Training for Student Teaching Fellows at Rowan University

• Published in: Association for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers p. 24.1271.1
• Main Authors: Head, Linda M, Basantis, Melanie, Chin, Steven H, Pietrucha, Bernard
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta American Society for Engineering Education-ASEE 15.06.2014
• Subjects: Classrooms; Colleges & universities; Engineering education; Engineering schools; Funding; Graduate studies; Middle schools; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Student teaching; Students; Submerging; Training

Training for Student Teaching Fellows at Rowan University M. Basantis, B. Pietrucha, S. Chin, L. Head Rowan University, College of Engineering 201 Mullica Hill Rd. Glassboro, NJ 08028 Basantis@rowan.eduRowan University has recently been awarded State of New Jersey Research Institution status. With thisnew designation there is an increasing emphasis on graduate education and on recruiting talentedgraduate students from both our undergraduate programs and from other schools in our region. Inorder to promote recruitment and enhance retention, the university has developed a Teaching FellowsProgram that provides our graduate students with funding for four semesters as they work toward aMaster’s Degree in their chosen major.In the College of Engineering each of our four departments was assigned funding for three TeachingFellows. The Fellows not only take classes, work on their thesis research and assist with undergraduatelaboratories, they also have the opportunity to gain direct classroom experience as instructor of recordfor a freshman or sophomore course. With these opportunities in mind, the College of EngineeringDean’s Office and the four department Chairpersons formed a committee to develop a summer trainingprogram that prepares the Teaching Fellows for the classroom experience.The Rowan program has four stages: 1) Orientation, 2) Instruction, 3) Classroom Immersion, and 4)Individual Practice. In this paper each stage is described in detail. After a day of introductions andwelcome to the program by administrators and mentors, instruction in classroom and laboratorytechniques was provided by master teachers from the Rowan engineering program. Next, six weeks ofsummer programs for local middle school and high school students provided the context for an intenseclassroom experience for the Rowan Teaching Fellows. All Fellows prepared lectures and projects thatthey presented to the middle and high school students in our summer outreach programs. Theseprograms ranged from a day with middle school students to a week-long program for high school juniorsand seniors with interest and background in engineering. Following their classroom experience, eachFellow was given their teaching assignment for the fall semester and had the opportunity to prepare andreceive feedback on an actual lecture or lab assignment. This intensive training program with its noveluse of classroom experience in summer programs has provided the Rowan Teaching Fellows theconfidence and skills to succeed in completing their Fellowship requirements. A full description of theprogram and assessment data and analysis is presented.