INLS 888: SEMINAR IN TEACHING AND ACADEMIC LIFE

SYLLABUS, Spring 2016

Instructor: Evelyn Daniel,
Room 207 Manning Hall,
Office hours by appointment.

Introduction

Catalog Course Description: Examines teaching, research, publication, and service responsibilities of faculty. Provides perspective on professional graduate education and LIS educational programs. Explores changing curricula, curriculum integration, ethics, rewards, and problems of academic life.

This course is intended to prepare students for faculty positions. It fulfills the eligibility requirement for doctoral students wishing to teach at SILS (or elsewhere in the university). Through seminar discussions, observations, case studies and guest speakers, we will reflect on various aspects of faculty life with major emphasis on preparing for the teaching role.

Course Goals and Key Learning Objectives of the Course

On conclusion of this course, you will be able to:



Appreciate the role of history and context in understanding academic life today

Characterize the role of professional schools in the academy and the place of LIS education in particular

Examine the four fundamental questions for curriculum development:
  • What is/are the educational purpose(s)? What should the completing student know, be able to do, and understand?
  • What experiences are likely to attain these purposes?
  • How can these experiences be effectively organized into courses, fieldwork, internships, etc.?
  • How can we assess whether the purposes are being attained? What tangible evidence can be collected to learn how various aspects of the curriculum help a student achieve the goal of the program?

Apply principles of instructional design to the development of a course

Demonstrate skill in use of a variety of instructional techniques

Design evaluation and assessment methods that show level of attainment of course and curricular objectives

Examine the political, ethical and philosophical questions that surround the life of a faculty member


Textbook and Other Readings

There are three required textbooks for the course:

Robison, Susan. The Peak Performing Professor; A Practical Guide to Productivity and Happiness . Jossey-Bass, 2012. ISBN: 978-1-118-10514-6. Paperback. Amazon price new - $41.62; used from $33.99 (as of 1/1/16).

Svinivki, Marilla and Wilbert J. McKeachie. McKeachie's Teaching Tips; Strategies, Research and Theory for College and University Teachers. 14th ed. Wadsworth, 2013. ISBN: 10: 1-133-93679-2. Paperback. Amazon price new - $90.58; used from $85.83; used from $63.86; rent $31.43 - $31.97. (NOTE: Either the 12th or 13th edition will work reasonably well as alternative)

Thelin, John R. A History of American Higher Edcation. 2nd ed. Johns Hopkins, 2011. ISBN: 13: 978-1421402673. Paperback. Amazon price new - $20.98; used from $14.95; Kindle $14.75.

All three books have been ordered and are, or will be, available in UNC Student Stores and the latter two are on 2-hour reserve in the SILS Library. The Robison book is available full text from UNC Libraries with onyen and password.

In addition, please plan to read/skim current issues of Journal of Education for Library and Information Science , The Chronicle of Higher Education [Academe Today is free daily newsletter], Inside Higher Ed [Daily News Update may be requested from website] and Faculty Focus [Free eNewsletter available].

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Conduct of the Class

An underlying assumption of this course (well documented by research) is that students learn best and retain knowledge longer through active participation in the learning process. Therefore, class sessions will consist of a mixture of short lectures, student presentations, discussions of material and assignments, case studies, active learning exercises, and some lively and inspiring guest speakers.

Class policies that you should be aware of:

  • We will use a Sakai class management site for course documents, other resources, and discussion forums.

  • All deadlines will be posted in advance. In the event a deadline adjustment is announced during a class session, you are responsible for it. It's useful to have a class buddy who will take notes and handouts for you if you're unavoidably absent.

  • For active learning exercises, you may be asked to post a written response (or an audio clip) on a designated forum on Sakai before class so that all responses are available to other members of the class for comment and for discussion in class. An open atmosphere in which members of the class comment in helpful ways on each other's work is encouraged. If you do not wish to post your comments or assignments to the Sakai site, you may send or give them directly to me.

  • Assistance to one another is encouraged. One of the three assignments for the class -- designing or critiquing and re-designing a curriculum (defined here as a set of 4-6 related courses for an identified outcome) -- may be done as a two-person team. If you work as a team, both members of the team will receive the same grade.

  • As partners in learning, we each have responsibilities for creating a strong and supportive learning community. I have prepared an interactive and (I hope) engaging set of activities for which your reading and pre-class preparation will be important. Your contribution will be your active participation in the class.

  • Attendance at every class session is expected. If you have an unavoidable absence, please let me know in advance, if possible. (See comment about a class buddy above)

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Graded Assignments and Other Activities

There are three major assignments in the class. After introductions in order to learn about your past teaching experience and current interests, the first third of the course will be an introduction to curriculum development and will provide background for your first assignment, a new curriculum design and/or critique and redesign of an existing one. Curriculum here is taken to mean a four to six course connected set of courses and experiences for a particular purpose (the "core" or a specialization or an advanced certificate). The outcome is a paper and a class presentation.

From the outset of the course we will be reading the Thelin text on the history of American higher education and considering contemporary and global issues as reported in the current media. One part of each class session will be a discussion devoted to the context (historical, contemporary, political, economic) of higher education.

The second major assignment is a course design to include a syllabus, chronological outline of topics, major assignments, and methods of assessment. The outcome is a syllabus with an accompanying paper describing reasons for decisions and a class presentation. >p? For each of these two major assignments, you will be assigned to read one of your classmates' papers and provide a peer review. Your review will be an opportunity to exercise your skill in providing good written feedback.

The final assignment is your written philosophy of teaching. This exercise is one you will be asked to do at frequent intervals throughout your faculty career. Continue this assignment your first draft effort. It is due by or before the last session of the class.

Some ungraded exercises and activities plus discussions re the ethics and politics of academia will also form part of the course. Your readings in the Chronicle, Inside Higher Ed, and other news media will aid our discussions of future directions for academia and for faculty members.

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Grading Policy

Graduate students may receive the following grades:

H - Clear excellence
P - Entirely satisfactory (the norm for good quality graduate work)
L - Low pass
F - Fail
IN - Work incomplete

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Revised January 4, 2016.
Evelyn Daniel, Instructor