Preceptored Courses

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is a preceptor?

What is a Teaching Team?

What is a Supervising Instructor?

General Preceptor Questions

Will I get credit for being a preceptor?

How many times can I be a preceptor?

Why can I be a 397a preceptor 3 times?

Is this an easy A?

How can I recruit my own professor?

Preceptor Training Class Questions

How many classes can I miss?

If I can't make my regular class time one week, can I attend another section instead?

I missed a class last week. Can I make it up this week or next week?

Do UNVR instructors have office hours?

Is there anything that I need to bring on the first day of class?

Are there exams in this class?

Preceptor Registration Questions

When and where can I register for 197a?

Can I register for UNVR 197a on WebReg?

When do classes start?

Can I take a training class that overlaps with my other classes?

General Questions

What is a preceptor?

- A preceptor is the term the Teaching Teams Program uses for student peer assistants. Preceptors typically are either concurrently enrolled in the course in which they serve on the Teaching Team or have taken the course in the past. Preceptors differ from tutors in that they are not content experts. They are typically learning along with their peers, which gives them a "just-in-time" command of the material. Their value lies in their ability to be natural, efffective facilitators, communicators and listeners when given the opportunity to help their fellow students learn.

What is a Teaching Team?

- A Teaching Team is comprised of the Supervising Instructor, Graduate Teaching Assistants (if any), and Preceptors

What is a Supervising Instructor?

- The Supervising Instructor is the instructor of record for the course in which the Preceptor is serving. A Supervising Instructor could be a Professor, Adjunct, or Graduate Student. This term is typically used to distinguish the Supervising Instructor from the person teaching the preceptor training course.

General Preceptor Questions

Will I get credit for being a preceptor?

- Yes, the UNVR preceptor training class you register for is worth 3 units. You will be awarded a regular letter grade that will affect your GPA just like any other class.

How many times can I be a preceptor?

- You can take UNVR 197a and UNVR 297a once each. You can take UNVR 397a up to 3 times, provided the content of each course is substantially different (i.e. taking 397a as a class that meets once a week, and then taking it as an Independent Study counts as being substantially different.) Add this up and you get a total of 5 opportunities to be a preceptor. Please note that students rarely preceptor more then twice. There are better ways to build on your preceptor skills then to return as a preceptor more then 3 times and we would be happy to brainstorm these with you.

Why can I be a 397a preceptor 3 times?

- You can only repeat UNVR 397a for credit up to 3 times. It is required that your coursework be substantially different in each UNVR 397a experience to receive this credit. Students have accomplished this by taking the UNVR 397a as an Educational Leadership course that meets once a week, as an Independent Study, and in the Mentor to Faculty version offered by the University Learning Center.

Is this an easy A?

- No. Your grade for being a preceptor is a combination of the grades you earn from your Supervising Instructor (51%) and you UNVR instructor (49%). You need to participate, be responsible and put in a good faith effort as a preceptor for your Supervising Instructor and in your UNVR course. If ever there was a course that graded you on attitude, this is it. So fulfilling your requirements to the letter of what is asked is not usually sufficient for a good grade. Speak with your Supervising Instructor about his/her expectations of preceptors before you commit if you are concerned about your grade.

How can I recruit my own professor?

- The first step is to speak to the professor of interest and tell them you would like to be a preceptor. If they are interested, contact the Teaching Teams Program via email or call 621-3991. We will then follow up with the professor and answer any questions they have about the program.

Preceptor Training Class Questions

How many classes can I miss?

- NONE! You are encouraged not to miss any UNVR class meetings unless it is an emergency or excused absence. Attendance and participation make up 30% of your UNVR grade and it is impossible to do well in the class if you are not in attendance.

If I can't make my regular class time one week, can I attend another section instead?

- Yes, but only under certain circumstances. You must notify your instructor beforehand to inform them of your absence and which section you would like to attend instead. You then need to email the instructor of the section you want attend to let them know you are coming.

I missed a class last week. Can I make it up this week or next week?

- No, missed classes can only be made up in the week that they occur. This is only a possibility if you notify the instructor before the missed class or in extreme circumstances.

Do UNVR instructors have office hours?

- They are available by appointment only. Please email your instructor directly.

Is there anything that I need to bring on the first day of class?

Yes, there is a homework assignment due the first day of class. The details and instructions are posted on D2L.

Are there exams in this class?

- No. There are no exams in this class. There are final assignments due at the end of the semester. See your syllabus for details.

Preceptor Registration Questions

When and where can I register for 197a?

- Reistration typically takes place during the first 3 weeks of the Fall and Spring Semester. You must register in our office, Kuiper Space Sciences Room 351. Registration hours are 10am-4pm, Monday through Friday.

Can I register for UNVR 197a on WebReg?

- No, you must visit the Teaching Teams Program office in Kuiper Space Sciences Room 351 to fill out a registration packet and receive an add/drop form.

When do classes start?

- Typically the 4th week of the semester, but check our calendar for specific dates which may vary from semester to semester.

Can I take a training class that overlaps with my other classes?

- No, choose a time for your preceptor training class that does not conflict with any other classes or your work schedule. It is not a valid excuse to miss any training classes to attend work, review sessions or other classes.