Higher Education and Teaching Commons^™

Fors 411: Forensic Comparative Analysis – A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Larry Barksdale

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio presents my work in reworking the goals, objectives, course design, teaching methods, student assessments, and learning outcome assessments of the undergraduate Univeristy of Nebraska-Lincoln core course FORS 411: Forensic Comparative Analysis. It reflects my application of the backward design concept of thinking about and identifying the desired outcomes of the course, what the students need to learn, and designing instruction and evaluations to directly address the outcomes [3]. My goal for the course is to embed in the intellectual framework of students an analytical orientation for understanding use of pattern evidence as viable information for the valid …

Fdst 880p: Food Proteins - A Peer Review Of Teaching Project, Benchmark Portfolio, Kaustav Majumder

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

FDST 880P: Food Proteins, is a course designed only for the graduate students for the department of food science and technology. The course work provides the opportunity to dwell deep into the fundamental chemistry, protein structures and functions to understand the physiochemical and biochemicals factors that govern the functionality and biological activity of the food proteins and proteins-derived peptides. For each of the course objectives, I describe how and why I organize the course, as well as how my pedagogical choices encourage the student learning and engagement. Collect and analyze the data on students' performance and progress during the semester …

Online Engagement And Overall Performance: Tmfd 123: Clothing & Society Benchmark Portfolio – A Peer Review Of Teaching Portfolio, Claire Nicholas

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark course portfolio examines TMFD 123: Clothing & Society, a large enrollment, online delivery course offered in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition to detailed discussion of existing course materials, activities, and assessment tools, the portfolio focuses on the issue of student engagement and peer-to-peer interaction. It also tracks the impact of the introduction of a Yellowdig discussion forum assignment in an effort to boost engagement, create a sense of community, and foster connections between course materials and concepts and students’ everyday lives. The latter objective intersects with several of …

Peer Review Of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio - Nres/Wats/Bio 459/859: Limnology, Jessica Corman

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Limnology (NRES/BIO/WATS 459/859) is an upper-division course taken primarily by Fisheries and Wildlife and Water Science majors in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Although the course enrollment is open to graduate students, none were enrolled in the year in which this portfolio was written. Learning outcomes focus on understanding the interdisciplinarity of limnological sciences, assessing anthropogenic impacts on lake ecosystems, learning basic limnological field techniques, and investigating and critically evaluating relevant, publicly available datasets. The course satisfies the “ACE 10” requirement for undergraduate students; students meet this requirement by completing a …

Teac 413m: Teaching Multilingual Learners In Content Areas – A Peer Review Of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Lydiah Kananu Kiramba

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The purpose of this benchmark portfolio was to trace the process of designing, teaching and assessing TEAC 413M: Teaching Multilingual Learners in Content Areas, a required course for the B.Ed secondary education major. My objectives for this portfolio are to: a) document the impacts of different instructional strategies employed in TEAC 413M, and to b) reflect on the course success and shortcomings and develop pathways for the future course design and development. A secondary goal was to examine translation of course content into students’ own teaching and planning for their students through a variety of activities and assessments throughout the …

An Exploration Of Student Engagement And Learning Within A Newly Online Version Of Teac 861: Teaching In A Pluralistic Society - A Peer Review Of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Amanda R. Morales

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Given the current racial, economic, and socio-political tensions in K-12 education, the work of teacher preparation arguably has never been more important or difficult. This benchmark portfolio targets a core required course aimed at increased teachers’ cultural competence and equity literacy, 861: Teaching in a Pluralistic Society. In this portfolio, I focus primarily on methods and mechanisms I used to increase student engagement in and critical reflection on a social justice-oriented curriculum in a new online format. I describe the context for the course, my initial anxieties around teaching the course online for the first time, student demographics, my redesigned …

Course Portfolio For Mech 416/816: Engineering Acoustics, Spring 2019 And 2020 - A Peer Review Of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Keegan J. Moore

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The aim of this portfolio is twofold: first, the portfolio serves to document the author’s approach to teaching while also providing the means for the author to reflect on and improve his approach; second, this portfolio evaluates the effect of a discussion-based approach and a solution-based approach to delivering practice exams on student performance on formal examinations. The discussion-based approach focuses on team-based discussions of one problem from a practice exam for 10-15 minutes before receiving feedback from the instructor on that specific problem or topic. After receiving feedback from the instructor, the students move onto another problem in the …

