Description of Project
In the spring of 2001, Instruction and Research Services in collaboration with the Center for Academic Excellence, asked several of PSU's most distinguished faculty to volunteered their classes to be taped and streamed in an effort to share their teaching styles and methods with their colleagues. Accepting this challenge took a great deal of courage from each participant. Have a camera person in a classroom inevitably causes anxiety and disruption. These faculty have tolerated these interruptions to provide you with a unique opportunity to view their classes. The clips should be of interest to instructors from all fields interested in improving their teaching and expanding their techniques. In addition, these clips can provide incoming students with a feel for the type of classes they can expect at Portland State. The samples below are the result of this effort. 

To provide additional context Instruction and Research Services has scheduled a panel discussion with these faculty participants for September 2001. This session will be streamed and posted on this site upon completion.

Please refer any questions or comments to David Moore at moored@pdx.edu.
 
 

Scott Burns - Geology Professor, Ph.D., University of Colorado,  Specialty: environmental geology, engineering geology, geomorphology, quaternary geology, soils, radon studies. burnss@pdx.edu	Geology and the National Parks In this course, Scott Burns has created opportunities for his students to understand scientific phenomona by virtually touring some of our most spectacular national assetts. However, this course is no summer vacation. Successful students must recognize, apply, and sythesize geological concepts to meet Scott's high standards.  This class is taught in a large lecture hall, one of the more dificult environments to communicate in. Scott's high energy, mastery of presentation technology, and careful preparation are all keys to his teaching success. High-bandwidth Version  Low-Bandwidth Version
William Fischer - Foriegn Languages Professor, Ph.D., Yale University,  Specialty:  language teaching and learning, textbook production; computer-assisted instruction, science and technology in literature, curriculum reform and development  william@nh1.nh.pdx.edu	Practicum - German Bill Fischer has always been committed to studying and implementing succesful instructional techniques. It is not unusual for Bill to implement advanced uses of technology such as multimedia, webtools, and dynamic displays. Although, he uses technology extensively he maintains a high-touch, interactive classroom. This clip models how he engages his students in the particulars of language. Don't feel bad if you don't understand the conversation; its entirely in German! High-bandwidth Version Low-Bandwidth Version
Samuel Henry - Education Professor, Ed.D., Columbia University Teachers College Specialty: schools as community; cultural pluralism; at-risk youth; teacher training and supervision. Culture contact in education; urban education; higher education; leadership; curriculum and quality control communities; families and educational institutions. henrys@pdx.edu	Curriculum and Instruction Seminar Samuel Henry's seminar has a most difficult challenge; to prepare future teachers to practice their craft in an environment of uncertainty, uniqueness, and value conflict. Not only do teachers need to have a high-level of domain specific knowledge (mathematics, science, history) but they need to apply that knowledge in a stressful and ever changing environment. This intangilbe, contextual, knowledge is often best shared through powerful personal stories that illustrate experience. This segment highlights a brief moment of exposistion from a discussion oriented small group conference. High-bandwidth Version Low-Bandwidth Version
Gisele Tierney - Speech Communication Senior Instructor, MS., Portland State Univeristy Specialty: impact in all levels of relationships of the combination of problems:  fear of speaking up and biased or filtered listening;  the perpetuation of negative stereotypes and social mythologies; consistent reports of misunderstanding and unmet needs;  the habitual use of silence, awkwardness and anger within loving, caring and intimate relationships; incomplete explanations for disrespectful or violent behavior, etc. tierneyg@pdx.edu	Communication and Gender Gisele Tierney's courses are vibrant and thought provoking. Students looking for easy answers to easy questions should look elsewhere. Gisele is skilled in  making the familar problematic, in encouraging her students to think hard about their world and the role communication plays in it. In this brief clip she illustrates many common assumptions and how they help and hinder the communication process. Instructors looking for a model for framing and encouraging discussions would be wise to spend a few minutes observing her class. High-bandwidth Version Low-Bandwidth Version