Biomedical Postdoctoral Programs

• Postdoc Training
• Preparing for College Teaching in STEM

Postdoc Training - Preparing for College Teaching in STEM

Preparing for College Teaching in STEM is an eleven-week practical course designed to help postdocs at the University of Pennsylvania prepare to teach their first college course, focusing on ways to support a diverse student body. Led by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Teaching and Learning, the program will encourage participants to become more thoughtful teachers by engaging with selected readings, creating teaching materials, and working with other participants to develop their teaching. The expectation is that participants will come prepared to each of these sessions having done the assigned readings and activities found on Canvas. Each week will include about 2-4 hours of preparation work.

This course aims to prepare participants to teach their first college course and to go on the job market.

Participants will:

1. Create materials that will help them in their teaching and on the market (sample assignments and activities, syllabus, teaching philosophy).
2. Discuss teaching with a group of other instructors as a way of exploring what works and developing concrete teaching practices, with a particular focus on creating an inclusive classroom environment.
3. Learn about what the education literature tells us about student learning and a range of effective teaching strategies and techniques.

Since there are limited spaces available, an application is required. Application forms are available annually in January and application decisions will be determined annually in mid-February.

Application process for the Spring 2023 Course is closed.
 

Preparing for College Teaching in STEM

Time: Wednesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 PM
Schedule: Feb 22^nd – May 3rd

Instructor: Jennifer Round, PhD (jround@upenn.edu), Center for Teaching & Learning

Description: Preparing for College Teaching in STEM is an eleven-week course designed to help postdocs at the University of Pennsylvania prepare to teach their first college classes, focusing on ways to support a diverse student body.  The program will encourage participants to become more thoughtful teachers by engaging with selected readings, creating teaching materials, and working with other participants to develop their skills. Each week will include 2-3 hours of preparation work, and participants are expected to come prepared to each session having done the assigned readings and activities.

Goal: The goal of the course is to prepare participants to teach in higher education and gain the confidence and practical skills to be able to successfully transition into academia or any industry requiring strong pedagogical skills.