Seattle
October 31, 2014
Sharing teaching strategies throughout a department
Chemistry faculty build on a long tradition of collaboration to share best practices in teaching with technology. “There’s very much an open-door policy about help with teaching. That really set the tone for me,” says A.J. Boydston, who has advised numerous Chemistry faculty about setting up online office hours, recording lectures, and other technologies. Many…
Leading online talks that enrich in-person class
For Dian Million, online discussions provide a safe space for students to explore challenging issues. She has always promoted discussions as a way to engage students. “I’ve never liked lecturing. I hate it,” she says. “I come from communities that are dialogic.” She was pleased to find that online discussions in her hybrid-format course, Indian Children…
May 1, 2014
Guiding students in identifying their strengths, passions and goals
If current projections hold, recent graduates may change jobs ten times or more in their lives, and may work in careers that don’t yet exist.1,2Experience in academic research will help students meet these challenges, because the ability to reinvent oneself is essentially a research skill. Faculty throughout the UW’s three campuses are working to involve…
Helping faculty help students prepare for life after graduation
One of the most common questions students ask at the UW Seattle Career Center is, “What can I do with my major?” “Students really want a direction; they want to understand the connection between major and career and their place in the world,” says Susan Terry. “We need to help our students be more intentional…
Supporting team success in long-term projects
Undergraduate students often complain about working in teams and many claim to hate group projects. However, well-structured group work can improve student engagement, deepen learning, and help students build essential skills for their professional and personal lives.1 Because workplaces are increasingly collaborative, employers look for candidates with a demonstrated ability to work well in diverse…
Talking about and across differences
In our increasingly interconnected world, UW graduates will need to navigate the complexities of working with multidisciplinary teams and engaging with communities other than their own.1 In this environment, effective communication and collaboration require more than tolerance or respect for difference; knowledge about the world and practice partnering across boundaries will serve our graduates well…
Helping students learn to think by leading discussions with peers, and with children
The ability to think critically enables UW graduates to be capable problem-solvers and thoughtful world citizens. It also helps them get jobs, a fact often lost in the ongoing debate about the relevance of a college education.1,2 In a recent national study of university faculty, ninety-nine percent of instructors agreed that the main purpose of…
Cultivating the habit of reflection
When students reflect on their academic learning and its relationship to their personal and professional goals, they gain a deeper understanding of the course material, as well as a better sense of who they are and where they’re going.1,2,3 They also gain a valuable skill. Employers want to hire people who are self-aware, who know…
Reflecting through short, easy-to-evaluate writing assignments
When students reflect on their academic learning and its relationship to their personal and professional goals, they gain a deeper understanding of the course material, as well as a better sense of who they are and where they’re going.1,2,3 They also gain a valuable skill. Employers want to hire people who are self-aware, who know…
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