Ways of Combining Teaching and Research

Ways of Combining Teaching and Research

Helen H. ShenHelen-shen@uiowa.eduDepartment of Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures 1

About me …

Research• Chinese L2 literacy development and

Reading acquisition• Chinese L2 Instructional theories and

methodologies

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About me …

Teaching • Teach both graduate and undergraduate courses• Serve as the Coordinator for the Chinese Language Program • Serve as an academic advisor

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迎春故早发，独自不疑寒。It blooms in early spring and stands there solitary embracing cold weather　　

　　千磨万击还坚劲， 任尔东西南北风。It is still strong and upward after thousand strikes of the wind from all directions.

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Teaching and research go hand in hand and complement each other to construct a “double harvest” of our academic life. 双丰收

double harvest

Why do we combine teaching and research?

• Improve cost effectiveness  for time spent     and the quality of both teaching and research                     This will help• Increase visibility of the university • Realize self-fulfillment

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一箭双雕 One arrow kills two vultures

1. Offer graduate courses which allow research-teaching linkages of mutual benefit

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How do I combine teaching and research ?

How do I combine teaching and research ?

Teaching Chinese as a Second Language: Seminar in Research Design

• Allows me to use my own research expertise in teaching

• Benefits my own research  

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How do I combine teaching and research ?

2. Get graduate students involved in my research

An excellent way of mentoring graduate students and speeding up my own research process

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3. Use research results to enrich my teachingTeaching Chinese as a Second Language: Classroom Instruction and Practicum

• Allows me to use my own research results and curriculum development experience

• Helps graduate teaching assistants understand teaching pedagogy for Chinese L2 instruction from theory to practice

• Helps myself design pedagogically sound teaching plans and activities for undergraduate courses

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Reference books for improving teaching

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New LearningEdited by Robert-Jan Simons, Jos van der Linden and Tom Duffy (Springer 2000, 2010) ISBN9048154529,9789048154524

Promoting Active Learning: Strategies for the College Classroom by Chet Meyers and Thomas B. Jones(Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1993) ISBN1555425240, 9781555425241

4. Find research topics from my teaching

 My undergraduate teaching 

• Supplies me with research questions• Inspires me to write  textbooks for undergraduate courses

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How do I combine teaching and research ?

 college textbooks 

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5. Balance my time between teaching and research

• Planning my time carefully• Using my time wisely• Maintaining a strong sense of time

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Let’s work hard and work wisely to mesh the double harvest in teaching and research!

Thank you! 谢谢！

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