A Benchmark Portfolio Evaluation Cyaf 280: Family Science, Carrie L. Hanson-Bradley

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio describes the process of revising and assessing student learning in CYAF 280 Family Science. The course is housed in the department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies and provides an introduction to family science with an emphasis on the intersection of theory, research, and real-life application. CYAF 280 is a large-section undergraduate course and is required for CYAF Majors. It is also an ACE 6 course and draws students from multiple disciplines. This portfolio describes the process of utilizing a backwards design to revise course goals and learning objectives. An outline and justification for a schedule revision are …

A Covid-19 Informed Benchmark Portfolio Of Teaching For Slpa 988: Dementia, Kristy Weissling

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The focus of this peer review of teaching portfolio was SLPA 988: Dementia. The course is offered in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders within the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This is an elective course at the graduate level which has a primary target of students in the master’s degree program in speech-language pathology. It is an advanced 900 level course and comes after students have completed at least one semester of clinical work with patients. My goal was to better understand how to improve the course as it transitions from …

Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio: Sped 852 - Instructional Methods For Teachers Of Students With Visual Impairments, Mackenzie E. Savaiano

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

No abstract provided.

Russ391: Russian Culture And Civilization Through Film - A Peer Review Of Teaching Portfolio, Olha Tytarenko

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The Benchmark Portfolio traces the process of revamping my survey course RUSS391 “Russian Culture and Civilization Through Film” taught for the second time in Spring 2020. In addition to The primary goal of the course was to acquaint students with major developments in the cultural and political life of twentieth and twenty-first-century Russia examined through the prism of cinema. In addition to main course objectives, my teaching goal was to engage students in the subject, incite their intellectual curiosity, and create a productive learning experience conducive to the development of critical thinking. In this course portfolio, I discuss my teaching …

Reflections On Teaching Cyaf 374, Curriculum Planning In Early Childhood Education: A Peer Review Of Teaching Portfolio, Christine Kiewra

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

In this course portfolio, I reflect on teaching methods and materials as they relate to course goals and learning outcomes for an undergraduate early childhood education course, CYAF 374. This course offers students a developmental, child-centered approach to designing, implementing, and evaluating learning experiences for children from birth to grade 3. The course is for students who are preparing to teach in Early Childhood, Inclusive Early Childhood, or Primary classrooms. The focus of my reflection and evaluation is on principles of effective teaching practice, experiential learning, reflective practice, and collaboration implemented throughout the course. Finally, I reflect upon successes and …

Peer Review Of Teaching Portfolio For Jour 304: Multimedia Journalism, Olga Pierce

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The term multimedia journalism, as used in the field, is vague and can describe a wide-ranging set of skills, including writing, audio/video production, graphic design, data analysis, and even front-end web development. For this reason, past multimedia offerings in our college have been described as ‘kitchen sink courses’ with many disparate elements thrown in. Through the Peer Review of Teaching Project, the course is analyzed and focused to include a coherent progression of skills.

Pols 332: Climate Change: Policy And Politics - A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Ursula W. Kreitmair

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio i) provides and overview learning objectives of and pedagogical techniques used in POLS 332 Climate Change: Policy and Politics; and ii) assesses student learning in the course. The course is an upper-level undergraduate course designed to provide students with the ability to follow and actively participate in current climate change policy debates. The course seeks to leave students well versed in both domestic and international policy settings, to provide them with the ability to identify critical assumptions that can alter policy outcomes, and to bestow students with significant understanding of current climate policy. The course is inter-disciplinary …

Critical Thinking, Perspective-Taking, And Cultural Humility In Global Refugee Health Studies: A Peer Review Of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Julie A. Tippens

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio examines the third iteration of a course I developed for the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies: CYAF 493 – Global Case Studies in Refugee Health and Wellbeing. The primary goal of this course is for students to think critically about the social and structural determinants of refugee health and wellbeing. I have also integrated three core course values to guide instruction: critical thinking, perspective-taking, and cultural humility. Student learning and engagement was analyzed through four areas: (1) a baseline assessment of students’ perceptions of refugees, (2) weekly homework reflections, (3) a book review assignment, and (4) …

Course Portfolio For Math 309: Introduction To Mathematical Proofs - A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Josh Brummer

