In this file I am sharing a a set of reflections I have developed for complete the modules related to course from the Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE’s) in Effective Teaching Practices at California State University - San Bernardino: Cohort C, Fall 2019

Do Prado, Wagner

English

CSUSB ScholarWorks

California State University, San Bernardino CSUSB ScholarWorks Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy Spring 4-15-2020 Reflection on the Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE’s) in Effective Teaching Practices Wagner Do Prado California State University, San Bernardino, wagner.prado@csusb.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/q2sep Recommended Citation Do Prado, Wagner, "Reflection on the Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE’s) in Effective Teaching Practices" (2020). Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy. 133. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/q2sep/133 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by CSUSB ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy by an authorized administrator of CSUSB ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@csusb.edu. OVERALL REFLECTION ACUE – TRC – Q2S Prof. Wagner Luiz do Prado CoyoteID: 006497851  First of all, I would like to say that I am really grateful for this opportunity; the modules have helped a lot in my teaching activities. Just as an example of how I am using this course for improving my teaching effectiveness, I have changed in my syllabus the sentence “Office hours” to “Student support hours”. As can be verified from my SOTES, and my students’ comments, they really feel more comfortable to show up in my office now, since they know that I am there for them. I am also implementing other strategies in my classes that have being well accepted by the students. Timely, this course also provides information for online courses, which is helping me lot to prepare my courses for the coming Spring 2020 quarter. For this final reflection about the ACUE course, I have opted for presenting a set of reflections I have developed for the modules.  Reflections:  Module 2A I have choice the technic “Building Icebreakers”, but I’ve made a slightly adaptation. I have asked the students to share their names as well as some funny fact related to their eating behavior (i.e. I don’t like see food; I used to have to lunches a day; considering I work all night, I used to have a lot of energy drinks). Based on each response, I made some comments linking their comments with the topics covered in our course. I choose this technic as a way to develop a more personal environmental developing a connection in between the members of our “community”.  I believe we all (me and the students) succeeded great. They loved the activity and we had a lot of fun together, even in a first day. The main challenges were to handle with students that were not comfortable to share personal information at the very first day. Other challenge was deal with the time to complete the activity, once some students (and myself) talked a lot, and I have near to 40 students in this class. The students’ feedback was better than expected, I truly believe they start to think about our topic in a more personal basis, what certainly increase interest for the topic. They also, knew each other better and they moved out the class talking about what they usually eaten. Based on the positive feedback I am planning to keep using this approach in the same way. However, I need to find a way the control better the time, as well as to stimulate all students to be engaged.  Module 2B I have choice the technic “Use a behavior-impact feedback tool to hold a student conference to address high-level disruptions - FICA”. Fortunately, I don’t have any kind of situation to use this technic. I have learned about it, and I have prepared some material in case I need to use. This module has been the most challenging for me, once I have never experienced any kind of problems like this with my students. Honestly, I am trying to be prepared to avoid these situations and to be prepared to react in a proper manner when necessary.  Hope I don’t need to use this technic very often, I am just trying to be prepared for it.  Module 2C I have choice the technic “Have students introduce themselves to one or two students sitting nearby”, but I’ve made a slightly adaptation. In one of me previous class, after discuss about nutritional habits, I have asked the students to share their names as well as some funny fact related to their eating behavior (i.e. I don’t like see food; I used to have to lunches a day; considering I work all night, I used to have a lot of energy drinks). I choose this technic as a way to develop a more personal environmental developing a connection in between the members of our “community”. I believe we all (me and the students) succeeded great. They loved the activity and we had a lot of fun together. The main challenges were to handle with some unexpected facts, for example, one student stated she has eating disorders, so it was challenging to talk about it without prejudices and embarrassments. Other challenge was deal with the time to complete the activity, once some students talked a lot. The students’ feedback was great, better than expected, by the end of the class I saw the students talking each other about some specific eating behavior, and some students also came to talk with me about family or friends eating habits. Based on the positive feedback I am planning to keep using this approach in the same way, however I probably will not be the first one to share my fact, once some students tend to just repeat what I’ve said.  Module 2E I have choice the technic “Provide resources for students to improve their skills”. The first think I did was to change the term “OFFICE HOURS” in my syllabus to “STUDENT SUPPORT HOURS”. I did this to ensure that students know that I am there at these specific times to support then. It is their time. I have reinforced this at the end of all classes. The last slide every single class is an image of an open door with the sentence: I’ll be there for you. After our first assignment, I have provided feedback to the students, and after that their presence at my office increased a lot. Some of the students told me, they are really feeling comfortable to show up in my office, once they realize that it is “their time”, and they are not wasting my time. Based on the positive feedback I am planning to keep using this approach in the same way, however, as a new faculty, I am looking for a way to have more information about the University sources to support the students.  