As a national research institution, Pitt boasts annual sponsored research support on the order of $425 million. Of Pitt's six schools of the Health Sciences — Dental Medicine, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health — four (medicine, nursing, public health and pharmacy) are in the current or recent top 10 of […]
Two offices provide a "how to" for Health Sciences researchers >
November 21st, 2002HOW TO TEACH: Innovative faculty members share their experiences and offer tips >
November 21st, 2002Award-winning Pitt faculty got to show off their teaching innovation wares at last week's second annual "Teaching Excellence Fair," a half-day smorgasbord of instruction-related presentations. Co-sponsored by the Provost's office, the Provost's Advisory Council on Instructional Excellence (ACIE) and the Center for Instructional Development and Distance Education (CIDDE), the fair primarily is a forum for […]
HOW TO TEACH: His motto for students: Be prepared >
November 21st, 2002Occasionally, one of John Poulakos's students will make the mistake of answering "I don't know" — or not replying at all — when Poulakos asks him or her about an assigned discussion topic. When this happens, Poulakos just stands there, staring at the student. Poulakos waits. And waits. And waits some more, for 10 minutes […]
HOW TO TEACH: Using technology to keep in touch >
November 21st, 2002Can technology improve the integration of classroom and field experience? Two Pitt social work professors conducted a pilot study last year to determine if web-based resources could help bridge the distance graduate students feel from the University setting when they're out in the field for their practicum experience. Patricia Kolar and Kathryn Collins, faculty members […]
HOW TO TEACH: Using writing to promote learning >
November 21st, 2002One of the oldest adages in education is: Write what you know. But a Pitt associate professor advocates a twist: Also write to learn what you know before you even know it. "What students are asked to do across the curriculum is what I would call 'performative writing': writing to demonstrate what knowledge you've acquired […]
HOW TO TEACH: Playing games in the classroom >
November 21st, 2002Alex Trebek, move over. Now Pitt chemistry profs are hosting "Jeopardy!" the popular TV game show, right in the classroom. Chemistry senior lecturer Leonard Kogut and teaching assistant Michelle Price demonstrated the science-oriented Jeopardy game at the Nov. 15 Teaching Excellence Fair. Kogut joked that he was guest-hosting the demonstration for chemistry colleague Joe Grabowski, […]
HOW TO TEACH: Merging theory with practice >
November 21st, 2002Pitt-Johnstown communication professor Diane Nicodemus used to be frustrated by students' comments such as, "My volunteer job is better than any course I ever took." Then she decided to do something about it. "This indicated to me that there was a disconnect between the classroom and experiential learning. I felt that theory and thought could […]