Small Group Instructional Diagnosis

Preparing for the SGID

• Janet Scloresi, Associate Professor in the Department of Education, has requested a Mid-semester SGID for her EDUC 120 course. EDUC 120 is a 3 credit-hour entry-level course required for all education majors. There are 75 students enrolled in the class and 2 Teaching Assistants.

  When she stops by to schedule the SGID, Janet gives Faculty Developer Darren Walker a little background information about the course, emphasizing that she is team teaching with her TAs, Jamicka Wilson and Eric Stanowski, whom she refers to as "co-teachers." According to Janet, they are all joint colleagues; all three prepare daily lesson plans collaboratively and equally share the teaching load.

• Administering the SGID

  On the afternoon of the SGID, students are divided into 10 groups of 7-8 students each and asked to come to a consensus on the major strengths of the course, on suggestions for improvement, and on any other additional comments they might want to offer. From these small groups and the subsequent large group discussion, Darren identified the following comments as those most common or significant:

  What aspects of this course and/or the instruction are most helping you learn?

  • Course interesting, not a "snoozer"
  • The course material seems relevant to students' future career plans.
  • Teaching styles are varied and include lots of hands-on demonstrations of concepts
  • TAs know and can explain the material for the most part

  What aspects of this course and/or the instruction would you recommend be changed to enhance your learning?

  • Reading load and assignments too demanding for an introductory class
  • Sometimes the difference in teaching styles or delivery can be confusing.
  • Not sure which material is going to be on the test. Sample comment: "It's hard to know what to study for the tests because different people emphasize different things."
  • Clarify who is in charge and who sets the standards for grading: "We don't always know what Professor Scloresi wants." "One of the TAs grades unfairly."
  • The lesson plans seem corny and gimmicky at times: "We got the point of the lecture about active learning without the puppet show. I thought this was a college class, not an elementary school."

  Other Comments:

  • 2 groups complained about Eric: "He is sarcastic and harsh." "He is a much harder grader than the other TA and I don't think that's fair." "He talks fast and we can't understand what he's saying.
• Preparing for the Consultation
  How should Darren approach the three person consultation for this SGID?

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