What Makes a

Great Teacher?

Sarah Hosch, Ph.D. and Christina Moore, Ph.D.

Introductions

Name, What You Teach, One Great Teacher

Great Teachers on Great Teaching

Student involvement

“Just as you can’t become a marathon runner by watching marathons on TV, likewise for science, you have to go through the thought processes of doing science and not just watch your instructor do it.”

• Eric Mazur, Professor of Physics, Harvard

from Confessions of a Converted Lecturer

Great Teachers on Great Teaching

Inclusive teaching

“For me, [to teach for liberation and inclusion] is the ability to extract from students, regardless of their unique backgrounds, an insatiable desire for seeking evidence and truth to understand how life works.”

• Bryan Dewsbury, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University

Excerpt from “The Soul of My Pedagogy,” Scientific American

Great Teachers on Great Teaching

Respect and care

“To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin” (p. 13).

• bell hooks, Distinguished Professor in Residence at Berea College

from Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom

Today’s Learning Outcomes

As a result of this session, participants will be able to:

• List common attributes of great college teaching as they align with student learning
• Distinguish different teaching approaches and identify which best fit themselves
• Use strategies to continue their teaching development through mentors, colleagues, and other learning opportunities

What We’ll Do

1. General discussion: What makes a great teacher?
2. How to communicate teaching approach to students: Examples
3. Plan and write a way to communicate your teaching to students

What Makes a Great Teacher?

Small Group Discussion, Whole Group Debrief

Teacher as…

• storyteller
• instructional designer
• discussion facilitator
• guide
• mentor
• host
• adventurer
• leader

Teaching Presence

• concept from online teaching (Garrison et al., 2009) but applies to all modes
• mentorship
• communication, to students and about yourself
• research partners

Engaging Students

• Participation
• Engaging, relevant presentations, storytelling
• Student choice
• Connecting to real contexts
• Acknowledging and valuing student backgrounds and interests

Sense of Belonging

“... students who had a positive, professional experience with encouraging and compassionate faculty reported a greater sense of being valued and a greater sense of pride with the institution.”

Three themes:

1. Syllabus Communication
2. Validation in Class Discussion
3. Authentic Research Opportunities

April Thomas-Powell, Director of Academic Advising, OU Nursing

Results of a 2019-2020 mixed methods study as shared in

“Faculty Influence on Student Sense of Belonging”

Great teaching does not always equate to increased likeability.

Reflecting, Communicating, Sharing, Growing

Example Sharing

Example: Teaching in 10 Words

• “Fostering engagement and collaborative problem-solving with team-based learning.” Sarah Lerchenfeldt, OUWB School of Medicine
• “Begin with connecting, caring and listening. Then learning can occur.” Beth Feiten, School of Education and Human Services
• “Flipped. Custom textbook. Formative feedback. Individual attention. Flexible. Fun.” Kieran Mathieson, Decision Information Systems
• “Approaching engaging and memorable class design as a television producer.” Chiaoning Su, Communication, Journalism, and Public Relations

Example: Syllabus

A teaching philosophy can set expectations and the tone for your course

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Can be a part of a class website

Example: Moodle Profile

Related Teaching Tip: Sharing Name Pronunciation with Multimedia Moodle Profiles

Example: Introduction Video

See CETL Teaching Tip Send an Early Introduction to Students for video and other ways to reach out to students

Other Examples from OU Faculty

• One “Connections” class allots 20 minutes for students to ask you questions about your work and path as a professor. (Laila Guessous, Mechanical Engineering)
• “Chat with Your Professor” ensures each student gets to meet with the professor for 15 minutes (Helena Riha, Linguistics and International Studies)
• “Stump the Professor” challenges students for suggestions of real world applications for your discipline (Helena Riha, Linguistics and International Studies)

Let’s Try It

Plan a way to develop and share your teaching approach

Your Teaching in 10 Words

1. Take notes on how you would describe your teaching: what you enjoy; feel your good at; how your identity and interests fuel your teaching.
2. Describe your teaching approach/philosophy in 10 words (usually as one sentence or 1-3 key points).
3. Plan how to communicate this to students.
4. Identify the big and small ways you demonstrate these 10 words through your learning outcomes, class sessions, communication, activity. etc.