Faculty to Hone Art of Instruction at Summer Orientation and Workshops

New and veteran faculty will sharpen their teaching skills at workshops and an orientation at the end of July that are among new services developed by the school's Center for Teaching Excellence during its first year.   

The three-day orientation and workshops, called the Haas Annual Teaching Excellence Series, acquaint new faculty with everything from how to design an excellent course to the school's teaching expectations. For new and veteran faculty, the series also includes a full day of instruction on the case method and sessions on how to engage students through a variety of instructional strategies, on using technology and new media to improve teaching, and on assessment and grading strategies.

The Haas faculty who will be giving presentations include Wasim Azhar, Adam Beman, Sara Beckman, Peter Goodson, Greg LaBlanc, Holly Schroth, and Suneel Udpa.

The series ends with a hands-on workshop for new faculty to apply the skills and knowledge that they gained during the orientation and receive feedback from peers and the center’s staff.

"This orientation is a powerful way of introducing new faculty to the norms and expectations of teaching at Berkeley-Haas," says Dean Rich Lyons. "It’s one of the many ways the Center for Teaching Excellence is ensuring our students benefit from the strongest possible experience during their time here."

In addition to the orientation and workshop series, other services developed by the center include customized and confidential coaching services; a mentoring program for instructors, called Excellence Exchange; and seminars throughout the year to communicate best practices, discuss innovative approaches to teaching, and provide a forum for faculty to share ideas with each other.

More than 60 faculty members attended last year’s summer orientation and workshop series, while 50 faculty members have attended the seminars, 28 have received coaching services, and 12 have worked with mentors during the center's first year.

The center was created in 2009 with a $750,000 gift from Steve and Susan Chamberlin, MBA 87, former members of the Haas School professional faculty. Steve Chamberlin was an adjunct professor in the Haas Real Estate Group for 15 years, and Susan Chamberlin taught with him for several years.

Steve Chamberlin is chairman of Chamberlin Associates, a commercial real estate development firm based in Pleasanton, Calif., and Rouse/Chamberlin Homes, a Pennsylvania-based home builder. Susan Chamberlin earned her MBA from Haas and is an architect.

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