By Jack Prostko, Director, Faculty Development Center
The semester is not yet half over, though for many faculty the hectic pace may make it feel as if the end of the semester is rushing forward to meet us at breakneck speed. It's easy, in the midst of research, teaching and committee demands to push ahead valiantly, hoping that a minimal number of details fall through the cracks. Time to pause and reflect on what's happening seems scarce and perhaps nonexistent. But in truth, this is the perfect time to take time to stop to review what's happening, check in with students and track our progress on professional and teaching goals.
Most professors spend a considerable amount of time and energy on producing a thoughtful, comprehensive syllabus that not only orients students to the goals and requirements of a course, but also explains how students can be successful in learning the material to be covered. Yet once this syllabus has been handed out and perhaps reviewed on the first day of class, most teachers only mention it again in so far as it sets out upcoming assignments, papers, or exams. Students inevitably regard it as a calendar and as a result the document loses its full pedagogical usefulness.
Take a few minutes in class to remind students of the larger course goals. Explain to them how the evaluation methods you are using--tests or quizzes, papers or projects--are intended to illustrate their ability to develop the skills and acquire the knowledge essential to the course. If students' grades on assignments are not what you would like, ask them to examine how much time and effort they are putting into your course each week (perhaps ask them to keep a log). Review the study processes (e.g. outside group study teams or methods of taking notes) and the resources (such as tutoring services) that could improve their performance.
Some assessment techniques are available to help students evaluate their own participation in and commitment to learning (see especially the rubric for student participation, the assessment of effective study time, or assessment of group work for simple examples). If students aren't keeping up, don't assume they will suddenly realize the error of their ways. Begin teaching using strategies that force them to come to class prepared--for example, give more quizzes or ask them to post responses to readings on a discussion board before class. Students always benefit from more (and more frequent) feedback.
This is also a perfect time to remind students about academic integrity and how important it is to you. I have written before in Insights about academic integrity and ways to help students understand what it means and how to avoid it. The best defense against problems occurring, though, is to teach in ways that minimize (if not eliminate) the possibility of students cheating or plagiarizing. Barbara Gross Davis's book Tools for Teaching has a very useful chapter on preventing academic dishonesty. And the UMBC Integrity Web site lists resources for faculty that are helpful, not only in detecting and reporting academic misconduct, but also in thinking of ways of preventing it.
At this point in the semester it's also useful to consider getting feedback on your teaching. Many resources are available to help you get such feedback, including colleagues in your department or friends from other departments. Or you might consider getting fast feedback by, for example, passing out an informal anonymous questionnaire to your students, simply asking them what is working for them (what is helping them learn and be successful) and what suggestions they have for improving the course. In a previous Insights article I outlined other methods of evaluation you might find useful, especially the services the Faculty Development Center provides, such as having your class videotaped, having me observe your teaching, or having me meet with your students to get their feedback.
I also am available as a resource for your questions or concerns about teaching. If you have specific teaching practices you would like more information on, I have a library of materials and will gladly find books or articles that provide practical suggestions and advice. The FDC Web site has a variety of resources, such as a listing of other teaching and faculty development centers (many of which are rich in resources) and a link to the National Teaching and Learning Forum, to which UMBC subscribes (you must therefore access it from a UMBC account).
And finally, this is the perfect time to re-evaluate your time management strategies. If things seem out of kilter at this point in the semester, what do you need to do to regain the balance you desire? Life should be more than just rushing from one obligation to the next, with little time for reflection. Indeed successful professional development requires careful thought about priorities, one of which may be the significance of balancing our personal and professional lives. Like our students, we can not expect to perfect a skill if we don't take the time to examine our successes and failures at employing it.
