Criterion 1 - Demonstrate Ability to Teach Effectively or
Perform Effectively in other Current Assignments
Narrative
Undergraduate:
COMS100 – Introduction to Computer Science
COMS101 – Introduction to Microcomputers
COMS171 – Introduction to C++ (for engineers)
COMS200 – Microcomputer Applications
COMS211 – Fundamentals of Computer Science I
FYEX100 – First Year Experience.
HONR201 – Honors seminar
HONR201 – Honors seminar
Graduate Courses:
COMS599 – Individual Study
COMS680 – Software Engineering
COMS690 – Statistical Inference Packages
The honor’s course was a topics course and the topics for the course for the two semester were Machiavelli’s the Prince and Mushai the Rings.
The first course I taught was COMS101 – Introduction to Microcomputers. This is a pre-requisite course for the College of Business’ management information science (MIS) course which is a perquisite course for graduation from the COB. This course covers the principles of information technology (using a very broad definition) and the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. Beyond having the text and topics already selected I had to develop the course content to include lectures, assignments, tests, and projects.
The lectures provided by the book publisher provided the foundation for the lectures. However, I deemed them to be too elementary for a college course so I expanded them and included material which was relevant to the discipline and not addressed in the text. (I continue to supplement the books I use with my own material because of the nature of information technology – the term replacing Computer Science.) I and another colleague in the department authored and introduced topics not included but very relevant, e.g. the various file formats for saving pictures and images and the differences between them, how the internet works, what a domain name server (DNS) is and what it does, etc.
Having worked in the field for a 15 years I was very familiar with most of the topics in the course; however, there were two applications which I did not have much experience. One was Access, a database program and the other was PowerPoint. I was familiar with databases but not Access so prior to teaching it I had to learn Access. Learning Access was not difficult because I was familiar with the fundamentals of databases and also with Database 3, the precursor to Access. Expanding my knowledge of PowerPoint was also not difficult because of my previous experience with Hypercard (an Apple innovation which was a data manager but could also be used for presentations).
Learning these two applications was easy compared to devising a mechanism to evaluate students. Creating a fair and comprehensive test is an art and not a science. I hoped to author a test that was fair yet was challenging. Knowing that, I also created an opportunity for students to improve their scores. Students have an opportunity to earn an extra 30 points (10% of the total test points available) by providing answers to 3 unannounced quizzes. The points on the pop quizzes are earned by answering question such as what is your name, what is your section number, and then questions covering the material presented in lecture that day or in days previous.
In my evaluations student continue to criticize my tests and grading, but the majority of the comments I receive from the students is that the grading and tests are fair. As a result of these comments, I continue to try to ensure that my tests are fair and challenging. To this end I routinely ask the better students in my sections to take the tests prior to my giving it to the rest of the class and give me feedback about the test especially fairness, readability and completeness. In every case these students have said the tests are fair and should be no problem if students are studying and attending class regularly.
I also introduced a project into the course. The project demonstrates the students’ ability to incorporate and use the Microsoft Office Suite as an integrate entity. Students were asked to write a short paper and include in it an Excel spreadsheet, an Access table, graphs, etc and then author a presentation using the information from the project. (Anecdotally – I do not think most of the CIS majors can do this.)
Contrary to what most students may think I award more “A” and “B” grades than “C” or “D”. Grades are not awarded based on tests alone but are also based on the project and lab assignments. A conscientious and dedicated student should have no difficulty getting a good grade.
During the summer, after the first year, I was assigned to COMS100. This course required I rethink the presentation of material because there was now a lab in which students were taught the Microsoft Office Suite of products. Even though undergraduate students teach the lab sections I was still responsible for the lab which includes the content, scheduling, etc.
Every semester since then I have been responsible for finding and scheduling competent students to teach these lab sections. Most of the lab instructors I hire are students have previously taken my class. I have been fortunate to have some very competent and professional students. (Some of lab instructors have gone on to major in CIS.)
In these lab sections I have incorporated an online skills test. I found in my experience in teaching COMS101 that it was difficult to adequately assess the skills of my students in using the Microsoft Office Suite by using a paper and pencil test. A paper and pencil test does not adequately account for all the possible answers to skill type questions e.g. there are a number of different ways to ‘open or create a Word document’. Using an online skills test the student can choose any number of ways to answer the question.
I continue to enhance my survey courses, COMS100 and COMS101, so that my students will be familiar with the recent developments in the discipline. As an example I now spend some time with my students talking about identity theft, privacy issues and cyber crime in general. Because these are survey courses I try to keep my students abreast of the changes in the field that may impact them.
Prior to my teaching COMS100 and COMS101 I taught COMS171 as an adjunct faculty member and then also in the Spring of 2001. Since I had always volunteered my services to the CIS department when I was working in the Computer Services Department, I was often asked to pick up a course to help out the department. This is how I came to teach COMS171. The department chair came to me in early December one year and asked me to teach the course starting Winter Quarter. I told him I didn’t know the language in response to this his reply was – “with the text the department is using the language was easy to learn.” In six weeks I had to learn the language, prepare lectures, assignments, etc.
This course was required of all engineering students and was also required for the Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering’s (AME) College of Science, Education and Technology’s (SET) ABET accreditation. I must have been successful in my efforts because the students got to learn a programming language and AME was re-accredited. The students in Spring 2001 had the benefit of my previous and expanding experience with this programming language.
