WITS is the Chemistry Department's Teaching Circle - an informal, monthly, discussion amongst interested faculty, of current issues related to teaching Chemistry.  The WITS program was initiated as a complement to the WINSS (Whats New in Science Seminar) program, which itself was designed to bring interested Chemistry faculty together to discuss current research in the department.  WITS meets on the 2nd Monday of the Month (excepting August, December, and April), over lunch (liquid refreshments provided).  In late Fall 2002, Chemistry Department graduate students interested in possible academic careers expressed interest in creating a WITS-like discussion group focused on their Professional Development needs and concerns.  As part of that program, and if appropriate, at least one WITS per term will be organized around a topic of joint interest to faculty and future faculty, and open to both groups. 

 

Announcements:

5-14-04

9-19-03
Jump to Old Announcements

9-4-03

(Click here to see previously posted cartoons from this spot)

Session

Date/Time

Location

Topic

Facilitator
45   Eberly Hall 325 Science Outreach
(e.g., see Biological Sciences Outreach Programs web site,
http://www.pitt.edu/~biology/outreach.htm		 Alison Slinskey Legg
Outreach Coordinator
Biological Sciences
44   Eberly Hall 325 Raising the Status of Chemistry Education
William S. Price and John O. Hill, University Chemistry Education, 2004, 13-20.
This WITS Session will devoted to brainstorming, using the above article as a starting point (please read in advance of the meeting).		 ??
43 Monday,
July 11, 2005
12:00-1:00pm		 Eberly Hall 325 Willing Retention of Misbelief (pdf file)
a discussion of the above editorial including:
(1) discussion of the six persistent misbeliefs;
(2) creation of a statement of who we are teaching;
 (3) creation of objectives that #2 should get from our teaching. 		 
42 Monday,
June 13, 2005
12:00-1:00pm		 Eberly Hall 325 GK-12 Project (tentative) Joe G.
41 Monday,
May 9, 2005
12:00-1:00pm		 Eberly Hall 325 Tracking the Processes of Change in US Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology (pdf file)
Elaine Seymour Sci. Ed., 2001, 86 79-105.
This WITS Session will devoted to brainstorming to define one thing we should work on, using the above article as a starting point (please read in advance of the meeting).		  
40 Monday,
April 11, 2005
12:00-1:00pm		 Eberly Hall 325 The Science and Art of Reasoning
In General Chemistry Lab, many students have difficulty in making accurate observations and drawing logically consistent conclusions from them. Do other faculty perceive this as a problem in lecture or lab courses? How do they attempt to teach such skills? How do they attempt to test students’ skills in this area? Can we come up with a systematic set of approaches for use across the curriculum?		 Michael Golde
39 Monday,
November 8, 2004
12:00-1:00pm		 Eberly Hall 325 Resources for Careers in Teaching
Posted after the discussion, courtesy of DP:
Here are some Websites that describe sources of financial support for future faculty at both smaller and larger institutions, often in the form of "bridging" postdocs.
 http://www.merck.com/about/cr/policies_performance/social/focus.html#AAASProgram
 David Pratt
                         (8)
38 Monday,
September 13, 2004
12:00-1:00pm		 Eberly Hall 325 New and Emerging Technology for Teaching (pdf flyer) Nick Laudato
CIDDE
                         (6)

    

Want to see the Topics from WITS in Previous Academic Years?  Click on the year of interest in the following list.  (AY 2003 is July 2002-June 2003).

2004     2003     2002     2001     2000


Want to see the topics suggested for future WITS?  Click on this link:  Suggested topics

 

 

 

University of Pittsburgh Links...
     Bio Sci's Teaching Club
    
External Links....
     Adviser, Teacher, Role Model, Friend: On Being a Mentor to Students in Science and Engineering
     The National Teaching and Learning Forum Newsletter (http://www.pitt.edu/~ntlforum/) and their home site (http://www.ntlf.com/)

     National Center for Education Statistics (http://nces.ed.gov/)

     The Center for Education Reform (http://edreform.com/), especially the section on Standards and Curriculum.
     Public Agenda's Reality Check 2000
     Stanford University Learning Laboratory
     American Association of Higher Education's WebCenter
     The Education Trust  (added 10/2/00)  

Page Created & Maintained by:  Joe Grabowski

Last Updated:  03/11/05