IT’S NOT ABOUT ME 101 (INAM 101)

Sheri Sheppard, Richard W. Weiland Professor in the School of Engineering, Emerita

Join Professor Sheppard for a unique workshop that explores a significant aspect of Stanford: education. Teaching is a crucial component of our mission as faculty and lecturers, but it serves as a means to an end rather than an end in itself. Over her 39 years at Stanford, her understanding of that end (the dependent variable) has evolved and matured.

In this workshop, you will discover:

•  Key concepts from the learning sciences that shift the focus to the learner.
• Practical ideas for applying these concepts in the classroom, including both successes and challenges.
• The broader utility of these concepts beyond the classroom setting.

This workshop is designed to be highly interactive, featuring small-group activities that encourage you to map your personal teaching and learning experiences to larger educational principles and dynamics. You’ll have an opportunity to share your stories while building a sense of community among attendees, including current and emeriti/ae faculty and staff, CTL community members, MINT Fellows, Engr312 students, UG mentors, and lecturers.

Expect to participate in exercises such as “Think-Pair-Share” and storytelling that help you reflect on memorable learning experiences. We will collectively gather good practices and identify areas for improvement, fostering an environment of collaboration and support.

Handouts, including a syllabus and worksheets, will be provided to enhance your experience, and the room will be set up with round tables to encourage discussion among groups of 6-8 people.

While this format may feel unfamiliar to some, it is geared toward creating a vibrant and connected classroom experience. I encourage your participation for a rich, collaborative exchange of ideas that can inform our educational practices moving forward.

More about Sheri Sheppard

Sheri Sheppard has taught both undergraduate and graduate design-related classes, and conducted research on fracture mechanics and applied finite element analysis, and on how people become engineers. She previously served as a Senior Scholar at the Carnegie Foundation, where she led its national engineering study. Sheri has co-led several major multi-institutional education initiatives, including the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education and the National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation.

She has industry experience with Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, and earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin and her PhD from the University of Michigan. At Stanford, she has served as chair of the Faculty Senate, associate vice provost for graduate education, and faculty founder and adviser to MEwomen. Her contributions to engineering education and teaching have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Walter J. Gores Award and ASEE’s Chester F. Carlson and Ralph Coats Roe Awards.

Co-sponsored by the Stanford Emeriti/ae Council and Center for Teaching and Learning