Reading Groups
Reading groups, offered several times each semester, provide up-to-date information on topics in effective teaching and give participants valuable experience in leading group discussions. For each session, approximately 50–75 pages are assigned in advance, and one to two PFF students guide the discussion, which generally lasts about 90 minutes (for the in-person groups).
As of 16US: Students are required to attend four reading groups, serving as a group leader for one of these four meetings.
All students enrolled in PFF before 16FS will be held to the old standard, which required students to attend two groups as a participant and a third as a leader.
Reading Group Schedule, Fall 2019
The reading group assigned readings are posted on the PFF Blackboard page under the "Readings" tab, which is located in the left-hand navigation.
Note: You must register before the group starts to participate. You do not need to be officially enrolled in the PFF program to participate in reading groups.
1. Teaching What You Don't Know
Date: Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019
Time: 3:00-4:30p
Location: TUC 411
2. Interdisciplinarity
Date: Tuesday, October 8th, 2019
Time: 1:00-2:30p
Location: TUC 411
3. What the Best College Teachers Do
Date: Monday, October 21st, 2019
Time: 2:00-3:30p
Location: TUC 411
4. Teaching International Students
Date: Thursday, November 7th, 2019
Time: 3:00-4:30p
Location: MSB 3352 (Medical Campus)
5. Confronting History on Campus
This reading group will be held online.
Date: Nov. 18th-20th
Reading Group Discussion Guidelines
Leaders should download these guidelines and consider them carefully as they plan to lead a reading group.
To view this document, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free download.
Examples of Reading Group Topics
- The Balance between Teaching and Research
- Being an International Student on the Academic Job Market
- The Biology of Learning
- Cheating
- Collaborative Learning
- Creating Significant Learning Experiences
- Evaluations and Assessment
- Grading Strategies
- Incivility: Classroom Management Techniques
- Inclusion and Diversity in Higher Ed
- Issues of Ethics for College Teachers
- Learner-Centered Teaching
- Motivating Culturally Diverse Students
- New Faculty: Helpful Tips, Unexpected Challenges, and Gaining Tenure
- Non-Tenure Track Teaching
- Online Learning
- Setting Up your own Program of Research
- Silent Students: Challenges and Opportunities
- Teaching Critical Thinking
- Teaching Nonmajors
- Teaching Strategies for Large Enrollment Classes
- Teaching Unprepared Students
- Teaching What You Don't Know
- To Tech or Not to Tech
- What the Best College Teachers Do