Jessica Birthisel | June 22, 2009
As participants in the School of Journalism’s 32nd annual Teaching Fellows Workshop, they spent June 14-18 learning from longtime professors and instructors and brainstorming their own ideas about teaching journalism at the college or university level.
For Gail MacDonald of the University of Connecticut, “everything was great.” She came to the workshop after a long career in print journalism, teaching 18 years part-time and one year of full-time teaching.
“Not one session was not useful,” said MacDonald.
The workshop is designed for those transitioning to teaching from professional journalism or other disciplines. Participants apply in early spring and must have fewer than three years’ experience as college-level teachers. School of Journalism assistant professor Hans Ibold and visiting professor Marty Pieratt were among the participants this
year.
The workshop sessions, taught by primarily by journalism professors, covered topics such as developing effective course policies, academic misconduct, transitioning from the newsroom to the classroom, experiential learning opportunities, motivating today’s college student, assessment, the tenure dossier, teaching writing and presentation skills.
The workshop concluded with dinner at workshop director Amy Reynold’s home June 18. During the event, participants reflected on the week-long workshop.
Minjeong Kim came to the workshop after her first year of teaching at Colorado State University. She said the sessions were especially useful in helping her rethink her teaching philosophy.
“I’m taking back many practical ideas to use in my classroom next year,” said Kim.
For Kyun Soo Kim, who just finished his first year as assistant professor at Grambling State University in Louisiana, the workshop helped supplement his doctoral studies, in which he says he served exclusively in a research capacity.
“I consider this workshop to be a turning point for my career,” he said. “As a relatively new professor, this first year was painful and insane.”
He came to the workshop after a visit to his home in Seoul, and said he suffered jet lag for most of the week, but that it was worth the journey.
“I’ve almost overcome it now,” he joked, “but the knowledge I learned made it well worth the long trip.”
Pam Davies, finishing her second year of teaching at Roosevelt University in Chicago, came to the workshop at the recommendation of a colleague who had attended. She said she enjoyed many parts of the workshop, but especially the sessions with professor emeritus Peter Jacobi.
“The sessions with professor Jacobi really showed us how to construct a classroom assignment,” said Davies. “I’ve been more accustomed to following a text, but he showed us how to create a truly original assignment. I think this workshop would absolutely help any new professor.”
In March, the School of Journalism will accept applications for next year’s workshop.
