last spring when this year’s Distinguished Teacher/Scholars were appointed.
Gentry, Loui and Schmidt developed their seminars based upon their personal experiences in the classroom and research they have done on teaching strategies. Among them, the three have garnered numerous campuswide and national teaching awards.
"I am very impressed with our three Distinguished Teacher/Scholars this year," Sarah Mangelsdorf said. Mangelsdorf recently accepted the position of associate provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs and now serves as the provost’s liaison to the Teaching Advancement Board.
"I just think they are really wonderful role models in terms of their balancing teaching and research. I’m really pleased at their willingness to share their knowledge and enthusiasm about teaching," Mangelsdorf said.
Those attending the seminars will learn about techniques for managing their workload and students more effectively as well as strategies they can use to enhance students’ learning.
Gentry, Loui and Schmidt also are hoping that the seminars will foster a sense of community and establish an ongoing dialogue among teachers throughout campus.
"I’d love to be able to call my colleagues in the classics and be able to say, ‘Let me come see how you do things,’ " Schmidt said. "I know that even though we teach very different things, probably some of the things they’re doing would be really helpful for my students if I could see it."
Moreover, the professional culture within the university sometimes seems to value research more than teaching, and departmentalization isolates teachers from one another, Loui said.
"Increasing specialization has driven us apart," Loui said. "It seems we can talk only to fellows in the same field. I’d like to restore a sense of the university as a community of scholars who learn together. Learning to teach better can bring us together."
"To me, it’s exciting to have a whole year that I can give back and do something for the campus," Schmidt said. "I thought, ‘Boy, this is an opportunity not only to improve my own instruction but to give a shot in the arm to a lot of instructors and students through these four seminars.’ "
The Distinguished Teacher/Scholar program is one of several activities sponsored by the Teaching Advancement Board to strengthen teaching on campus and underscore the importance of high-quality instruction. For the past three years, the board has been working with various colleges on campus to expand their teaching academies and help teachers succeed in the classroom.
Distinguished Teacher/Scholars to share teaching skills in fall workshops
The 2001-2002 Distinguished Teacher/Scholars, supported by the Teaching Advancement Board, are offering three seminars during the fall semester for anyone on campus interested in enhancing their teaching skills.
"Improving Pedagogy in Large Enrollment Classes: Sharing Best Practices"
Professor Shelly J. Schmidt
Thursdays, Sept. 6, 13, 20*, 27: 209 Illini Union
(*Sept. 20: Meets in the Spice Box, Bevier Hall)
"Learning From Exemplary Teachers"
Professor James A. Gentry
Oct. 5: 233 Grainger Library
Oct. 11: Spice Box, Bevier Hall
Oct. 18: 370 Wohlers Hall
"Successful Groups and Teams in the Classroom"
(A four-part series)
Professor Michael C. Loui
Oct. 25: 209 Illini Union
Nov. 1: 210 Illini Union
Nov. 8: 209 Illini Union
Nov. 15: 210 Illini Union
All workshops are from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and lunch and background resources will be provided. Schmidt and Loui prefer that participants attend all four modules in their series while participants need only attend one of Gentry’s workshops. Additional modules are planned for the spring 2002 semester.
Registration is required no later than 10 days before the first meeting of each module by contacting Lisa Ochoa at l-ochoa@illinois.edu or at 333-2353. Space is limited. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Distinguished Teacher/Scholars
Although the Distinguished Teacher/Scholar appointment lasts just one year, honorees carry the designation with them throughout their UI careers. A complete list of UI’s Distinguished Teacher/Scholars since the program began three years ago:
- Philip Buriak, agricultural engineering
- O. Vernon Burton, history
- Paul F. Diehl, political science
- James A. Gentry, finance*
- Michael C. Loui, electrical and computer engineering*
- Shelly J. Schmidt, food chemistry*
- Linda C. Smith, library and information science
- Joseph C. Squier, art and design
* appointed this year