Undergraduate Scholars

Undergraduates looking to expand their interest in science teaching and communication are invited to apply to become an SLP Undergraduate Scholar. For one term, scholars work with a faculty mentor in a class that fits their scientific interests. Scholars get hands-on experience designing and leading class activities, mentoring fellow undergraduate students, and building teaching skills by collaborating with faculty and graduate students.

This program is a great resume booster, allowing students to build leadership, teaching, and communication skills around science teaching and communication.

Apply to be an SLP Scholar for Spring 2019.

Requirements

  • Be a junior or senior undergraduate student in good standing
  • Participate in the SLP Scholars Practicum as a volunteer or by enrolling in CAS 409 (See more information below)
  • Attend beginning-of-term orientation session with your faculty mentor, affiliated Graduate Fellows, and the SLP Graduate Education Mentor
  • Commit to attending each meeting of your assigned course

Sample SLP Scholar Activities

  • Facilitate class and discussion activities
  • Design and provide input on activities to do in class or discussion
  • Research content and create worksheets for class and discussion activities
  • Create and lead in-class demonstrations and follow-up discussion
  • Develop course videos
  • Guide and answer student questions (small group or individually) during class
  • Lead part of a class session/lecture
  • Facilitate class discussion
  • Develop case studies
  • Write homework questions
  • Write reading questions
  • Write in-class clicker questions based on reading or class content
  • Contribute to a study guide
  • Write exam questions
  • Maintain materials on Canvas site (discussion board, blogs, extra materials)
  • Attend and participate in class
  • Attend and participate in teaching team meetings
  • Attend the weekly Science Literacy Teaching Journal Club and consider ways to apply teaching techniques to the class
  • With a faculty mentor, create personal goals to be achieved during the term
  • Build the science literacy of undergraduate students by making science relevant to all students

SLP Scholars CAS 409 Practicum Description

In this practicum, undergraduate science students will explore the concepts and theories behind Scientific Teaching. Students will develop inclusive classroom activities and assessments to support student learning in a science course. Upon completion of this practicum, students may have the opportunity to co-teach a Science Literacy Program course under the direct supervision of a faculty mentor to continue developing and applying teaching skills.

Practicum Goals
Undergraduate SLP scholars will:

  1. Have the opportunity to explore science courses behind-the-scenes as a teacher.
  2. Receive mentored teaching support from a faculty co-instructor.
  3. Learn about scientific teaching and active learning and how to apply it to science courses.

Practicum Outcomes
At the completion of this practicum, Undergraduate SLP Scholars will be able to

  1. Explain the theory and evidence behind scientific teaching and active learning as techniques that support student learning.
  2. Design assessments and activities to implement active learning techniques in a SLP affiliated science course in partnership with a teaching team.
  3. Read and practice applying pedagogical theory from current science education literature to classroom experiences.
  4. Coordinate classroom support activities with faculty mentor and teaching team.
  5. Write and discuss reflections of the experience.