Indiana University School of Journalism

Home » Alumni News: » Teaching Fellows arrive Sunday

Photo by Michael Zennie

School of Journalism Riley Visiting Professor Dennis Elliott talked to Nancy Muturi of Kansas State University during a session at the 2008 Teaching Fellows Workshops.

Related Learn more about the Teaching Fellows Workshop. Kothari paper on framing Darfur set for publication (Nov. 12) Faculty, students to present work at ICA conference (May 10)

For more than three decades, the Indiana University School of Journalism’s Teaching Fellows Workshop helped prepare new professors for the joys and challenges of the collegiate classroom.

In its 32nd year, the workshop will welcome 11 new journalism professors from across the country for the June 14 to 18 session. Participants apply to the program early in the year and must be in their first through third years of teaching at the college level.

According to Teaching Fellows Director Amy Reynolds, the sessions cover a broad range of topics facing new professors, such as developing a teaching philosophy, handling academic misconduct, assessing student work, incorporating new technology into curriculum and fostering experimental learning outside of the classroom.

Though IU’s journalism doctoral program includes a course in pedagogy, not all Ph.D. programs do, and Reynolds said that this gap in graduate education was one of the motivations for the workshop. Some participants are those making the switch from professional careers to academic ones, and this group rarely has teaching experience.

“We find that a lot of new professors are prepared for research, but are less prepared for teaching,” said Reynolds, who also is the School of Journalism’s associate dean for graduate studies and research. She said feedback from past participants and their departmental directors has been very positive. “It really is a one-of-a-kind opportunity, especially within the field of journalism.”

Former director sparked workshop concept Former School of Journalism Director Richard G. Gray conceptualized the Teaching Fellows Workshop in 1968, but it took nearly a decade to turn it into a reality, said Teaching Fellows Director Amy Reynolds, who also is the School of Journalism’s associate dean for graduate studies and research. Gray’s initial goal for the workshop was to create a well-rounded teacher through sessions on teaching, syllabus preparation, precision journalism and evaluations, she said. Though the workshop still incorporates many of Gray’s early visions, the experience now includes information on public relations, service learning, evolving technology and exposure to new resources.

Workshop classes, taught in Ernie Pyle Hall by journalism professors and select professors from other departments, often are inspired by real-world classroom experiences. For instance, last year journalism associate professor Tony Fargo, a 2000 graduate of the workshop, approached Reynolds about creating a session about the pros and cons of publishing student work on the Internet based on lessons he learned in his classroom. His own experiences with posting student stories on the Web, and handling the resulting public feedback, reminded him of an important lesson that he wanted to share with new teachers.

“Sometimes, you have to change roles,” said Fargo of learning to operate in a classroom. “You’re part teacher, but you’re mostly editor. It’s all about being prepared to shift.”

Fargo recalled some moments from his participation in the workshop, such as watching a videotape of one of his own lectures and talking with other new professors about what challenges they faced. Now as a workshop instructor, he said he enjoys the opportunity to give new professors real-world insight.

“I think it’s something valuable to do. Plus, you never know, some of them might end up on your faculty,” joked Fargo, alluding to his own path from visiting workshop attendee to IU faculty member.

It’s not just the session information that sticks with participants, according to Reynolds, but also the relationships developed between participants each year. The cohorts often keep in touch over e-mail and at conferences.

“It’s not just a week,” said Reynolds. “It’s a resource that stays with them for a long time.”