Plan to Teach in the Computer Classroom

Take advantage of CAI teaching opportunities to compound your advantages over other applicants for teaching jobs. In an age where the Internet has outpaced the library in meeting students' research needs, English Departments will be hiring tech-savvy instructors. CAI classroom resources include not only word processors and projection screens, but also fast Internet connections (100baseT planned for 2003!), presentation programs such as PowerPoint, sharing and collaboration programs (such as Apple Network Assistant), digital pickup and drop-off folders, and anytime access to computer classroom files from Voorhies machines. The Registrar and Cindy Dufern often schedule CAI classrooms a year a more ahead, so let us know now of your plans to teach CAI before you graduate.

Take Advantage of CAI Resources in Traditional Classrooms

Every instructor should establish class mailing lists and link to relevant web sites (such as those on citing sources and avoiding plagiarism) from his or her MyUCDavis course pages. Also consider incorporating video, audio, and PowerPoint powered by a laptop, either your own or one provided by the Graduate Student Technology Award. In addition to the Coordinator for Computer-Aided Instruction and the Technology Mentor, instructors can visit The Arbor, The Teaching Resources Center (including their own TA Consultant Program), and the Faculty Technology Guide.

Take Advantage of Web-Based Composition and Literature Resources

Note the TRC Online Writing Project, your favorite online writing labs, sites that support individual textbooks, as well as other online composition and literature resources. The full text of most poems and famous short stories, for instance, can be found online.

Review MyUCDavis

The MyUCDavis portal allows instructors to create simple web pages with links to favorite sites and downloadable documents, create chatrooms (great for collaboration or online office hours) build interactive quizzes, record and compute grades, enter important assignments onto a student-accessed calendar, etc.

To Be Continued . . .

Contact me with your inevitable questions. Often it's best to make an appointment with me so we can review your CAI options together. Also, plan to attend my occasional workshops this fall, and my ten-week series of Friday workshops this winter. They give you a chance to network with other instructors (including some from other departments) and to extend the teacher training offered by the English Department.