Teaching@UMD messages are brief overviews, primarily intended for new campus faculty, regarding UMD-specific policies, resources, and procedures.
You can find more information under Teaching Policies and Guidelines on this site, or contact Faculty Affairs, at (301) 405-0658.
Click the links below for more details.
Recently you received a letter from Provost Wylie informing you that, over the course of your first semester teaching at the University, you would receive a series of e-mails containing brief, practical teaching tips related to campus policies, procedures, and resources. This is the first of these, focusing on information to help you plan for the semester ahead.
Teaching and Learning Transformation Center Tip
A couple of days before the start of classes, visit the classroom where you will be teaching, sit in the student seats, operate the lights and any technology equipment you might use, and look to see if there is chalk or dry-erase markers and erasers. Then stand in the front of the room and practice saying, "I don't know, but will find out and get back to you" or "I don't know, what do you think?"
University of Maryland Electronic Grading System: UMEG is a web-based tool to help you with completing all sorts of course administrative tasks and with getting acquainted with your students. You can use UMEG to do the following:
You can view the following information on UMEG:
As an instructor, you should have already received a UMEG account from the Registrar's Office. You can log onto UMEG here. You will need your Directory ID and password to log in. Click on either the Rosters or Grades tab in the upper left-hand corner.
If you do not know your Directory ID and password, go to Learning Your Directory ID or contact the Office of Information Technology Help Desk at 301-405-1500. If you run into any other UMEG related difficulties, you can contact the UMEG Helpline at 301-314-8267 or email umeg@umeg.umd.edu.
University Expectations of Faculty: The University has developed a list of Reasonable Expectations of Faculty regarding such issues as the required office hours and class attendance. Additional information is available here.
If you have other concerns or questions, as always feel free to contact us.
Teaching and Learning Transformation Center Tip
Knowing the names of the students in your course and referring to them by name is the best way to create a comfortable classroom climate for enhanced learning. Bring the UMEG student photo printout to every class and try to learn the names of four or five students at each class.
Attendance and Absences: Your syllabus should already contain a clear description of your expectations and policies with respect to class attendance and what constitutes valid reasons for missing class, a test, or an assignment deadline. The University's policies are outlined here. Some things to keep in mind:
Students with Disabilities: Faculty are required to provide accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The Office of Disability Support Service will work with you and the student to provide documentation and appropriate accommodations. Some things to keep in mind:
Students in Distress: As a faculty member you may encounter students who are in distress academically or emotionally. Students who need academic assistance (tutoring, writing skills, study skills, etc.) should be referred to the appropriate campus service office. For a listing of such services, go to Learning Assistance Services. For students who are emotionally distressed and require professional counseling, the University's Counseling Center, which is regarded as one of the finest in the country, is available. Some things to keep in mind:
If you have other concerns or questions, as always feel free to contact us.
Teaching and Learning Transformation Center Tip
Periodically remind your students of your policy with respect to absences and attendance, especially before tests and assignment due dates. One convenient means is to place the policy on your class website. It may also be a good idea to specify that your makeup exam will take place within 48 hours of the originally scheduled exam, and that it will be oral.
Library faculty will be a valuable resource for you as you develop research assignments to meet your course goals. They have prepared a web guide for you which collects a great deal of useful information in one place. For example, the web guide includes:
Your students will benefit from the critical thinking skills necessary to find and evaluate sources of all kinds for a research paper or project, particularly if that research activity is carefully crafted. Library faculty can assist you in the following areas:
If you have other concerns or questions, as always feel free to contact us.
Teaching and Learning Transformation Center Tip
Try using the One-Minute-Paper to get student feedback. During the last five to ten minutes of a class session, ask students to respond frankly and concisely to one or two questions. Examples of two questions that might provide relevant feedback are 1) What is the most important thing you learned in today's class? and 2) What question or questions that you have from today's class remain unanswered?
Read the responses before your next class and comment on a few of them at the beginning of the class.
