Services for Faculty and Departments
The LTC coordinator is available to discuss teaching problems, strategies, and professional development opportunities. The coordinator will visit classes, arrange for videotaping, review course evaluations (see our sample course evaluations on the web!), and discuss the ups and downs of teaching over a cup of coffee. Departments can arrange for a facilitated discussion of topics of general interest to their members.
Mentoring Program
New faculty members are paired with an experienced colleague from outside of their own departments. The purpose of the mentoring program is twofold:
- to help new faculty make their transition to the wider life of the Carleton community;
- to provide seasoned ears and voices for new faculty as they address the challenges and experience the rewards of teaching at the College.
Mentors are also available to visit classes, or arrange for new faculty to visit classes of other colleagues on campuses, coordinated by the LTC.
Student Observer Program
The purpose of the Student Observer program is to provide faculty with trained students who will sit in on their classes and discuss observations, insights, and questions about the teaching and learning in a course. The program has worked successfully for faculty members from a wide variety of disciplines and in various stages of their careers. The point of the program is to give faculty the benefit of a trained student's perspective on a course as the course is developing.
Interested faculty should contact the LTC. Professors are paired with student observers, who are paid to attend classes and meet regularly to discuss their confidential observations. Faculty are expected to provide goals for the observers by directing attention to particular issues or concerns in their teaching or the course. Observers' comments have been quite helpful to faculty. Having an additional set of eyes and ears in the classroom helps to inform faculty decisions, build confidence in their teaching strategies, and further their reflections about the often complicated dynamics of the educational process.
