Welcome Leading Labs in Science and Applied Science Brian Frank Electrical and Computer Engineering

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Welcome!Leading Labs in Science and Applied
ScienceBrian FrankElectrical and Computer
Engineering
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This is Nano-quantum-neuroanalysisLab 1

• Some of the equipment is broken. If you think
  yours is broken then you can come down to my
  office down the hall and I'll see if I can fix
  it.
• I haven't done this lab before, so if you get
  stuck we may have to do it next week after I talk
  to Dr. Smith
• I think there are some errors in the lab
  instructions, so look for them
• We have lots to do, so just follow the
  instructions. Don't stop to think!
• I don't answer dumb questions. Every year I TA I
  get dumb questions, and it makes me very unhappy.
• I'll be working on my thesis in my office, so
  only bother me if you have a real problem.

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Nano-quantum-neuroanalysisSounds fun?

• This fictitious lab may sound far-fetched, but to
  some degree all of these ideas crop up in
  laboratory sessions
• We will take a look at ways to keep labs running
  smoothly, help students learn, and stay motivated

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What are we going to do?

• Motivation for TA'ing
• Big picture our mission
• What makes a great TA?
• Resources for further development

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We help students learn...
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Motivation

• We are training future scientists and engineers
• TA'ing is great experience
• Some of you will continue to teach as
  faculty-TA'ing is excellent preparation!
• Going into industry? TA'ing develops
  communication skills, ability to answer questions
  on your feet
• Best way to learn a topic is to teach it to
  someone else

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As educators, we want to
3. Create opportunity to extend their knowledge
to create new knowledge, new applications
2. Help students make connections between ideas
1. Teach ideas (knowledge)?
See Sue Fostaty-Young, Assessment and
Learning The ICE Approach
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Multiple purposes of laboratories

• Develop experimental and design skills
• Develop data recording and analysis skills
• Familiarization with equipment, techniques, and
  materials
• Communication, teamwork
• Integrating theory and practice
• Motivation for further learning

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What makes a great lab TA?

• Think back to the best lab TA you ever had as an
  undergraduate, or as a colleague
• What characteristics made them great?
• My favourite Aapoolcoyuz Biman (1968 2004)?
• Outstanding electronics TA, Electrical
  Engineering
• Friendly, helpful
• Very well prepared
• Extremely knowledgeable

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Independent task

• Form small groups of 3 or 4, elect one scribe
• Introduce yourselves (name, dept., background)?
• Each should relate what made their all-time best
  TA so great
• Scribe records
• Pick a few characteristics to share afterwards

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What do great lab TAs do?

• A Study in Dept. of Physics, University of
  Toronto found
• Interact frequently with students
• Initiate interactions
• Warm, enthusiastic, concerned
• Communicate calmly and clearly
• Never show aggression or frustration
• Not overly critical
• Study by Drs. Tony Key, Zahra Hazari, and John
  Pitre

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Running a laboratory session

• Prepare!
• Ensure you know how to use the equipment,
  understand the handouts and experiment
• Ensure equipment is safe and operational
• Discuss details of the labs with course
  instructor beforehand
• Do the lab yourself if possible, bring your
  results with you to the lab session
• Ensure problems are discussed with course
  instructor

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Interaction with course instructor

• Meet early, discuss your responsibility
• Ask about time to do the experiments yourself
• Be sure you are clear about your role in-lab
  assistance, marking, attending tutorials, etc.
• If they don't attend lab sessions, periodic
  meetings can be helpful

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Starting a laboratory session

• Brief discussion at the beginning of the lab to
  all students is often helpful
• Pre-laboratory quiz or pre-lab assignment are
  sometimes used to ensure that students understand
  relevant theory
• You may demonstrate some of the difficult
  portions of the lab to save answering the same
  question multiple times!
• Outline expectations of reports and group work

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Interacting in the lab

• Mix with students
• Respond to requests (minimum)?
• Watch for struggling students (better)?
• Systematically visit everyone and ask questions
  (best)?
• Ask simple ice-breaker questions
• What have you gotten to? Looks good. What's next?
  Do you understand what this result means?
• Ask questions that assess their understanding of
  the material
• What does this tell us about....? What
  applications does this have elsewhere?

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Student motivation

• Student motivation may be one of your biggest
  challenges
• Brainstorm how can we motivate students?

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Case study 1

• Bill is TA'ing a fourth year laboratory for the
  first time. The course is not in his area of
  specialty, and he feels somewhat overwhelmed from
  the beginning. During the first lab session the
  students become confused and ask questions which
  he is not able to answer. He becomes frustrated
  and abrupt with the students, and the students
  feel that Bill doesn't care.
• How would you deal with the problem, and how
  could it be prevented?

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Answering questions

• How you will feel sometimes

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Answering questions

• Goal to improve student understanding
• Try to avoid the It's pi/2 leave me alone!
  scenario!
• Ask them a question that will help lead them to
  the solution
• Help them break down the problem
• Have the group try to answer it together
• What if you don't know?
• Encourage them to look it up
• Look it up in the text together
• Offer to find out for them next lab

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Exploration

• We hope that students will take an interest in
  the experiments
• Curiosity results in exploration trying
  something outside the prepared procedure
• Sometimes the best way to answer a question is
  to allow them to try to answer it themselves
• Be careful to ensure (a) safety, and (b) students
  have time to complete prepared procedure

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Safety in the lab

• Proper training read the safety manuals and
  instructions!
• Check the equipment regularly, and report
  malfunctioning equipment
• Be familiar with emergency protocol
• Enforce safety rules
• Safety courses (WHMIS, First Aid)?
• Know who your safety officer is, and who to
  contact in case of emergency

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Post-lab session

• Often helpful to summarize important aspects as a
  group. What did we learn?
• A short quiz (written or oral) may help determine
  if students understand
• Are there any problems that multiple groups
  experienced? Should any procedure be modified or
  additional instruction provided next time?
  Discuss with instructor
• Pick up notebooks or labs if they are to be
  handed in

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Non-traditional laboratory sessions

• Studio-style course Lectures and labs in
  integrated session

Student workstations
Instructor console
Instructor-controlled monitors
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Non-traditional laboratory sessions

• Project based courses
• Course structured around student project
• Laboratory sessions used for student-directed
  work
• Generally greater student interest and motivation
• Creativity, design receive greater emphasis
• Less material covered

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Resources

• So what if you have questions or want advice?
• Course instructor
• TA Handbook (available from CTL) - p. 10-21
  discuss labs and tutorials
• Laboratory Instruction Links
• CTL Library
• Dr. Andrew Leger (TA coordinator at CTL)?
• Slides are posted athttp//bmf.ece.queensu.ca
• My email brian.frank_at_queensu.ca