Training for student teaching fellows at Rowan University

Rowan University has recently been awarded Research Institution status. With this new designation there is an increasing emphasis on graduate education and on recruiting talented graduate students from both our undergraduate programs and from schools in our region. In order to promote recruitment and enhance retention, the university has developed a Teaching Fellows Program that provides our graduate students with funding for four semesters as they work toward a Master's Degree in their chosen major. With this opportunity in mind, the College of Engineering Dean's Office and the four department Chairpersons formed a committee to develop a summer training program that prepares the Teaching Fellows for the classroom experience. The program has four stages: 1) Orientation, 2) Instruction, 3) Classroom Immersion, and 4) Individual Practice. In this paper each stage is described in detail. This intensive training program with its novel use of classroom experience in summer programs has provided the Teaching Fellows the opportunity to gain the confidence and skills to succeed in their Fellowship requirements. A full description of the program and assessment data and analysis are presented.