My Professional Development
1. CIRTL (The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning) Associate Teaching Certification. I am currently participating in the CIRTL certification program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be an effective teacher of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines. Below are the courses I have completed to date:
GRD 716 - Developing a Teaching Portfolio (2 credits)
Instructor: Nancy G. Abney, MA-TESOL
Institution: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (Online CIRTL course via Moodle)
Course duration: September 16, 2015 - November 18, 2015
Description: This course guides participants in developing a personal teaching portfolio for documenting teaching effectiveness. The web-based curriculum introduces essential elements of the portfolio, provides tools for gathering necessary evidence, and through peer and individual feedback from the instructor, assists participants in summarizing their teaching experiences, effectively presenting evidence of teaching evaluations, and drafting a personal philosophy of teaching. The final product is a powerful tool for continued reflection on teaching practices as well as enhanced job search potential.
GRD750 - CIRTL Teaching and Learning Seminar I (1 credit)
Instructor: Julia Austin, Ph.D.
Institution: The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Course duration: May 13, 2015 - July 22, 2015
Description: This goal of this course is to gain an understanding of the science of how people learn (including how specific variables affect learning) and how this informs college teaching. Participants will discuss and critically question the science of how people learn and the applications and implications of this research on teaching at the college level, in their particular discipline.
2. Judging student presentations. An important aspect of teaching STEM disciplines is evaluating student presentations in a manner that encourages students to become better communicators. Given the importance I place on effective scientific communication, I have been volunteering my time to serve as a judge in a variety of courses and poster sessions. These are listed below:
a) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL - Fall 2015
b) PY490 Psychology Capstone student oral presentations - UAB, Birmingham, AL - Fall 2015
c) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Summer 2015
d) 8th Annual Undergraduate Research Expo - UAB, Birmingham, AL- April 2015
e) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL - Spring 2015
f) PY490 Psychology Capstone student oral presentations - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Spring 2015
g) Saint Rose Academy Science Fair - Saint Rose Academy, Birmingham, AL - January 2015
h) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Winter 2014
i) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Winter 2013
j) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Summer 2013
k) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Spring 2013
GRD 716 - Developing a Teaching Portfolio (2 credits)
Instructor: Nancy G. Abney, MA-TESOL
Institution: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (Online CIRTL course via Moodle)
Course duration: September 16, 2015 - November 18, 2015
Description: This course guides participants in developing a personal teaching portfolio for documenting teaching effectiveness. The web-based curriculum introduces essential elements of the portfolio, provides tools for gathering necessary evidence, and through peer and individual feedback from the instructor, assists participants in summarizing their teaching experiences, effectively presenting evidence of teaching evaluations, and drafting a personal philosophy of teaching. The final product is a powerful tool for continued reflection on teaching practices as well as enhanced job search potential.
GRD750 - CIRTL Teaching and Learning Seminar I (1 credit)
Instructor: Julia Austin, Ph.D.
Institution: The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Course duration: May 13, 2015 - July 22, 2015
Description: This goal of this course is to gain an understanding of the science of how people learn (including how specific variables affect learning) and how this informs college teaching. Participants will discuss and critically question the science of how people learn and the applications and implications of this research on teaching at the college level, in their particular discipline.
2. Judging student presentations. An important aspect of teaching STEM disciplines is evaluating student presentations in a manner that encourages students to become better communicators. Given the importance I place on effective scientific communication, I have been volunteering my time to serve as a judge in a variety of courses and poster sessions. These are listed below:
a) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL - Fall 2015
b) PY490 Psychology Capstone student oral presentations - UAB, Birmingham, AL - Fall 2015
c) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Summer 2015
d) 8th Annual Undergraduate Research Expo - UAB, Birmingham, AL- April 2015
e) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL - Spring 2015
f) PY490 Psychology Capstone student oral presentations - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Spring 2015
g) Saint Rose Academy Science Fair - Saint Rose Academy, Birmingham, AL - January 2015
h) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Winter 2014
i) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Winter 2013
j) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Summer 2013
k) Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) Lab Rotation poster session - UAB, Birmingham, AL- Spring 2013