UTK CoMInDS 2019 Workshop

Improving the Preparation of Graduate Students to Teach Undergraduate Mathematics

Location: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

Dates: March 22-23, 2019 (arriving March 21)

Is your department interested in helping graduate students learn to teach? Perhaps your department would like to learn how to assess and revise its graduate students program, or discover ways in which data can be collected and used for improving graduate students’ teaching practice. Many departments have begun teaching-focused professional development programs, but then have not yet engaged in cross-institutional discussions about program improvement and assessment.

MAA CoMInDS, with funding from NSF (grant DUE-1432381), along with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is sponsoring a workshop that focuses on professional development (PD) for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs). The workshop will take place at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville on March 22-23, 2019 (beginning 8:30 am March 22, ending 5:00 pm March 23). This workshop will serve two primary needs: (1) improvement of existing GTA PD programs and (2) the assessment of GTA PD programs, in mathematics departments at post-secondary institutions. At this workshop, participants will:

• discuss GTA’s development of instructional design practices (e.g., planning for classes)
• reflect on challenges to anticipate with GTA mentorship programs
• gain knowledge about appropriate instruments and tools, such as observation protocols and surveys, for assessing GTA programs
• establish recommendations for assessing the success of GTA programs
• broaden perspectives about diversity within GTA programs

All participants will be asked to choose a few sessions they would be comfortable facilitating and will be placed into teams of 5 or 6 accordingly, to collaboratively plan sessions. We expect each participant to help facilitate, perhaps by participating in a panel or some other activity. Prior to the workshop, participants will be expected to meet virtually with their group to plan out their sessions.

To attend, please submit the application. We have extended the application deadline to February 1. Applications received by January 1 will be given priority and with acceptances announced by January 15. We will announce acceptances by February 15 for applicants who apply after January 1.

We have funding to accommodate 25 participants with support for registration, lodging (in individual hotel rooms, for evenings March 21, 22 and 23), and food. We have a limited amount of funding available to subsidize participant travel to the workshop. If airfare/mileage exceeds \$400, we ask that you make use of partial travel support from your home institution if feasible.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is located 12 miles from the McGhee Tyson Airport (http://flyknoxville.com/). McGhee Tyson Airport serves 5 airlines, and there are non-stop flights to 21 locations.

CoMInDS (College Mathematics Instructor Development Source) is an NSF-funded MAA-based project (Award Number:1432381) that provides instructional materials and guidance to departments as they establish or revise their graduate student professional development programs.

Apply for the 2019 UTK CoMInDS Workshop

If you have questions, please contact the organizers listed below.

Organizers

 

Jeneva holds a Ph.D. in teacher education with a concentration in mathematics education and serves as faculty in the department of mathematics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She serves the UTK Graduate Teaching Assistant Mentorship Program as liaison for Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning Network, serves as the UTK Mathematical Association of America liaison, and provides STEM-based faculty development and K-12 professional development.

Jack is Professor of the Practice in Mathematics, Emeritus at Duke University. From 1987 – 2012, in addition to teaching in Duke’s first year mathematics program, he coordinated the department’s efforts to prepare graduate students for their teaching responsibilities – while at Duke and after graduation. He is the Principal Investigator on the MAA CoMInDS project.