Information about the Program
The Teaching Network for Early Career Faculty is a cohort-based, collegial program for faculty who consider themselves new, or relatively new, to teaching at GW. The time commitment is six two-hour sessions between October and March, plus a peer review process in February scheduled at your convenience to give and receive feedback on class sessions. We also read Small Teaching by James Lang, a highly-regarded guide to research-supported ideas for small, immediately impactful classroom techniques.
Topics Addressed Include:
- Structuring a class period
- Increasing student motivation
- Facilitating meaningful class discussions
- Designing assignments (transparency framework)
- Collecting and evaluating feedback
- Assessing teaching
...as well as your questions and concerns!
In the spring, there are repeated opportunities to give and receive feedback on your teaching. We set up a process for classroom visits by your network peers so that you can give and receive specific feedback. Then, you will have the opportunity to apply what you learned and receive additional feedback. Visits will be scheduled around your availability and class schedule. We celebrate the end of the year with a culminating graduation gathering.
Benefits
Extensive feedback from faculty indicates that most successful instructors are not born teachers. Rather, they develop confidence and ease in their teaching with coaching and feedback from a supportive network. With this in mind, this program provides:
- Six months of support for teaching
- A community of faculty peers from across GW
- A letter of completion for tenure and promotion packets, upon successful completion of all program aspects
- Automatic acceptance into the Course Design Institute (CDI) in May
- A copy of Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning (2016) by James M. Lang
- Great conversation and socializing
Learning Objectives
By being part of the Teaching Network cohort, you will be able to:
- Develop engaging and well-paced class sessions
- Create assignments that are clearer and more motivating for students
- Identify active learning techniques for your course
- Give and receive feedback on classroom teaching together with faculty peers
- Discuss ways to evaluate your own teaching and to interpret course evaluations
Eligibility
This program is offered free of charge to all GW faculty members who considered themselves to be early career. Since concepts in this program will build on each other, it is important to the peer review process that everyone agrees to attend sessions consistently. If you know already that you will need to miss a session, please contact Patricia Dinneen so that we can work things out. We ask for an application to learn about you and what you hope to gain from the Network.
Please keep in mind that the Instructional Core offers additional workshops and consultations if you are unable to commit to the Network at this time.
Location, Dates, and Time
The program will be virtual again this year. We will try to hold an in-person social gathering should health concerns allow it.
Format: Six two-hour sessions, plus classroom visits held virtually from 12-2pm on these Tuesdays:
- October 11
- October 18
- November 1
- November 8
- January 24
- February (peer review process, scheduled at everyone's convenience)
- February 28
Apply Here
Applications have closed. If you are still interested, please email the Instructional Core. Early applications are appreciated, once you know your timing, so that we can gauge interest.
If you have questions, please email the Instructional Core or contact Patricia Dinneen.
Alumni
See a list of faculty who have participated in the Teaching Network since its inception in 2017.