This is the second in a three-part series on the Center for Teaching and Learning. Tomorrow's article will address public perceptions of the center.
They say no one can learn how to teach by reading a book, but a new University handbook is aiming to do just that by providing faculty with a handy reference to both old and new methods of teaching.
This fall, the Center for Teaching and Learning published a new handbook entitled "Directions in Teaching." The handbook contains practical advice on course preparation and management, advising, exams and grading as well as more general information on student services, institutional and instructional resources and the research interests of most Arts and Sciences faculty.
"[The handbook is] literally a compendium of all you ever wanted to know about teaching at Duke," said Al Eldridge, director of the center and University registrar. "For the first time, [there is] a list of Duke faculty and their teaching and research interests."
Eldridge, a political science professor with 24 years of experience, wrote the sections on grading and the use of teaching assistants. "That was really modeled on my Duke experience," he said.
Sent out to every faculty member in the Arts and Sciences, the handbook was originally meant for new teachers and visiting faculty.
But Richard White, dean of Trinity College, "looked at it and said it might be useful to all of the faculty," said Kathy Walchle, the center's staff assistant and one of the handbook's three editors.
The handbook has received positive reviews from faculty for its practical advice and information.
"I thought it was quite good," said Richard Riddell, distinguished professor of the practice in the drama program. "Just the thoughts on putting together a classÉ [included] some ideas that I don't particularly do but have been thinking about."
William Ascher, director of the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, said that many of the methods described in the handbook were methods he already used, though "less self-consciously." The handbook did not seem to claim to invent new methods but catalog the known and accepted ones, he added.
Some professors, however, said that time constraints precluded them from even looking at the handbook.
"It's quite a lot of material," said Werner Tornow, research professor of physics. "I spent half an hour just going through it, but I haven't had time to read it."
Alvin Crumbliss, chair of the chemistry department, shared similar sentiments. "I think the concept is a good idea... That's all I can say about it at the moment."
The center's staff says that the handbook is not meant to be read from cover to cover. "It's a directory, not reading material," Walchle said. "It's important for faculty to know what services are available for students [if students ask them for help]."
The handbook itself, contained in a small three-ring binder with individually numbered sections, was designed with this in mind.
The portions of the handbook's section on teaching in the classroom not written by Eldridge were actually reprinted materials provided by the University of North Carolina's Center for Teaching and Learning.
"There are certain issues common to teaching, whether at Duke or UNC," Eldridge said. "You might even call it common-sense information... The unique quality of Duke comes forth in the sections about Duke's resources."
These resources are detailed in the handbook with segments about the Duke's libraries, Counseling and Psychological Services and the services of the Pre-Major Advising Center. There is also a section on the services the arts offer at the University.
"It's a useful effort," said Kenneth Land, John Franklin Crowell professor of sociology. "It summarizes a lot of information that teachers will find useful... I will keep it on my shelf for future reference."
The role of technology and multimedia systems in University teaching is one of the more novel sections of the handbook. One of the resources mentioned, the center's nearly-finished Cynthia Sulzberger Interactive Learning Laboratory, is located adjacent to the center in the Old Chemistry building and allows University faculty to explore new uses for multimedia technology in the classroom.
"I'm going to have to make an appointment," Riddell said. "It seems like a real exciting prospect."
Some faculty said they wanted more far-reaching technological assistance. Lewis Blake, assistant professor of the practice in the math department and supervisor of freshman instruction, said that he envied "those schools that have a central system which allows a teacher to make a telephone call to explain what aids are needed in the classroom and... find it set up" at the beginning of class.
Earl Dowell, dean of the School of Engineering, agreed.
Dowell also said that the handbook does not adequately give guidance on how to organize a lecture. "They haven't addressed that, but they can't cover everything," he said.
Plans for future editions of the handbook are already in the works. "The cool thing about it is we decided to put it in a ring binder so you can add sections," Eldridge said.
One addition suggested has been a section on teaching awards -- those awards available to faculty and the names of those faculty members who have already received honors.
The second edition might include engineering faculty and be sent to engineering TAs. At present, the School of Engineering trains its own teachers and TAs through a seminar series oriented toward helping new faculty. The series runs from the summer through the fall and spring semesters.
Engineering faculty did not receive the handbook originally because the Center for Teaching and Learning is an Arts and Sciences department. Nevertheless, Dowell said, "We'd be happy to have it... I'm sure it should be useful."
Russ Freyman contributed to this article.
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