Overview
The Masterclass Program customizes faculty development, helping a department/program cohort of faculty apply discipline-relevant strategies, develop and implement teaching goals, and demonstrate effective teaching.
The program has two phases:
- During the intersession, the Planning Phase consists of 8 hours of asynchronous Blackboard modules plus one four-hour Zoom session. Faculty will identify teaching goals, learn and apply practical strategies and develop a teaching plan for the semester.
- During the semester, the Implementation Phase includes the implementation of the teaching plan as well as a classroom observation and debrief by Stearns Center staff to help faculty document their growth and determine next steps as part of continuing professional development. The program runs in Fall and Spring semesters.
In order to support faculty, the Masterclass Program promotes three key elements of effective teaching:
Engagement. A broad array of strategies adapted to faculty’s specific discipline allow students to be engaged with course content, each other and the instructor to achieve deep learning and understanding. When students develop a curiosity about what they learn and engage in hands-on activities, they become motivated to learn.
Practicality. Faculty learn how teaching strategies connect to larger teaching practice. By being intentional about their teaching and making an initial investment to design student activities, faculty can achieve more workload balance over time.
Iteration. Faculty development is most effective when faculty routinely set goals for their teaching and assess the impact. When faculty invest time in a routine of implementation and assessment, they learn how to talk about their teaching and use elements from their course as evidence to show effectiveness.
If you are interested in having your department or program participate or would like more information, please email Dr. Crystal Anderson at cander8@gmu.edu.