TEACHING PORTFOLIO Angela Lumpkin

72 Pages·2012·0.32 MB·English

TEACHING
PORTFOLIO

Angela Lumpkin
Table of Contents
Reflective Statement on Teaching ...................................................................................................1
Teaching Responsibilities ................................................................................................................3
Teaching Methods and Strategies ....................................................................................................5
Enhancing Teaching Effectiveness ..................................................................................................9
Products of Good Teaching ...........................................................................................................14
Appendixes
Appendix A—Courses Taught ..............................................................................................16
Appendix B—Introduction to Sport Management Syllabus .................................................18
Appendix C—History and Foundations of Physical Education, Exercise Science, and
Sport Studies Syllabus ..............................................................................................30
Appendix D—Ethics in Sport Industry Syllabus ..................................................................38
Appendix E—Unsolicited Comments from Students about my Teaching ...........................43
Appendix F—Students’ Evaluations of my Teaching ..........................................................56
Appendix G—Teaching Publications ...................................................................................60
Appendix H—Recent Teaching Presentations......................................................................65
Appendix I—Grants Associated with Teaching ..................................................................69
Reflective Statement on Teaching
Student learning is my primary focus. My goal in this student-centered approach is to
facilitate a creative and engaging journey with students to attain a deeper understanding and
application of course content. Four questions guide my preparation for and leadership in this
quest. First, what do my students know? Second, what do my students want to know? Third,
what can I do to help my students attain their goals? Fourth, how can I facilitate the learning
process?
What do my students know? Given the heterogeneity of college students, it is challenging,
but important, to determine what knowledge, skills, and attitudes students bring to my classes.
By learning every student’s name, including in large classes, and engaging everyone in class
discussions, I seek to establish a comfortable climate for the intellectual exchange of diverse
ideas and perspectives. I am dedicated to helping students connect course content to their
existing knowledge and personal experiences as they construct and apply new knowledge.
Throughout each of my classes, I ask introductory, content specific, application-based, and
review questions to challenge students to think critically and use what they are learning in
addressing real world issues.
What do my students want to know? Since I teach required courses, it is important to
understand what motivates my students. If students perceive that information presented and
discussed is relevant in their careers and lives, they are more eager to learn. If more actively
engaged, they will learn more and enjoy the learning process. Maybe most significantly, students
want a caring and competent teacher who knows them by name, respects and trusts them, and
helps them along their educational journeys. Demonstrating that I care and am competent in
helping students achieve their individual goals is a welcome challenge and integral to my
commitment to teaching and learning.
What can I do to help my students attain their goals? To help students gain knowledge
and learn applications, I encourage them to ask questions to stimulate their interest and
engagement. Each class is organized to ensure clear, sequential presentations, using a variety of
instructional strategies and approaches. I encourage dialogue in whole-class and small-group
formats to facilitate critical thinking by involving every student. I challenge students to think
critically, reflect on what they are learning and how it is relevant to them, and collaborate with
each other in the learning process.
How can I facilitate the learning process? In every class I demonstrate my personal
enthusiasm for the content, thereby helping students realize the importance of, excitement for,
and lifelong process of learning. By engaging students through questions, one-on-one and group
interactions, instructional technology resources, and practical application scenarios, my goal is to
guide students in appreciating the diversity of knowledge, experiences, and perspectives of their
classmates. Since repetition helps facilitate learning, I use a variety of assessments, such as
quizzes, review questions, and group projects, to ensure students are monitoring their learning
and demonstrating progress in achieving learning outcomes. Feedback from students enables me
to reflect upon and continually improve my instructional approaches as well as help ensure the
relevancy, meaningfulness, and application of their learning.
My teaching is enriched by a personal commitment to lifelong learning. I am dedicated to
and excited by the opportunity to expand my knowledge and expertise through the numerous
books, research articles, and other professional works that I read and utilize to ensure course
content is current, engaging, and relevant.
