A significant number of PhD candidates will soon become the next generation of university faculty members. And although many of them are experts in their respective fields, they might lack the skills necessary to successfully transition into an instructional position.
To prepare these future instructors for the classroom, Johns Hopkins University is launching a free online course, University Teaching 101, designed to introduce the strategies and skills necessary to meet the demands of teaching at a university level.
"In recent years, it has become apparent that teaching is not an intuitive behavior," says Pamela R. Jeffries, the university's vice provost for digital initiatives. "In addition to content, teaching involves a complex intellectual process, and to develop the 'art' of teaching, professors require guidance and support." The Massive Open Online Course —MOOC, for short—will be offered through Coursera and is set to launch on March 17.
