In-class instruction/workshops for first year PhD students

In-class instruction/workshops for first year PhD students

We worked collaboratively to create a plan for what to cover during the workshops. For the first workshop, we decided to cover the topics of verbal and nonverbal immediacy and how to organize a general presentation. We also incorporated three activities throughout the 110 minute workshop and decided to arrange the desks in a horseshoe layout to encourage discussion and to help display the immediacy we were discussing in the workshop. We split the speaking/facilitation time, gave participants a handout to fill in during the workshop, and solicited feedback afterwards to help guide the next workshop.

We decided on one major change for the second workshop. For the February 16th workshop, we decided to have the students sit together in small groups; first with people not in their teaching team, then with their teaching team. The objectives for this workshop were to organize a lesson plan and identify effective public speaking delivery competencies. Cuny and Williams took the lead on this workshop and facilitated the first objective and activity where students started to plan for their team teaching lesson. Williams first asked groups to determine which of their topics were “need to know” (to understand their topic) and which topics were “nice to know” for their audience. Groups shared their ideas with one another as they narrowed topics/main ideas. Next Williams handed each team an outline for students to fill. It mirrored the organization of a lesson plan. We walked around the room and helped the teams brainstorm and complete the outline. Harrison spent about 20 minutes towards the end of the class to discuss delivery behaviors. Some students asked questions about public speaking delivery and how to adapt their behavior based on their cultural background. Williams ended the workshop with the proposed plan for how the coaching and consultations sessions would work and when she would meet with each team. At the end of the workshop, feedback was elicited from students.

This is part of The University Speaking Center at UNC Greensboro’s archival account of communicating science pedagogy developed and/or facilitated by Kim Cuny, Erin Harrison, Taylor, Williams, Jenny Southard, and Miranda Tonkins. Most of these interventions were funded by a UNC Greensboro INNOVATE grant.