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Teaching to me is an ethical profession, so I seek always to model integrity and civility in
class sessions, one-on-one interactions, and informal conversations that are characterized by
respect for and fairness toward everyone. I have an awesome responsibility and opportunity to
impact lives and play a small role in shaping their futures. I try to organize and manage the best
possible learning environments and foster student-centered class cultures. I believe students
respond positively to high standards and learn optimally through intellectually challenging
experiences, so these characterize my classes. I want students to see the importance of reflection
and have a willingness to consider perspectives that challenge prior thinking. I care deeply about
helping my students learn and achieve their goals.
Teaching Responsibilities
For 14 years (1974-1988) I was a faculty member at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). My teaching assignments included undergraduate and graduate courses
in the History of Physical Education, Teaching Methods in Basketball, Teaching Methods in
Softball, Teaching Methods in Badminton, Teaching Methods in Archery, and Personal Health.
In addition, I developed and taught undergraduate courses in Coaching Sports, History of
American Sports (honors class), and American Women in Sport and graduate courses in Social
Issues in Sport and Organizational and Personnel Management. While the content was revised
each time a course was taught, extensive planning and research were required to develop five
new courses. (Appendix A lists all courses I have taught.)
During the seven years (1988-1995) I served as Head of the Department of Physical
Education at North Carolina State University (NC State), I taught one or two classes per semester
(except for the first semester and the 1991-1992 academic year while I was an American Council
on Education Fellow). These courses included Sport Management and several physical activity
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courses. In addition, the Department of History asked me to teach its History of American Sports
course. Each course was newly developed, or, if taught multiple times, revised and enhanced
each time. During my year (1995-1996) in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Management, I taught a graduate course in the Theories of Sport and Fitness Management and
undergraduate courses in Sport Management and History of American Sport.
At State University of West Georgia, while serving as Dean of the College of Education,
I taught History and Philosophy of Physical Education, Introduction to Physical Education, an
honors course in History of American Sport, and Ethics in Educational Leadership. During the
spring semester of 2001, while a full-time faculty member, I taught Curriculum and Instruction:
Middle/Secondary School Physical Education, Internship Seminar, and Supervision of Student
Interns. The last five three courses listed were newly designed.
While serving as Dean of the College of Education at the University of Kansas, I was
asked to teach Introduction to Leadership Studies for the Department of Communication Studies.
Each fall semester except the first, I taught History and Foundations of Physical Education using
my book, which is one of the leading texts in this area. The greatest challenge of this latter class
has been the large enrollment of nearly 100 students each semester.
During the 2005-2006 academic year, I enjoyed the opportunity to serve as the
Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Department of Physical Education at the United States
Military Academy (USMA) at West Point. In the fall semester, I taught Fitness Leader I (two
sections, each for half of a semester). Cadets were challenged through personalized projects,
such as diet analysis and behavior change plans, as they learned knowledge and skills for
enhancing their personal fitness. In the spring semester, I initiated a new course in Sport Ethics.
(The Army officer who team-taught this course with me offered this course to cadets after my
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year at West Point.) In addition, I volunteered to join other faculty in teaching cadets in the
Professional Military Ethic Education program. This program focused on instilling in cadets the
Army values with a special emphasis on character, honor, and respect. I also had the privilege to
serve as Chair of Curriculum Review Committee, which examined the department’s curriculum,
made extensive recommendations for enhancement in the required physical program for all
cadets, and recommended the establishment of the first major in the department.
As a faculty member in the Department of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences at the
University of Kansas, I teach in the sport management area. During 2006-2007, in addition to
teaching History and Foundations of Physical Education to prospective majors in the
department’s undergraduate programs, I designed and taught Administration of Health, Physical
Education, and Sport Studies. For the fall semester of 2007, I designed and taught new
undergraduate courses in Introduction to Sport Management and Sport Finance and Economics.
In the spring and fall semesters of 2008, I designed and taught Sport Marketing and Ethics in the
Sport Industry respectively for graduate students. Sample course syllabi are included in the
appendices for Introduction to Sport Management (Appendix B), History and Foundations of
Physical Education (Appendix C), and Ethics in the Sport Industry (Appendix D).