Since I primarily teach large lecture classes which cover topics of interest to a general audience I oftentimes ask students who have completed the course for some personal feedback (grades are already in and published). These students, some non-traditional, have always been very honest and helpful. I use their feedback to change the course accordingly and reinforcement for my efforts. I also have had faculty, spouses of faculty and offspring of faculty and staff in my classes. I have found the feedback provided by these students to be unbiased and very helpful.
My educational philosophy is to get students to learn by whatever mechanism works. I use all of the following to achieve this goal:
1. Lecture
2. Pop quizzes (not for credit)
3. small groups
4. chapter overview quizzes
5. publisher materials online
a. study guides
b. quizzes
c. practice tests
I prefer students put forth the effort themselves by attending class and doing the work themselves, but if they get the material by copying the notes, getting the practice quizzes, etc and learning occurs, then my goal has been accomplished.
COMS200 Microcomputer Applications is another course which challenges the instructor primarily because content changes with each instructor based on their perception of whatever microcomputer applications the instructor deems important. The emphasis for the course when I taught it was on following topics: the various microcomputer operating systems e.g. PC-DOS, Word 3.1, Windows 9x etc; file transfers; page authoring packages; microcomputer utilities; etc. As a result I had to redefine the course with material and lectures which reflected the topics I was covering.
Teaching COMS211 Fundamentals of Computer Science presented me with another unique opportunity. Even though I am fluent in a number of programming languages I needed to learn another language (Python) in order to teach COMS211. I also had to prepare the lab and programming assignments and then write the programs for these assignments. Since students are required to demonstrate a knowledge of programming concepts using Python I was constantly being challenged by students to find the bugs (errors) and logic errors in their programs.
This course also offered me a chance to teach smaller classes. I had the opportunity to get to know the students and give them the encouragement and support they needed to successfully complete the class. I believe I was successful in my efforts. The student evaluations would reflect this.
During Fall Semester 2003 I team taught COMS680 – Software Engineering – using Object Oriented Programming (OOP). In preparation for this course I had to review and refresh my knowledge on the various apects of software engineering Object Oriented languages. This included Object Oriented Design (OOD), Object Oriented Analysis (OOA), etc., simultaneously preparing lectures on these topics.
In the Spring of 2005 I will be teaching a graduate course COMS690 – Inferential Statistical Programs. This course was formerly taught by a faculty member who was very familiar with inferential statistical programs like SPSS but has since retired. This course will give graduate students the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to do the mechanics of data analysis.
I have initiated a course number change for this course from COMS690 to 490/590. With the growth of the Undergraduate Research Conference (URC), this course number change will allow undergraduate students doing research an opportunity to learn a tool they can use in doing their research.
Prior to joining the faculty full time, I taught a number of courses as an adjunct faculty member. Some of those courses were Command Language (no longer taught), COMS201 Introduction to Assistive Technology ( a course I pioneered) at the request of the department – a course which meets he University’s cultural diversity requirement, COMS171 Introduction to C++, honors seminars, and sections of the First Year Experience course. I also worked as lab instructor for two quarters in the COMS100 course.
The First Year Experience course, when I taught it, was not precisely defined so I had freedom to tailor the course to the needs of the student. I approached the class as an opportunity to acquaint first year students with some ‘survivor skills’ and/or information which will help ensure their academic success. My sections were assigned a room to meet in on campus but that was only for the first meeting. During the semester I had the students meet in the departments which would either had or would have an impact on their academic careers. For example, I met with the students in the Student Health Center (a student confided in me she had needed to use this service shortly after the class met there), the field house, and the Library. I had the staff from the Registrar’s Office, Financial Aids and Learning Skills Center in to go over their services and what they needed to know to avoid any problems.
One year during homecoming week I took my students to a jalapeño eating contest. My intent was to acquaint my students with the Union and social events on the campus and build some class cohesion (bounding). I think I was successful because a student from my class won the event and my section was there to cheer him on.
In my teaching I have included the latest technology both hardware and software. In my lecture classroom I have a piece of equipment called a sympodium. This sympodium is similar to an electronic white board but it is smaller and allows me to write on my PowerPoint slides and have those notations displayed on the projection screen. I also use the Elmo (overhead projector) to illustrate concepts with material gleaned from magazines, newspapers, etc.
This Fall Semester (2004) I am using a Student Response System (SRS) in my large lecture classes (COMS100). This SRS allows me to assess learning in real time. In large lecture classes it is hard to determine if students understand the material even though the students are encourage to ask questions if they doesn’t understand or comprehend what has been presented. With the SRS I ask students to respond to questions on the material presented. Even though the transmitter is associated with the student when the students respond they are anonymous to the other students in the class. This anonymity encourages even the most timid student to respond. Thus far the average test score has increased and attendance has been improved. I intend to incorporate a SRS in the sections of COMS101 sections I teach.
In addition to incorporating new hardware into my courses I have also tried using online software for course management and ancillary learning aids. In 2001 I incorporated Prentice Hall’s CourseCompass. Unfortunately this software was introduced before it was ready. It was not designed to work with large lecture classes with multiple sections. Since I was one of the largest users of this product, Prentice Hall flew me to Chicago to be part of a focus group identifying the problems with CourseCompass. I abandoned this product after one semester.
I have had much better luck with Assess Generation IT. This is an online application which allows me to assess the skills of my students. The students are tested over the material presented in the labs. Students demonstrate their skills in Word, Excel and Access.
Fortunately for me and the Department I am have the ability and experience to adapt to any challenge that I am assigned to by the department. Because of my breadth of experience in the department I can teach many undergraduate courses and some graduate courses as needed.