Early warning grades must be submitted for:
If you do not have such students, you will NOT need to submit early warning grades. The Electronic Grading system (UMEG) will prompt you via email with the names of students who should receive an early warning grade. These grades are an important component of our retention efforts as they provide timely feedback to those students who are unfamiliar with our academic expectations. Faculty may submit a letter grade or "satisfactory/unsatisfactory" (S/U) marks. Early warning grades are due ten weeks after the start of the semester. Click here for the exact date.
To submit your early warning grades, and also your final grades, log into your UMEG account and click on "grades" at the top of your menu and then click on "enter grades". After entering your grades, click on "logout" at the upper right corner of your screen or "close". All grades must be submitted electronically using UMEG. You are strongly encouraged to submit final grades within 48 hours after your scheduled final exam. We also suggest that you keep a copy of major papers, exams, and final grades for at least one year for documentation purposes.
For information on the campus system of letter grades and their value, click here.
While it may be helpful for students to be aware of their progress relative to the other students in the class, posting a list of grades identified by student name or University ID—in whole or in part—is strictly prohibited and exposes the University and the responsible faculty member to civil litigation. Instead, consider assigning each student a random number or a nickname. Then you can post a list of grades identified in this way, and students can be made aware of their progress.
The Teaching and Learning Transformation Center offers excellent resources for making and grading written assignments. Grading is an important part of the learning process. The more feedback you can provide to students, the more students can learn.
Here are a few grading tips from the website:
If you have other concerns or questions, as always feel free to contact us.
Teaching and Learning Transformation Center Tip
Grades are one of the most powerful motivators for student learning. Periodically, ask students to grade their own work and submit a justification for the grade to you. For objective assessments, give students a few extra points for correcting their answers and explaining their rationale for choosing their wrong answers. Students will benefit from the metacognitive activity, and through their responses, you'll get the same opportunity to evaluate their grasp of course concepts.
The following information addresses academic honesty, including the University's policy and procedures and your vital role in maintaining academic integrity.
If you have other concerns or questions, as always feel free to contact us.
Teaching and Learning Transformation Center Tip
Take the issue of student cheating out of the closet. Set aside some class time for a candid discussion of this topic and explain what plagiarism and academic dishonesty is. If students know that you and their peers care deeply about honesty it will reduce incidences of academic dishonesty.
Here are a few key points to consider about textbook ordering:
Textbook adoption information is due to the University Book Center by December 1 for Winter Term and Spring classes, and by May 1 for Fall classes. Follow your department's standard procedures for submitting this information. It's also necessary to complete the Acknowledgment of Compliance form which indicates your consideration of the information above.
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Teaching and Learning Transformation Center Tip
Next semester, at the beginning of your classes, take a few minutes to talk about the books you've assigned for the class, and explain why you chose them. Your students will appreciate the information, and they may develop a more positive attitude about their reading as a result!
A few reminders for final exams:
Incomplete grades are exceptional marks given to students who are doing satisfactory work, but for circumstances beyond their control, are unable to complete a small portion of the coursework. The instructor may offer the student an incomplete contract stipulating work to be done by a certain date, usually the end of the next semester. Every student, graduate or undergraduate, must receive an incomplete contract.
Textbook orders are due by December 1st for winter and spring semesters; by May 1st for fall semester. Please remember that timely orders not only assure the arrival of the textbooks for the beginning of the semester, but also help significantly reduce the cost of the books for students. Please be sure to let the bookstore know the class size, as much information as possible about the textbook (e.g., ISBN#, author, title, publisher), and how many students you expect to enroll in the course. This will help expedite the process. Order textbooks through the University Book Center (UBC).
Many thanks for the important role that you play in our students' educational experience on campus! Always feel free to contact us.
Teaching and Learning Transformation Center Tip
Time, Time, Time & Location, Location, Location: Remind students several times about the time and location of the final exam. Students are stressed and sometimes get confused about these two important details.
DE-stressing the exam: Consider allowing students to bring a single hand-written 4x6 index card to the test. This can lead students to organize the materials in a concise form and requires them to prioritize what is important. It may also remove some of the temptation to cheat with hidden notes. Have students sign the cards and turn them in with their exams.