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

In this course portfolio, I examine dimensions of an active learning curriculum developed for a sophomore-level undergraduate course serving as an introduction to mathematical proofs. Prominent course goals include developing effective practices for communicating mathematics using formal language, learning to read, comprehend, and evaluate the validity of mathematical proofs, and practicing to write rigorous and concise mathematical proofs. I explore a new piece of collaborative annotation software called Perusall to help students read and understand mathematics together, and I analyze mastery level grading scales across exams throughout the semester. The portfolio also contains information about the structure and syllabus for …

Glst 201: Introduction To Global Studies - A Peer Review Of Teaching Program Benchmark Portfolio, Emira Ibrahimpašić

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio is an outcome of the work completed to assess a core major course I teach every semester, GLST 201: Introduction to Global Studies. The following portfolio utilizes backwards design which asks us to structure student learning based on intentionally designed assessments in order to provide evidence that students have achieve the course learning objectives or goals. The following is a detailed summary and critical analysis of course design, learning objectives, teaching methods and pedagogy, student assessment, and various course materials. Although the course syllabus lists 6 learning objectives, for the purposes of this portfolio I decided to …

A Benchmark Teaching Portfolio During Covid-19 Transition For Mngt 360: Managing Behavior In Organizations, Jia Yu

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio describes the revisions and assessments made to MNGT 360: Managing Behavior in Organizations in the midst of COVID-19. This course is offered in the Department of Management within the College of Business at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My goal was to improve the course design by evaluating the more effective teaching methods and assessment tools for this course. I experimented with several new teaching methods and assessment tools such as Kahoot!, online exams and offered some empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of the tools. I found that participation based assignments are an important predictor of overall class …

Two Roads Diverged: Iaas @ 50, Sue Norton

Articles

This article joins others in The Irish Journal of American Studies reflecting back on the history of the Irish Association of American Studies and the teaching of American literature and American Studies in Ireland.

Brokering Social Capital: A Qualitative Case Study On How A Hispanic Serving Institution Fosters Social Capital For First-Generation, Latinx, On-Campus Student Employees, Christian Corrales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Around 80 percent of undergraduates enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions are employed (Carnevale et al., 2015; Kena, Musu-Gillette, Robinson, Wang, Rathbun, Zhang, & Velez, 2015). Research shows that student employment is one of the most critical activities that affect students' post-secondary experiences and decisions while enrolled (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Perna 2010; Riggert et al., 2006; Tinto, 1993). The present study aimed at understanding how employing organizations and workplace environments of first-generation Latinx on-campus student employees influenced their ability to build social capital and navigate through higher education.

A social capital lens was used to help understand student participants' …

Teacher Biography: Solo Analysis Of Preservice Teachers’ Reflections Of Their Experiences In Physical Education, John E. Haynes, Frances Quinn, Judith A. Miller

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teacher biography, as a reflective practice, was implemented in the context of Physical Education in a primary teacher education course at a regional Australian university. Second year students were asked to provide descriptions of a critical incident they experienced at the primary or secondary level in a Physical Education or sporting context (N=214). Their responses comprised the data for this study and the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) Model was used to determine the levels of complexity of the responses to ‘alternatives for action’ associated with these incidents. More responses were multistructural (48%), than relational (24%), and unistructural (23%), …

“I Actually Felt More Confident”: An Online Resource For Enhancing Pre-Service Teacher Resilience During Professional Experience, Caroline F. Mansfield, Susan Beltman, Noelene L. Weatherby-Fell

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

One responsibility of teacher education is to provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to build skills and strategies to develop confidence for overcoming challenges and build their professional resilience, yet how students learn these skills is not clearly understood. This study examines how engaging with online modules influenced participants’ efficacy and resilience during their final professional experience practicum. Interviews with 13 Australian pre-service teachers revealed that the module content and design reactivated existing knowledge, taught new emotional regulation and coping strategies, encouraged self-awareness and reflection, and built confidence. While further research is needed, participants used their new found knowledge during their …

Problem-Seeking In Teacher Education: Empowering Students To Grapple With The Complexities Of The Profession, Julie Ballantyne, Libby Flynn, Tammie Olm-Madden

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Preparing teachers for the realities of the profession is an ongoing concern for teacher education providers. In a climate where the future of teaching is largely unknown and the issues to be faced by teachers throughout their career largely imagined, the ability to identify and solve problems becomes increasingly important. This paper documents an evaluation of a pilot approach to preparing pre-service teachers for the realities of their profession. This approach, which centred on students utilising mobile technologies to problem-seek, was evaluated in terms of students’ perceived preparedness for the profession and their development of problem-solving skills and strategies. Results …

Preservice Teachers As Document Detectives, Lorna Quinnell, Radha Iyer, Bronwyn Ewing

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Literacy today relies on a readers’ ability to analyse text critically. This case study investigated preservice teachers’ critical analysis of media text containing visuals and representations. In particular, the analysis focused on mathematical factors that impact on readers’ interpretation of diverse visuals.

