Results of a Practicum Offering Teaching-Focused Graduate Student Professional Development

Abstract

Providing chemistry graduate students with opportunities to learn about evidence-based teaching and to practice teaching skills in a mentored environment is crucial to their professional development. Herein is described the model for a graduate-level teaching practicum course specifically focused on the chemistry discipline. This course addressed current issues and trends in chemistry education, familiarized students with chemistry lecture and laboratory resources, and allowed students to practice their teaching skills in a mentored environment. Course assignments and projects were structured for inclusion in each student’s teaching portfolio. A Likert-type attitudinal survey was used to assess the course. The graduate students who completed the survey (N = 8) ranked highest in terms of average perceived usefulness the more tangible and experiential course components: (i) preparation and presentation of review session; (ii) preparation of student final lecture project; and (iii) preparation of teaching philosophy statement. This course was also perceived as useful to the average graduate student’s long-term career goal of attaining a postsecondary teaching position because it enhanced their teaching portfolios and concomitantly improved marketability for the academic job market. This course can be modified and adapted to fit the teaching professional development needs of graduate students at other institutions.