Teaching College-Level Science and Engineering
This MIT OpenCourseWare seminar prepares graduate students in science and engineering for academic teaching careers. Sessions cover course design, lecturing techniques, assessment methods, and strategies for engaging undergraduates in technical subjects. Students research and present on a teaching topic of their choosing, drawing on their own disciplinary backgrounds in fields ranging from chemistry to mechanical engineering. The format is participatory, with discussion-based sessions rather than one-way lectures, and it is open to both first-time instructors and experienced teaching assistants looking to sharpen their practice. Materials include the syllabus, assignment descriptions, and session-by-session topics as published by MIT OpenCourseWare, under its standard free-to-audit model with no certificate offered. The course does not assume prior teaching experience but expects familiarity with a STEM discipline, since much of the discussion centers on translating technical expertise into effective classroom instruction at the college level.