202008222130 Immanuel Kant
Argued that we can have synthetic a priori experiences.
Synthetic experiences = not analytic (definitional)
A priori knowledge does not require some sense or experience to convince that the knowledge is true.
An example is a predicting a solar eclipse - we can predict to great accuracy when a solar eclipse will happen. We don’t need for it to happen for us to know it will happen, and it isn’t a definitional truth either.
Another example (brought up by Kant) is 7+5 = 12. I’m slightly confused how this isn’t analytic, but according to Kant it isn’t.
This is relevant because, under the analogy that all human experience is tinted rose colored glasses (with the glasses being the human mind), we can reason about the nature of mind, the type of rose colored glasses that we’re wearing, even though we’ll never know about the numinal world.
On Kant’s views on moral philosophy, he thought that morals have everything to do with rationality and logic, and nothing to do with emotions. He thought that we should all follow categorical imperatives, like “don’t lie”, and maxims, which are universal and would make sense for everyone to follow. In contrast to Aristotle, who claims that emotions and the meaning behind things is a big part of virtue, Kant’s morals allow people who don’t naturally feel emotions to be moral.
uuid: 202008222130 tags: #knowledge #writeup
Specific Examples Of Pedagogical Skills
- Create a lesson plan prior to each class session that lists objectives — what you want the students to take away from the class or be able to do. The plan should list the topics you wish to cover; but more importantly, it should include the steps or activities you will use to have the students reach those objectives. The plan should also indicate the amount of time you will allot for each activity. This will help you set realistic goals for the class and manage your time well.
- Communicate the learning objectives to students. Write your learning objectives and a list of tasks that will achieve those objectives on the board or on a slide, should you be teaching remotely. This will enable your students to be clear about the purpose of the class activities.
- Use a variety of instructional methods or strategies, since all students learn best from multiple kinds of activities. Incorporate visual, verbal, auditory, individual, and group learning activities into your teaching.
- Encourage participation. Student participation can cement understandings of course material as well as generate new understandings and knowledge that may benefit the entire class.
Also include some from GSI Tips 202008202030 for specific situations and answers to those, such as Getting Caught Off-Guard 202008221509
uid: 202008221512 tags: #teaching
Getting Caught Off-Guard
Being caught off guard by a student’s question happens to all instructors, regardless of their level of expertise.
Here are things Chris can do:
- Think in advance about standard responses to such questions. For example, “That’s an interesting question, but I’ll need to research it/think it over. I can answer you next time, or message you through the course website.”
- Turn the question back to the students as a learning opportunity: “Good question. How would you (or other class members) go about answering that question?” This is a good way to give students practice actively thinking through course material.
- Take a moment to consider whether the reason you do not have an answer prepared is that the question is only tangential to the course topic or could lead the class discussion astray. In that case you can thank the student for the question and defer a response to the individual to office hours, bCourses, or email.
- Be prepared to say “I don’t know” if that is the honest answer. Be reassured that it is okay not to have all the answers about the subject. Many highly competent faculty members hear novel questions from students that they cannot answer right away. Let students know you will research the question and get back to them. Be sure to follow through.
- Consult with the Instructor of Record. As supervisors, faculty members understand that GSIs are constantly growing in expertise and do not expect GSIs to know everything. Faculty appreciate GSIs who seek out clarification of course material so that they can communicate accurately and effectively with students.
uid: 202008221509 tags: #teaching
How to foster inclusion
- Mandatory office hours for first 3 weeeks
- Use notecards as semi-anonymous data collection method
- Pre-semester survey
Model behavior for students (you can rename your name in Zoom, add pronouns)
Put the good intention out there, but also acknowledge the mistake that the student made. Start with the good intention!
If someone calls you out - use it as a learning moment.
- People call you out for your accent, use it as an opportunity for talking about unconscious bias, or things that I can do to help you.
- It’s very very very important to be the bigger person, when things like this happens. If you can do it, or you think of what to say, take the high road.
I would respond right away, saying something like “Claire, I know you probably didn’t mean it, but what you said was potentially hurtful, and reinforces a harmful, negative stereotype. Again, I know you probably didn’t intend it that way, but I’d really appreciate if you were more careful with the words you use, just to keep the atmosphere positive and productive for everyone.”
uid: 202008202050 tags: #teaching
- Put all stuff on google calendar, what to expect and when to expect
- Also, make sure about lecture times, and what content is covered in each lecture
- Pay attention to DSP
Getting to know students
- Pre-course survey
- Timezones, learning environments
- What do they need me to help them with?
- fears, interests
- especially when you’re teaching remotely
- what kind of students do they have access to?
- what kinds of media have students been consuming?
How do I get students comfortable with turning on their video?
- Ask students to turn on notifications on bCourses
- Have to help students, by building a remote environment
- Regular, bare minimum stuff (but consistency) is way better than flash bang bell and whistles that are impossible to maintain
First week
- Welcoming students to the course, making students feel like they’re included, need them to know that they’re a student, and I’m here for them
- Set up some kind of study groups
Zoom settings
Do I want to enable chat or not?
Are people just going to interject in? Use the hands feature? Type in the chat?
You can just take a break when you have to go
On the first day, tell them that I’m a human, feel free to reach out to me. (This is best with some kind of story)
Call people by their name, repeat their name, and use the tools from the negotiation book
Be available for students on Whatsapp (at night), set up consistent time that you’re available for students
Talk slowly, especially when you’re recording a video - it’s much more natural to speed something up than slow it down. 202212291306
uid: 202008202030 tags: #teaching
202008020828 Why I want to work for a company
~~I care a lot about productivity and self improvement - one of my both immediate and long-term goals is to be more thoughtful, more efficient than the day before, or the year before. One of the big reasons I want to join XX is because I think the range of problems I’d be working on XX is not too out of my wheelhouse (roughly) but still new enough to me that I’d be growing leaps and bounds as a collaborator and engineer.
Be as genuine as possible at career fairs.~~
#update (April ’22): Now that I’ve been a software engineer for about eight months. I know that saying you care a lot about “productivity” and “self-improvement” is not the right way to start a blurb like this. Companies don’t care that you care a lot about productivity — they want to know about skills and experiences that will demonstrate that you actually are productive, rather than just want to be productive. I think saying I care a lot about efficiency and building apps and designing workflows for myself is better than what I had before. Caring a lot about self-improvement and self-reflection is good too, but that doesn’t explain why I want to work for the company. Usually the best thing I’ve seen for why I want to work for a company is a genuine sounding story where they are able to take some kind of story about the company and relate it to one of their values. AKA one of the reasons that the company exists (one of the problems that it’s trying to solve) is something that you also intrinsically care about.
uuid: 202008020828 tags: #recruiting #update