Documentation of Teaching Program Requirements

The Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Documentation of Teaching Program (DTP) provides graduate students with opportunities to learn about those aspects of being a faculty member that are often not addressed in graduate programs.  The primary goal of the PFF DTP is to inform graduate students about the various aspects of effective teaching.

The PFF Documentation of Teaching program addresses seven areas of professional development for those interested in academic careers.  Requirements for the program are met by attending a series of workshops and/or taking specific courses and/or working with a senior faculty mentor.  Students are responsible for maintaining their own records to verify completion of program requirements.  A Documentation of Teaching Handbook in which to record verification signatures and a professional portfolio must be submitted to the PFF coordinator to receive the transcript notation.  Documentation of Teaching Handbooks are available from the Graduate School.

Requirements for the seven areas of the Documentation of Teaching program are as follows:

1. Theory and Research on Effective Teaching in Higher Education

• Met by attending at least six hours of workshops on teaching and learning in higher education, either general or discipline based.  Some topical examples include scholarship of teaching, team-based learning, learning styles, teaching a diverse student body, and designing effective courses,
• OR completing EDPL 237 - Theories of Learning Applied to Instruction,

• OR completing EDPL 271 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.

2.  Introduction to Specific Teaching Skills

• Met by attending at least six hours of workshops on specific teaching skills or techniques, including: constructing a syllabus, incorporating service learning into your class, promoting reflections and discussion, lecturing to large classes, teaching lab courses, and developing effective grading practices,
• OR completing EDPL 271 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.

3. Obtaining Feedback on Teaching

• Met by teaching two classes (30-minute minimum),
• AND obtan feedback on each teaching experience from your faculty mentor and students in the class,
• AND developing a plan for improving your teaching based on the feedback you receive 
• AND writing a 3-4 double-spaced page summary of the teaching experience and plan,
• OR completing EDPL 271 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.

4.  Assessing Student Learning

• Met by reviewing Angelo, T.A., & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass (available from the Raynor Library),
• AND working with a faculty mentor to use two different assessment methods to assess learning from two classes taught by you or another instructor,
• AND writing a 3-4 double-spaced summary of the experience,
• OR completing EDPL 271 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.

• Met by participating in at least two e-learning workshops (such as Desire2Learn Instructor Training or PowerPoint),

• AND selecting an article already in electronic format or scan an article into electronic format and importing/linking it into a course management system, such as Desire2Learn,
• AND posing a question in the discussion section of a course management system, responding to any responses to your question,
• OR completing EDPL 271 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education,
• OR completing EDPL 215 - Using Technologies for Instruction and Assessment,
• OR completing the E-Teaching Certificate.
  

6.  Applying and Interviewing for Positions

• Met by completing at least two workshops on topics related to preparing applications and interviewing for academic positions, such as constructing a curriculum vitae, refining job search strategies, teaching philosophy, developing a portfolio, and cultivating presentation techniques,
• AND interviewing an academic administrator or senior faculty member about the qualities they seek in a new faculty member,

• AND completing a 4-5 page, double-spaced summary of the interview,
• AND preparing a professional portfolio that includes a curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching philosophy, a sample syllabus, sample student assessment of learning instruments, evaluations of your teaching, and documentation of your involvement in the PFF program,
• OR completing EDPL 270 - Faculty Roles in Higher Education.
  

7.  Obtaining External Funding

• Met by completing at least two workshops on securing external funding for scholarship of teaching or related projects,
• AND working with your mentor or appropriate Office of Sponsored Projects personnel to determine potential funding sources and compiling a record of these sources,
• OR completing EDPL 270 - Faculty Roles in Higher Education.