Assignment module 2F I have choice the technic “Offer choice when appropriate (group projects, assignments, assessments". I gave the students the opportunity to choose between a final exam (with 100 questions) or an assignment to develop a meal plan for a “client” (another student). They opted for the meal plan assignment. Last quarter I have used this same assignment, however, I did not give the students the choice. This quarter, based on this course, I have changed my approach, in order to increase student’s motivation.   We still did not have our final assignment, so far, the student’s feedback is great, they are motivated for doing something with practical implications, and based on their choices. I believe we all (me and the students) succeeded great. The main challenge was to handle with students who opted for the “classical” final exam, at the first beginning they felt like their opinion does not matter, so I had to ask the students to raised their hands to vote. The students’ feedback was better than expected, so far, they seem to be really engaged with the final assignment, and the dropout rate in this specific class is really low. Based on the positive feedback I am planning to keep using this approach in the same way for next quarter.   Module 2G I have choice the technic “Ensure your curriculum and/or syllabus set the tone for diversity and inclusion”. I have included a diversity statement on my syllabus, as well as I have added a section with policies, statements and a list of available resources in our campus. It is the first time I see the syllabus as something bigger than just a list of things to do, but I have tried write my syllabus in a way to increase inclusion and diversity in my class from the first contact of official materials. I hope the students while reading my syllabus fell as part of our community, and with a desire to engage in my class.  I also think that this “small” changes also change the way I am approaching diversity and inclusion in my courses.  Based on the positive feedback I am planning to keep using this approach in the same way, however, as a new faculty, I am looking for a way to have more information about the University sources to support the students. In this quarter, I showed to the students the new edited version of our syllabus, and I read with them the changes. For the next quarters, I will do this in our first class, making clear the statements included.  Module 3 A and B For the Using Active Learning Techniques in Small Groups module, I have choice the technic “Use Jigsaw for mastery”. I am planning to use this technic in my Instrumentation in Exercise Science class in the next spring. Considering we have several topics to cover, such as body composition, muscular fitness, aerobic fitness and anaerobic fitness, I will have the students in small groups and each group will be responsible for a topic, and they will have to conducted a discussion about the topic as well as help the other students to conduct the assessments related to each topic. I will be honest by saying that I am not comfortable with this approach, even recognizing its relevance, so, based on the technics discussed in this module, I feel this one may work good with the course’s goals, as well as I am felling a little bit more confident in this one than the others.  for the Using Active Learning Techniques in Large Classes, I have choice the technic “Set expectations early”. I will be honest again, I am not teaching large classes, so I will not be able to apply this in a near future (I hope keep working only with small classes). But, I believe that Set expectations early may help the students to better understand the activities, increasing their motivations and engagement, generating a better learning process.    I will be honest by saying I have some prejudice with this approach. I feel like I am not doing my job (as one student said on video: we are doing the teacher work), because my teaching experience (as student) was strongly founded by lectures.  Currently, I am teaching instrumental classes for Kinesiology students, aiming to prepare the students for the professional accreditation. but, I am cannot see how can I improve student’s critical thinking, and I have no clue how to deal with this, but I will try. Related to the large classes, I have no clued what expected. I believe these 2 modules are the most challenge for me by far, mainly because I have not much experience with this, however, I recognize these technique could help me to help my students to succeed better, what I will do, is to learn more about these approaches, talk with colleagues, and look for some mentoring with other instructors with experience in this field, to be able to effectively use these approaches in a near future.  Module 5D For this module, I have choice the technic “Use wait time to increase the quality and quantity of student responses”. I will be honest again, I talk too much, and I know that. I have problems with long pauses (not only in my classes but in my live) I am too much active. That’s why I have choice this challenge. I have prepared a couple of question, and even with some hands raised, I tried hard to control my self-and wait for other students.  I believe some students have had more opportunities with this approach. I had more hands raised than in my previous classes, so based on this I believe I have succeeded great. My main challenge was to control my anxiety and hyperactivity. I absolutely will try this technic again. I am looking for a way to be more comfortable with long pauses.   San Bernardino, April 15th 2020.  Prof. Wagner Luiz do Prado, PhD  

Reflection on the Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE’s) in Effective Teaching Practices

https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1137&context=q2sep

Reflection on the Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE’s) in Effective Teaching Practices

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