Adjunct: The Search for an Effective Teaching Measure. (the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning)

You sure you have a doctorate? A student called out as was writing on the board, during a Social Psychology class. do not use the board all that often and my handwriting, despite many years of drill with the Palmer Method during my Catholic elementary school education, is primitive. Yep, responded as the class and were laughing, I do and think of the limitless possibilities all of you have, if a guy like me can earn a doctorate. was not sure when heard that student's comment why got such a kick out it. As have thought about that incident, realized not only was it a pretty funny remark at the time but it also reflects the kind of atmosphere try to create in class. An atmosphere where good-natured ribbing of the teacher is not out of bounds. started teaching college psychology classes as an adjunct thirteen years ago when finished graduate school. And as the distance from my own student years lengthens, no longer have a reference point to measure how I'm doing. There are very few valid markers of effectiveness in teaching on any level but even less in college teaching. College level testing in an individual course, for instance, is of limited use when trying to gauge effectiveness. These tests are designed and controlled by the teacher and they can be manipulated anyway that the professor sees fit. always talk, in the beginning of class, about grading and say haven't figured the whole thing out yet. start a discussion about how teachers mark papers and reports and many students conclude that it's very subjective. make the connection to one of my favorite shows, Ebert and Roeper and the Movies. On any given film, one critic will have a plausible explanation of why he gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up while the other critic will be just as adamant about his thumbs down review. The same filtering of information through an individual's experience and expectations happens when a professor marks term papers and tests. So how students score on tests, papers, and projects are of little use to me when gauging my effectiveness. For a while, in my struggle to discover a measure, would get to the college fifteen or twenty minutes before my class and walk down the halls until found an open classroom door. Then, standing off to the side, would listen to what was going on in the class. Invariably, a present or former student would walk up to me and ask, What are you doing? Self-consciously would sputter, Nothing. And we'd start talking which would end my observation for that day. So finally decided that I'm on my own. The yardstick have been using lately, to measure my effectiveness, is how engaged the students and are in the lesson, lecture, and discussion. Can create an atmosphere that is relaxed but stimulating and one in which even students who do not usually participate in other classes feel free to join in during my class? Sometimes can and sometimes can't. But lately, as gain confidence and comfort, it happens more and more. Often achieve this atmosphere when simply let go and become truly present to the class. The more controlling am, insisting on covering specific material in a predetermined order, the more watch their eyes glaze over as the action, participation, and thinking slows. When stop tying to dominate, exciting things often happen. During the 1970's tried this approach as a high school theology teacher. This was an interesting time in education and in theology. Much of the established dogma about teaching and theology was being questioned and there was room and encouragement for much experimentation. was in my mid twenties and excited by the free thinking but not very disciplined in my approach to teaching. The theology department consisted of about twelve teachers who enjoyed talking and arguing but most of us lacked direction in the classroom. We had no textbooks and designed our own courses. We loved to have faculty meetings and would often cancel our classes so we could continue our discussions. …