Course Syllabus

Course Information

CS 6961: Teaching Computer Science in Higher Education (3.0 credits) prepares graduate students to teach basic computer science concepts at a university level, with a focus on how to effectively teach undergraduates.  The course leverages the School of Computing (SoC)’s excellence in teaching and experienced faculty for the benefit of graduate students who intend to pursue careers in academia.

Who can take CS 6961

Enrollment is by permission code and limited.  Students must have a bachelor’s degree and be pursuing a graduate degree in Computing or Computer Science.  Prior experience as a TA or TM is preferred.

Instructor

D. Erin Parker, parker@cs.utah.edu, 3144 MEB

Textbooks

Main text:  Regular reading is assigned from Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors by Linda B. Nilson (4th ed, ISBN 978-1-119-09632-0).  Students should buy or rent the text; if this is a hardship for you, please talk to the instructor. 

Auxiliary text:  Occasionally, reading is assigned from McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers by Wilbert J. McKeachie, which may be borrowed from the instructor. 

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of CS 6961, students will be able to:

  1. prepare documents typically requested in faculty applications, such as a statement of teaching philosophy
  2. observe and critique an existing undergraduate computer science course, while considering how to productively serve as its instructor in a subsequent semester
  3. argue the importance of leveraging a learning management system and other class tools to provide an understandable and organized course to students
  4. construct and deliver lectures under the guidance of a supervisory instructor
  5. identify strategies for managing the classroom to establish a welcoming environment that supports each student
  6. recognize methods for evaluating their own teaching, including collecting and responding to feedback from students and supervisory instructors, ensuring continuous improvement

Students can expect to achieve these outcomes only if they attend class meetings, complete assignments in good faith and on time, and read the designated textbook sections.  Furthermore, students may vary in their competency level on these outcomes.

Course Schedule

Meeting times

CS 6961 meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:45a-12:05p in 3515 MEB.  Occasionally, class is cancelled, when it conflicts with students observing and participating in the mini-practicum (see below).

Presentation of topics

CS 6961 material includes the following topics:

  • Matching teaching methods and principles to course learning goals
  • Constructing and delivering effective lectures
  • Learning management systems and other class tools
  • Summative assessment via assignments and exams
  • Formative assessment and feedback
  • Understanding student learning
  • Managing a classroom and setting course policies
  • Collecting and using feedback
  • Writing a syllabus document
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Handling student cheating
  • Managing TAs

The coverage of topics by class meetings and other class activities is given by the schedule on the home page of the Canvas course for CS 6961.  To ensure a broad and balanced perspective on teaching, a number of SoC faculty with expertise in CS education contribute as guest lecturers.  The posted schedule is subject to change, especially to accommodate guest lecturers and observation of mini-practicums.

Student Evaluation

Attendance and participation

The class meetings of CS 6961 are largely discussion based.  The class enrollment is very small, and as such, the regular attendance and participation of students is expected.  When missing class cannot be avoided, the student should contact the instructor about making up the absence via a 1-on-1 meeting, since class meetings are not recorded.

Assignments

A number of assignments are given throughout the semester.  The specifications of each assignment and its due date is posted on the class schedule.  There are no tests or exams in CS 6961.

Mini-practicum (required)

The core class project of CS 6961 is a mini-practicum, in which each student prepares and delivers one week of lectures for an undergraduate course offered by the SoC in the same semester.  The actual courses available for hosting mini-practicums are subject to suitability and scheduling constraints, but are typically large, introductory-level courses.  For such courses, one week consists of two eighty-minute lectures, two fifty-minute lectures, or three fifty-minute lectures.

Each CS 6961 student is guided in preparing the mini-practicum lectures, with constructive feedback between a first and final draft.  Delivery of the lecture materials is supervised by the CS 6961 instructor, as well as the instructor of the course hosting the mini-practicum.  Students in the course hosting the mini-practicum are surveyed in the style of a typical teaching evaluation.  All feedback and evaluations of the mini-practicum are used to help the CS 6961 student improve their teaching.

Full-practicum (optional)

CS 6961 students who perform well in the mini-practicum are selected to complete a full-practicum, in which they teach an entire SoC undergraduate course in a subsequent semester.  The actual courses available for full-practicums are subject to scheduling constraints, but are carefully matched to the CS 6961 student to ensure a positive experience for all.  The CS 6961 student and a supervisory instructor, selected as mentor and guide, are listed as the instructors of record for the course.  The CS 6961 student is compensated according to the SoC’s standards for graduate student instructors.  

Evaluation

Each CS 6961 assignment is evaluated by the instructor using the UofU criteria for letter grades:

A, A- excellent performance, superior achievement
B+, B, B- good performance, substantial achievement
C+, C, C- standard performance and achievement
D+, D, D- substandard performance, marginal achievement
E unsatisfactory performance and achievement

Numerical grades are not used.   Students who wish to appeal a grade on an assignment must do so within one week of receiving the grade.   At the end of the semester, a student’s course grade is determined by the performance on all assignments, as well as overall participation and contribution.

Course Guidelines

Communication

Students should use email, parker@cs.utah.edu, to reach the instructor and can expect a timely response 9a-5p Mon-Fri.  (Use of Canvas Inbox is discouraged.)  When the instructor needs to reach the students outside of class, she will use email — make sure she has your preferred address and you check it daily Mon-Fri.

UofU student code

All students are expected to maintain professional behavior, according to the University of Utah Student Code (Links to an external site.) .  Students should read the Code carefully and know that they are responsible for the content.  According to Faculty Rules and Regulations, it is the faculty responsibility to enforce responsible classroom behaviors, beginning with verbal warnings and progressing to dismissal from class and a failing grade.  Students have the right to appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee.

ADA statement

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability & Access, 162 Olpin Union Building, 801-581-5020. CDA will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. 

All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability & Access.

Other policies and guidelines

CS 6961 students are also bound by the following policies and guidelines:

Students should thoroughly read and understand each of these documents, asking questions as needed.