Data was gathered from the 23 preservice teachers, enrolled in the Graduate Diploma program at one Australian university. They participated in a series of mathematics learning sessions focused on the critical analysis of a selection of media items.

The paper argues that the ability to critically analyse graphs and visuals relies on mathematical knowledge and that the ability …

Entangling Our Thinking And Practice: A Model For Collaboration In Teacher Education, Peta White, Jo Raphael, Shelley Hannigan, John Cripps Clark

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Collaboration is a key component of our practice as teachers and teacher educators and there is a need to develop generative models for collaboration among teacher educators. We have created and tested a model of collaboration. Data were drawn from: recordings of monthly group meetings; discussion threads and documents on our leaning management site; individual interviews with all members of the group conducted three times across the project; and reflections on these interview transcripts by individual annotation and group discussions. The model includes a collaborative overarching research project and, nested under this mantle, a series of focused research projects conducted …

Responding To Policies That Involve Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Students And Content: An International Pre-Service Teacher's Experience, Roxana Aguilar Alonso

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Using auto-ethnography, I write my story as Mexican international student in the role of pre-service teacher in Australia. I focus on exploring my socio-political status and its relationship to assuming a position to respond to education policies about working with students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content. I argue that assuming a position to respond to these policies as international pre-service teacher is overlapped with a multi-layered process in which epistemological deliberation occur as a consequence of being in a state of constant position shifting. Anzaldúa’s Coyolxauqui imperative and Martin’s Relatedness …

“In Lantite, No One Can Hear You Scream!” Student Voices Of High-Stakes Testing In Teacher Education., Alison L. Hilton, Rebecca Saunders, Caroline Mansfield

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article investigates pre-service teachers’ experiences of undertaking LANTITE, a high-stakes literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education students. In this mixed methods study, 189 initial teacher education students from 28 Australian universities participated in an online questionnaire, with 27 students going on to take part in semi-structured telephone interviews. Indicative findings give voice to those most impacted by the implementation of LANTITE in 2017, revealing student concerns about the processing and return of results, and test anxiety. This study provides a unique insight into the experiences of completing this high-stakes test.

Teachers And Research Practices: Perspectives From English Language Educators In A Philippine University, Veronico N. Tarrayo, Philippe Jose S. Hernandez, Judith Ma. Angelica S. Claustro

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Given the paucity of studies regarding research practices of teachers, particularly English language teaching (ELT) practitioners in the ASEAN region and in the Philippines, this study explores the research practices of English language teachers in the Philippines. Using purposive-convenience sampling, a total of 49 teachers of English from a Philippine university were asked to answer a survey. To validate the data, pertinent public university documents were examined, and interviews with the university research heads were conducted. Findings suggest that the teachers were cognizant of the link between teaching and their own and their schools’ research practices. This research also reports …

Supporting Undergraduate University Students Through Instrumental Mentoring, Cindy A. Smith, Susan Beltman, Judith Dinham, Toni J. Dobinson, Jenny Jay

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Student engagement and retention is a noted concern for universities and may be impacted by many different student factors such as difficulty transitioning to a university setting, inadequate skills or a sense of isolation. This study evaluated an instrumental mentoring program conducted at an Australian University in a program for pre service teachers. Twenty four undergraduate students were engaged as volunteer research assistants and worked with seven academic staff in meaningful writing and research tasks. Qualitative data was collected through focus groups, student journals, and follow up interviews. The data was analysed thematically. Results indicated that through their participation, students …

Examination Of Text And Video-Formatted Learning Diaries In The Teacher Education, Murat Debbag, Mustafa Fidan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study aims to comparatively examine the text and video formatted learning diaries created within the scope of a school experience course which is a part of teacher education programs for prospective science teachers (PSTs). The case study design was used in this study. The participants created their learning diaries both in text and video formats for the school experience. Results showed that both text formatted diaries and video formatted diaries not only made it possible for the PSTs to see, review, and correct their deficiencies with respect to the profession of teaching, but also made contributions to the development …