Preparing+for+CRDI

**Preparing for the Course Re/Design Institute**
To make the most of our time together, you are asked to complete some tasks in advance of attending the program. The tasks provide a foundation for thinking about your course and your teaching. Please bring the materials associated with these activities to the Institute, starting on Day 1. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Institute facilitator – Dr. Jeanette McDonald – at jmcdonald@wlu.ca or 519 884-0710, ext. 3211.


 * What to bring:**
 * a laptop if you prefer working on a computer versus paper and pen alone
 * your experience and knowledge of teaching and learning to share with others
 * an open mind and willingness to learn and try new things
 * materials associated with your course/design project that will aid you in its re/development (e.g., previous course syllabi, former assignments, old exams/tests, sample student work)
 * the products of your pre-Institute preparations
 * a mug for tea/coffee and a cup for juice/water

To appreciate and learn more about the model on which the Institute is situated, review the program overview document.
 * First Task: Program Overview**


 * Second Task: Take the Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI)** __ [] __

"A perspective on teaching is an interrelated set of beliefs and intentions that gives direction and justification to our actions. It is a lens through which we view teaching and learning. We may not be aware of our perspective because it is something we look through, rather than look at, when teaching" (Pratt, 2002, p. 6).

The TPI provides a starting point to begin thinking about how you approach your teaching and hence your instructional design. The inventory consists of 45 items and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Take the inventory with a specific course in mind (e.g., course design project). Once you have submitted your responses, a report will automatically be generated. Save and print this report (colour is best) and/or have it on hand via your mobile device for the start of day one. The TPI website provides guidelines for reflecting on and interpreting your results, along with a description of the five perspectives associated with the instrument. Note specifically your scores for actions, intent, and beliefs overall and by perspective. If you have taken the TPI before, compare your results to see if your dominant perspective(s) has changed (which is not unusual) and consider what factors (e.g., subject matter, enrolment, year of study, required/elective, etc.) may have impacted your scores.

Reference: Pratt, D. (2002). Good teaching: One size fits all? New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 93, 5-16. doi: 10.1002/ace.45

Review the instructional design model. Browse the questions associated with each section, and answer those that reflect your context. Bring your completed responses with you to day one of the program. The ADDIE model is one of several you can apply to the design process. It is systematic in its design and predicated on a behaviourist/cognitivist approach (i.e., for learning to be assessed, the instructor must be able to ovserve student behaviour/action).
 * Third Task: Design Model**

[[file:PreInstitute Preparation - Backwards ADDIE.docx]]
To set the stage for the Institute, we ask that you read a short article by Parker Palmer titled - //Good Talk about Good Teaching: Improving Teaching through Conversation and Community//. The Institute aims to live many of the recommendations Palmer makes (e.g., making teaching public). We will bring forward highlights from the article on day one especially and throughout the program as appropriate. View online at []
 * Fourth Task: Short Reading**

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On Day 1 you will engage in a concept/course mapping exercise for your course project. The exercise will help you flesh out all aspect of your course. If you are new to the idea of concept mapping, you might find it helpful to review the following six-page article on what concept mapping is about and what is involved in its design. Day one will begin with a concept mapping exercise designed to get you thinking BIG PICTURE about your course. If you prefer working on your computer, you may want to download one of the following open source mapping tools.
 * Fifth Task: Concept Mapping**

CMap | [] VUE | [] Mindmeister | [|http://www.mindmeister.com]

Mapping Article The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct Them (6 pages) []