Finding and Using Teaching Resources

Initial Publication Date: January 29, 2013

A two-hour workshop to familiarize community college faculty with resources available from professional associations and other national organizations

Logistics

  • Time: Although designed for two hours, the workshop could be compressed to one-hour with time spent afterward by participants. The format also could be extended to a second meeting at which participants report on their work.
  • Size: Participants are working online, so any size group is fine as long as everyone has individual Internet access.
  • Discipline areas: The project has specific websites for biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, English, history, math, physics, psychology and sociology. Other disciplines will find suitable materials at the cross-disciplinary site. It is ideal if participants can work with others in the same discipline; however, the format allows participants to work individually if no one else teaches in the same area.
  • Resources needed: Each participant will need Internet access on a computer, laptop, or tablet.

Supporting materials

Two page handout (Microsoft Word 25kB Feb20 13) for each participant. Available in Word so that workshop organizers can alter to fit the workshop context. Handout includes links to the online resources, instructions, and space for participants to record the materials they found most useful and their plans for use in a course they teach.

Web page with links by discipline to teaching and learning resources. The project has specific websites for biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, English, history, math, physics, psychology and sociology. Other disciplines will find suitable materials at the cross-disciplinary site. It is ideal if participants can work with others in the same discipline; however, the format allows participants to work individually if no one else teaches in the same area.

Recommended format

  • Introduction Allow participants to introduce themselves, perhaps using a three-step interview. Make certain that everyone is familiar with the workshop schedule and expectations.
  • Work online Consider teams of two participants even if participants do not have a partner from the same discipline. Participants can share exciting resources they find and help one another with web navigation. After 30 minutes (or so) or individual/pair work, ask participants to report to the larger group about their progress. If the group is large, this reporting out could take place in groups of four.
  • Getting to the plan for use Encourage participants to move to the second page of the handout, specifying how they will use one of the resources in a course.
  • Incentives Depending on the institutional context, determine the incentives for completing this workshop (stipend, professional growth credit, recognition on the institutional website etc.)