Description
Join us for two research talks by doctoral students taking part in the advanced Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) program, and find out more about the educational research interests of your fellow graduate students across campus. This will be a 1.5 hour-long session that will count toward your Fundamentals workshop credit.
Impact on Exam Format on Student Learning Outcomes (research presentation; 15 min. presentation followed by 10 min. discussion)
Justin Toth, PhD candidate, Combinatorics & Optimization
Exam formats can have a surprising impact on student study behaviours, learning outcomes, and perception of the courses they take. In this presentation we will survey some particular exam format choices and will provide recommendations to support instructors in deciding how to structure their exams. We will consider: multiple choice versus constructed response, how much reference material to allow in the exam room, oral versus written exams, and the Two Stage method for injecting collaborative learning into exams.
FUN-damental Developments in the Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory (research presentation; 15 min. presentation followed by 10 min. discussion)
Monika Snowdon, PhD Candidate, Chemistry
Organic chemistry is often viewed as one of the most dreaded courses undergraduate science students must take. Additionally, students often view the compulsory laboratory component as a hassle and demonstrate an overall lack of enthusiasm (Reid & Shah, 2007). In recent years, research efforts have been conducted for improving student involvement and participation. By extension, the overall learning experience is shown to be improved (Latimer et al., 2018). This presentation will review why a focus on specifically improving the organic chemistry lab is necessary, as well as the benefits and challenges of different activities from the perspective of an organic chemistry lab teaching assistant. Additionally, various instructional approaches to lab teaching can be incorporated into the different levels of the organic chemistry lab experience and will be discussed.
Registration
- CTE has a new registration system called GoSignMeUp. Before you can register for a workshop, you need to create an account (one time only). Once you’ve created an account, you can register for this workshop.
- Participants will receive an attendance credit toward the Fundamentals program if they arrive on time and stay until the end of the event.
- A maximum of one special topic workshops can be counted toward your Fundamentals certificate.
Cancellations
Many of our workshops have waiting lists, so if you've registered but can't attend, please cancel your registration well in advance through the registration system, so that someone else can fill your spot.
Accessibility
The University of Waterloo is committed to achieving barrier-free accessibility for persons with disabilities who are studying, working, or visiting at Waterloo. If you have questions concerning access, such as parking, building layouts, or obtaining information in alternative formats, or wish to request accommodations for a CTE workshop or event, please contact CTE via email (cte@uwaterloo.ca) or phone (ext. 33857) and include the session’s title and date. Our workshops typically involve a mix of presentation and discussion-based activities, and we encourage a scent-free environment. We also welcome accompanying assistants, interpreters, or note-takers; notify us if accommodations are needed in this regard. Please note that some accommodations may require time to arrange.