Teaching Methods and Strategies
Planning
In designing each course, I outline the course to ensure comprehensive and sequential
coverage of the content based on the latest and best knowledge available in the literature. Course
syllabi describe student learning outcomes that will be achieved when the content is presented
effectively and students participate actively in the learning process. These learning outcomes
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measure knowledge and skills learned, assist in the learning process, or are used to assess
students’ abilities to apply the content mastered.
I revise each class every time it is taught by updating information and incorporating
relevant research relative to content and instructional methodology. This ensures students are
provided with up-to-date data, strategies, and information. Planning each course helps me
balance time allocations and progression of skills and knowledge. Helping each student achieve
the learning outcomes is achieved using various technologies, activities, and instructional
approaches.
I often begin classes with review questions to reinforce key concepts and to provide
continuity with content presented. Sometimes I used a written (but ungraded) series of questions
using a Check for Understanding to assess learning and review and emphasize key points as the
answers are discussed. I deliver information using various technologies, such as through
PowerPoint slides, Web resources, and videos, as well as through lectures, questioning
approaches, and small group discussions. Because I know every student by name, an informal
and personal class atmosphere develops. My encouragement of student participation facilitates a
willingness to ask and answer questions and share their perspectives. A typical lecture class
includes most of the following:
• Opportunities for students to ask questions about any material previously presented or from
the day’s assigned readings.
• Review questions that may include teacher review or student review of the major points of
the material from the previous class; sometimes a written Check for Understanding is used to
accomplish this goal; the correct answers to these questions are discussed.
• Brief objectives regarding what will be discussed during that class.
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• Presentation of new information using PowerPoint slides, videos, or other media with
extensive use of examples to clarify content.
• Frequent questions to and from students.
• Group activities in which partners or small groups are given challenges related to the new
information presented to discuss.
• Sharing of information from groups with the entire class.
• Three “take home” points to retain from that day’s class often are elicited from students.
Enthusiastic and Knowledgeable
Regardless of the course taught, I believe my enthusiasm for the content contributes
significantly to students’ involvement in learning. I enjoy teaching and have been told by
hundreds of students that my excitement about the subject has been infectious, thus enhancing
their learning. For example, my overall rating from over 300 students in 7 different courses at
NC State for enthusiasm was 4.78 out of a possible 5.00. Student evaluations have consistently
rated me high on knowledge of the subject matter, which I think indicates to them that I value the
course content. At West Georgia, all of my students rated me high on presentation skills,
organization skills, and dynamism/enthusiasm. Appendix E provides several unsolicited
comments about my teaching effectiveness. Appendix F includes composites of student
evaluations at UNC-CH, NC State, West Georgia, USMA, and Kansas.
Feedback
Another important strategy utilized is always to return students’ exams and written
assignments the next class after they were submitted. Students often remark about how much
they appreciate this immediate feedback and especially the constructive comments written on
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each assignment. Class time is spent reviewing exams to ensure that students understand the
answers to questions they answered incorrectly.
Advising
Helping students outside the formal classroom setting has always given me great
satisfaction. I enjoy assisting students one-on-one to help them learn more about difficult content
material or career planning. As a professor, I believe that it is part of my responsibility to serve
students. Numerous students have commented verbally and through written comments on interim
and final course evaluations about how much they appreciated my willingness to provide advice
and one-on-one instruction. Another illustration of my relationship with students is the number
of students who ask me to write recommendations for them. Students often comment that they
feel like I know them better than other professors because I know they names and have
developed positive relationships with them.
While at UNC-CH I served as the academic adviser for hundreds of undergraduate
students. In my first years there, I annually helped 20-25 physical education majors plan their
academic programs and advised them about career options. During the academic years of 1983-
1988, I advised most of the 50-75 physical education majors in the non-teaching track. My last
year at UNC-CH, I served as an adviser in the College of Arts and Sciences. In this capacity, I
advised over 50 physical education majors and over 100 political science majors to ensure that
all graduation requirements were completed. At KU, I advise and mentor graduate and
undergraduate students in sport management.
Another rewarding advising role has been serving as chair or a member of master’s thesis
committees. At UNC-CH I advised over two dozen students in this process and helped facilitate
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