PLTL for graduate student professional development

CHED 404

Mary S. Lenczewski, MLenczew@mail.rochester.edu and Joseph P. Dinnocenzo, jpd@chem.rochester.edu. Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, RC Box 270216, Rochester, NY 14627-0216
Senior graduate students and faculty at the University of Rochester have established a graduate seminar series to give graduate students the tools necessary to succeed throughout their graduate experience. Drawing heavily from the University of Rochester's experience in PLTL, topics covered in the Graduate Student Seminar series focus on various theoretical concepts of learning (e.g. metacognition, reciprocal questioning, and cognitive apprenticeship) and their concrete application to problems arising throughout the graduate experience. Our first year of this program has already demonstrated its utility as judged by the positive feedback from first year students. The beginning students felt that the seminars greatly assisted their teaching abilities and confidence, and gave them a sense of belonging to the department. It is hoped that the Graduate Student Seminar will help decrease attrition rates and promote graduate student success.